It’s been said that wine and cheese are not only the perfect marriage, but the one that never breaks up! The key here is to build up a momentum. Offering three separate servings, start with lighter cheeses accompanied by light wines or beers and move on to stronger cheeses and more full-bodied vintages. And don’t forget to look for the 100% Canadian milk symbol whenever you buy cheese. Presentation: It doesn’t take much to attract a crowd to cheese. So a simple, elegant plate can suffice. But a lovely assortment of cheeses luxuriously laid out on a prized marble or […]
Month: July 2012
Unquenchable’s Literary Merit Pales Next to Practical Use
I get some terrific letters and e-mails from folks reading my books. This one though made me laugh out loud … love it! Natalie, thank you so much for writing, Unquenchable. I bought it for myself yesterday and I have just started reading it for my vacation time. I thoroughly devoured your first book and so far (I have only read two chapters) this new book is simply a delightful read. I prop myself up with pillows on our outdoor “living room” couch along with a glass of wine – read a page, sip the wine – and I drink […]
Video: Winery Backs AIDS Walk for Life: Living Well; Doing Good
As many as 68,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Canada. One third of them don’t even know it. To date, there is no cure and no vaccine to prevent new infections. This topic may sound completely unrelated to wine, but it’s not. In the video below, we talk to Bruno Zaratin from the Italian winery Santa Margherita, which been a major supporter of the Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life that happens across the country every September for the past six years. What is Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life? Santa Margherita goes well beyond writing a cheque: […]
How to Get Started on Twitter in 5 Minutes
Twitter makes it easy to sign up: Go to https://twitter.com/signup. Enter your name, email and password. Click Sign up for Twitter and choose your user name. That’s it! You can follow a few more steps if you like to fill out profile info, but that’s optional. Next, connect your Twitter account with your account on my site so that we can tweet together: Go to www.nataliemaclean.com/myaccount. Half way down the page, beside the blue button, fill in your Twitter name and click on the button. Ignore the overwrought warning, which is Twitter covering its, umm, bases. This is the standard text for […]
Video: Wine Industry Must Adapt or Face Digital Darwinism Part 2
The flood of e-mails, tweets and Facebook requests to post this second part of this video conversation below with Paul Mabray of Vintank on the wine industry and Digital Darwinism is heartening. Sometimes, you think you’re just talking to yourself … but when Paul Mabray is part of the conversation, people listen. Didn’t catch Part One of this conversation about wine and social media? Pull up a comfy chair, top that glass up and let it play. Here’s Paul’s presentation: Wine + Digital Here are the Robert Mondavi wines that we tasted: […]
Torres Celeste Crianza, Santa Rita Medalla, E. Guigal Gigondas: Best Cellar Wines in LCBO Vintages Release July 7
By Gaby Israel Here’s my best cellar wines list for this release as a shopping list that you can print. This time I have arranged my recommendations based on preference. The value-for-money and GPCi are still, as always, my guide. Chile – Maipo Valley – Santa Rita Medalla Real Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 – $17.95 One of my favourites in this release. I have had this wine before and have recommended it several times. One of the best Cab Sauv you`ll find for $18. Expect full flavours Cab and enjoy it with a good juicy steak. Wine Enthusiast rewarded […]
Wynns Riesling, Thomas George Pinot Noir, Flat Rock Cellars Pinot Noir Rose: Best LCBO Wines Vintages Release July 7
Here are my top picks from the July 7 Vintages Release. You can also get all 67 of my Best Value Wines and Top Rated Wines for red, white, rose, sparkling and dessert wines that encompass many price points, styles and regions. I’ve also posted my picks for everyday good value wines from the regular list of wines as well as the July 7 Vintages Release. You can add my wine picks to your shopping list by clicking on the little shopping cart icon. You can also create a custom list just for this release that will be saved […]
Wine Marketing Brand Launch: Henry of Pelham Sibling Rivalry
In the video below, Daniel Speck shares a behind-the-scenes look at the incredibly successful launch of the wine brand Sibling Rivalry. How can you use consumer package goods marketing to such a fragmented, quirky and artisanal category like wine? In 1984, many people thought that the Speck family in Niagara was crazy when they ripped out their Concord grapes at their own expense and instead planted Chardonnay, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, they’re considered prescient for having been one of the first wineries in the region to make the leap to premium grapes and wine. Three […]
