Join Natalie MacLean and Wolf Blass in Toronto Sept 10 and Ottawa Sept 17 for a tasting of 12 Wolf Blass wines, a range of sumptuous tapas dishes prepared by Toronto’s award-winning Against the Grain Restaurant and a personally signed copy of Natalie’s book Unquenchable. Natalie MacLean, named the World’s Best Wine Writer at the World Food Media Awards, will interview one of the most witty, provocative and colourful characters from her book Unquenchable: Wolf Blass of Wolf Blass Wines Australia. Yes, this is the man who once described his Red Label Shiraz as “the leg opener,” but he’s also […]
Book: Unquenchable
Decanter Magazine Review of Unquenchable
Peter Mayle is named by Natalie MacLean in the same sentence as Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges as one of her influences. I approached Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Bottles with caution, but MacLean is actually excellent company. Brought up in poverty, the last in a long line of alcoholics and a former competitive highland dancer, she rollicks around the world’s vineyards flirting with Wolf Blass, gaping at the slopes of the Mosel, chuckling with growers in Provence, reminding us every few pages of how much she likes to drink. There are useful gobbets of history […]
Unquenchable’s Literary Merit Pales Next to Practical Use
I get some terrific letters and e-mails from folks reading my books. This one though made me laugh out loud … love it! Natalie, thank you so much for writing, Unquenchable. I bought it for myself yesterday and I have just started reading it for my vacation time. I thoroughly devoured your first book and so far (I have only read two chapters) this new book is simply a delightful read. I prop myself up with pillows on our outdoor “living room” couch along with a glass of wine – read a page, sip the wine – and I drink […]
Best Food (and Wine) Writing Story Collection
The editor of the annual anthology Best Food Writing got in touch yesterday to say that an excerpt from Unquenchable will be published in this year’s edition. The book collects the best food (and occasionally wine) writing of the year from magazines and books, such as Anthony Bourdain (Kitchen Confidential), Ruth Reichl (Gourmet Magazine), Gabrielle Hamilton (Blood, Bones & Butter), Frank Bruni (New York Times), Alan Richman (GQ), Madhur Jaffrey (Indian Cooking), and Colman Andrews (Saveur). It also includes food-related writing from “non-food” writers such as Calvin Trillin (New Yorker), Michael Lewis (Moneyball, Liar’s Poker) and Barbara Kingsolver (Poisonwood Bible). If […]
Canadian Wine Deserves More Attention – Occasions Magazine
This interview with columnist Andrew Facey was published in the Newfoundland Liquor Commission magazine Occasions. I interviewed Natalie MacLean, author of the bestselling book: Red, White and Drunk All Over, when she was in St. John’s on tour for her second book: Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wines. MacLean was named the World’s Best Wine Writer at the World Food Media Awards for the wine picks and pairings she posts on Canada’s largest wine site and mobile smartphone apps at www.nataliemaclean.com. Here are some of the questions I asked and her responses. Andrew: Where is home […]
BC and Niagara Wine Regions Excel on World Stage – Bill Good Talk Show
Bill Good is one of my favourite radio talk show hosts. We discussed various wine regions around the world, such as Portgual, Germany, Argentina and Canada’s own Niagara and the Okanagan in BC. We also chatted about how more and more people are learning about wine online and via mobile apps. Pairings also came up … always a subject of interest I am delighted to say! You can listen to our chat below:
Words and Wine for the Chief Librarian – Ottawa Citizen
As I was reading today’s paper, I discovered that Ottawa’s Chief Librarian and CEO Danielle McDonald is a woman after my own heart. She’s likes a glass of affordable wine too, and almost as important, she likes reading stories about them. What The Chief Librarian is Reading Ottawa’s library chief executive Danielle McDonald says she loves books – she reads the news on a tablet computer, but you can’t beat a book for reassuring heft in your hands. She learned from her grandfather to have three books on the go, “one for pleasure, one for learning and one for advancement,” […]
Wine and Food Book Award Nominees – Taste Canada
This news just arrived in my inbox this morning … nice way to start a Friday! Taste Canada hosts the awards ceremony for Canada’s food and wine Oscars every year. I’m delighted that Unquenchable is among such an august list of nominees — congratulations to all the authors!
Buying Wine at the LCBO that’s Worth the Price – Toronto Star
As do many people, I like drinking wine. But I don’t know how to assess which wines are worth the money and which aren’t. One day, I stumbled upon a book at an Indigo store and bought it right away. I liked the cartoons on the cover and the title, Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wine. I started following author Natalie MacLean, an Ottawa-based sommelier, on Twitter. I found MacLean as bubbly in person as in her videos. In a phone interview, she told me about her free mobile apps for iPhone, Android and Blackberry devices. […]
A boldly irreverent approach expertly crafting a pleasing concoction of seamless storytelling and voluptuous food and wine writing – The Globe and Mail
By Kate Parsons In this ambitious and thoroughly entertaining book, Natalie MacLean chronicles her travels to five continents and eight countries in search of quality wines at good prices. Along the way, she meets the quirky personalities behind the wine and picks up a wealth of practical information about where they’re made, what to pair them with and how to find out more on your own. Like some of the winemakers profiled, MacLean is a master blender, expertly crafting a pleasing concoction of seamless storytelling, voluptuous food and wine writing and easy-to-use punch lists. This book is also part personal […]
