Episode 319 of I’ll Drink to That! has been released and it features Eric de Saint Victor of Château de Pibarnon in the Bandol region of southern France.

This interview takes all kinds of unexpected turns, touching on Italian influence in Southern French winemaking, on what the loss and separation from a wine property and a family can do to a person, and in many ways what almost sounds like a New World story of leaving the big city to take up life closer to nature. But this isn’t the New World we are talking about, this is Bandol, and there are several very keen observations made about the place and the grapes grown there within this interview. If you are curious about how Mourvedre behaves in different conditions, for instance, this is a good interview to check out. There are also some trenchant comments made about the nature of what really good winemaking comes down to, and the what has changed in the region and in France generally when it comes to wine and food. Sometimes the I’ll Drink to That interviews don’t sound so much like interviews as they sound like a person who is in the wine business talking about that to a friend. This is one of those instances.

Listen to the stream above, or check it out in iTunes.

I’ll Drink to That is the world’s most listened-to wine podcast, hosted by Levi Dalton. Levi has had a long career working as a sommelier in some of the most distinguished and acclaimed dining rooms in America. He has served wine to guests of Restaurant Daniel, Masa, and Alto, all in Manhattan. Levi has also contributed articles on wine themes to publications such as The Art of Eating, Wine & Spirits magazine, Bon Appetit online, and Eater NY. Check out his pictures on Instagram and follow him on Twitter: @levi_opens_wine