For this edition of Tiny Tastings, Tiny Wine caught up with Lisa McBain, wine buyer at Fuller’s Pubs, to talk about what great wine really means, the bottles that stay with you, and how the wine trade can make great wines more accessible to more people.
When asked what defines great wine, Lisa keeps things refreshingly simple. For her, great wine is all about a sense of place and a sense of time. A wine should reflect where it comes from and the moment it was made. It’s not just about prestige or reputation, it’s about flavour, character and the story behind what’s in the glass.
In her own cellar, Lisa admits to recently opening something pretty special. Over Christmas she cracked open a 1989 Madeira that had been patiently waiting for the right moment. Madeira is one of those wines that proves just how resilient and age-worthy great wine can be, and Lisa describes it as an incredible experience.
When it comes to favourite wine regions, Lisa doesn’t hesitate. She’s a huge fan of Burgundy. Lisa is also passionate about wines from Portugal. While the country is hardly new to winemaking, she believes there are still many regions and producers that remain undiscovered by drinkers outside the country. Portugal’s diversity of native grapes and regional styles means there is always something new to explore.
One of Lisa’s most memorable wine experiences came during a visit to Uruguay. At Bodega Garzón, the winery itself is built into basalt rock, creating a striking connection between the landscape and the wines being produced there. For Lisa, that sense of immersion literally touching the stone walls of the winery made the experience unforgettable.
So how do we make great wine more accessible? Lisa believes the answer lies in giving people more opportunities to taste and explore. Serving wine by the glass, offering tastings and creating smaller, more accessible pours allows people to discover wines without committing to a full bottle. Sampling and experimentation, she believes, are key to helping drinkers build confidence and curiosity.
For her bottle shout-out, Lisa brings along something a little different: a straw wine. Made by drying grapes after harvest before fermentation, these wines concentrate flavour and sugar, creating a rich and intensely aromatic style. As she pours the glass, the colour alone is enough to grab attention. Vibrant, golden and full of character.
At Tiny Wine, that philosophy of exploration and accessibility is exactly what drives everything we do. Great wine shouldn’t feel intimidating or exclusive. As Lisa highlights, when people have the opportunity to taste, discover and experiment, the world of wine opens up in exciting ways.
Stay tuned for more Tiny Tastings as Tiny Wine continues to speak with sommeliers, buyers and wine lovers about what great wine really means today.