I can’t remember the last time I picked up a book and could not wait until I had some free time to pick it up again. I am only on page 72 of Unquenchable and I just love the way you are able to set the scene, it’s witty, engrossing and thoroughly entertaining. As a chef for the past 31 years and a passionate wine lover for the past 20 years or so, it is so refreshing to read a book so full of my own thoughts and beliefs. Too many books and writers making the subject of wine […]
Book: Unquenchable
3 Tips for Buying the Rosés of Provence + Pair with Salmon, Roast Chicken, Asian Dishes and Salads
The last chapter of my new book Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wines is about the lovely rosés of Provence. I was fortunate not only to sample many mouth-watering, bone-dry, food-friendly rosés, but I also cooked a multi-course meal with one winemaker and met the rosé-drinking donkey of another. (You’ll just have to read the book : ) Here are my top tips for finding great rosés in your local liquor store, no matter where you live. Cheers, Natalie My Top 3 Insider Tips to Finding Tasty Rosés Forget those notions of pink wine being sweet: […]
Describing wine (buffalo chips anyone?) and why a goat was milked in the middle of a wine book – Kim Fraser Show CJAD
Great chat with Kim Fraser, host of Montreal’s CJAD call-in talk show. I love her witty comments and questions, everything from describing wine with aromas of buffalo chips and dew-dappled violets to where that sweet spot is for finding wines that taste twice as expensive as they cost. Why I had to milk a goat in the middle of a book (and how do you do that?) and so much more :)
Buying Wines that are Affordable (not cheap) and Delicious – Sympatico Lifestyle
What defines a bargain wine? Is it just a low price or is there something more? What are some tips on finding wines that are affordable but still delicious in the liquor store? Wines mentioned in this video: Segura Viudas Cava, Spain Yum, smells like fresh baked bread just out from the oven! Wonderfully toasty, this bubbly will warm you after a day of sledding or skiing. Love the notes of hazelnuts too. $14.65 Score: 87/100. Freixenet Cava Cordon Rosado, Spain How festive is this pink bubbly? Aromas of ripe field raspberries tickle your note. Float a raspberry on top […]
MacLean has a flair for matching food and wine and it’s the stories that make this book so interesting – Tasters Guild Journal
Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World ‘s Best Bargain Wines You’ll remember how Dorothy sighed “lions, and tigers, and bears; oh, my” in the Wizard of Oz . Well, we might be hearing Natalie saying something like “hawks, and sheep, and goats, and turtles, and baboons; oh, boy” in her new book Unquenchable. And you thought this was a book about wine – and it is; but her adventures brings her in contact with all these critters plus a lovable Great Dane and almost too close a contact with a great white shark. All of this MacLean weaves into […]
What factors go into the cost of wine? Does a $30 wine taste three times better than a $10 one? CBC All Points West
What factors contribute to the cost of a wine? Which regions offer great value? Why “go south” in traditional wine producing countries? How do you go into a liquor store and find those bottles? Why are people so fascinating in the wine industry?
The real interest here is the prose: MacLean gives everyday farming issues an interesting plot-line – LA Weekly Magazine
Aspirin, caffeine, blowfish. What really cures a 2012 hangover (Happy, happy by the way)? We’re going with cheap — but good — wine. Sure, ’tis this time of year for New Year’s resolution cliches. But as wine journalist Natalie MacLean is well aware, the key is finding those bargain wines that actually are worth a second sip. In her latest book, Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wines, MacLean offers up her personal winery tasting experiences followed by tips for seeking out wine bargains in various regions. You know, the typical practical wine advice set up. Only […]
Unquenchable Will Make you Feel Warm and Fuzzy; I love her lively writing – Reader’s Digest
This wine book will make you feel warm and fuzzy in its own way, by steering you toward low-priced yet high quality booze. In between cage diving with South African sharks, touring vines with a rosé-guzzling French mule and peeling potatoes with a Canadian special effects producer-turned-organic wine maker, MacLean visits some of the world’s most acclaimed wineries and takes notes on the best deals in everything from Shiraz to Pinot Noir to Port. She highlights one region per chapter, offers excellent “wine cheapskate” tips and suggests dishes crying out to be washed down by the local wares. I love […]
Is there a big difference between a $10 and a $30 wine? How can you find good but affordable wines in the liquor store? The Link, CBC Radio
How do you find wines that are affordable, but still delicious and not too corporate or homogenized? Is there really a big difference in quality and taste between a $10 and a $30 wine? Does your ability to taste diminish as you get older? How can you become a better wine taster? Marc and I chat about these and tips on how to find these wines in the liquor store.
A First Rate Writer, With a Warm, Engaging Style… Compulsively Readable – Gerald Asher
Gerald Asher is my favourite wine writer: elegant and effortless in his prose. In 1974, the French government awarded him the Order of the Mérite Agricole, France’s oldest Civil Award, and in 2009 he was inducted into California’s Vintners’ Hall of Fame. His books, drawn mainly from his columns in Gourmet Magazine, for which he was the wine editor for 30 years, include On Wine, Wine Journal, Vineyard Tales, and The Pleasures of Wine. These are his thoughts on Unquenchable … Natalie MacLean is a first rate writer, with a warm, engaging style. Her interviews are excellent: she captures the […]