In part two of our video chat below, Scott shares his most memorable wine experiences in restaurants, including a hilarious story about the worst one (watch him in the small screen with the bottle when he explains what the waiter did) … The International Culinary Center  2010 Bastianich Adriactico Friulano A floral white with mouth-watering [...]

In this interview, I chat Sheila Person who at the time was sommelier and manager at Eight Wine Bar in Toronto. Sheila has since moved back to Calgary, Alberta, where she shares her passion for wine at Crowfoot Wine and Spirits. We chat about spring and summer wines, including great bottles for the cottage and [...]

In this segment of Tasting Notes, I chat with Lorie O’Sullivan, sommelier at the Ritz-Carlton’s TOCA restaurant in Toronto about wines for barbecued meats and veggies. She also shares tips on choosing great bottles from a restaurant wine list. This interview was originally published in the luxury lifestyle magazine Homefront. Where did you study to [...]

In this interview, I chat with William Predhomme, Senior Sommelier Canoe Restaurant + Bar in Toronto about winter wines and pairings. This interview was originally published in the luxury lifestyle magazine Homefront. What’s the best thing about being a sommelier at Canoe? The variety of wines and spirits that I get to sample on a [...]

In this interview, I chat with Jimson Bienenstock, Head Sommelier, The Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto about pairing wine with cheese and other vinous matters. This interview was originally published in the luxury lifestyle magazine Homefront. What was your first memorable wine? In 1990, I went to Paris to become bilingual in French. My [...]

I chat with radio hosts Mark and Francis about restaurant wine lists, from advice on how to choose wines from a list to whether the markups are fair. We also cover a wide variety of other wine topics, including how do you earn a living from wine writing and the new book Unquenchable to shopping [...]

After years of anticipation and planning, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards opened a new restaurant at the winery on April 1 The restaurant, aptly named Miradoro, roughly translates to “Golden View” in Portuguese.  This originates from Miradoro restaurant partner Manuel Ferreira’s (of famed Vancouver’s Le Gavroche) Portuguese background.  Miradoro will serve market cuisine in a relaxed fine [...]

A Happier Happy Hour for Your Wallet Want to grab a drink tonight? How about meeting at… my place. In the tough economy, a night out drinking is looking like an indulgence. Liquor sales were flat at $18.7 billion in 2009, and volume shifted. While sales for home consumption rose 2.2%, sales for restaurants, bars, hotels [...]

Anyone who’s ordered a bottle of wine at a restaurant knows the ritual. The server brings the wine to the table, displays it for the customer’s inspection, then uncorks it with a flourish. A small portion is poured for the diner to sniff, taste and evaluate. If there’s something wrong with the wine, this is [...]

Don’t be surprised if it’s easier this month to get a reservation at Smith & Wollensky. The reason: With the economy in decline and expense accounts under increased scrutiny, businesspeople may be skipping the steakhouse–and the overpriced wines that flow there. That appears to be what’s happening at Morton’s and Ruth’s Chris. In the last [...]