The Grateful Toast Thanksgiving is the one dinner of the year where someone is expected to stand up and give a toast. Most of us mumble something into our glass and sit back down. Who better to help us than the toastess with the mostest, Natalie MacLean, editor of Canada’s largest wine review site at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome, Natalie. Great to be back with you! Thanksgiving is the one dinner of the year where the speech has more critics than the turkey. Not to worry though because I have a toast for every pour. Borrow […]
Author: Natalie MacLean
Which wines do you want with turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving?
I’m really looking forward to Thanksgiving this weekend. But I have to confess, with all the flavours on the table, I struggle to know what wine to pair with everything. Natalie MacLean, you always give great advice! What would you suggest? We pile turkey, cranberry, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy onto one plate, and then look at the wine as though it’s the one being difficult! We don’t need one wine that does everything. We just need a few good bottles that get along with the whole table, like the aunt who cracks everyone up with a good […]
How can a bottle of wine become the invitation for Come Over October? John Boynton, CEO of Arterra Wines Canada, shares his insights
Introduction How can a bottle of wine become the invitation, slow down the moment, and create space for real conversation? Why does the wine industry need to look beyond wine itself to win back consumers? How can wine become more relevant to younger consumers? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with John Boynton You can find the wines we discussed here. Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Video Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wednesday at 7 pm eastern on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I’ll […]
Which Maritime wines belong on your Friendsgiving table?
The Friendsgiving Weekend Thanksgiving weekend is almost here, and there’s a second celebration on the calendar. Friendsgiving is the friends’ version of the long weekend. It’s also part of Come Over October, a movement that encourages us to put down our phones and invite the people who matter most to come over to share a glass of wine. Who better to help us than Natalie MacLean, editor of Canada’s largest wine review site at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome, Natalie. Great to be back with you! Friendsgiving is Thanksgiving without the seating chart. That’s why Come Over October […]
Which 3 drinks should the Chief Pouring Officer serve at Thanksgiving?
Give Thanks for a Chief Pouring Officer Thanksgiving is almost here, but the host spends most of it in the kitchen. Every request for a top-up pulls them away from the stove. Today’s fix is a promotion. Promote one guest to become the Chief Pouring Officer. Here to tell us how that works is Natalie MacLean, editor of Canada’s largest drinks review site at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome, Natalie. Great to be back with you, Melissa! I’m promoting you today to Chief Pouring Officer. It even comes with an official lanyard. We’ve done the pouring ahead […]
How can two rums taste completely different even though they’re both made from sugar cane? Kara Newman reveals the secret
Introduction How can two rums taste completely different even though they’re both made from sugar cane? What makes Jamaican rum so famously funky, and what does a dunder pit have to do with it? How does the type of ice you use change the strength, temperature, and texture of a cocktail? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Kara Newman, the author of eight cocktail books. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway One of you is going to win a copy of one of Kara Newman’s The Cocktail Cabinet. How to […]
How are modern whisky makers using blending to capture emotions and experiences?
Introduction How does smoking whisky grains with elephant dung translate into flavours like raspberry and sandalwood? What does the saying “you can’t turn a donkey into a racehorse” reveal about making great whisky? How are modern whisky makers using blending to capture emotions and experiences? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Kristiane Westray. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Kristiane Westray’s terrific book, Savour. How to Win To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let […]
Fracette: The Sparkling Wine Canada Invented
Canada has a brand-new wine category. Not a new label, not a new winery, a whole new category with its own rules written into our wine regulations. The first bottles have just arrived in liquor stores. Who better to help break the latest wine news than Natalie MacLean, editor of Canada’s largest wine review site at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome, Natalie. Great to be back with you! I’ve spent years explaining other countries’ bubblies. Now I get to tell you about one that’s all ours. Today is pretty much the peak of my career :) So […]
In “Savour,” Kristiane Westray reveals: Is smelling whisky different from smelling a glass of wine?
Introduction Is smelling or nosing whisky different from smelling a glass of wine? How did a 1960s marketing campaign convince generations of whisky drinkers that single malt was better than blended whisky? What is it like to step inside a working whisky kiln and experience peat smoke firsthand? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Kristiane Westray, author of Savour: A Guide To Tasting and Exploring Whiskies of the World. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Kristiane Westray’s terrific book, Savour: A […]
How Did The Launch of the Super Premium Rosé Whispering Angel from Château D’esclans Change Provence?
Introduction How did Sacha Lichine’s launch of Garrus and Whispering Angel from Château d’Esclans, which now exceeds 10 million bottles a year change Provence? What happens to a wine region when historic family estates are increasingly bought by wealthy outsiders and corporations? How can classifying wine by colour get in the way of understanding what’s actually in the glass? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Liz Gabay and Ben Bernheim. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Liz Gabay and Ben […]
