You can access the 140 wines that I reviewed for October 31 as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches. You can also see my wine reviews for October 17, 2015. If you are a Paid Member, you can add my wine picks to your custom shopping list with one click and access that list on your smartphone to find the stock for each wine in your closest LCBO store. These are just some of the benefits of supporting out wine community as a Paid Member. Inventory stock numbers are usually posted online a […]
Author: Natalie MacLean
Pairing Wine with Helicopter & Quail at Malivoire Winery
On a recent visit to Niagara, I was fortunate to spend time with Martin Malivoire of Malivoire winery, a producer of spectacular Pinot Noirs. We arrived at his gravity-flow winery by helicopter along with Magdalena Kaiser-Smit of the Ontario Wine Council. This gave us a terrific overview of the region (though I was glad to be on firm ground again when we landed) We tasted through a range of his lovely Pinots, both from the estate vineyard and from the coveted Moire Vineyard. You’ll find my reviews of the current and past vintages here. Then we went on […]
Pumpkin, Chocolate and Cheddar Muffins Recipe Paired with Torres Moscatel
Take a Trick or Treat Break Things are getting pretty spooky around here and in just a few days the kiddies will be lining up for yummy treats! I love seeing them all dressed up in their Halloween garb and can’t wait to give them the assortment of candy I bought. I especially can’t wait to whip up and enjoy a little trick or treat of my own. This great recipe for Pumpkin, Chocolate and Cheddar Muffins is the perfect mix of salty and sweet, with a surprising combination of chocolate and Canadian cheese – my two favourite […]
Undercover Sommelier
Unless you count the time I handed out plates at a church supper, I’ve never worked as a waiter. Of course, that hasn’t stopped me from commenting on the service in restaurants—particularly the wine service—as if I knew exactly what I was talking about. Now, to stopper my leaking credibility, I’ve decided to work in a restaurant for a night. Only the best would do, so I selected Le Baccara, an award-winning restaurant in Québec that offers haute French cuisine, with classic service. That would be just perfect for me, I thought—until I realized that as a […]
Villa Maria Wine Tasting Reveals Regional Surprises
In the video above, Villa Maria Winemaker Josh Hammond shares an amusing story about his quest to pair ever more fresh scallops with his wines when diving for them with his brother. Click on the arrow to play the video. Canada’s top wine writers and sommeliers gathered in our nation’s capital for an extraordinary tasting of New Zealand’s Villa Maria wines recently at The Shore Club. They share their insights and recommendations here. Cherie Cole Accredited Sommelier & Wine Blogger Gracing us with his knowledge and passion for wine, along with a great sense of humor, fifth generation winemaker, Josh […]
Wolf Blass Wines: Here’s to the Chase Video
Sponsored by Wolf Blass Wines Triumph doesn’t just happen. It comes about because we, as humans, boldly chase it. A chase we proudly celebrate. So here’s to it. Here’s to the chase. Follow more videos and wine tips on Twitter at the hashtag: #HeresToTheChase Share this post on social media with the hashtag above and copy @WolfBlassWines. Enter the Contest You can also enter to win one of 100 Wink Home Hub Systems, retail value of $100. You can enter this contest here on CBC’s site for the Next Generation Dragon’s Den television show. Fill out the form and submit […]
Eat, Drink and be Wary: The Prose & Cons of Wine Shows
The Ottawa Wine and Food Show is the opposite of the Betty Ford Center: lots of booze and free advice, but no beds. (Why isn’t there a napping booth?) It arrives just in time to launch my fall re-toxification program: I come from a long line of hard drinkers, and a summer of sound sleep, diet and exercise has made me irritable. In the exhibit hall, gastronomic gusts waft up and over me from different corners — some carrying alcohol laced with spicy meatballs, others sweat and cheese, new leather and yeasty crackers, perfume and vanilla waffle cones. Sounds, too, […]
Grilled Polenta Bites with Friulano Recipe
Grilled Polenta Bites with Friulano A Trick-or-Treat Treat Fall is in full swing. And now that Thanksgiving is over, my next favourite festive event is here: Halloween. If you’re looking to add some scrumptious to your scary, I have a recipe that will do just the trick (or treat). These Grilled Polenta Bites with Friulano are a simple and easy snack for you to make just before you and your little ones head out for a night of spooky fun. They are a Canadian take on an Italian classic, with a delicious Canadian Friulano cheese. If you’ve never tried it […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings October 17
You can access the 126 wines that I reviewed for October 17 as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches. You can also see my wine reviews for October 3, 2015. If you are a Paid Member, you can add my wine picks to your custom shopping list with one click and access that list on your smartphone to find the stock for each wine in your closest LCBO store. These are just some of the benefits of supporting out wine community as a Paid Member. Inventory stock numbers are usually posted online a […]
Jane’s Gems: Valpolicella Wine Tasting Tour 2015
A Taste of Italy, Romeo and Juliet, Shoe Shopping in Verona and Our Little Dessert By Jane Staples I went shoe shopping last week. It wasn’t just any shopping spree, for, to begin with, I was in Verona, Italy. Any woman who loves shoes will agree that Italy is the place to be if you want to buy shoes. Now this was in fact a business trip, so my time was limited. I had 4 days of intensive classes and our group stayed on an Agroturismo farm just outside the city (that is to say, not near any shoe stores). […]
