Thanksgiving is this weekend, and many of us are planning our menus and the wines. But rather than focus on the turkey, we’re going to pair wines with all those delicious side dishes. Here with her tips is Maritimer Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome Natalie. Before we dive into the sides, quick question: red or white for the turkey? Let’s start with a classic Thanksgiving side dish – green beans. Which wine would you recommend? Ah, green beans – the vegetable that makes us […]
How to Sabre Champagne + Sparkling Wines
Leanne and I chat about sparkling wines and Champagnes for the holidays. Click on the arrow to play the video above. Napoléon visits the Moët & Chandon cellars in 1807 Napoleon is credited with inventing the sabering technique and is famous for his phrase: “In victory we deserve Champagne, in defeat, we need it.” The famous Champagne maker Veuve Clicquot, who lost her husband when she was just 27, was a wealthy young widow. She would entertain Napoleon’s officers (early day sampling program). They, in turn, tried to impress her by sabering the tops of the Champagne bottles […]
The Best Fall Books and Bottles – Pairing Spines and Vines
We often chat about pairing wine and food, but what about pairing bottles with books, especially when we love to snuggle up with a great read this fall? Here with her pairings is Natalie MacLean, author of the national bestseller Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much. Welcome, Natalie. Great to be here! What’s the first pairing you recommend? In 101 Fascinating Canadian Music Facts , David McPherson shares lots of fun trivia such as the hit that launched Frank Sinatra’s career “I’ll Never Smile Again,” was written […]
4 Fantastic Wines for Your Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Click on the image above to play the video Thanksgiving is this weekend, and many of us are planning our menus and the wines. But rather than focus on the turkey, we’re going to pair wines with all those delicious side dishes. Joining us today is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome, Natalie. Great to be back with you! I’m ready to dish with you on some great pairings to make your Thanksgiving absolutely wine-derful! Let’s start with a classic Thanksgiving side dish – green beans. Which wine would […]
Wine and Folklore Share Terroir and Storytelling with Jo Penn Author of Blood Vintage
Introduction How far would you go for that first evocative taste of an elusive wine? Why should you try wines and books outside your comfort zone? How is folklore as rooted in a sense of place as much as wine is? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jo Penn. 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 […]
5 Architecturally Stunning Wineries Blending Form, Function and Fermentation
Today is World Architecture Day, so we’re raising a glass to some of the most iconic wineries around the world. Here to share the best in wine design is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome Natalie. Great to be here with you. In both architecture and wine, structure is everything – though I prefer my wine’s structure to be a little more fluid than my buildings. Beyond a beautiful building, why does winery architecture matter? Many wineries these days are more than just pretty castles with tasting rooms. They’re […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings October 5, 2024
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 September 21st. These are just some of the benefits of supporting our 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 about […]
To Life in a Glass: The Best Kosher Wines for Everyone
Two of the most important holidays on the Jewish calendar take place in October, Rosh Hashanah starts this Wednesday and Yom Kippur begins next week. Both are celebrated with kosher wine. Here with her tips and sips is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine pairing classes at nataliemaclean.com. Let’s start with what is kosher wine and how is it different from non-kosher wine? Kosher wine is made using the same techniques as other wine, except that no leavens, wheat or animal products are used, such as gelatin or egg whites are […]
Blending Biodynamics and Suspense with Jo Penn Author of Blood Vintage
Introduction Why is biodynamic viticulture sometimes associated with dark magic or the occult? Why is using wine in religious rituals as a sacrament considered normal for many people, but taking it beyond that is not? Why are wines from England becoming increasingly popular? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Jo Penn, the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, about her latest novel, Blood Vintage, set in an English vineyard. 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 […]
Rioja Wines Blend the Past and Present with Adam Lechmere
Introduction How has Rioja’s famous architecture impacted tourism and the international perception of Rioja wines? How does Rioja wine style change in a vintage characterized as an Atlantic year versus a Mediterranean year? How did oak aging become so fundamental to the identity of Rioja wines? What’s driving the resurgence of traditional aging methods, such as concrete tanks? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Adam Lechmere, editor of The Smart Traveler’s Wine Guide to Rioja, among other books in this series. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Two of you will win a […]
