CTV News anchor Natalie Piero and I chat about wines for spring, including those that pair well with both fish and shellfish, as well as those that drink well on their own as an aperitif. Spring Wines for Fish, Shellfish and Seafood Host: It’s the Natalie Show today ;) Natalie: Easy to remember. Host: Spring is here finally! Natalie: Yes! Host: And Natalie MacLean is here to talk about some of the spring wines. Natalie: Absolutely! Host: You change what you drink depending on the weather? Natalie: Yes, I do. Like winter wardrobe, get out of those heavy sweaters, get into something lighter, more comfortable. You’ll […]
Australia Wine
Pairing Wine with Oscar Party Snacks and Movies
On Global’s Morning Show yesterday, we paired wines with Oscar-worthy snacks from Cibo Wine Bar as well as former winners of the Best Picture Award. Here are my Top 20 Oscar Wines showing your which liquor stores have them in stock now … enjoy! Titantic 1997 Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne Grilled whole calamari, mixed greens, diced tomatoes extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice The Sting The Entertainer Red Belnd Americana Pizza Tomato, mozzarella, pepperoni, mushroom, green peppers The Godfather Castello di Gabbiano Chianti […]
Top 6 Wine New Year’s Resolutions
Every New Year, I make—and break—several resolutions about exercise or housecleaning. However, I also make a resolution or two about wine, which have always been easy to keep because they’re fun. Here are a few of my favorites that you can try this year. 1. I resolve to try something new It’s easy to get into a rut with wine and buy the same brand every time. But the pleasure of wine is in its diversity. If you like full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon from California, try one from Argentina, or even a different robust red, such as an Argentine […]
How do You Choose a Wine Class or Course? (Video)
On CTV’s The Social, we chat about how to choose a wine tasting class or course. Click the arrow above to watch the segment. You can join me in my free online video class here that also tells you more about my full course, with food and wine pairing. Cheers, Natalie JESS I’ve been known to host some pretty epic wine nights – just ask anyone here! Not to brag, but it’s probably because I have a certificate in Italian wine which I got when I worked in the restaurant industry. And I found that after I started learning […]
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 […]
Going to the Heartland of Shiraz with Peter Lehmann Wines Video
Australia is renowned for its robust red wine Shiraz, but do you know that the Barossa Valley is the heartland for this wine? Do you know what makes this place so special for this wine? That’s exactly what we’re going to learn from our guest tonight who joins me live from Australia. Our guest this evening is the third generation of his family to make wine in the Barossa, and a graduate of the prestigious winemaking program at the University of Adelaide. In the five years since he graduated in 2008, he has worked vintages in eight different regions across […]
The Shape of Wine Taste with Australia’s Wakefield Wines
Introduction How can you visualize the taste of wine in a chart? How would those charts be different for Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling and Shiraz? What makes the wines from Australia’s Clare Valley unique? What is bâtonnage and what flavours and aromas will result in the wine? How does acidity improve your tasting experience? Why is balance one of the most critical aspects of a great wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Justin Taylor and Neil Hadley of Australia’s Wakefield Wines. You can find the wines we discussed here. Highlights What was […]
7 Must-Buy Wines for Fall: New This Season (Video)
Today is the first day of fall, burr. I feel a chill in the air already. Just as we start to wear warmer clothes, we should also change the wines we drink. That’s what we chat about on CTV News. Click the arrow above to watch the segment. First off, what makes for a great fall wine? – full-bodied enough to pair well with more robust dishes. – extra texture, mouthfeel and weight for richer sauces. – and just for fun, the wine is trendy like fall fashions. You have a couple of examples there for […]
Wakefield Wines: A Vision for Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Chardonnay (Video)
In this lively interview with Justin Taylor and Neil Hadley from Wakefield Wines, they share some of their most memorable wine stories as well as fascinating insights and visual illustrations into why wines taste they way they do. We also chat about: What makes the Clare Valley different from other regions in Australia for growing wine? How does that express itself in the wines we taste from the Claire? Clare Valley Vineyard How does oak give structure to wine, and what exactly does “structure” mean? How can we think about the taste of wine visually to understand it […]
Father’s Day Wines
Introduction This Sunday is Father’s Day, so I’m going to get downright practical on this episode with some terrific gift wines suggestions that you can buy dear old dad. Now I recognize not everyone celebrates Father’s Day for various reasons. Mine was that my father was an alcoholic, and my mother left him when I was two years old. However, I had a wonderful grandfather and several other men in my life who were inspirational role models. I think of them on Father’s Day. So, how do you choose the perfect gift bottle? And is there such a thing as […]
