Spring has sprung and as we cast off the heavy sweaters and coats, it’s also time to lighten up our wine wardrobe. On CTV News, we chat about what’s in liquid fashion this season. Can you give us a bit of an overview of what trends we’re seeing in the wine world this spring? Everything’s coming up Rosé, Riesling and Pinot Grigio! They’re all wines meant to be consumed young, and I do mean the wines not the people. They’re fresh and lively, perfect for spring and throughout the summer. We’re starting with a German Riesling. Why have […]
Pinot Grigio
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 […]
Can You Lose Weight While Drinking Wine?
Do we have to give up wine if we want to shed a few pounds? No! Click on the arrow above to watch the video … On CTV’s The Social, we put this notion to the test with a fun quiz show format on calories and wine. How many answers can you get right? Three of the wines we’ll taste are marketed as “diet wines” with just 70-80 calories: SkinnyGrape, SkinnyGirl and one other, plus two ringers. Two wines are not diet wines, but are naturally low in calories. The names of two wines give them away, but […]
Video: Icewine Cocktails and Pairing with Chili Chips
Karen King, who co-owns The Ice House in Niagara with her husband Jamie Macfarlane. In the video above, she chats about how they’re literally shaking it up with icewine, from slushies to pairings with chili snacks and wasabi peas. Click on the arrow to play the video. Questions: You did research that revealed surprising insights about icewine in terms of who’s drinking it and when? What kind of sensory food and wine research were you doing? Icewine is probably Canada’s most iconic wine, but you’re shaking up that perception: how is your style different? Tell me about […]
How to Pair and Serve Wines at Dinner Parties (Video)
The hosts of CTV’s The Social and I had lots of fun chatting about which wines to serve at dinner parties, pairing tips and other entertaining suggestions. If you’re hosting a dinner party, how many wines should you serve? Count on one to two glasses of wine per guest per hour, as people tend to drink more in the evening and at a sit-down dinner, than they do at a standing reception earlier in the day. There are 4-5 glasses of wine in a standard 750 ml bottle, so if you’re entertaining ten people for, say, three hours, counting […]
5 Tips to Pick Wines for Thanksgiving
No other holiday celebrates the gift of wine like Thanksgiving. Wine is a taste of the harvest along with all the delicious dishes on the table. But actually choosing a bottle can feel like a thankless task, especially with so many flavours to match. Relax. Have a drink. And try some of my suggestions for great wines to pair with Thanksgiving turkey and all the trimmings that Leanne and I chat about in the video above. You can also watch our first video on fall wines here. In my free online matching tool, you can click on “turkey holiday dinner” […]
Make Your Evening Unforgettable With These Curated Wine & Cheese Plates
Leanne and I chat about some marvelous wine and cheese pairing for holiday entertaining and beyond, plus the secrets to creating a cheese that will make your guests’ jaws drop ;) So many delicious combinations! You can watch our second CTV segment on wine and cheese pairing here. Plus, we’ve had two dynamic Facebook Live video chats on this topic in preparation for the launch of a new cheese and wine pairing course. You can watch the first video is here on this website, and the second will be posted soon. Registration opens November 28 for a short […]
Italian Wines from Alto Adige, Portugal + Champagne with Grape Minds Julie Glenn & Gina Birch
Introduction Are you curious about slow food and wine? What’s special about the Alto Adige region of Italy? Why should you consider Portugal and Dubai for your next wine-fueled trip? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with wine writer, Gina Birch and broadcaster Julie Glen, hosts of the Grape Minds 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 […]
How Online Wine Classes Are Changing The Course of Wine Appreciation
On CTV News, Leanne and I chat about how more and more wine lovers are turning to online wine classes, not just because we’re in quarantine, but also because they offer many advantages over physical courses: You don’t have to drive, find parking or a babysitter and then drive home after drinking Many couples take the course together as date night (a two-for-one benefit because they only pay one course fee) Family members of drinking age can also do this as it’s often a lot more fun than monopoly My students meet wine lovers around the world, they develop friendships […]
The 31 Most Difficult Wine and Grapes Names: How to Pronounce Them
On CTV News, Leanne and I chat about the most difficult wine and grape names to pronounce. Click the arrows to watch the videos both above and below. As anglophones, we find many of these names difficult since their origins are often European, with accents and inflections that are new to us. Tip: often e and i are pronounced in the reverse when in the middle of a word, and an e at the end of a name often sounds like a long a. Why bother? We often overlook these terrific wines, and don’t ask for them in liquor stores […]
