Barbecue Wines for Father’s Day: Best Bottles for Grilled Grub

On CTV’s The Social, we chat about great wines for BBQ fare on Father’s Day. Nat, some dads are just not wine guys, they’re more beer guys. But are you saying these selections you’ve brought today can change that? It’s mostly a perception that wine is for fancier occasions than beer, but that’s just not true. Anytime you think of having a beer, you can probably substitute it with a bubbly. I’m not talking Champagne, but value-priced sparkling wines from other regions. They’re both frothy and fun, like our first wine here.   Great segue! Tell us about the first […]

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Books & Wines With Great Structure & Finish

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 […]

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Wine for Tax Time: Which Wines to Return To?

The deadline for taxes is coming up and that thought alone may drive you to drink. Here with her suggestions on which wines to pair with your return is Natalie MacLean, author of the new memoir, Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much. Welcome Natalie. So how do you determine which wine to pair with tax time? At this time of the year, most of us need some liquid assets. So pairing the right wine with your tax return should not be taken at face value. As well as vinous savvy, you’ll […]

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How to Find Budget-Friendly and Splurge-Worthy Wines? (Video)

On Global’s Morning Show, we chat about how to find budget-friendly and splurge-worthy wines.           Santa Margherita Brut Valdobbiadene Superiore Prosecco Veneto D.O.C.G., Italy                     Henry of Pelham Winery Cuvee Catharine Rosé Brut Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada                 Taittinger Brut Reserve Champagne Champagne A.O.C., France                   Westcott Vineyards Chardonnay Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A.                   Joseph Drouhin Chablis de Vaudon Chablis Burgundy, […]

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Travel Tips for Austria & Washington Wine Regions with Interpreting Wine’s Lawrence Francis

Introduction What’s the smartest strategy you’ve never heard when it comes to visiting any wine region? More specifically, what’s the best way to explore the wineries of Washington state or Burgenland in Austria? Why is there such a variety in the complexity of Grüner Veltliners? What are the essential six stories about wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Lawrence Francis, host of the Interpreting Wine podcast. 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 […]

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Sherry, Rioja, Cava and Other Spanish Wine Gems with Interpreting Wine’s Lawrence Francis

Introduction Why is Sherry one of the most complex wines on the planet and also one of the most misunderstood? What’s it like to visit the underground caves in Spain where the sparkling wine Cava is aged? How can you choose between Cava, Prosecco and Champagne for different occasions? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Lawrence Francis, host of the Interpreting Wine podcast. 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 […]

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Should You Celebrate (and Drink) Beaujolais Nouveau Wines This Year?

Introduction What’s all the fuss about Beaujolais Nouveau on the third Thursday of every November? Should you stay up until midnight to taste the new release? How is Beaujolais Nouveau different from the Beaujolais Cru wines? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m going solo to answer those questions and share more wine tips on Beaujolais Nouveau. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Highlights When is Beaujolais Nouveau released? How has Beaujolais Nouveau’s popularity spread? Why did the Duke of Burgundy order a purge of Gamay grapes? Should you save a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau for […]

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Luxury Wine Marketing, Dom Pérignon, Must-Have Gadgets with Robert Vernick & Peter Yeung

Introduction What are the six key elements that define a luxury wine? What’ll surprise you about Dom Pérignon that makes it different from other luxury wines? Which two wine gadgets must you own as a wine lover? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Robert Vernick and Peter Yeung, co-hosts of the XChateau podcast. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Watch Party Join me for the debut Watch Party of the video of this conversation that I’ll be live-streaming for the very first time on Zoom on Wednesday, September 1st at 7 pm […]

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Learn About Wine via Podcasts, Books, Influencers with Robert Vernick & Peter Yeung

Introduction How are podcasts a great way to learn about wine? Which wine books can jumpstart your education about wine and further it as you get more knowledgeable? What’s behind the backlash against wine influencers on social media? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Robert Vernick and Peter Yeung, co-hosts of the XChateau podcast. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Watch Party Join me for the debut Watch Party of the video of this conversation that I’ll be live-streaming for the very first time on Zoom on Wednesday, August 25th at 7 pm […]

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Fruit Wine, Pet-Nat Bubbly & Slovenian Wines with Nikki Goddard

Introduction Why are fruit wines becoming more popular and how do they differ from grape-based wines? What is Pét-Nat-style wine and which ones should you try? What are wines from Slovenia like, and which foods pair best with them? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with wine writer and educator, Nikki Goddard. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Watch Party Join me for the debut Watch Party of the video of this conversation that I’ll be live-streaming for the very first time on Zoom on Wednesday, August 18th at 7 pm eastern. You can […]

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