Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Dad: Books and Bottles for Father’s Day

Father’s Day is this Sunday, and you might like to toast dad with a glass of wine or two, but what should you pair with your vino beyond BBQ? How about some terrific books? Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com.   What do you recommend first?         We’re starting with Dad Bod: Portraits of Pop Culture Papas by Almonte author and new dad himself Cian Cruise. This is a collection of funny essays about fatherhood depicted in film, television, and video games. Whether they’re spouting homespun […]

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Father’s Day: Choosing the Best Books and Wines for Dad

Father’s Day is coming up, and you might like to toast dad with a glass of wine or two, but what should you pair with your vino beyond BBQ? How about some terrific books?   Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com.   What do you recommend first?       Dancing with Robots: The 29 Strategies for Success In the Age of AI and Automation by Toronto author Bill Bishop. This is dad’s guide for how to survive and thrive in a world being taken over by robots and […]

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The Shape and Sound of Taste with Nell McShane Wulfhart

Introduction How does telling your dinner party guests a few details about the wine you’re serving dramatically change their perception of the taste of it? How does the shape of a restaurant table impact how much you eat, and which types of songs can make your Pinot Noir or other wines tastes more acidic? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with journalist Nell McShane Wulfhart. 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 […]

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Inventive Food & Wine Pairing and Buying Tips with Guy Bower of The Good Life Show

Introduction What exactly makes the sense of smell so evocative? How can you play with food and wine pairing to discover new flavours? What can you do to de-risk your exploration of new wines? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by Guy Bower, host of The Good Life 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 into the […]

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Book & Bottle Pairings for Father’s Day

We’re back with more books and bottles for Father’s Day.   What are we starting with this time?         We’re starting with Ten Garments Every Man Should Own: A Practical Guide to Building a Permanent Wardrobe by Pedro Mendes. This is an accessible field guide to classic menswear, no matter what dad’s age or budget or the fact he still loves those painter pants from the 80s with all the side pockets. Each chapter covers an essential piece – shirt, jacket, hat, leather shoes, etc – in an entertaining way.           Drea’s Wine […]

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Prosecco’s Success Story (and Snob Disdain) with Stevie Kim of Vinitaly

Introduction How did Prosecco lead the way for many people discovering Italian wines, and then why did it get so much hate? How can “Mamma Jumbo Shrimp” help you as a wine lover? Is food or wine the main protagonist of most meals? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with the founder of Vinitaly and host of the Italian Wine Podcast, Stevie Kim. 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 […]

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Italian Wines and Wine Competitions with Vinitaly’s Stevie Kim

Introduction How can you learn more about the diverse regions and styles of Italian wine? What’s the difference in impact between wine competitions and critic scores? And how do they influence the wines you buy and drink? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with founder of Vinitaly and host of the Italian Wine Podcast, Stevie Kim. 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 […]

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Bordeaux Wines, Politics and Wine, Monastrell & Spanish Food Pairings with Lori Budd of Exploring the Glass

Introduction What is it like to participate in the coveted en premiere tasting of the new vintage of Bordeaux wines in France while they’re still in the barrels aging? Which Spanish foods should you pair with the fabulous red wine Monastrell? How does politics influence wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with winemaker, writer and podcast host, Lori Budd who graduated from the prestigious UC Davis enology program. She and her husband own Dracaena Wines in Paso Robles. She’s also the host of the podcast called Exploring the Glass. You can find the wines we discussed […]

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Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Online Release Ratings May 14th

    You can access the wines that I reviewed as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches. If you are a Paid Member, you can add my wine picks to your custom shopping list with one click and access that list on your smartphone to find the stock for each wine in your closest LCBO store. You can also see my wine reviews for April 30th. These are just some of the benefits of supporting out wine community as a Paid Member. Inventory stock numbers are usually posted online a day or two before the release based on the LCBO doing so. Curious […]

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Extreme Winemaking, Ontario Wine Gems, Canada’s Regions & Grapes

Introduction Why is icewine considered extreme winemaking, and what are some weird, but wonderful food pairings for this elixir? Which Canadian wine regions should you visit next? What unusual things can you do at Ontario wineries? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by Janina Doyle, sommelier and host of the Eat Sleep Wine Repeat 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 […]

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