This weekend, I’m heading to Banff for the annual food and wine festival at the Fairmont Hotel. I’m looking forward to breathing in the crisp air of the Canadian Rockies, while sipping on some mouth-waterings wines. I’ve heard great things about this festival, but have never attended. On the agenda this year: Hennessy Bertrand Steip, General Manager of Hennessy Canada, takes you through a very exclusive tasting of five of the famed Cognac house’s cognacs including Richard Hennessy. Vintners Reception Enjoy six interactive food stations showcasing the talents of The Fairmont Banff Springs Culinary team. The evening would not be […]
Month: October 2009
Sumptuous Pinot Noir Dinner in Niagara
While in Niagara, I was fortunate to indulge in a Pinot Noir tasting dinner at Peller Estate Restaurant, one of the best restaurants in the Niagara region. Chef Jason Parsons chatted with me in the busy kitchen about his philosophy of fresh, local and wine inspired cuisine. Here’s the menu: the wines and dishes were matched deliciously well! CHEF’S SIGNATURE CHIICKEN LIIVER PARFAIIT Pinot Noir, Plum Preserve ~ Andrew Peller Chardonnay “Sur Lie” 2007 LOBSTER LIINGUINI Icewine Poached Lobster, Alberta Parmesan, Chardonnay “Sur Lie” Cream Sauce ~ CHESTNUT ROASTED DUCK Spiced Autumn Ragout and Pinot Bacon Sauce ~ […]
Working the Grape Sorting Table at Canada’s Benchmark Pinot Noir
They put me to work on the grape sorting table at Le Clos Jordanne a few weeks ago. This Niagara winery makes some of the finest, if not the finest, pinot noirs in Canada. Elegant, silky, seductive, these wines draw you head first into the glass. Winemaker Thomas Bachelder is absolutely fanatical about grape selection: that’s the monumental foundation on which he contructs his wines. Here are the grapes coming in… juicy, fleshy and sweet like the fall… Thomas and I drove out to all of the vineyards to taste the grapes and then compared these to barrel […]
Drinks Matcher Mobile App in December Chatelaine
In the December issue of Chatealine magazine, the editors have chosen their favorite food and drink mobile apps for iPhone, BlackBerry and other smartphones. I was thrilled that my Drinks Matcher app was among them. The review notes that the app has 380,000 pairings, with new ones added daily. Why, yes indeed it does. You can find more info here. Got a match I’ve missed? E-mail me and I’ll add it. Natalie
New Wine Reviews
Number of Wines Recommended: 48 Review date: October 24, 2009 The highlights in this Vintages release include: – 16 wines under $20 – Best value white: Lime-fresh German Riesling for tuna $13.95 – Favorite white: Mouth-watering Niagara Riesling for salads and salmon 92/100 – Best value red: Robust Italian red for pizza and lasanga $12.95 – Favorite red: A Spanish red with blackberry and violet notes for veal 93/100 You can see a complete free sample set of reviews here. Here is the text-only shopping list for the October 24 reviews with wine names, tasting notes, scores, food matches […]
Saveur’s “Sites We Love”
Just found out today from Saveur magazine that they’ve chosen my site for their featured “Sites We Love.” I’m thrilled to receive the endorsement of such a respected food and drink magazine … Over the years, I’ve loved reading the stories in this publication … the food photography is gorgeous too. Off to celebrate with something tasty! Cheers, Natalie
Send back that wine bottle in a restaurant? Yikes!
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 the moment for the taster to send it back. But few do… By China Milman Natalie MacLean, editor of one of the largest online wine newsletters, at www.nataliemaclean.com, said 5 percent to 10 percent of wines are “corked,” or tainted by a chemical compound introduced […]
Talkin’ Turkey on CBC Today
I’ll be chatting with the hosts of the CBC drive-home radio shows from coast to coast today about wines for Thanksgiving. Tune in if you can and let me know your suggestions before we go live. I’ve posted some of my thoughts on this mouth-watering topic previously. Here’s the schedule (most are live chats, and the times noted are local to that city, but some are taped to be played at some point during the drive-home show today.) 4:10 pm – Live CAPE BRETON (Sydney) 3:20 pm – live WINNIPEG 4:30 pm – taped REGINA 4:50 pm – live SUDBURY 5:20 […]
Is Your Wine Faulty?
Today’s newsletter is part two of how to spot wine faults: Is it you or is that wine off? I won’t repeat the article here but I thought I make a post so that you can comment on the issue or ask questions. Have you ever run into a faulty wine in a restaurant? Are you reluctant to send it back? Is mostly corked wine that you’ve encountered or others? Look forward to hearing from you. Cheers, Natalie
New Wine Reviews
Number of Wines Recommended: 56 Review date: October 10, 2009 The highlights in this Vintages release include: – 22 wines under $20 – Best value white: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with pure grassy goodness for vegetarian dishes and quiche $14.95 – Favorite white: Voluptuous California Chardonnay for roast chicken 93/100 – Best value red: Supple, full-bodied Chilean Carmenère for hamburgers and steak $14.95 – Favorite red: Blackberry-rich Australian Shiraz for fajitas 93/100 – Favorite red: Dense, round, supple and full-bodied Spanish Cabernet for brisket and prime rib 93/100 Free sample wine reviews with tasting notes, scores & recipes: Here is […]
