In this episode of Five Questions, Billy speaks with Peter Liem, James Beard Award-winning writer and one of the world’s foremost Champagne experts. Peter discusses how climate change is reshaping the region, the rise of new subregions, his balanced take on natural wine, and even shares details from a remarkable deep-sea dive to recover 19th-century Champagne.

Episode highlights:
• The biggest issue facing the wine world today
• How warming temperatures are changing Champagne
• Emerging subregions to watch beyond the Côte des Bar
• Peter’s honest perspective on natural wine and craftsmanship
• Standout vintages from 2002 to 2019
• Diving in the Baltic Sea to recover historic Champagne
• Inside look at La Fête du Champagne 2025 in Chicago, NYC, and LA

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Vent Wine Podcast
00:19 Welcome to Five Questions
00:44 Meet Peter Liem
00:51 Peter's Role in the Wine Industry
01:08 Challenges in the Wine World
01:53 Subregions in Champagne
02:43 Wine Trends and Opinions
03:42 Memorable Vintages
04:30 Bonus Questions
05:38 Special Champagne Events
06:25 Conclusion

The Vint Wine Podcast is hosted and produced by Billy Galanko. For more content follow Billy on Instagram @BillyGalanko_wine_nerd and for partnerships and collaborations please email billy@sommeliermedia.com.

Cheers!

Winemaker Alban Debeaulieu of Abbott Claim joins Billy to share how a historic 1855 Oregon land claim became one of the Willamette Valley’s most distinctive estates. Alban details his path from France’s Rhône Valley and Burgundy to Oregon, the marine-sandstone soils of Yamhill-Carlton, and how his team farms organically and ages wines 18 months on gross lees for depth and longevity.
He explains his low-intervention philosophy, whole-cluster choices, and why Oregon deserves its own identity apart from Burgundy. The episode also explores Oregon Chardonnay’s rise and the vintage challenges shaping the region today.

Key Topics
• Origins of Abbott Claim and its 1855 land deed
• Yamhill-Carlton marine-sandstone terroir
• Organic and biodynamic-inspired farming
• Gross-lees aging and its impact on texture
• Whole-cluster fermentation philosophy
• Oregon Chardonnay and regional evolution

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to the Vint Wine Podcast
00:23 Meet Alban W: Winemaker from Willamette Valley
01:07 The Story of Abbott Claim Vineyard
06:35 Alban’s Journey in the Wine Industry
11:50 Exploring the Unique Terroir of Abbott Claim
29:57 Challenges of Erosion and Soil Management
30:35 Viticulture Practices and Whole Cluster Usage
33:50 Oregon Growing Season and Climate Impact
37:03 Organic and Biodynamic Farming Techniques
46:11 Oregon Chardonnay and Winemaking Philosophy

The Vint Wine Podcast is hosted and produced by Billy Galanko. For more content follow Billy on Instagram @BillyGalanko_wine_nerd and for partnerships and collaborations please email billy@sommeliermedia.com.

Cheers!

In this episode, host Billy Galanko talks with Alban Debeaulieu, head winemaker at Abbott Claim, about crafting site-driven Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Oregon’s Yamhill-Carlton and Eola-Amity Hills AVAs. Alban shares how his Burgundian training informs his approach to expressing terroir, why 2019 and 2024 stand out as benchmark vintages, and what early signs suggest about the 2025 growing season. He also previews new high-elevation plantings and multi-clone field blends at Lily Springs, designed to deepen the estate’s expression of place, and invites listeners to experience the cellar-side tastings that define Abbott Claim’s understated authenticity.

Key Topics

• The terroir and vineyard history of Abbott Claim in Yamhill-Carlton
• Expansion to Eola-Amity Hills and the Lily Springs project
• How Burgundian philosophy shapes Oregon winemaking
• Why 2019 and 2024 are standout Oregon vintages
• Early outlook on the 2025 growing season
• High-elevation, multi-clone Pinot Noir and Chardonnay plantings
• Visiting Abbott Claim: tastings by appointment in the cellar

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Vent Wine Podcast
00:19 Welcome to Five Questions
00:44 Meet Ban Dibel of Abbott Claim
00:55 Abbott Claim Vineyards and Varieties
01:19 Unique Wines of Abbott Claim
02:07 Inspiration from Other Wine Regions
02:39 Memorable Vintages
03:31 2025 Growing Season Insights
04:47 Future Plans for Abbott Claim
05:55 Visiting Abbott Claim
06:24 Conclusion

The Vint Wine Podcast is hosted and produced by Billy Galanko. For more content follow Billy on Instagram @BillyGalanko_wine_nerd and for partnerships and collaborations please email billy@sommeliermedia.com.

Cheers!