Grenache or Grenache Noir (pronounced gren-aash) is also known as Garnacha in Spain, and as Cannonau in Corsica and Sardinia, Italy. You’ll find my Top 10 Grenache reviews and ratings here. 5 Surprising Facts about Grenache: 1. The best Grenache grapes come from old vines and low yields and they are generally blended with other varieties such as Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan, Tempranillo and Cinsaut. It is usually in a blend, rather than a single varietal wines, because Grenache lacks tannin, colour, and acid. However, the exception to this is the Sardinian D.O.C. wine Cannonau di Sardegna, which is by law 99% […]
Best Wines
Best Kosher Wines + What’s the Difference with Regular Non-Kosher Wines? (Video)
On CTV News, we discuss what makes a wine kosher, how these wines are different from non-kosher wines, and what modern kosher wines taste like. Two of the most important Jewish holidays take place this month, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Both are celebrated with kosher wine, which traditionally was viewed as sweet and characterless. However, our wine expert says that’s no longer true. Here with her kosher tips and sips is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine pairing classes at nataliemaclean.com. Let’s start with what is kosher wine and how is it different from non-kosher […]
How Wine Fosters Creativity, Trust and Sociability with Edward Slingerland, Author of Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization
Introduction How does alcohol, especially wine, foster our creativity, trustingness, and sociability? What does the “beer before bread” hypothesis suggest about alcohol’s role in the development of civilization? Should there be different minimum drinking ages for wine and beer versus spirits? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Edward Slingerland, a professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia and the author of Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Two of you will win a copy of his terrific book, […]
8 Best California Wines to Drink Now
A new crop of Californian wines are hitting liquor store shelves this month. Here to tell us about which ones we should look for is Natalie MacLean, who offers North America’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com. Give us an overview of California wine, Natalie. California wine country is vast, stretching from the Oregon border in the north, down to Mexico in the south: wine grapes grown in 49 of California’s 58 counties. California accounts for more than 80%of U.S. wine production and is the fourth leading wine producer in the world. That said, many wineries are […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings August 24, 2024
You can access the wines that I reviewed as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches. 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. You can also see my wine reviews for August 10th. These are just some of the benefits of supporting our wine community as a Paid Member. Inventory stock numbers are usually posted online a day or two before the release based on the LCBO doing so. Curious […]
Beyond Eurocentric Wine and Food Pairings + Sonoma’s Hidden Gems with Winemaker Theresa Heredia
Introduction Why should you look beyond Eurocentric wine and food pairings? What’s so special about making vineyard-designated wines? How can you get the most out of your next trip to Sonoma County? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with superstar winemaker Theresa Heredia who has worked for some of California’s most prestigious wineries. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway One of you will win a bottle of Gary Farrell wine. How to Win To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that you’ve posted a review […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings August 10, 2024
You can access the wines that I reviewed as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches. 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. You can also see my wine reviews for July 20th. These are just some of the benefits of supporting our wine community as a Paid Member. Inventory stock numbers are usually posted online a day or two before the release based on the LCBO doing so. Curious about […]
Unrivaled Russian River Pinot Noir and Sonoma Wines with Theresa Heredia of Gary Farrell Winery
Introduction Does harvesting wine based on the biodynamic calendar make sense? What about actually drinking the wine based on the lunar cycle? How does fog play a profound role in growing grapes and winemaking in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma, California? Why do some winemakers add Mega Purple to wine, and what the heck is Mega Purple? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with superstar winemaker Theresa Heredia who has worked for some of California’s most prestigious wineries. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway One of you will win a bottle of […]
Glorious Ontario Wines and the Stubborn, Pathological Optimists Who Make Them with Matthew Gaughan
Introduction Why do Ontario winemakers need to be exceptionally unreasonable, stubborn, and pathological optimists? Which Ontario wines should you try next, other than Icewine? Why should Ontario be at the top of your list of wine regions to visit? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by Matthew Gaughan on Matthew’s World of Wine and Drink. 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 […]
Riesling’s Big Personality and Germany’s Hidden Wine Gems with Anne Krebiehl
Introduction How do the soils of Germany change the expression of Riesling in your glass? What would surprise you about the size and of German wine production in relation to other leading wine-producing countries? How is climate change dramatically changing the way Germany cultivates vines? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with author Anne Krebiehl. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway One of you will win a copy of Anne Krebiehl’s terrific book, The Wines of Germany. How to Win To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let […]
