In the video above, Leanne and I chat about holiday wine and food pairings for the Joy to the World Holiday Wine Match. Nominations are still open until Friday, so name your favourite wine and vote daily! The Twitter hashtag is #WHWM. Cheers, Natalie Posted with permission of CTV Morning Live. Holiday Wine and Food Pairing: CTV Morning Live Leanne: We are looking at some wonderful wines here and actually all under the price tag of $25, Natalie MacLean is joining us. You’ve had a ton of fun reaching out to your readers. Natalie: Exactly. […]
New Year Wine
Which Wine Pairings for turkey, fruitcake or cheese?
The holiday countdown is on and Canadians are scrambling for last-minute gifts for their hosts and loved ones. Wine and food seem like a natural option at this time of year, but with thousands of bottles lining the shelves at liquor outlets, where does one begin? “I’d start with pairing the wine that you’re going to bring to go with the dinner. Wild guess, might be turkey,” says sommelier Natalie MacLean, editor of the wine review site nataliemaclean.com. She suggests a sparkling wine like Cava from Spain, a Pinot Noir from New Zealand, a dry rose from France or […]
The Best Holiday Books & Bottles for Gift Giving
The holiday season is right around the corner. Looking for a great book or bottle to give to someone you love or perhaps as a treat for yourself? Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome, Natalie. Great to be here, Leanne! What’s the first pairing you recommend? We’re starting with one of my favourite authors, Dani Shapiro is known for her bestselling memoirs, especially Inheritance. Signal Fires is her first novel in more than 15 years, Signal Fires and it was worth the wait. It’s […]
Sparkling Wine for New Year’s Eve versus Champagne
Most people think of champagne as the drink of choice to ring in the New Year. But when the price of one bottle averages $60, you might want to consider sparkling wine, which offers great taste for a fraction of champagne’s price. Although champagne only comes from the Champagne region of France, almost every other region of the country and many countries around the world produce sparkling wines, often using the same techniques and grapes as champagne. Most sparklers are a blend of the traditional champagne grapes—Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Like champagne, they’re labeled according to their […]
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 […]
Sneak Peak Behind-the-Scenes: Publishing a Wine Audiobook
Introduction Have you ever wondered how an audiobook gets made and then sold via Apple Books, Amazon and Audible around the world? In this episode, I share my journey from idea to audiobook and we’ll go behind the scenes of creating the new audio edition of my book Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass (which you’ll hear me refer to as “RWD”). I’ll also share with you some terrific sparkling wines that pair perfectly with ringing in the New Year. Highlights How did I develop a love for listening? Why did it […]
What Makes Prosecco One of the Most Popular Sparkling Wines?
Photos: Santa Margherita By Melanie Lloyd Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Alberto Ugolini, a passionate and knowledgeable brand ambassador for Santa Margherita, from his home in Italy. With the holidays around the corner and Prosecco’s ever-increasing popularity, it was great timing to talk about this festive sparkling wine. Question: The sale of Prosecco has been increasing globally for the last several years. What contributes to this success? Alberto: There are several factors that fuel the success of Prosecco. The first, and most important, is its flavour profile. Prosecco is a joyful and vibrant sparkling wine. It has delicate bubbles, […]
5 Dynamite Bubblies for a Sparkling Holiday and How to Find Wonderful Wines to Celebrate
By Melissa Pulvermacher ‘Tis the season for family, food and sparkling wine. Every year I feature my favourite bottle of bubbly before New Year’s Eve. This year, I decided to write about my top 5 picks to make sure everyone can ring in the new year with bubbles. To help you navigate the intimidating selection, all you need to know is the basics. Mostly you need to be able to navigate whether a bottle is traditional method or tank method and the level of dosage (sweetness added to the wine by concentrated grape juice). 1. Traditional Method This is the […]
Ontario Sparkling Wine for New Year’s and All Year
On CBC’s Metro Morning we chat about terrific Ontario sparkling wines for New Year’s Eve, plus one splurge-worthy Champagne. More sparkling wine chats here. Plus, why is sparkling wine the most food-friendly wine on the planet? Shabby-chic pairings, from potato chips to buttered popcorn. Natalie MacLean, editor of Canada’s largest wine review site, picks her favourite sparkling wines for New Year’s Eve: Henry Of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Blancs De Blanc Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada Zesty, refreshing and balanced Niagara sparkling wine with crisp notes of green apple and baked bread. Superb quality. Great persistence of beaded […]
