Join me on CTV’s Canada AM this Thursday at 8:30 a.m. EST when we’ll chat about how the harvest is going across the country in various Canadian wine regions, from the Okanagan Valley to the Annapolis Valley. We’ll also discuss how to pair wine with seasonal tomato dishes. On Friday, tune into CTV’s new national talk show, The Social: think The View, but with smarter hosts and much stronger social media angle. We’ll be having fun with unusual wine and food pairings from poutine to potato chips at 1:20 p.m. EST. It’s prime time for wine this week! Cheers, Natalie
Author: Natalie MacLean
Taboo Sommelier Talks: Ontario Wines + Restaurant Wine Lists
Markus Carl is the wine director and sommelier at Taboo Resort, Golf and Spa in Gravenhurst, Ontario, about 90 minutes north of Toronto. Carl shares a range of tips, from which wines to take to the cottage to which ones to drink when listening to Johann Sebastian Bach. While you were growing up, was wine a part of your family’s life? There was certainly wine around as my father had an extensive collection of Bordeaux from the late 1970s and early 1980s, including some Sauternes, that rich dessert wine from the region, which at that age struck me as particularly […]
How to Pick a House Wine: 5 Tips + Why You Need One
You’ve just finished your yoga class with your friend and the two of you agree it would be great to have a glass of wine together. Do you invite her back to your place? If so, which wine to serve? The mother of your child’s playmate arrives to pick up her child. Do you invite her in for some vino? Which one? (Of course, the answer is no if she’s driving … non-alcoholic cider is a great alternative.) The holidays are right around the corner, when unexpected guests will be the norm. Are you ready with your house wine? If […]
Wine and Social Media: Do Wineries Need Social Media?
Our video chat features social media tips for the wine industry from Marc Saltzman, tech columnist for the Toronto Star, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, CNN and Gear Guide, viewed by 6-7 million people every week at Cineplex movie theatres across the country. What about the concern that many wineries have: they don’t have the time to do it or the budget to hire someone? What’s the real upside in being on social media, especially if you already have a web site? How do you know which social media channels to focus on? Is it all about Twitter […]
LCBO Best Wines: Gnarly Head Zinfandel, Oyster Bay Pinot Noir Vintages September 14
Here are my top wine picks from the September 14 Vintages Release. VIP Members can access all 53 wines that I reviewed as a text shopping list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches and the stock for each bottle in their closest LCBO stores. Stock numbers are usually posted online a day or two before the release based on the LCBO doing so. You can also see the September 28 LCBO Vintages reviews. They can also add my wine picks to their custom shopping list with one click and access that list on their smartphone. This is […]
Monterey and Egg Pita Pocket Recipe with Niagara Riesling
Back to School Lunches for All You’re ready to send your wee ones back to school, but now comes the part most parents dread: packing lunches. Fret not, I found the perfect recipe to make your life just a little easier. The thing I love most about this recipe for Monterey and Egg Pita Pockets is that you can use them for your kids’ lunches and for your own lunch as well. Made with delicious Canadian Monterey Jack, children will love these bite-size pockets. Not to mention that they’re a breeze to prepare. This means you’ll have extra time to […]
LCBO Wines: Australia Shiraz, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Niagara Chardonnay Vintages September 28
Here are my top wine picks from the September 28 Vintages Release, the most quoted Canadian source of reviews in this release. VIP Members can access all 80 wines that I reviewed as a text shopping list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches and the stock for each bottle in their closest LCBO stores. Stock numbers are usually posted online a day or two before the release based on the LCBO doing so. You can also see the September 14 LCBO Vintages reviews. They can also add my wine picks to their custom shopping list with one […]
Is it You or the Wine? How to Identify Wine Faults
Eyes closed, you breathe deeply, searching for the exotic aromas of pinot noir in your glass. Instead, an acrid smell jabs its way up your nose. This is not the essence of fleshy cherries rolling across on a bed of violets you were expecting. It’s more like burnt matches. Is it you or the wine? It’s probably the wine, but how can you be sure, especially when you’re debating whether or not to send the bottle back in a restaurant? Just as wine can absorb and exude exotic aromas, it can also pick up and give off pungent odours. The […]
Wine of the Week: Menage A Trois Red, California
Friday’s advice: If you have to ask if it’s too early to drink wine … you’re an amateur and we can’t be friends. This quote seemed most fitting for the saucy name on this red that delivers more than just a smile in the bottle. Cheers, Natalie Sale Ends: September 15, 2013 Sale Price: $15.95 | Save: $2.00 (Usually $17.95) Natalie’s Score: 90/100 Menage A Trois Red California Don’t buy it for the whimsical name: buy it because it’s good! Loaded with black fruit and dark chocolate aromas. Smooth and full-bodied with a lovely juiciness for many dishes. A blend […]
Three Cheese Caribbean Rice Recipe Paired with Sparkling Wine
The Caribbean is Closer Than you Think It’s definitely getting as hot as the Caribbean, so why not bring the flavour of the Carribean to your home as well? This savoury recipe for Three Cheese Caribbean Rice is the perfect main for a Caribbean-themed bash. And with savoury jalapeno-flavoured Canadian Havarti, Old Canadian Cheddar, and creamy Canadian Gouda, it will have your guests’ palettes dancing on first taste. A great wine to complement the cheesy flavour of the rice is a Hungarian wine called Hungaria Grand Cuvée Brut. While not from the Caribbean, its zesty lemony flavour will balance out […]
