35: Smart Tests for Wine Acidity, Tannin & Balance with Sommelier Chris Scott

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we’re chatting with Chris Scott, a U.K.-based sommelier who published the world’s first-ever wine podcast, the UK Wine Show. Chris and his wife, Jane also founded ThirtyFifty, a company which offers fun and no-nonsense wine tastings for private and corporate events. From his adventures as a triathlete to wine tastings in a hot tub, Chris shares his often-hilarious adventures as well as his brilliant tasting tips, including nifty ways to physically see how acidic or tannic wine is and insights into the U.K. wine industry. Enjoy!

Highlights

• How did ThirtyFifty get started?
• How can you identify and describe tannins during a tasting?
• How does Chris define balance in wine?
• Why does Chris believe it’s so important for wine tastings and teaching to be experiential?
• How has the UK wine scene changed over the years?
• Are there any connections between the growing conditions in the UK and in Champagne?
• What is the best wine advice Chris has ever received?

About Chris Scott

Chris Scott is an award-winning wine podcaster and presenter who runs wine tasting company called ThirtyFifty and produces a weekly wine podcast, The UK Wine Show, which is consistently ranked in the top 10 Apple Podcasts’ Food & Drink charts.

Born and bred in New Zealand, Chris spent time as a student working hands-on in the vineyards of Canterbury before graduating with first class honours in engineering.

In 2001, he moved to London U.K. and now holds the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines & Spirits, the top qualification. He now heads up a team of 20 wine experts across the UK, between them running more than 500 corporate events, wine courses and private tastings per year.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.