A recent Globe & Mail report says that women have been driving wine sales up over the past decade. As a woman who writes about wine, it doesn’t surprise me given that wine is the drink of conversation, to be savored and enjoyed with friends over dinner rather than knocked back as shots in a bar. I get several hundred e-mails every day from the 326,000 subscribers to my wine e-newsletter, many of them from women asking about how to pair wine with food or how to serve it (glass, temperature etc). Women are still largely the the social planners, […]
Gender Wine
Women’s Wines: Are They Pink Plonk?
Pretty in pink is a common theme. As are images of stilettos, vamp red lips, long limbs and sexy cocktail parties. In a bid to corner the chick wine market while at the same time helping women overcome their supposed fear of buying wine, wineries around the globe are tarting up their labels with a wink towards debaucherous girls’ nights out – rebranding or creating new blends with names such as Strut, Bitch and Pink. “I’m always skeptical of marketing-driven wines,” says Natalie MacLean, editor of Canada’s largest wine review site. “Authentic wine has its roots in the ground, not […]
Men Versus Women Winemakers: Battle of the Bottles?
In honour of International Women’s Day, we chatted with one of Canada’s best winemakers, Ann Sperling, who just happens to be a woman ;) You can click on the arrow above to watch our interview. You can also read more than 75 comments here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/natdecants/posts We discussed Ann’s pioneering work with biodynamic and organic viticulture, her various vineyards across Canada and in Argentina, and her own approach to winemaking. Want to get one of Ann’s wines? You have a wide choice: Southbrook, Versado, Sperling Vineyards and she has consulted for Benjamin Bridge. You’ll also find the specific wines we tasted […]
Video: Wine Supertasters, Vinotype Quiz and Your Taste in Wine?
On CTV’s The Social yesterday, we chatted about how to find your Vinotype, or taste in wine. Click the arrow above to play the video. We also discussed what a Supertaster is: “Someone who lives in a neon taste world,” according to researcher Linda Bartoshuk, “whose taste sensations are roughly three times as intense to them as non-tasters.” I’ve also heard compared to having 500 fingers rather than 10. So yes, I was tested, did the blue dye tongue test and measurements with Tim Hanni in California (see our video chat below). You can take Tim’s quiz to find your vinotype […]
Best Wine & Food Pairing Tips + California Wines with Chuck Cramer
Introduction Which California wine should be at the top of your must-try list? Which simple tips can you use to identify successful food and wine pairings? What should you know before starting a podcast? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Chuck Cramer, host of On The Road With Mr CA Wine. You can find the wines we discussed here. Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Video Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wednesday at 7 pm Eastern on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I’ll be jumping […]
Wine Marketing that Encourages Overdrinking + Sexism in Wine Tasting Tasting Notes
Introduction How does slick wine marketing encourage us to drink too much? Has anything really changed in the wine industry in the last ten years since the incidents in the book took place? How is sexism still embedded in wine tasting notes today? What would I advise young women and men entering the wine business today? I’ll be sharing those stories and more in this special episode of my podcast. My new memoir Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much just launched yesterday, May 9th in Canada. It will launch in the US and […]
Dark Side of the Wine World + Tips for Moderate Drinking
Introduction How did I first fall in love with wine? Do I feel more exposed now for having written this third book? What are my best tips for moderate drinking? I’ll be sharing those stories and more in this special episode of my podcast as we get closer to the May 9th launch of my new memoir Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much. You can find the wines I mentioned here. Join me for my Toronto Launch Party Save your spot now for this invite-only book launch event and tasting. Treat […]
Behind-the-Scenes of the Wine Industry + Slick Wine Marketing with Chuck Cramer
Introduction What’s it like to work as a sommelier in a five-diamond French restaurant? How do you make the jump from writing magazine columns to becoming a regular guest on radio and television shows? How does it feel to write a book about the most difficult moments in your life? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Chuck Cramer, host of On The Road With Mr CA Wine. You can find the wines we discussed here. Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Video Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wednesday at 7 […]
Riesling, the Four-Octave Diva + Austrian Wine Revival with Valerie Kathawala
Introduction Why should we change the way we talk about Riesling? How have Austrian and German wines transformed in recent years? How can you pair German-speaking wines with food? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m interviewing journalist and co-founder of TRINK magazine, Valerie Kathawala. You can find the wines we discussed here. Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Video Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wednesday at 7 pm eastern on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I’ll be jumping into the comments as we watch it together so […]
German-Speaking Wines and Biodynamic Winemaking with Valerie Kathawala
Introduction Are you curious about German-speaking wines and which ones you should try? Why is biodynamic winemaking particularly important for viticulture? What’s the real difference between natural wine and biodynamic wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m interviewing journalist and co-founder of TRINK magazine, Valerie Kathawala. You can find the wines we discussed here. Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Video Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wednesday at 7 pm eastern on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I’ll be jumping into the comments as we […]
