Introduction How can you learn more about food and wine without the intimidation factor? Why does exploring outside of your arena often drive inspiration and innovation? Why is writing a memoir like living your life twice? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by 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 Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I’ll be jumping […]
Wine Sayings
Powerful Wine Storytelling and Hooks with Lawrence Francis of the Interpreting Wine Podcast
Introduction What’s behind the power of podcasts and how they evoke the theater of the mind? How can you use a hook to improve your communication skills? Why do stories help us remember what we learn about wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by 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 Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I’ll […]
Marketing Wine to Women + The Power of Storytelling
Introduction How did my love of stories as a child bring me to the world of publishing and podcasting? What is the problem with the way some wines are marketed toward women? Why am I so insanely passionate about the message I share in my upcoming memoir? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Bridget Albert and Julie Milroy on their excellent podcast called Served Up. 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 […]
How Humor & High Tech Help Wine with Served Up Podcast’s Julie Milroy & Bridget Albert
Introduction What makes high tech a great complement to wine? How does humour help when you’re learning about wine? Why is the personal aspect of wine becoming so important? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Bridget Albert and Julie Milroy on their excellent podcast called Served Up. 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 […]
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 […]
National Wine Day Prompts These Thoughts
Introduction May 25 is National Wine Day and in honour of that, I think it’s worth exploring how wine, as a beverage, has influenced our culture. Wine has been an integral part of human history from ancient civilizations right through to the modern day. It has become deeply associated with culture, power and prestige in a way that no other beverage has. Most of what I’m going to share with you today is based on a magazine piece about wine and civility that I wrote two months after 9/11. However, the search for civility in everyday life has more resonance […]
Wine Scores: Misleading or Helpful to Consumers?
Introduction It’s unbelievable to consider that there’s a huge industry of specialists dedicating their lives to wine in the form of writers, sommeliers and critics. Why has wine inspired us in a way no other food or drink does? In this episode, I explore the questions around why we score wine in the first place, whether they really matter and if you should trust them. Highlights Can you really trust a score from someone who has just been drinking? Why do we rate wine in the first place? How does the Australian show system compare to wine scoring systems […]
A Fuzzy Vine-acular: 3,000 Descriptors for Drunkenness Makes My Head Spin
By Natalie MacLean Last night’s startling discovery: there are more adjectives for drunkenness than there are Inuit words for snow. And I’m not just talking about being intoxicated or inebriated, or even blotto, blasted or bombed. There are well over 3,000 descriptors—just looking at the list makes me feel tipsy. What’s more interesting is the difference between the words used for men and women, young and old, bodily and behavioural effects—and how expressions vary across cultures and languages to reveal both positive and negative views. I had lots of help researching this subject from friends who came up with a bandwagon […]
Funny Wine Quotes, Quips and Jokes
I love collecting these: funny quotes, quips and anecdotes. Here’s the latest round of wine and laughter to make you smile. You’ll find the previous round of wine quotes here. May the fourth be with you!
Wine Quotes and Liquid Laughter
CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes had done a hilarious parody of the blockbuster movie starring Tom Hanks, “Captain Phillips” in a sequel entitled Captain Phillips 2: The Sommelier Pirates (thanks to my favourite reporter at CBC for sending this ;) Here’s the previous round of wine quotes if you’re thirsting for more. All the best stories have three things: Once Upon a Time, Happily Ever After, and a glass of wine somewhere in the Middle.
