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 May 27th. These are just some of the benefits of supporting out 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 […]
Red Wine
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings April 29, 2023
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 April 15th. These are just some of the benefits of supporting out 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 […]
Pinot Noir’s Heartbreaking Beauty and Moderation Tips with Wines to Find
Introduction Which aspects of the Beamsville Bench make it particularly suited for growing grapes for wine? Why is Pinot Noir called the heartbreak grape? What are some ways for wine professionals and wine lovers to moderate their consumption? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by Sandy Dawkins and Michelle Lester, hosts of the Wines To Find podcast. 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 […]
Pairing Romantic Movies and Wine for Valentine’s Day
On CTV News, Leanne and I chat about pairing wine with romantic movies for Valentine’s Day. Got a favourite that we didn’t include? Pairing Romantic Movies and Wine for Valentine’s Day Michael: As we look ahead to Valentine’s Day you may be interested in some wine pairings. Leanne Cusack and a very special guest aren’t suggesting pairings with food though, very interesting. Leanne: Not the typical at all, Michael. And not just wine and chocolate because Natalie MacLean, wine writer extraordinaire says, “Too ordinary for you right now”. Natalie: Exactly! Been there, done that. It’s time to pair wine with romantic movies […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings December 3, 2022
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 November 19th. These are just some of the benefits of supporting out 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 […]
9 Best Wines to Give as Gifts This Holiday and Year-Round (Video)
Looking for a great bottle of wine to give as a gift this year? So tell us why wine is a great gift and your first recommendations? – one size fits all – doubles are fine – it’s easy to re-gift For an extra festive touch, I’d start with sparkling wine such as these two: Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvée Rosé Marlborough, New Zealand Gray Monk Estate Winery Odyssey Brut Rosé 2018 Okanagan Valley, British Columbia BC V.Q.A., Canada You’ve got some […]
The Best Holiday Books & Bottles for Gift Giving
The holiday season is right around the corner. Looking for a great book or bottle to give to someone you love or perhaps as a treat for yourself? Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome, Natalie. Great to be here, Leanne! What’s the first pairing you recommend? We’re starting with one of my favourite authors, Dani Shapiro is known for her bestselling memoirs, especially Inheritance. Signal Fires is her first novel in more than 15 years, Signal Fires and it was worth the wait. It’s […]
5 Great Holiday Books & Bottles to Give or Get
We’re back with more book and bottle pairings with Natalie MacLean. What do you have for us first? We’re starting with The Witches of Moonshyne Manor by Bianca Marais This is a magical novel about a modern-day coven of witches who are under the threat of losing their home. This is really a story about the power of sisterhood, secrets and identity. Bianca is a lyrical writer who infuses great insight and humour into her story. I should also note that Bianca will be at Perfect Books in Ottawa this Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in conversation with author, […]
Bring on the Beaujolais! A Young Red Wine is Centre of Attention each November
Carol Anne and I chat about this year’s beaujolais nouveau in the video above. Catch our second video chat about more easy-drinking red wines for the holidays that aren’t nouveau. The annual release of Beaujolais Nouveau and other nouveau wines happens on the third Thursday of November. According to several liquor store chains, they are one of the fastest-selling products with about 80% selling out during the first week. In the LCBO, there are usually two Ontario nouveau wines (Reif), five French and two Italian nouveau-style (novello) wines released, and a total of more than 10,000 cases sold. The Beaujolais […]
10 Best Zinfandel Wines to Buy Now + 5 Surprising Facts about Zinfandel
In our latest Facebook Live Video chat, we chat about the robust red wine Zinfandel. What makes it different from other red wines? How is it related to the Italian red wine Primitivo? What foods pair best with Zinfandel? What’s the group Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP) all about, and International Zinfandel Day on November 19? You can click on the arrow above to play the video. Zinfandel is a vitis vinifera red wine grape that produces deep robust wines, most famously from California. You’ll find my most recent Zinfandel reviews and ratings here. Surprising Facts about Zinfandel: […]
