Leanne and I chat about how to find the right gift wine for everyone on your list on CTV News. Meanwhile, we’re chatting about the same topic with the Associated Press: Wine Gift-Giving Tips for Novice Vinophiles Trendy, tasty and one-size-fits-all, wine is a versatile holiday gift, whether you’re on your way to a house-warming or looking out for something for the in-laws. But navigating the world of wine can be a trial for the novice vinophile. Enter wine experts, who have a few tips on how not to send the wrong message in a bottle. Recon The […]
California Wine
Joel Gott Wines Video: California Roots and Gourmet Burgers
In 1996, our guest this evening purchased a few tons of Zinfandel and with the help of his then-girlfriend (now wife)—and winemaker at Joseph Phelps—Sarah, produced his first vintage of wine. It received wide praise from critics, which was all the encouragement he needed to produce additional varietals. And he joins me live now from Napa, Joel Gott, Owner & Winemaker at Joel Gott Wines!. How are the regions of Santa Barbara and Napa Valley different, and what should we look for when buying these wines? Why did this fifth-generation winemaker start a wildly popular gourmet burger restaurant? What are his […]
Deeply Rooted in California Wine History: Winemaker Gina Gallo (Video)
Our guest this evening is a third-generation winegrower from one of America’s most historic winemaking families. At just 10 years old, she tended the gardens with her father and grandfather, and spent her high school summers working alongside her brothers and sisters at the Gallo Family Vineyards. After studying winemaking at the University of California at Davis, she became an apprentice winemaker under the careful guidance of her grandfather Julio Gallo. And she joins me live now from her home in Napa Valley: Welcome to the Sunday Sipper Club Gina Gallo! Note: YouTube has the audio and video out of […]
Why Do You Like the Wines You Do? Video
In their new book, Passion for Wine, our guests answer that tough question: “Why do I like certain wine styles and not others?” They do it through a simple, but brilliant “Spectrum of Style” and powerful infographics to help you understand this and other wine questions. Marnie Old is an award-winning writer and sommelier. Jean-Charles Boisset is the head of his family’s collection of world-respected wineries in both France and California. And they join me live now from the Buena Vista winery in Napa Valley: Welcome to the Sunday Sipper Club Marnie and Jean-Charles! What was the trigger — the […]
Which #Wine to Pair with Your Ugly Christmas Sweater?
In our second Day in the Life Photo Essay, we’ve assembled our pictorial interpretation of holiday spirit with the classic Ugly Christmas Sweater. Yes, there’s a wine for that. We’re also sharing these photos on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr and LinkedIn. The hashtag is #WineFashion and @RobertMondavi. You can see our first photo essay here. Jane Staples Wine Columnist, Ottawa Wedding Magazine Jon Steeves Accredited Sommelier & Blogger Matt Steeves Wine Expert, CTV Morning Live Sean O’Regan Director, National Capital Sommelier Guild […]
What You Don’t Know About Wine & Health, But Should
Are you confused about the various heath studies when it comes to wine and breast cancer, heart disease or brain function? Would you like to know exactly what moderation means when it comes to drinking wine? That’s exactly what we’re going to discover tonight with our guest this evening who is a gynecologist and obstetrician. He is also part of an international research community that investigates the role of wine in health. He holds an advanced-level sommelier certificate from the International Wine & Spirits Guild, and he joins me now live from his home office in Arizona. You won’t want […]
Video: Winemaker John Williams, Frog’s Leap on Dry Farming (and Humour)
Our guest this evening is John Williams, Winemaker at Frog’s Leap Winery … join me live now from… Click on the arrow above to watch the video. P.S. Join us Sunday November 26, at 6 pm eastern with Mike Veseth, an author and authority on global wine economics. www.nataliemaclean.com/live Want to know when we go live Monday with Mike Veseth? Click on the Follow and Like buttons on this page to get notified when we go live. We’ll be simultaneously broadcasting on Facebook Live, YouTube Live Stream and Twitter Live Video via Periscope. Watch previous episodes of the Sunday […]
Randall Grahm: A Californian Blend of Wine, Wit and Wisdom
What a terrific chat with Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon Winery in California! Click on the arrow above to watch the video. Listen to Randall’s stories about hosting a funeral for an open casket of corks in NYC’s Grand Central Station, his experiments with adding rocks to wine and why he has a meteor named after him. Discover why his wines are superb, his new project on a very special piece of land and his push for ingredient labeling on wine. Next Sunday, July 30 at 6 pm EST, writer Mark Oldman joins us from New York to chat about […]
Video: Game of Thrones Wines: Royal Taste?
April 14, 2019 Update: This live Facebook show originally aired as a prelude to Game of Thrones Season 7. Now that we’re moving into the final season, I thought it would be fun to bring this chestnut back. I re-tasted the wines, and my opinion remains the same ;) Enjoy this episode of the Sunday Sipper Club! ** Click on the arrow above to watch the video. ** Are they fit for royalty? What’s the back story on these HBO series-branded wines? Game of Thrones Wine Reviews You can read the 30 comments for this tasting, and/or make a comment […]
What is Wine’s Role in Modern Madness? Finding Our Humanity Drop by Drop
Editor’s Note: I wrote this magazine piece on wine and civility two months after 9/11. You can also listen to this as a podcast here. In Vino Civilitatis The trouble with moderation is that it’s hard to get excited about it. Until now. After September 11, moderation seems to be rarer than a California cult cabernet. Finding the moderate and the civilized in everyday life has become all the rage. Few things embody these values more than wine, and the food we eat with it. A river of wine flows through most of human history — from the ancient clay […]
