Straight Talk Ep. 21: A Conversation with Salvestrin Winemaker Natalie Winkler and a Look at the World’s Most Notorious Wine Thieves!

The star of Napa Cabernet shares her revelation about Oregon Pinot Noir, stressing the importance of winemakers being present in the vineyards. Surprisingly, there’s been a surge in well-known wine thefts recently!

Natalie Winkler, the winemaker of the Salvestrin Family, got everyone talking when the 2018 Salvestrin Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon made it to the Wine Spectator‘s Top 10 Wines of 2021. She intriguingly says in the newest episode of the Wine Spectator‘s Straight Talk podcast that her love for wine kickstarted with a bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir.

Representing a novel era of California wine professionals who not only specialize in winemaking or vineyard management, but in both, Winkler advocates why it’s crucial for winemakers to be in the vineyard. She shares even more elucidating information on this matter. 

Wine Spectator‘s senior editor for news, Mitch Frank, provides updates on a few significant recent wine robberies from two of Europe’s most respected restaurant wine vaults.

Now available on Apple, Google, Spotify and more, including at WineSpectator.com/podcast, 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 at WineSpectator.com/podcast, and listeners can email their questions and comments to StraightTalk@WineSpectator.com.

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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!