Wine Writer Natalie MacLean Talks About Her Sensual Obsession

Enjoying wine is as much a hands on experience as is anything. The history of the wine –the grapes, the region, the winemaker, the vintage- and the people with whom you drink it are the variables that shape the wine drinking experience from one of simple consumption to something of deeper impact in our daily lives. Award winning writer Natalie MacLean has carved out a career by skipping past the pretensions of wine and food and embracing the personalities, emotions, and simple human curiosity that make wine and food a sensual obsession rather than just basic sustenance. IntoWine recently caught up with Natalie to discuss her new book, Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass, as well as her views on wine.

What is the inspiration behind this book?

I wanted to explore issues such as what makes wine great, how to pair it with food, why we need sommeliers and others in greater depth than I was able to in my print and online journalism. I book allows you to dig deeper.

You chose a first person, "hands on", approach to this book. Why?

My book is written in the same style I use for my journalism, and both reflect the way I think and talk. I prefer to be conversational and intimate when I write as that's my "authentic" voice and allows me to connect with readers more effectively. The hands on part allows me to observe and feel more deeply, which especially effective when you're slugging winery hoses during the harvest or dripping wine across the tablecloth as a sommelier.

You met many wine personalities in writing this book. Now that it is complete, with whom would you most like to spend an evening tasting?

I'd invite them all back for a tasting dinner because I'd want them to meet each other, and I'd love to listen to the conversation that ensues!

You are a former dancer, a Rhodes Scholar finalist, a 19th Century English Literature major, and an MBA. How did this lead you to writing about wine?

They all seem disconnected except that I have a taste for life and follow my passions. All of those endeavors now inform the way I write and see the world.