Here’s my recent column in Zoomer Magazine about The Great Canadian Wine Match with the finalists for the best Canadian wine with chicken. Just 4 days left to vote! Posted with permission of Zoomer Magazine.
Month: May 2013
LCBO Ottawa Rideau and SAQ Gatineau Wine Tastings
Here’s a list of wines offered for tasting at the Rideau Street LCBO in Ottawa and the SAQ Selection Store in Gatineau across from the casino. I’ll update this as I get new lists of the wines. You may also want to inquire about the classes held at these stores that provide additional opportunities to taste more wines. Here are the wine tastings in Toronto and Oakville. I find it doesn’t take long to taste the wines and I fit it in when I’m doing errands in the neighbourhood where the store is located. There is a minimum fee […]
LCBO Vintages Wine Tasting Bars Toronto and Oakville
Here’s a list of LCBO stores in Toronto and Oakville that offer regular tastings of premium wines. I’ll update this as I get new lists of the wines on offer. You may also want to inquire about the classes held at these stores that provide additional opportunities to taste more wines. Here are the wine tastings in Ottawa and Gatineau (SAQ). I find it doesn’t take long to taste the wines and I fit it in when I’m doing errands in the neighbourhood where the store is located. There is a minimum fee to taste the wines that varies […]
Best Places to Learn About Wine: Toronto Star
We were thrilled to be featured on the front page of the Toronto Star recently in a story on the best places to learn about wine, along with George Brown College which offers the sommelier certificate program and The Independent Wine Education Guild that teaches the respected Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) courses. Want to expand your wine knowledge but can’t afford the classes? Sign up for Natalie MacLean’s free e-newsletter and learn all about finding the best wines for your taste and budget. Natalie is a certified sommelier and has been named the World’s Best Wine Writer. Her […]
Best LCBO Wines Vintages Release June 8
These are the reviews the LCBO published in the Vintages Catalogue from my tasting notes, the most quoted Canadian source of wine reviews in this release. You can also see my reviews for the May 25 LCBO Vintages Release. Subscribers to my premium service can access all 67 wines that I reviewed as a text shopping list with my full tasting notes, scores, food matches and the stock for each bottle in their closest LCBO stores. They can also add my wine picks to their custom shopping list by clicking on the little shopping cart icon and access that […]
Best LCBO Wines Vintages Release May 25
These are the reviews the LCBO published in the Vintages Catalogue from my tasting notes, the most quoted Canadian source of wine reviews in this release. You can also see my reviews for the June 8 LCBO Vintages Release. Subscribers to my premium service can access all 64 wines that I reviewed as a text shopping list with my full tasting notes, scores, food matches and the stock for each bottle in their closest LCBO stores. They can also add my wine picks to their custom shopping list by clicking on the little shopping cart icon and access that […]
Posting Wine Reviews and Tasting Notes: Quick Tips
Here’s how to post your wine reviews and use the site features to share them with friends, create your own tasting journal and track your progress over time. Let me know if you have other tips to add here. You’ll also find tips on writing wine reviews. Here’s a short video to get you set-up quickly and optimize your profile: Quick Start: How do I post a wine review? First, download this custom wine toolbar for your browser to make finding wines and adding reviews fast. It works on all browsers except Safari, so if you use that one, skip […]
Wine Reviews and Tasting Notes
Here are some quick tips on writing wine reviews and tasting notes. I’ll be adding new tips to this list regularly. Got one to add? Please post it below. You can also find tips on posting your reviews on this site and how to get the most of the site features to organize your reviews. Have fun! Cheers, Natalie What information should be in every tasting note? The smell and taste of the wine are essential: aromas and flavours. This doesn’t have to be elaborate, but it gives people a sense of the style of the wine. The Wine Aroma […]
Wine of the Week: Gloria Ferrer Sparkling, California
Shopping tip: you can get shoes for 85 cents at the bowling alley. With the left-over cash, why not splurge on a bottle of bubbly? Cheers, Natalie Sale Ends: May 26, 2013 Sale Price: $25.95 | Save: $1.00 (Usually $26.95) Natalie’s Score: 90/100 Gloria Ferrer Sparkling Cuvee Toasty and robust with lovely green apple and white peach notes. This sparkling wine is a terrific value, even without the buck off. Enjoy it with potato chips, fried chicken or three strikes at the bowling alley. Drink: 2012-2015 LCBO Code: 200790 Sugar Code: Dry Find this wine in your closest LCBO stores […]
Pan-Seared Halibut Recipe: Eat + Drink Canadian
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has worked with a Canadian chef to create some delicious recipes that can be made with all-Canadian ingredients! Remember to look for the Canadian content or process statement on all the ingredients you buy! Pan-Seared Halibut Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 2 tbsp Butter (30 ml) 3 tbsp Canola oil (45 ml) 4 Halibut filets, skin on (2 lbs)(907 g) Salt pinch Pepper pinch 1 Zucchini, cut in cubes 20 Cherry tomatoes, cut in 2 20 Sugar snap peas, cut in 2 1 Green onion, sliced 2 cups Vegetable stock […]
