The history, philosophy and culture associated with wine
Friday 27 October 2006 21:30-22:15 (Radio 3)
Novelist Jay McInerney and others join Susan Hitch to discuss the history, philosophy and culture associated with wine. They sample vintage literature, explore how the language of wine has matured and debate the impact and philosophical implications of Robert Parker's infamous 100 point scoring system.
Playlist
Night Waves is kicking off its shoes, settling into a decent armchair and devoting the entire programme to the subject of wine.
From New York novelist Jay Mcinerney talks to Susan Hitch about life as an accidental wine critic.
In the studio Susan is joined by a coterie of philosophers, wine buyers, historians and writers to slurp their way through a mixed case of wine related issues - the philosophy of taste, wine as an expression of land and history, the different palates of Britain and France, the tyranny of great critics and the economics of sheer luxury.
Susan will be joined by cultural historian and steward of Kings College wine cellar Peter de Bolla; philosopher and oenophile Barry Smith; Serena Sutcliffe, Master of Wine and Head of Sotheby's International Wine Department and, as Night Waves' man in Bordeaux, wine writer Andrew Jefford.
