Leanne and I had great fun chatting about Sauvignon Blanc on CTV as a lead up to Sauvignon Blanc Day May 4. You can watch the video segment above by clicking on the arrow. You can also watch our second wine video. Santa Rita Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Casablanca Valley, Chile Sacred Hill Wine Company Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Marlborough, New Zealand Santa Rita 120 Reserva Especial Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Central Valley, Chile […]
White Wine
Easter Wines for Fish, Lamb + Ham: Video
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 […]
New Zealand Wine: An Unexpectorated Journey
Awatere River vineyards Photo: David Skinner By David Skinner When Peter Jackson decided upon his native New Zealand to serve as middle earth for his rendering of the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings, nationalistic nepotism served him less than the splendor of the rich and varied landscapes found in his home islands. The films depicted rugged terrain and lands carved from the mountains by the relentless influence of wind and water and there is still a sense of that primal constitution to the landscapes that now support modern viticulture in the “Shaky Isles”. Marlborough The South Island […]
Pairing Wine with Love Songs
Leanne and I chat about pairing wine with love songs. Got a favourite that we didn’t include? Click on the arrow above to play the video. Here’s part one of our conversation on pairing wine with romantic movies. “Whose bed have your boots been under?” – Shania Twain Menage A Trois Midnight Red 2013 California, United States “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” – The Righteous Brothers Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Marlborough, New Zealand “I Want to Know What Love Is” – Foreigner Inniskillin […]
Video: Icewine Cocktails and Pairing with Chili Chips
Karen King, who co-owns The Ice House in Niagara with her husband Jamie Macfarlane. In the video above, she chats about how they’re literally shaking it up with icewine, from slushies to pairings with chili snacks and wasabi peas. Click on the arrow to play the video. Questions: You did research that revealed surprising insights about icewine in terms of who’s drinking it and when? What kind of sensory food and wine research were you doing? Icewine is probably Canada’s most iconic wine, but you’re shaking up that perception: how is your style different? Tell me about being […]
Icewine: Canada’s Gold in a Glass
Icewine: Canada’s golden winter elixir … that’s the hot topic of our segment above on CTV’s The Social. What is icewine and how is it different from other sweet wines? Why is Canada the world leader in producing it? Which are the best icewines to buy right now and which food pairs best with icewine? You’ll find all of the icewines we discussed in this segment, along with dry red and white wines, showing you the stock for each wine at your closest liquor stores so that you can try them this weekend. Where was icewine first made? Icewine is believed […]
Fresh from Oyster Bay: Hawke’s Bay Pinot Grigio
Fresh from Oyster Bay: Hawke’s Bay Pinot Grigio Step out in the middle of the day on a classic New Zealand’s summer: the brightness is beautifully intense, and sunshine plentiful. But stay about a little, until nightfall, when you feel the land chill quickly, creating one of the longest growing seasons on earth. The cool climate of places like New Zealand results in a slow, almost methodical ripening of the grape. As the warm days edge the grape toward ripeness, the cool nights capture its flavour. Day after day, night after night, this process results in the unmistakably vibrant, fruit-forward […]
Mulled Wine: Christmas in a Glass
By Tania Thomas There is nothing that welcomes your guests and says Christmas like soul-warming aromas of slowly simmering red wine with sliced oranges and mulling spices; cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and cloves, star anise, cardamom, and ginger. Considered as a traditional holiday treat in the Old World countries, mulled wine has been warming people’s hearts for centuries. Very first mentions date back to the Roman times. Apparently, Cesar liked his wine heated and spiked with herbs and exotic spices. Mulled wine become especially popular during the Middle Ages warming up long winter evenings, especially around Christmas time. Mixing it with […]
Video > Best Wines Under $20 Plus Food Pairings
CTV host Marci and I chat about the best wines under $20 that are in liquor stores now. You can click on the arrow above to watch the video. Here are the wines we featured: Errazuriz Sauvignon Blanc Cathedral Cellar Kwv Cabernet Sauvignon Trapiche Fincas Las Palmas Malbec Henry of Pelham Winery Baco Noir Henry of Pelham Winery Family Tree Sibling Rivalry Pink Remy Pannier Sevre & Maine Sur Lie Muscadet Pascual Toso Malbec Santa Alicia Tierra Sur Brut Sparkling Santa Alicia Reserva Carmenere You can watch us play wine version of The Price is Right on CTV’s The Social. […]
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 […]
