We often chat about pairing wine and food, but what about pairing bottles with books? You can also watch part two of our book and bottle pairings from CTV yesterday. What’s the first pairing you recommend? We’re starting with one of my favorite wine books, The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil. It’s sold more than a half a million copies worldwide and is a go-to reference book that’s also engagingly well-written. Karen lives in Napa Valley, so I’d pair this book with this full-bodied, complex Cabernet Sauvignon from Charles Krug, Napa Valley’s oldest winery […]
Books: Food
Media Reviews of Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much
“This decade’s Eat Pray Love … Natalie MacLean survived an online mob, divorce and drinking too much. Her new memoir will help you get through your own mess, too.” – Morgan Mullin, Arts & Culture Editor, The Coast magazine I spoke on CTV’s The Social with the hosts about the memoir, Wine Witch on Fire. Watch the video here: Wine Witch on Fire Calls Out Sexist Wine Marketing on CTV’s The Social Watch the video here: Wine Witch on Fire Calls Out Sexist Wine Marketing on CTV’s The Social […]
Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Dad: Books and Bottles for Father’s Day
Father’s Day is this Sunday, and you might like to toast dad with a glass of wine or two, but what should you pair with your vino beyond BBQ? How about some terrific books? Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com. What do you recommend first? We’re starting with Dad Bod: Portraits of Pop Culture Papas by Almonte author and new dad himself Cian Cruise. This is a collection of funny essays about fatherhood depicted in film, television, and video games. Whether they’re spouting homespun […]
Book & Bottle Pairings for Father’s Day
We’re back with more books and bottles for Father’s Day. What are we starting with this time? We’re starting with Ten Garments Every Man Should Own: A Practical Guide to Building a Permanent Wardrobe by Pedro Mendes. This is an accessible field guide to classic menswear, no matter what dad’s age or budget or the fact he still loves those painter pants from the 80s with all the side pockets. Each chapter covers an essential piece – shirt, jacket, hat, leather shoes, etc – in an entertaining way. Drea’s Wine […]
Drunken Adjectives: A Fuzzy Vine-acular
Introduction Are there really that many different descriptors for inebriation? What’s the origin of drunken euphemisms like “three sheets to the wind”? Why does our language go from getting hammered at college dorm parties to more mature sentiments like “feeling no pain”? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m sharing the interesting and surprisingly vast vocabulary that describes the things we do, say and feel when we’ve had a little too much. You can find the wines we discussed here. Highlights What descriptors for overindulgence might have you thinking of food instead? How does our drunken […]
Wine and Cheese Pairings to Celebrate the Holidays with Janet Fletcher
Introduction Should you try a cheese-only cheese course? Why are cheese and bread not necessarily great matches for cheese? Which underappreciated wine and cheese pairing should you try today? How does sparkling wine stack up with your favourite cheeses? Have you been serving cheeses the wrong way? Should you eat the rinds on cheeses? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with award-winning journalist and author, Janet Fletcher. You can find the wines we discussed here. Highlights What shift can you see in the restaurant industry’s approach to serving cheese? Which mindset shift did Janet […]
Behind-the-Scenes Peek at Writing Red, White and Drunk All Over
Introduction What role have books played in my exploration of wine regions around the world? What’s it like tasting ultra high-end wine? How is wine portrayed in literature? Today we’re talking about all that and more in a behind-the-scenes peek at Red, White and Drunk All Over. Today’s show is a little different from the usual. I’m excited to share this episode from the Behind the Bookshelves podcast, where I was interviewed by Richard Davies. Richard has kindly given me permission to include this interview on my show for you. If you love books as much as I do, be […]
Festive Wine and Cheese Pairings with Janet Fletcher Video
Click on the Follow and Like buttons on this page to get notified when we go live. We’ll be simultaneously broadcasting on Facebook Live, YouTube Live Stream and Twitter Live Video via Periscope. Watch previous episodes of the Sunday Sipper Club (SSC) and find out who’s coming up next. If you’d like to read the comments for this tasting, or make a comment yourself, visit: https://www.facebook.com/natdecants/videos/10155625565449845/ Here’s a sampling of our lively discussion from our Janet Fletcher Video Chat: Anne-Marie Chivers · 41:19 What about goats cheese with sparkling?? Acid plus acid makes the cheese taste more creamy and the wine more fruity?? […]
Food and Wine Books with Wines Matched for Gifts: CTV Video
Here’s part two of our conversation about books and bottles that you can give as holiday gifts. (You’ll find part one of our conversation here.) Do you have a favourite wine and word pairing? Do you belong to a book club that likes to crack open a bottle? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Gassier Sables D’azur Rosé 2011, A.C., Côtes De Provence, France I love it! (I also just shouted that out the window to some surprised people on the sidewalk.) So very pretty with a basket of fresh field strawberries. Bask in the sun and pretend you are […]
Video: Pairing Wine & Spicy Dishes from Vij’s Restaurant
How do you pair spicy foods with wine? What happens to the taste of wine when you turn up the heat in a dish? That’s exactly what we’re going to learn from our guests who join us live from Vancouver. Our guests this evening work together to create one of Canada’s best restaurants, renowned for both food and wine. Celebrity Chef Vikram Vij is the author of numerous best-selling cookbooks, has been on hit shows such Chopped, Top Chef and Dragon’s Den. He’s also the first Indian chef to earn a sommelier degree. Head sommelier Sean Nelson became Western Canada’s […]
