314: Why We Struggle to Describe Wine Yet Keep Trying with Hugh Johnson
Why is it so difficult to describe wine? How did England pave the way for Champagne as we know it today? What do winemaking and gardening share beyond being plant-based? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Hugh Johnson. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks Giveaway Two of you will win a copy of his marvellous memoir, The Life and Wines of Hugh Johnson. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck! Highlights What’s behind Hugh’s decades-long love for Bordeaux? How did Hugh’s first book about trees come about? How has writing about wine and about horticulture influenced each other? Are there commonalities between gardening and winemaking? Where was Hugh’s favourite place to enjoy wine? What was it like tasting wine with former Dom Pérignon chef de cave Richard Geoffroy? How did England pave the way for Champagne as we know it today? What did Hugh’s friendships with Elizabeth David and André Simon teach him about food and wine? What was it like tasting a wine that was made hundreds of years ago? What’s the difference between wines of "curiosity" versus "conviction"? Where does Hugh think the future of wine communication will go? What does Hugh hope his legacy to the wine world will be? Key Takeaways As Hugh observes, the essence of writing is comparing one experience to another. He tries to exploit the wonderful vocabulary of the English language which unites the brilliance of the Latin languages and the German school. However, there are no words that actually match the taste of wine. As Hugh explains that to keep the cork in a champagne bottle they used to tie it with string. The wine fermented in the bottle and the bottle exploded because the French didn't have bottles that would take the pressure. But England did and it's an interesting story. Under King James the First, at the beginning of the 17th century, they had to build a big fleet for the Navy to protect the country. The King decreed that all the good oak trees were for the ships only. So if you're going to make glass, you need a furnace at a very high temperature. So they had to use coal instead of wood. Coal mainly comes from the north of England, in Newcastle. These glass furnaces got really hot, and the glass got darker, but it also got stronger. And they found that it could take the pressure of bubbly wine. Winemaking and gardening both apply human skills, intelligence, and taste to natural objects. He observes who needs 450 varieties of roses. They're not needed, but they interest people, and people enjoy them. About Hugh Johnson Hugh Johnson is the world’s best-known wine writer, having sold more than 20 million books worldwide over a 60-year career. He began acquiring his wine knowledge as a member of the Wine and Food Society at Cambridge University before becoming a feature writer for Vogue and House & Garden magazines. To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/314.