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 […]
Cocktails
Holiday Hosting with Wines & Spirits (Video)
As the holidays approach, we look forward to entertaining friends and family. What’s a good drink to serve to guests when they arrive? Well first, I think that nothing says celebration like a sparkling wine and the first one I’m going to recommend is a Quebec sparkler from Domaine de Lavoie. An added bonus, this winery will ship directly to your home and it’s a great way to support local. Domaine de Lavoie Brut Sparkling 2020 Monteregie, Quebec, Canada Flat Rock Twisted Sparkling 2020 Ontario V.Q.A., […]
Holiday Wines and Spirits Plus Hosting Tips (Video)
As the holidays approach, we look forward to entertaining friends and family. On CTV’s Your Morning we chat about terrific wines and spirits for the holidays. Welcome Natalie. What’s a good drink to serve to guests when they arrive? Sparkling wine is the drink of celebration, especially at this time of year. I’d recommend two from Nova Scotia: Avondale Sky Winery Benediction Sparkling Wine Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada Blomidon Crémant Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada Both are zesty and […]
Ontario Icewine: How to Drink It, Pair It and Love It with Karen King
Introduction How is Icewine different from other sweet wines? How does that change the way you drink it and pair with food? Which pairings work beyond dessert? How can you make delicious Icewine Slushies and pair them with chili chips and wasabi peas for an incredible flavour combination? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Karen King, co-owner of the Ice House Winery in Niagara. You can find the wines we discussed here. Highlights What differences can you see in how different generations think about Icewine? Why shouldn’t you save Icewine only for special […]
Calmel & Joseph Villa Blanche Chardonnay Le Villa Loca Cocktail Recipe
Take a trip… from the comfort of your kitchen! Today we’re feeling a little bit Latin and heading for Italy, with a dish and cocktail by Charlotte Chalret and Gaetan Thabourin from the restaurant Agapé in Carcassonne. They have created artichokes in the El Padrino style (Artichauts façon El Padrino) and a cocktail called, “Le Villa Loca” made with Calmel & Joseph Villa Blanche Chardonnay. Calmel & Joseph Villa Blanche Chardonnay 2019 La Villa Loca Cocktail Serves 1 Put in a mixing glass: 4 ice cubes 1 oz. Cranberry juice 1 tsp. peach or apricot jam Lemon zest Mix ingredients […]
Travel the Wine World with Kevin Brauch (Video)
What a terrific chat with Kevin Brauch, Food Network TV Celebrity Host! Click on the arrow above to watch the video. Listen to Kevin’s stories about his adventures in the wine world. Discover more juicy tips that will make you wine smart. Cheers, Natalie 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. Click […]
Getting Nutty at Alvear Montilla-Moriles Fortified Wine Tasting
Greg Hughes Wine Writer & Sommelier For 18 generations, (nearly 300 years) the Alvear family have been making wine. These wines use a similar production method as do the wines of Sherry, and therefore also have a similar style, yet they are unique. They are made from Pedro Ximenez grapes from Montilla Moriles instead of the traditional Palomino Fino grapes. We had the chance to taste the wines and discuss them with Maria Auxiliadora; the winemaker responsible for their continued quality. Pedro Ximenez (Pronounced Peh-droh ee-MAY-neth) is a small grape with a thin skin. The Pedro Ximenez grapes are […]
Best Bottles for Outdoor Dining: Wines for the Wet & Wild
By Rebecca Meïr-Liebman of Chef & Somm A couple of posts ago, I wrote about the best wines for summer entertaining – well, I have a bit more to say about the joys of summer sipping. Here’s Part Two, enjoy! Dip and Sip – The Pool Party Crunchy, oily, salty chips and hot dogs with all the fixin’s are so much fun under the sun, especially poolside! My preference is to wash this super-casual stuff down with an ice cold beer or cider, but there are a few playful wines practically made for chillaxin’ by the pool! Adamo Estate Winery Rosé, Hockley […]
Drinking My Words: Are All Writers Wine Writers?
By Natalie MacLean Candy-coloured bottles of spirits glow against the mirrors behind the bar of the Algonquin Hotel. I’ve come to this New York City landmark on a brisk April evening to think about my journey over the past few years, and the connection between writing and drinking as a way of understanding a place and its people. I often read the work of one of the country’s beloved writers while I’m traveling in a region to sharpen my observations, whether it’s The Leopard by Sicily’s Giuseppe di Lampedusa, the short stories of Argentina’s Jorge Luis Borges or Peter Mayle’s […]
Brandy Cocktail Recipes with a Twist
Cocktails: Eye Opener Ingredients: 2 oz Cortel 5 oz energy drink 1 lime slice Preparation: Fill the glass with ice cubes. Pour Cortel and add energy drink into the glass. Stir well. Place the lime slice in a glass and enjoy. Cocktails: Life’s Bittersweet Ingredients: 2 oz Cortel 2 oz tonic water Grapefruit garnish Preparation: Fill the glass with ice cubes. Pour Cortel and add tonic water and stir well. Place the grapefruit peel in a highball glass and drape one end of it over the rim of the glass. Cocktails: Blackberry Bliss Ingredients: 1 oz Cortel […]
