Twenty Years. Still Pouring.
The UK Wine Show, widely regarded as the world's first dedicated wine podcast and one of the longest-running, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month, marking two decades of weekly wine education, interviews and industry insight.
The first episode was released on 2 June 2006, when podcasting was still a niche medium. Twenty years later, co-founders Chris Scott and Jane Scott of ThirtyFifty have produced more than 850 episodes featuring guests from across the global wine industry, and the show continues to publish every week.
Hosted by Chris Scott, with contributions from co-host and co-producer Jane Scott, the podcast has explored every aspect of wine, from vineyard science and winemaking to blind tasting, food pairing, sustainability, climate change and wine business trends. Over the years, the show has featured conversations with winemakers, sommeliers, scientists, educators, retailers and wine communicators from around the world.
What started as an experiment with a microphone and a passion for wine has grown into an incredible journey, says Chris Scott, co-founder of ThirtyFifty.
We've had the privilege of speaking to some of the most knowledgeable and inspiring people in wine, and we're hugely grateful to the listeners who have joined us week after week for the past twenty years.
The UK Wine Show launched before the iPhone and Spotify, at a time when podcasting was still finding its audience. Today, it has earned a loyal international following and maintains a 4.3-star rating on Apple Podcasts.
Jane Scott adds:
The wine world has changed enormously over the last twenty years, but what hasn't changed is people's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning about wine. It's been wonderful to share that journey with our listeners.
From Wine Podcast to Wine Education Platform
A key factor behind the show's longevity has been its ability to evolve. While the UK Wine Show began as a broad wine podcast, around 2016 the team shifted towards more in-depth educational content to support WSET students and wine professionals looking to deepen their knowledge.
That move helped transform the podcast into a widely used study resource and laid the foundations for ThirtyFifty's wider wine education platform.
The shift also led to the launch of two specialist podcasts: the ThirtyFifty L3 Wine Podcast for students studying the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, and the ThirtyFifty L4 Wine Podcast for candidates working towards the WSET Diploma. Together, they provide structured learning support for students pursuing two of the wine industry's most respected qualifications.
The podcasts sit alongside ThirtyFifty's broader suite of study tools, including flashcards, mock exams and, for UK-based students, the opportunity to taste the wines they are studying. The approach is designed to mirror how people learn best: by listening, reading, testing themselves and ultimately tasting.
Throughout its evolution, one feature has remained constant: regular wine news coverage, helping listeners stay informed about developments across the global wine industry.
A British Podcast with a Global Audience
Over the past 90 days, the UK Wine Show has been downloaded in more than 60 countries.
The United States is currently the show's largest single market, accounting for 21% of downloads, followed by the UK at 18.5%. Japan ranks third with 13% of downloads, ahead of many of the world's traditional wine-producing nations.
The show's strongest growth, however, is across Asia. Combined listenership from Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam and China accounts for approximately 24% of all downloads - making Asia a larger audience than either the UK or the United States individually.
The international audience reflects the increasingly global nature of wine education and the growing demand for accessible, expert-led content from wine enthusiasts, students and industry professionals alike.
Special 20th Anniversary Episode
To mark the anniversary this week, the UK Wine Show has revisited one of its earliest interviews.
In 2006, episode eight featured James Ellis, Director of Ellis Wines, discussing the state of the wholesale wine trade. Twenty years later, Chris Scott sits down with Ellis again to ask many of the same questions and explore how the industry has changed over two decades.
The result is a unique perspective on the evolution of the wine trade and a fitting way to celebrate twenty years of documenting the world of wine.
Highlights from Twenty Years
• First episode released on 2 June 2006
• More than 850 episodes produced
• Weekly publication schedule maintained for twenty years
• Downloaded in more than 60 countries in the past 90 days
• Educational focus introduced in 2016 to support WSET students and wine professionals
• Continuous wine news coverage throughout the show's history
• Special anniversary episode reunites Chris Scott with James Ellis, first interviewed in 2006
• ThirtyFifty L3 and L4 Wine Podcasts launched to support WSET students
• Full study platform developed, including flashcards, mock exams and wine tasting opportunities for UK-based students