Sponsored Post by Philippe Dandurand Wine Agency You can get the complete shopping list of these wines in your closest liquor stores here. Trapiche Broquel Malbec 2012 Mendoza, Argentina Regular Price: $14.95 Sale Price: $12.95 April 1 to April 30 Yellow Tail Merlot 2013 South Australia Regular Price: $11.95 Sale Price: $10.95 April 1 to April 30 35 South Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2012 Chile Regular Price: $12.95 Sale Price: $10.95 April 1 to April 30 Errazuriz Max Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2013 Valle de Aconcagua, […]
Author: Natalie MacLean
Billionaire’s Vinegar Movie Stars Matthew McConaughey + Wine Book Review Globe & Mail
Alright, alright, alright! It’s just been announced that Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey will star in movie adaptation of the wine book The Billionaire’s Vinegar by Ben Wallace. Will Smith bought the rights and will be directing this production along with Todd Black, James Lassiter, Jason Blumenthal, and Steve Tisch. No indication yet of which role McConaughey will play or of the release date for the film. I can’t wait to see it! Here’s my review of the book in the Globe & Mail … Reviewed by Natalie MacLean The Billionaire’s Vinegar: The Mystery of the World’s Most Expensive Bottle of […]
Getting Hammered: 9 Tips to Win at Wine Auctions
Sitting in the centre row of the auction room, I barely lift my forefinger for the 1945 Château Cheval Blanc. All bidders crane their necks to look at the mysterious woman who has just bid the price of a Porsche. “Sold to the gentlewoman in the Prada jacket with embroidered family crest,” the auctioneer says, bringing down the hammer. The reality: I’m at the back of the room blinking wildly, struggling to remove the eyelash from my eye. The auctioneer just winked back at me — bad news when you’re playing the blood sport of the rich. Most auction talk […]
Vertigo Flights of Wine: CN Tower Restaurant Wine List Dazzling (and Dizzying)
James Muir, is the sommelier and maitre d’ at the 360 The Restaurant at the top of the CN Tower in Toronto. James manages the world’s highest wine cellar and has served many celebrities from Michelle Obama to John Travolta. What was your first wine experience? It was likely some low-end import wine from the depanneur, the corner convenience store where I lived in Montreal. I also tried Baby Duck at some point back then. However, more interesting wines were those from British Columbia in the 1980s. At that time, I experimented with pricier, imported bottles when I went out […]
Drinking Beside the Box: The Ultimate Guide to Pairing Wine and Fast Food
Knowing that saffron-flavored mille-feuille of red mullet and langoustine pairs perfectly with Dom Perignon, or that prime fillet of Kobe beef with braised oxtail and potato rosti will make Château Pétrus sing is useful if you have a fat trust fund and a kitchen staff of twenty. But when most of us are racing from work to soccer practice to ballet class and then home again, we’re far more apt to grab some take-out food or heat a frozen TV dinner than to prepare a multi-course dinner every night of the week. We’re more aware than ever of health issues […]
Sommelier Secrets on Weird Wine and Food Pairings, and Dream Cellar
In our latest sommelier profile, Jay Whiteley, who has been the sommelier and wine director at several of Canada’s best restaurants, most recently, The Chase in Toronto, shares his favourite and weirdest food and wine pairings, as well as tips on choosing from a restaurant wine list. What was your first wine experience? Learning how to say the word Gewürztraminer. Why did you move from BC, where you were working at one of the top restaurants in Vancouver, to join The Chase in Toronto? I moved for some personal reasons, but also to learn about the LCBO distribution system. Toronto […]
Chicken, Vegetable, Gouda Couscous Recipe with Pinotage
Chicken Vegetable and Gouda Couscous Encourage the warmer weather with a cold dish. Celebrate the longer days by inviting a few friends over for some good food and wine. Don’t know what to make? Fret not, I found the perfect little recipe that tastes great served cold or warm. This recipe for Chicken, Vegetable, and Gouda couscous is so fast and easy to prepare, you’ll have plenty of time to catch up with your guests. Made with Canadian Gouda, it’s the perfect combination of creamy and crunchy and will be sure to chase away any remaining winter blues. If you’re […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews and Ratings: Vintages March 21
You can access the 93 wines that I reviewed for March 21 as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches. Taste more Californian wines when the California Wine Fair stops in 8 cities across Canada. You can also see my wine reviews for March 7. 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 […]
Starbucks Barista is No Joe Job: The Real Story
When I open the door to Starbucks on O’Connor Street, long shafts of September sunlight stream in, ricocheting off the chrome espresso machine and the cellophane-wrapped bags of coffee. The smoky, dark chocolate aroma of brewing coffee snakes down my central nervous system. I feel faint with the need for caffeine. On most Sunday mornings, I’m less bright-eyed squirrel, more startled raccoon. A young auburn-haired woman named Bethany Wade bounds to the door and greets me with the perky inflection of the highly caffeinated. “Welcome!” she says. “We’re so glad you can join our group.” Wade trains Ottawa recruits to […]
Listeners Ask About Wine and Food Pairings, Buying Value Wines, Cellaring Wine – BC Almanac, CBC Radio
Mark and I had a wide-ranging discussion on his province-wide call-in show with listeners trading tips on their favourite bargain wines, and discussing why Argentina has risen so quickly in popularity to the differences soil and oak make to the taste of a wine. Click on the arrow below to listen. Posted with permission of CBC Radio.
