Wines for Good Friday fish, Easter brunch, lamb and ham are the focus of our chat on CTV News. In particular, red wines often clash with fish not because of the wine tannin and fish iodine, as previously thought, but rather because of high iron content in the wine. The iron comes mostly from the soil where the vines are grown, but can also be due to winemaking methods. Generalizing about which wines will be high in iron content is difficult. The iron in wine is thought to break down the unsaturated (good) fats in fish and creates that fishy […]
Sparkling Wine
The Merry Widows of Mousse: Champagne Widows
They were all young women whose families owned the great champagne houses at the turn of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. When they lost their husbands to war or illness, they did not do what was expected: step aside or sell the business. Nor did they marry again (though they were still in their twenties and thirties), handing over the reins to a new husband. Instead, these celebrated veuves, or widows, took control of their châteaux to produce some of the most prestigious wines in the world – wines that still bear their names: Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, Laurent-Perrier, Roederer and […]
Easter Wines: The Essential Hip-Hop Guide to Earmark
Some of my favourite meals are those we savour to celebrate Easter: fresh asparagus omelets and ham for brunch. But which Easter wines to serve with them? As a determined hedonist, I like something more than orange juice, thank-you—unless it’s a mimosa. The wines that work best are zesty, mouth-watering and lighter than those we drink in the winter—and they’ll put some spring in your glass. When the coming of spring heralds warmer weather, we feel like celebrating. One of the best ways is by drinking fresh, vivacious wines that suit the season and complement lighter fare. You […]
Galentine’s Day Wines for Your Besties Get-Together (Video)
Valentine’s Day is coming up, but what if you’re not in a relationship? There’s a special day for you, too. It’s called Galentine’s Day and it happens every year on February 13th. On CTV News, we chat about terrific wines to drink on both days. Let’s start with what is Galentine’s Day? – It’s one of those made-up micro-holidays, like Friendsgiving just before Thanksgiving, that’s a reaction against the day that commercializes romance and instead celebrates platonic love/female friendship and the bond that lasts longer: women and wine! – As one embroidered pillow on Etsy read: Happy […]
Music and Wine Pairing: Cabernet in C Major
On CTV’s The Social yesterday, we had so much fun pairing wine and music. This was also the topic on CTV News with Leanne further below. MARCI Welcome back. Would you add heavy metal music to your playlist if someone told you it’d make your wine taste better? Well, our next guest says it’s something you should consider because a growing body of research suggests music may influence the way our brain interprets the flavour of wine. LAINEY Natalie MacLean is the editor of Canada’s largest wine review site and she’s here to put that theory to the test. Welcome […]
How to Find Budget-Friendly and Splurge-Worthy Wines? (Video)
On Global’s Morning Show, we chat about how to find budget-friendly and splurge-worthy wines. Santa Margherita Brut Valdobbiadene Superiore Prosecco Veneto D.O.C.G., Italy Henry of Pelham Winery Cuvee Catharine Rosé Brut Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada Taittinger Brut Reserve Champagne Champagne A.O.C., France Westcott Vineyards Chardonnay Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A. Joseph Drouhin Chablis de Vaudon Chablis Burgundy, […]
How to Pair Wine with People on Your Gift List (Video)
‘Tis the season for holiday entertaining and gift giving. What if you’d like to give someone a bottle of wine? How do you know which one to choose? How much do you spend? Here to help us with that is wine expert Natalie MacLean. Welcome Natalie. So if choosing the right wine is so tricky, why should we give wine as a gift at all? When you give the gift of wine, doubles are fine unlike toaster ovens, there are no wrong sizes unlike that ugly sweater and re-gifting is so much easier compared to fruit cake or a […]
6 Best Wine Gifts and Gadgets (Video)
A great bottle of wine is an obvious first choice for the wine lover on your gift list this holiday. But what if you want to pair that bottle with a useful and imaginative wine gadget? Here with her tips and sips is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com Welcome Natalie. What is the first useful gadget you recommend? Unless you have a wine closed with a screw cap, the most essential gadget is a corkscrew. This is called the Waiter’s Friend Corkscrew. It’s named that because it’s […]
Pairing Wine and Halloween Candy: The Monster Match
Buzz Lightyear and the Wine Witch chat about great wine pairings with Halloween treats on Breakfast Television. Dina: Just call Natalie MacLean for pairing wine and Halloween treats, she’s an online sommelier and what a brilliant idea. Great to see you all festive Natalie. Natalie: Great to see you Dina. Dina: Or as well you are at the door trick-or-treating, the kids are at the door you thinking ‘what’s in it for me?’ We tend to dip into the kids snacks, well I do anyways- Natalie: Yes! Dina: A lot of parents do. Natalie: You bet. Dina: So you are […]
8 Great Holiday Wines & Spirits (Video)
On CTV’s Your Morning, we chat about the holidays. As they approach, we look forward to entertaining friends and family. What’s a good drink to serve to guests when they arrive? Sparkling wine is the drink of celebration, especially at this time of year. I’d recommend these two: Township 7 Vineyards & Winery Seven Stars Sirius 2015 Okanagan Valley, British Columbia BC, V.Q.A., Canada PondView Estate Winery Bella Terra Sparkling Rosé 2020 Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada Both are zesty and […]
