Oz Clarke and James May return with second series

Oz and James’ Big Wine Adventure returned to UK television screens this week, continuing in the vein of the highly successful first series.

The show, which according to official figures pulled in 1.6m viewers to the BBC2 channel on Tuesday night, has an eight-week run.

After the first series concentrated on the wine regions of France, the second instalment, which began on Tuesday evening, focuses on California.

Featured personalities over the next three episodes include Jim Clendenen at Au Bon Climat, Randall Grahm and Paul Draper of Ridge. Crusading Pinot Noir producer Gary Pisoni and the Hitching Post restaurant, made famous in the wine film Sideways, also make an appearance.

The second series also continues with the similar mix of education and humour as found in the first, with May forcing Clarke to taste wines in a dodgem car and Pisoni lending May his rifle to shoot the worst bottles May has tasted so far on their trip.

Decanter publisher director Sarah Kemp praised what she called the ‘terrifically entertaining’ and educational new series.

‘It’s better than the first,’ she said. ‘It’s entertaining, well filmed, and people will think more about wine and that’s got to be a good thing.’

The series continues for two weeks, followed by a two-week break. The remaining five episodes will be aired from 20 November onwards.

Written by Oliver Styles