This Facebook Live Video Wine Tasting above, we chat about pairing wine with our favourite Chinese dishes, from sweet and sour chicken to wontons and spring rolls. You can click on the arrow above to play the video. We’re joined by guest winemaker, Jean-Benoit Deslauriers of Benjamin Bridge Winery to help us celebrate the Chinese New Year. You’ll find the most recent live video wine tasting at the top of the timeline here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/natdecants We taste every Sunday evening at 6 pm eastern so add us to your calendar and grab a glass of wine. Click on the icons for “Share” and […]
Wine Video
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 […]
The Gorgeous Greek Grape and Wine Moschofilero (Video)
On CTV news this past Friday, Leanne and I chatted about the lovely, floral white wine from Greece, Moschofilero Moschofilero is pronounced mos-coh-FEE-ler-oh. It’s underappreciated with its easygoing elegance, food versatility and great value. It’s planted mostly in the high, misty mountains of Mantinia Greece near Tripoli. This ancient grape is native to Greece, and often vines are planted more than 2,000 feet above sea level, where the weather changes quickly and there are large dirunal temperature changes from day to night. This is a late-ripening, fickle grape but one worth looking for. […]
10 Best Pinot Noir Wines to Buy Now + 5 Surprising Facts about Pinot Noir
Leanne and I had fun chatting about Pinot Noir this past Wednesday on CTV News! I’ll be posting the wines we featured soon. Pinot Noir is a wine of great sensuality, a silky texture and seductive aromas. “God made Cabernet Sauvignon whereas the devil made Pinot Noir,” winemaker André Tchelistcheff once remarked. This thin-skinned berry is known as the “heartbreak grape” because it’s difficult to grow and is unstable even bottled. That’s why you often pay more for Pinot Noir than most other red wines. You’ll find my top 10 Pinot Noir reviews and ratings here, including pinot […]
6 Tips to Make You Wine Smart Quick (Video)
1. Expensive Doesn’t Mean Better: Do you need to pay a lot to get a great wine? Ruffino Prosecco Tuscany, Italy Santa Margherita Brut Valdobbiadene Superiore Prosecco Veneto D.O.C.G., Italy 2. Look for Second Labels Woodbridge Winery Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 California, United States Robert Mondavi Winery Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Central Coast, California, United States 3. Quick Pairing Tip: Is the Wine Mouth-Watering or […]
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 […]
Video: How to Pair Wine + Quarantine Snacks
Anyone can pair a juicy steak with a Cabernet, but which wines should we drink with our favourite quarantine snacks? On Global Television’s Morning Show, I share my insider tips: What’s the key in terms of flavour, pairing a snack and a wine? Do you want opposite flavour profiles or similar? (ie: creamy snack, creamy wine or creamy snack, acidic wine)? What’s one important thing that people tend to forget when they pick a wine/snack pairing? Okay, let’s dive into these pairings! Which wine do you suggest pairing with pretzels and why? […]
Stave & Steel Wines Aged in Bourbon and Canadian Whisky Barrels
Steve & Steel Winemaker James Foster was raised on a family farm, the historic Roseland Plantation in Eufaula, Alabama, where they farmed peanuts, hay and cotton. James FosterWinemaker Although James grew up in Alabama, his father worked in the California wine industry, and James began to follow in his footsteps. Stave & Steel Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 California, United States Great pairings include grilled burgers, ribs, steak and charcuterie. Curious about the winemaking process and inspired to learn more, he […]
How is the Coronavirus Impacting Wineries, Restaurants and Wine Drinkers? (Video)
After you click on the arrow above to play the video, move the player control along the bottom to the 1 minute and 30 second mark as the first part is checking to see if the tech gods are playing nice and the video is working ;) How the Coronavirus is affecting the wine and restaurant industries? I want to know if you’re changing your wine buying or dining out habits? Are you still traveling to wine regions or attending wine events? Let’s talk. Pour yourself a glass of wine, relax and chat with me. You can also join […]
Why Cabernet Sauvignon is the King of Red Wines (Video)
On CTV News, Leanne and I chat about the colourful history of the king of red wines, Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular red wine and most planted on the planet — it’s the OG (original gangster) of wines, so to speak. In 1997, UC Davis researched revealed its parents: the white grape Sauvignon Blanc and the red grape Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Franc is thinner skinned and early ripening than Cabernet Sauvignon. Stave & Steel Canadian Whisky Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 California, United States Cabernet Sauvignon is full-bodied, tannic, sauvignon means […]
