Introduction Why can’t we smell sweetness in sparkling wine? How much of what we “taste” in wine is influenced by its appearance and our expectations? What makes copper both a savior and a threat to viticulture? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Sunny Hodge, author of the terrific new book, The Cynic’s Guide to Wine. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Sunny Hodge’s terrific new book, The Cynic’s Guide to Wine. How to Win To qualify, all you have to do […]
Best Wines
Uncork the Cosmos: 6 Stellar Wines for Meteor Shower Magic
The Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak in just a few days so we thought we’d uncork some stellar wines for this star-gazing event. Here with her cosmic wine picks is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com Natalie, great to see you again! Thanks for having me! I’m over the moon to be here with you 😉 Tell us a bit about the meteor shower and how we can celebrate it with some stellar wines. The Perseids are one of the brightest meteor showers of the year. They […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings: August 16, 2025
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 2nd 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 […]
Can you really taste “minerality” in wine? Sunny Hodge offers a Cynic’s Guide to Wine
Introduction Can you really taste “minerality” in wine? What gives Champagne and traditional method wines their signature bready flavour and creamy texture? How has natural wine sparked deeper conversations about how we farm and produce food and drink? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Sunny Hodge You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Sunny Hodge’s terrific new book, The Cynic’s Guide to Wine. How to Win To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know […]
Why is Languedoc a Popular Choice for Organic, Biodynamic, and Natural Winemaking?
Introduction How does your perspective change when you start looking at life one vintage at a time, divided into seasons? What does it look like when wine is so deeply connected to a region that it shapes work, landscape, community, and what a culture values most? Why is Languedoc becoming a popular choice for organic, biodynamic, and natural winemaking? What makes a “bon moment” and why is it worth taking seriously? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Steve Hoffman, who has written an award-winning memoir called A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other […]
Sustainable Austrian Wine Goes Greener
By Jenny Ratcliffe-Wright CWM For over two millennia, wine has been a part of Austrian culture, with the first findings of wine dating back to the Celts and Romans around 700BC. In fact, Austria’s flagship white grape, Gruner Veltliner, which covers 37% of Austria’s vineyards today, was created in the 10th century. Today the wine growing area of Austria totals 113,000 acres and is farmed by 23,000 wine growers. Almost all of Austria’s fine wines are produced by small family wineries which have been doing so, in the same way, for centuries. Today’s young winemakers are building on […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings: August 2, 2025
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 19th 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 […]
What’s It Like Moving Your Family Thousands of Miles to Live in the Wine Region of Languedoc, France? Steve Hoffman Shares Stories
Introduction How can you create a life you don’t need a vacation from? What can we learn from the French about slowing down, savoring meals, and making conversation the heart of gatherings? What’s it like living in the “other southern France”? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Steve Hoffman, who has written an award-winning memoir called A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Steve Hoffman’s terrific new book, A Season for […]
Does Mozart or Metallica make wine taste better?
Introduction How does music, even types you dislike, make wine more enjoyable? Can curated playlists in tasting rooms and wine bars influence how customers drink, eat, and experience wine? What happens when you stop overthinking wine and music and just enjoy? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Susan Lin, a Master of Wine and a Master of Fine Arts in Classical Piano and Musicology. 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 […]
Is your BBQ missing the secret sauce? It’s these wines …
If you’re firing up the BBQ, you may be wondering which wines to pair with your grilled fare. So who better to lead us through some terrific BBQ bottles than our favourite drinks expert Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s largest wine review site at nataliemaclean.com. Hi Natalie! Hi, great to be back with you! Actually, I never really left—I just went to refill my glass. So we’re going to kick things off with a fun little game. I’ll tell you about the wine and then you tell me which grilled grub pairs best with it. Sounds […]
