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 […]
Events
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 […]
Pairing Wine and Halloween Treats (Video)
Lots of laughs on CTV’s The Social this week! The hosts chose the theme of a Royal Halloween, so Lainey dressed as Prince George, Cyn was Daenerys from Game of Thrones, Mel was Megan Markle and Marci was Queen Ramonda from the Black Panther movie. I channeled my inner (royal) wine witch and brought my broom shtick to the show. What a hoot we had together! Here are the tips, tricks and wines we discussed … Something a bit scary happens on Halloween: we’re surrounded by lots of treats, but will they pair well with our wine? Here, with some […]
11 Best Wines to Pair with Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner
No other holiday celebrates the gift of wine like Thanksgiving. But which wines to pair with turkey and all the side dishes? Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine pairing classes at nataliemaclean.com What’s your top tip when it comes to pairing wine with Thanksgiving dinner? Wine is a taste of the harvest along with all the delicious dishes on the table. But actually choosing a bottle can feel like a thankless task, especially with so many flavors to match from sweet creamed corn to more bitter greens and veggies, plus […]
Fall Wines: A Warming Taste Trend
Wine styles are as seasonal as clothing. In the summer, I drink light, refreshing wines that remind me of a simple T-shirt and shorts: perfect for sun-baked beaches and country road strolls. But in the fall, my wine, like my clothes, becomes warmer, more layered and better able to combat those cool winds of October. In the video above, Leanne and I chat about fall fashions in wine, from the run-way to your dining room table. The wines featured in this show include: Robert Mondavi Private Selection Chardonnay, California Toasted Head Chardonnay, California Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon, California Santa […]
The Art of Austrian Wine: From Auslese to Zweigelt
By Alana Lapierre If a question on the American game show Jeopardy! showcased the varietes Gruner Veltliner and Blaufrankisch, a contestant would surely respond promptly with, “What are two of Austria’s most well-known varieties?” They’d be correct of course, but that answer would also belie the great depth and variety of Austria’s terroir, one that I had the pleasure of tasting through following Austrian Wine’s June 2021 Ontario online tasting event that included wine samples, public seminars, and private video meetings with winemakers. Austria is known mostly for fresh, pure white wines and exceptional value for money in terms […]
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 […]
Wine Witch on Fire Launch at the Clio Club in Toronto
I couldn’t have asked for a more gracious host, or better friend, than Angela Aiello to help launch the book in Toronto. […]
Wine Witch on Fire Book Launch at Le Cordon Bleu
What a spectacular event at Le Cordon Bleu to launch Wine Witch on Fire! Click on the videos to feel the energy ;) Thanks to Victoria Doherty for her wonderful pictures and videos! With my mother, Ann, to whom this book is dedicated … love you, Mom! Lots […]
Stories Behind Family-Owned Canadian Wineries (Video)
Welcome back. The long weekend is almost here and if you’re looking for vino to sip on, our next guest has you covered with her amazing recommendations! Here to highlight some family-owned vineyards from across the country is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes. Hi Natalie! Natalie, we love getting your wonderful wine recommendations but before we get to talking about the specific vineyards you’re going to highlight today, can you tell us a bit about the wine production in Canada? • There are four major regions in Canada that produce wines made from grapes: […]
