Leanne and I chat about sparkling wines and Champagnes for the holidays. Click on the arrow to play the video above. Napoléon visits the Moët & Chandon cellars in 1807 Napoleon is credited with inventing the sabering technique and is famous for his phrase: “In victory we deserve Champagne, in defeat, we need it.” The famous Champagne maker Veuve Clicquot, who lost her husband when she was just 27, was a wealthy young widow. She would entertain Napoleon’s officers (early day sampling program). They, in turn, tried to impress her by sabering the tops of the Champagne bottles […]
Women Winemakers
Stories Behind Family-Owned Canadian Wineries (Video)
Welcome back. The long weekend is almost here and if you’re looking for vino to sip on, our next guest has you covered with her amazing recommendations! Here to highlight some family-owned vineyards from across the country is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes. Hi Natalie! Natalie, we love getting your wonderful wine recommendations but before we get to talking about the specific vineyards you’re going to highlight today, can you tell us a bit about the wine production in Canada? • There are four major regions in Canada that produce wines made from grapes: […]
Video: What are Orange and Natural Wines?
What a terrific chat with Ann Sperling, Winemaker at Southbrook Vineyards! Click on the arrow above to watch the video. Listen to Ann’s stories about making Canada’s first orange wine. Is orange wine the new white wine? Why are orange and natural wines so trendy? What makes them different from other wines? Cheers, Natalie Watch previous episodes of the Sunday Sipper Club (SSC) and find out who’s coming up next. Click on the video above to hear Ann’s explanation of Orange wines. Here’s a sampling of our lively discussion from our tasting… Rachelle O’Connor · 34:47 As a Natural Nutritionist and […]
Celebrating Mother’s Day with the Great Women of Champagne
On CTV’s The Social yesterday, we chatted about the top Champagnes made by women for Mother’s Day. (Click on the arrow above to play the video.) They were all young women whose families owned the great champagne houses at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. When they lost their husbands to war or illness, they didn’t sell the businesses or remarry. They took control of the chateaus to produce some of the most prestigious wines in the world. In an era when few women were in business at all, these women headed what were, at the time, some […]
Biodynamic v Organic Winemaking – Southbrook’s Ann Sperling Video
In this video below with Southbrook Vineyards’ winemaker Ann Sperling, we chat about biodynamic and organic winemaking. (What’s with burying cow’s horns, witchcraft and astrology?) Also: – can you taste the difference in the wine? – why take this approach and is it difficult and expensive to do in a cool climate like Ontario? Here are my Top 20 Organic Wines for Earth Day April 22, and year round. When Ann Sperling was a child, she had a miniature version of every farm tool—a child-sized hoe, shovel and so on so that she could help with almost […]
The Merry Widows of Mousse: Champagne Widows
They were all young women whose families owned the great champagne houses at the turn of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. When they lost their husbands to war or illness, they did not do what was expected: step aside or sell the business. Nor did they marry again (though they were still in their twenties and thirties), handing over the reins to a new husband. Instead, these celebrated veuves, or widows, took control of their châteaux to produce some of the most prestigious wines in the world – wines that still bear their names: Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, Laurent-Perrier, Roederer and […]
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 […]
Differences Between Aroma and Bouquet and California Pinot Noir with Kerith Overstreet
Introduction What’s the difference between aroma and bouquet in wine? How does “bright acidity” taste? Why does Pinot Noir from different regions in California taste dramatically different? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Kerith Overstreet, the winemaker at Bruliam Wines in Sonoma, California and a former medical doctor. 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 […]
Zinfandel Pairings, Magical AVAs and Yeast Secrets with Winemaker Kerith Overstreet
Introduction Would you like to discover some weird but wonderful food pairings for zinfandel? How can American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) help you find new wines to love? How does yeast have a profound impact on wine’s taste? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Kerith Overstreet, the winemaker at Bruliam Wines in Sonoma, California and a former medical doctor. 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 […]
Iconic Wisconsin Cheeses, Wine & Beta Readers with Author Joy Ribar
Introduction Why is Wisconsin the most famous state in the US for its cheeses and what do they produce? Which iconic, delicious Wisconsin cheeses should you try? What is a beta reader and why would you want to become one? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Joy Ann Ribar, author of the Deep Lakes Cozy Mystery series. 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 […]
