'Anything said with absolute confidence and in absolute terms is normally nonsense,' says Oscar Dodd, about Fortnum & Mason's wine and spirits buyer, when it comes to discussing the oft-trotted out truisms about wine, beer and spirits that you often hear. But not everything you hear is so wide of the mark.
'They say that the English drink their red wine too old and too warm, and their white wine too young and too cold,' he adds. 'That is certainly true.'
- Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts
- Listen to Country Life podcast on Spotify
- Listen to Country Life podcast on Audible
Oscar has spent over two decades in the wine and spirits trade, starting out by eschewing university in order to stack shelves in his local Oddbins, falling in love with wine within a matter of weeks.
He's since gone on to forge a fascinating career, taking in everything from obscure vineyards that play Mozart to their grapes to help them grow, to walking the streets of New York City persuading people to drink more absinthe. These days, he's found in the more rarefied atmosphere of central London, at Fortnum & Mason, the world's most famous food and drink seller.
Oscar talks to James Fisher about his career, his pet hates, why you really shouldn't be saving that bottle of champagne you have under the stairs, and the amazing discoveries in the world of drink that are changing the industry — including Fortnums' alchoholic sparkling tea.
Then, of course, he shares his tips on the best tipples to buy for the Christmas period, from whisky, wine and liqueurs to the indispensable seasonal bottle of sherry. And you can see all the drinks he mentions at fortnumandmason.com.
Episode credits
- Host: James Fisher
- Guest: Oscar Dodd
- Producer and editor: Toby Keel
- Music: JuliusH via Pixabay
-
Brockfield Hall, the great Yorkshire house that's gone from Regency mansion to modern family homeBrockfield Hall in North Yorkshire is the family home of Charlie Wood and Hatta Byng, editor of House & Garden, who have transformed it since they came here in 2020, winning multiple awards in the process. John Martin Robinson reports on the restoration project that revived this compact Regency house as a modern family home. Photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
-
Barbour’s heritage jackets get a floral makeover courtesy of ErdemUtilitarian outwear has taken the fashion world by storm and now Britain's world-famous wax jackets are getting in on the act, inspired by some of our greatest countryside icons.
-
Mushroom gin, Lego houses, and dull men and women, with James MayThat bloke off Top Gear joins the Country Life Podcast to talk about making his own gin, how to run a pub, why dull men and women are anything but and why he hates the North Pole and suitcases with wheels.
-
Kelvin Fletcher: From Strictly Come Dancing to the sheep dipThis week's guest on the Country Life Podcast is Kelvin Fletcher, star of Fletchers' Family Farm, who talks to James Fisher about why he decided to move to the Peak District and dive head first into the rural way of life.
-
Henrietta Spencer-Churchill: My life at Blenheim Palace, from waterskiing on the lake to dealing with a £10 million bill for a new roofLady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill joins the Country Life Podcast.
-
The science behind how Nature can heal us, and how it's easier than you think, with Professor Miles RichardsonProfessor Miles Richardson joins James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast.
-
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen: Changing rooms, mixing leather and velvet, and the joy of growing old disgracefullyInterior designer and TV icon Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen joins the Country Life Podcast.
-
Epic beauty, sweeping grandeur and water pouring through the ceiling: What it's really like to live in your own castle, with Cosmo Linzee GordonCosmo Linzee Gordon joins James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast to talk about his upbringing at Cluny Castle.
-
Charlie Bigham: The man behind the meals on food, farming, and why cooking his lasagne takes three hoursWho doesn't love a Charlie Bigham fish pie or tikka masala? We spoke to the main man on the Country Life podcast to learn the secrets behind his famous food and hear more about his new cookbook.
-
The 12 most iconic paintings in The National Gallery, by gallery curator Dr Francesca Whitlum-CooperDr Francesca Whitlum-Cooper joins the Country Life Podcast to share how she and the team at the National Gallery picked the 12 most iconic pieces from the collection to celebrate the gallery's 200th anniversary.
