Video: Wine + Cheese > Who Wore It Best? Perfect Pairings

Wine and cheese: two of life’s greatest pleasures … On CTV’s The Social, we search for the perfect pairing with a fun take on the fashion quiz: Who wore it best? Which one of two wines paired best with a particular cheese? Find out who got it right and who didn’t ;)     7 Unusually Great Wine & Cheese Pairings Guide     Here are the wines we featured on the show … see links below for reviews and to find them in your local liquor store.     Cheddar Hard cheeses like cheddar become not just stronger, but […]

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Easter Wines for Fish, Lamb + Ham: Video

Wines for Good Friday fish, Easter brunch, lamb and ham are the focus of our chat on CTV News. In particular, red wines often clash with fish not because of the wine tannin and fish iodine, as previously thought, but rather because of high iron content in the wine. The iron comes mostly from the soil where the vines are grown, but can also be due to winemaking methods. Generalizing about which wines will be high in iron content is difficult. The iron in wine is thought to break down the unsaturated (good) fats in fish and creates that fishy […]

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Can Organic Wine Survive Niagara? The Chilling Answer . . .

Under heavy gunfire, we run for the chopper. Grey clouds roil overhead as the wind whips our faces. The ground man signals us to scramble in, but then stops and waves for us to turn around. As we do, we’re blinded by white flashes. We’re not being fired at though: it’s just the smiling tour guide snapping photos of us. The shotgun blasts are automatic “bird bangers” to scare birds away from the fields of Niagara grapevines around us. This isn’t Baghdad, but it is war. These birds travel in black clouds of peckish delight swooping down to strip vineyards […]

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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 […]

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5 Best Wines to Celebrate Spring

  Spring has sprung and as we cast off the heavy sweaters and coats, it’s also time to lighten up our wine wardrobe. Back with us now to share what’s in liquid fashion this season is Natalie MacLean who offers North America’s most popular online wine classes. Hi Natalie   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, Chardonnay and Riesling! 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 […]

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Organic Wine v Biodynamic Wine v Sustainable Farming: Differences?

By Natalie MacLean Why farm organically? Many winemakers consider the approach as part of their overall commitment to quality. Organic farming requires a much deeper understanding of the vineyard and a greater vigilance over it. Problems must be detected early because organic fixes take longer. Another benefit is the social responsibility for winery workers’ health and not exposing them to toxic chemicals. What are the environmental benefits? Many wineries have locked horns with environmentalists and local residents over the issue of deforesting the land in order to plant vineyards. Hillsides are a flash point. Winemakers know that vineyards on slopes […]

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Can You Guess This Wine’s Price? (Video)

On Global Television’s Morning Show, we chat about whether you judge a bottle of wine by its label, or at least, by its price? Does an expensive wine guarantee you a better one? We play a fun game. The hosts taste two wines and try to guess which wine they think is more expensive of the two. I share some details about the two wines as hints ;) Can you guess which wine is pricier before the hosts do? Play the game with us!           Santa Margherita Brut Valdobbiadene Superiore Prosecco Veneto D.O.C.G., Italy Vines are […]

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Pairing Wine with Love Songs

Leanne and I chat about pairing wine with love songs. Got a favourite that we didn’t include? Click on the arrow above to play the video. Here’s part one of our conversation on pairing wine with romantic movies.       “Whose bed have your boots been under?” – Shania Twain Ménage à Trois Midnight Red 2013 California, United States                 “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” – The Righteous Brothers Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand                     “I Want to Know What […]

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What’s Hot in the World of Wine? Latest Trends (Video)

The hosts of CTV’s The Social and I had great fun chatting about hot, new wine trends. Have you tried any of these wines? Let me know in the comments.   What’s heating up in the world of wine this summer? What should we be thinking—and drinking—when it comes to wine? Our next guest is here with the trends to look out for this summer. Joining us now is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine and food pairing classes at nataliemaclean.com.   Let’s start with the first type of wine that’s trending right now: orange wines. What […]

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Easter Wines: The Essential Hip-Hop Guide to Earmark

Some of my favourite meals are those we savour to celebrate Easter: fresh asparagus omelets and ham for brunch. But which Easter wines to serve with them? As a determined hedonist, I like something more than orange juice, thank-you—unless it’s a mimosa. The wines that work best are zesty, mouth-watering and lighter than those we drink in the winter—and they’ll put some spring in your glass.     When the coming of spring heralds warmer weather, we feel like celebrating. One of the best ways is by drinking fresh, vivacious wines that suit the season and complement lighter fare. You […]

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