Introduction Are wines that cost hundreds of dollars per bottle ever worth the price? Does deepening your understanding of wine increase your enjoyment of wine? Who were the young widows who built the famous Champagne houses into top luxury brands? How can you use the butter/lemon test to help with food and wine pairing? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m sharing part two of my interview on the All About Wine podcast with Ron Hunt. You can find the wines we discussed here. Highlights Are high-end wines like Domaine Romanée-Conti worth their price? When is it worth it […]
Full-Bodied Red Wine
All About Wine Stories with Ron Hunt Part 1
Introduction What is it about wine that makes it part of many TV shows and movies? How does approaching wine through food make it so much more accessible? What adventures did I go on as a part of writing my books? Why are origin stories so important when it comes to wine? What’s one rule of thumb you can use to find great value wines that taste expensive? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m sharing my interview on the All About Wine podcast with Ron Hunt. You can find the wines we discussed here. Highlights What is it about […]
Label Gazing: How to Read a Wine Label
The hosts of CTV’s The Social and I had lots of fun decoding wine labels to find the secret info you can use to buy better wine. Admit it. You’ve probably bought a wine based on nothing more than a beautiful label. Presentation is a big thing when it comes to wine. When I’m picking out a bottle, I look for a pretty label and pay attention to the name of the wine but that’s about it. Is the aesthetic of the label usually indicative of the taste? Not at all, however, most people do judge a wine […]
Pairing Gift Wines with Personalities
Introduction Why does wine make such an ideal holiday gift? Which wines are the best to give, especially when you don’t know the personal taste of the recipient? Are there some wines you should never give as a gift beyond Two Buck Chuck? How can you match the gift wine to the personality of the giftee? We’re always talking about pairing wine and food, but how about pairing wine with the people on your holiday gift list? After all, when you give the gift of wine, doubles are fine unlike toaster ovens, there are no wrong sizes unlike that ugly sweater and […]
Festive Wines with the Globe & Mail’s Christine Sismondo
Introduction In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we’re chatting with Christine Sismondo, writer, teacher and barfly who, when not teaching literature at York University, is tracking down the city’s best drinks and the bars in which they’re served for her columns. She also writes wine and cocktail articles for the Globe and Mail, Canada’s largest national newspaper. Enjoy! Highlights Why shouldn’t you lump Cava, Prosecco and Champagne together? Why did Lambrusco have a bad reputation in the 70s and 80s? What is the Charmat Method for producing sparkling wine? How did Lambrusco become popular in North […]
Wine for Normal People with Elizabeth Schneider
Introduction Welcome to episode 51! In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Elizabeth Schneider, who has just published her first book called Wine for Normal People. Elizabeth is the award-winning host of one of the popular wine podcasts, Wine for Normal People. She’s also a Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers, a Certified Specialist of Wine by the Society of Wine Educators, and co-founder of Underground Wine Events, which brings together wine lovers with terrific, small wineries, and a public speaker on wine around the US. She’s the author of the forthcoming book, Wine For Normal People, to be […]
Pairing Chocolate & Wine, Harvest 2019 Update
Introduction Welcome to episode 50! Miles and I had dinner last night at one of Ottawa’s best new restaurants, Gitanes. The food has a French flair, but the restaurant is modern, dare I say hip? Is it even hip to say hip any more? Anyway, we loved the meal, especially the tuna tartare. I discovered the Pinot Noir I want for the Christmas holidays from Lighthall Vineyards in Prince Edward County… it had that perfect balance between Burgundian finesse and North American ripeness. This isn’t a commercial for this wine — I’m just sharing my latest discovery with you as […]
Flying with Flavour: Travel and Wine Stories with Stephanie Piché
Introduction In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we’re chatting with Stephanie Piché, a chef who in her never-ending quest for new flavours and experiences, has travelled the world to over 30 countries to gather insight and knowledge in international travel, luxury dining, local recipes and the world’s best wines. Enjoy! Highlights How did Stephanie stumble upon a secret cellar in Nice, France? What did Stephanie find in the old cellar? What was Stephanie’s Australian kangaroo encounter like? How can you pair wine and kangaroo? Why did Stephanie have to cringe at her driver’s etiquette in New […]
Thanksgiving Wines, Mouse Wine Defect, Trends to Ignore
Introduction For those of us in Canada, Thanksgiving is this weekend. In my opinion, there is no other holiday that celebrates the gift of wine like Thanksgiving. Wine is a taste of the harvest, along with all the delicious dishes on the table. But actually choosing a bottle can feel like a thankless task, especially with so many flavours to match. Do you celebrate Thanksgiving, perhaps in November if you’re American? On today’s episode of Unreserved Wine Talk, I’ll be chatting with you about how to pair wine with Thanksgiving turkey and all the side dishes, as well as the […]
Randall Grahm: A Californian Blend of Wine, Wit and Wisdom
Introduction Randall Grahm was born in Los Angeles in 1953 and attended the University of California at Santa Cruz where he was a permanent Liberal Arts major. Sometime later he found himself working at the Wine Merchant in Beverly Hills sweeping floors. By dint of exceptionally good karma, he was given the opportunity to taste an ungodly number of great French wines and this singular experience turned him into a complete and insufferable wine fanatic. He returned to the University of California at Davis to complete a degree in Plant Sciences in 1979, where owing to his single-minded obsession with […]
