Warm Cheddar Pretzels Recipe Paired with Merlot

Cheddar Pretzels Find Comfort in the Cold And just like that, the holidays are over; they’re gone as fast as they came. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing else to look forward to this winter. It may be cold and snowy, but that means you can have fun sledding in the park and skiing. And the best part about that is: you get to have some après-skiing snacks. Like this yummy recipe for Cheddar Pretzels. They’re easy to make, and so, so delicious. Made with Canadian Medium Cheddar, they are the perfect salty, sharp, and savoury snack to warm you […]

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Canadian Wine Harvest 2014: BC, Ontario, Quebec, NS Winemakers Weigh In

Join us Friday morning on Global Television as we discuss how the Canadian wine harvest is going from coast to coast. In the meantime, here are reports from the field: winemakers from British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia give their impressions of how the 2014 harvest is looking so far. Tantalus Vineyards David Paterson, Winemaker, Tantalus Vineyards, British Columbia How is the 2014 harvest going so far? So far the 2014 harvest has been ideal. We are in the home stretch now and a couple more weeks of warm days and cool nights to finish off with will be […]

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5 Surpring Facts about Pinot Grigio + Top 10 Pinot Grigio Wines to Buy Now

Pinot Grigio is one of the fastest growing white wines in the liquor store. It has a clean, crisp, fresh nature that works well as an aperitif or as a companion to a wide range of dishes from seafood and chicken. Here are my top 10 Pinot Grigio reviews and ratings. 5 Surprising Facts about Pinot Grigio: 1. Pinot Grigio is a white variant-clone of the red grape Pinot Noir. The Italian region of Friuli produces the best Pinot Grigio in a crisp, refreshing style. Other Italian regions produce it too but it can be over-cropped and taste insipid. 2. […]

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Wine Pairings for NS Lobster, BC Salmon, Alberta Beef

From CTV’s site: Our resident wine expert, Natalie MacLean, stopped by The Social to share Canadian wines that pair perfectly with the hosts’ favourite patriotic goodies. We had lots of fun pairing the hosts’ favourite Canadian dishes with Canadian wines. Melissa loves Nova Scotia lobster, Traci is a fan of BC salmon, Lani loves beef and Cynthia has a fondness for butter tarts. Ladies, there’s a wine for that … in fact, many. Join us on The Social again July 24 when we chat about great wines for dinner parties. Cheers! P.S. Take The Great Canadian Wine Quiz to find out […]

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Canadian Wine Pairings for BBQ Steak, Chicken, Seafood

On Monday’s CBC radio drive-home shows, we talked about great Canadian wines to pair with your summer barbecues. You can listen to one of those clips above. Discover 10 Surprising Facts about Canadian Wines here. The wines we discussed here included: Jabulani Vineyard & Winery Frontenac Gris 2013 Richmond, Eastern Ontario, Canada Sibling Rivalry Pink 2010 Niagara Escarpment, Canada Mission Hill Five Vineyards Cabernet Merlot 2011 Okanagan Valley, BC VQA, Canada Benjamin Bridge Nova 7 Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada Posted with permission of CBC.   Canadian Wine Pairings for BBQ Steak, Chicken, Seafood   Giacomo: Well according to national stereotypes, […]

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Grape White North: 10 Surprising Facts about Canadian Wine

What better way to celebrate Canada Day than with wines that are truly our own? Choice isn’t a problem with 500 wineries producing 350 million bottles annually. However, it’s the quality of Canadian wines, rather than the quantity, will convince you that they are the ideal complement to summer fare. Although many Ontario and British Columbia wines are available nationally, those from smaller producers may only be available in their home provinces. This makes them a special treat worth sampling if you encounter them during your summer travels. Here  are my top Canadian wine reviews to add to your custom […]

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10 Best Baco Noir Wines to Buy Now + 5 Surprising Facts about Baco Noir

Baco Noir is a cross between Folle Blanche (one of the grapes used to make Cognac) and Vitis Riparia, the hybrid discovered by Francois Baco, a native of Southwestern France. You’ll find my Top 10 Baco Noir reviews and ratings here. 5 Surprising Facts about Baco Noir: 1. It was once grown throughout France, but the European Union has imposed restrictions on its commercial use, along with other hybrids.  2. In 1951, Baco Noir was brought to Canada and is commonly grown in Ontario, Nova Scotia and British Columbia. 3. Baco Noir is an early ripening, winter-hardy varietal suited to […]

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Surprising Canadian Wine Pairings for BBQ: Radio Chat Tips

This chat with CBC radio in Ontario was one of 26 interviews with the morning and drive-home shows on Friday about terrific (and surprising) pairings for Canadian wines with barbecued food. We also kicked off The Great Canadian Wine Match: BBQ Edition. Got a wine to nominate? Or maybe you’d like to see which wines others have nominated and vote for them. Check out the race so far here with lots of great ideas for July 1 barbecue wines. Read more about the wine competition here as well as prizes for those who nominate wines, including a $3,000 Weber Summit […]

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The Great Canadian Wine Match: The BBQ Edition

In May 2013, we launched the first People’s Choice Wine Awards with The Great Candian Wine Match. Thousands of wine lovers from coast to coast (and around the planet) voted for their favourite Canadian wines online and via social media. This friendly (and increasingly social ;) competition brought wine drinkers and winemakers together to celebrate the best of what we produce in this country, and garnered considerable media recognition for both nominees and winners. We’re building on that success this year with The Great Canadian Wine Match: The BBQ Edition, pairing Canadian wines with your favourite grilled or barbecued foods, […]

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Director James Cameron Buys BC Winery

Director James Cameron recently bought Beaufort Winery in Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia for an undisclosed price. (Wouldn’t we like to know.) Cameron joins a growing roster of movie celebrity winemakers. Husband-and-wife team, Susan and Jeff Vandermolen, founded the winery in 2006, and will consult for at least a year. James, the director of blockbuster movies such as Avatar ($2.7 billion), Titanic, Aliens and The Terminator, wanted to buy agricultural land in the region as a way of spending more time with his family in Canada; he was born in Chippewa, Ontario. Even though winemaking wasn’t his first […]

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