Straight Talk” Podcast Season 2 Premieres with Paul Hobbs as Debut Guest: A Wine Spectator Special

James Molesworth hosts an interview with a well-known international winemaker about his roots in New York and Mondavi, his adventures in South America and more. In addition, our editors delve into a contentious government report that was concealed by officials in Oregon.

Winemaker Paul Hobbs tells us about the pivotal moments of his career, from his upbringing in a family that abstained from alcohol to the first vintage of Opus One to making Argentine Malbec famous. Enjoy his candid humor and insightful commentary on the second season premiere of the Wine Spectator’s Straight Talk podcast.

James Molesworth, the host of the podcast, senior editor, and project lead at Wine Spectator says, “I can’t think of a better way to inaugurate our second season than with Paul Hobbs. It’s a privilege to have been covering his work for more than two decades, but that’s still less than half of his career, starting from his days on an apple farm in New York to now being one of the most important winemakers in California.”

You can now listen to episode 19 of Straight Talk on Apple, Google, Spotify, and other platforms, as well as on WineSpectator.com/podcast. The episode also explores a government study from Oregon that recently came to light and the dispute over its suppression.

Molesworth also reports that the newest episode represents a format shift for the second season of Straight Talk with Wine Spectator. Each monthly episode of season 2 spotlights a single in-depth interview with intriguing and accomplished guests making unique impacts on the wine and service industries. Molesworth will continue to be joined by podcast director Rob Taylor and senior editor for news Mitch Frank to catch up on the biggest stories, trends and upcoming events, and advice columnist Dr. Vinny (senior editor MaryAnn Worobiec) will once again share from her deep well of wine education and etiquette experience.

Straight Talk debuted in October 2022 and has attracted some of the wine industry’s biggest stars for honest, probing, revelatory and sometimes hilarious conversations. Season 1 guests included winemakers Aubert de Villaine, Tim Mondavi, Tony Soter, Mark Aubert, Helen Keplinger, Thomas Rivers Brown, Greg Brewer and many more, as well as chefs Thomas Keller and Marcus Samuelsson, NBA Hall of Famer and winery investor Tony Parker and film, TV and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc star Sarah Jessica Parker.

“The Straight Talk podcast is a must-listen for anyone in the wine industry, and gives consumers a personal connection with our expert staff of tasters that no other format—or podcast—can offer,” said Wine Spectator editor and publisher Marvin R. Shanken, who himself made several guest appearances in Straight Talk‘s first season.

Wine Spectator‘s Straight Talk podcast is available for free on all major podcasting platforms, as well as right here at WineSpectator.com/podcast; listeners can email their questions and comments to StraightTalk@WineSpectator.com. The next episode, starring Massican founder Dan Petroski, will debut March 22.

Oct 8, 2023

Sep 24, 2023

Jul 16, 2023

Jun 25, 2023

May 25, 2023

Oct 8, 2023

Sep 24, 2023

Jul 16, 2023

Jun 25, 2023

May 25, 2023

About the Author: Chris Lehoux

Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored!