The Drinks Business Podcast

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May 2026

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About the show

Listen to Master of Wine and editor-in-chief of the drinks business Patrick Schmitt discuss the latest news and views with the db editorial team and guests. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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41 recent

May 11, 202642 min

En Primeur 2026 with Colin Hay

Db’s Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay speaks to Arabella Mileham about the 2025 Bordeaux en primeur campaign. Noting the surprising quality of the wines despite challenging weather conditions, he shares his top picks of the vintage as well as the challenges ahead. This year, more than ever, pricing discipline will be crucial, and a successful campaign is vital for Bordeaux's financial stability - so far, the pace of the campaign has been slow and early releases shows modest reductions, but this may accelerate, and the next two weeks will prove decisive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 5, 202633 min

WSET’s next chapter: Michelle Brampton on modernisation, sustainability and the future of drinks education

In a wide-ranging interview with Patrick Schmitt MW, Michelle Brampton outlines her vision for the future of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET): a more inclusive, digitally-enabled, sustainability-focused, and globally-connected organisation that remains the benchmark for drinks education worldwide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

April 17, 202634 min

Taste Spain: what are most exciting Spanish wines right now

Patrick Schmitt MW discusses the past, present and future of Spain’s diverse wine scene with Ferran Centelles, the drinks manager at the El Bulli foundation, and Maria Naranjo, the director of food and drink at Spanish trade organisation ICEX. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

April 6, 20261 hr 8 min

Webinar: How AI can transform the wine and spirits trade

Panellists include Danny Cooper, chief information and digital officer at Virgin Wines; Rachel Wilson, general manager of Napa Valley Marriott; and Patrick Comiskey, Master of Fine Arts, wine writer and critic.As AI capabilities evolve at speed – enabling increasingly sophisticated product recommendations, targeted communications and data-driven insights – drinks businesses face a particular challenge: applying these tools in a category defined by complexity and deeply subjective consumer preferences.This session examines how AI-powered personalisation can be deployed effectively across retail, e-commerce and hospitality, and what a specialist, drinks-focused approach looks like in practice.Hosted in partnership with Preferabli, which provides recommendation solutions tailored specifically to the drinks sector, the webinar will bring together voices from across the trade — spanning digital retail, hospitality and wine criticism — to assess both the opportunities and practical realities of AI implementation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

March 27, 202655 min

Nadine Fau: How to be green and premium in Provence

Château Galoupet managing director Nadine Fau tells Patrick Schmitt MW about the steps needed to produce wine sustainably in Provence and why premium rosé packaging doesn’t have to come at the expense of the environment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

March 20, 202636 min

Eric LeVine: 'Dry January does not exist'

According to CellarTracker founder Eric LeVine, “Dry January does not exist” – at least among his audience – though drinkers are exploring far more wine regions than in the past. He tells Patrick Schmitt MW about the trends from his 'Year in Review'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

March 5, 202626 min

David Furnish: Why Elton John launched an alcohol-free fizz

Patrick Schmitt MW hears from David Furnish why he and his husband decided to enter the drinks sector with an alcohol-free alternative to Champagne called Elton John Zero Blanc de Blancs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

February 27, 202657 min

UK drinking trends and the wines of the Centre Loire

A look at the state of the UK drinks market and where the wines of the Centre Loire could fit in, as well as why, and with what. As an umbrella region, the Centre Loire encompasses eight appellations, most famously Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, as well as gems such as Quincy and Menetou Salon, along with two IGPs – one of them the wonderfully named Côtes de la Charité. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

January 27, 202626 min

Julian Braithwaite: Does the science support ‘Dry January’?

Patrick Schmitt MW speaks with Julian Braithwaite, chief executive of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), to find out whether scientific research really supports the idea that a month without beer, wine or spirits is good for our health. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

January 26, 202640 min

Charles Taverner: Champagnes & Chateaux UK's new MD on building sales of fine fizz and Bordeaux in GB

Following his appointment as MD at Champagnes & Chateaux UK in September last year, Charles Taverner tells Patrick Schmitt MW how he intends to raise awareness and ramp up distribution for Bordeaux and Champagne Canard-Dûchene in GB's competitive market for fine wine and fizz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.