Introduction How can tasting rooms help you enjoyably expand your knowledge of wine? Which experiences led me to perfect the art of the outsider at a young age? Why does capturing our experiences in words have such a profound impact on us? What can you learn from side-by-side tastings? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by journalist Jaime Lewis for her podcast, CONSUMED. 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 […]
Food & Wine Pairing
Time Travel via Wine with Dani Shapiro, Bestselling Author of Signal Fires
Introduction How do food and wine play a role in Dabi Shapiro’s latest bestselling novel, Signal Fires? As a writer, what’s it like to encounter others experiencing your work? Why do certain wines seem to transport us back to a specific moment in time? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Dani Shapiro, bestselling author and host of the Family Secrets 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, […]
Food, Wine and Family Secrets with Dani Shapiro, Bestselling Author of Signal Fires
Introduction How can wine and food back memories of more than just the food and drink themselves? Why are so many family secrets associated with food and drink? How has the publishing world changed, and what does it mean for up-and-coming writers? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Dani Shapiro, bestselling author and host of the Family Secrets 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 […]
9 Sparkling Wines That Make Great Holiday Gifts
On CTV’s Your Morning, we chat about how most people think of sparkling wine as the drink of choice for the holidays. What’s the difference between champagne and other sparkling wines, and the two you recommend? Although champagne only comes from the Champagne region of France, almost every other region of the country and many other countries around the world produce sparkling wines, often using the same winemaking methods and grapes as champagne. I have two classic champagnes: Taittinger Brut Reserve Champagne Champagne A.O.C., France […]
Why Pay More for Wine, British Bubbly and Glassware with The Wine Bible’s Karen MacNeil
Introduction Which new and emerging wine regions should be on your radar to try soon? Why should you pay more for wine? How does glassware change the taste of your wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible. 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 YouTube Live Video. I’ll be jumping into the comments as we watch it […]
Which Wine Pairings for turkey, fruitcake or cheese?
The holiday countdown is on and Canadians are scrambling for last-minute gifts for their hosts and loved ones. Wine and food seem like a natural option at this time of year, but with thousands of bottles lining the shelves at liquor outlets, where does one begin? “I’d start with pairing the wine that you’re going to bring to go with the dinner. Wild guess, might be turkey,” says sommelier Natalie MacLean, editor of the wine review site nataliemaclean.com. She suggests a sparkling wine like Cava from Spain, a Pinot Noir from New Zealand, a dry rose from France or […]
Creating The Wine Bible: Behind-the-Scenes with Author Karen MacNeil
Introduction What did it take to create The Wine Bible, a 700-page masterwork on wine? What makes The Wine Bible so different from other popular wine tomes? How did the pandemic make it much harder to research and write this latest edition of this book and what creative methods did the author use to overcome those obstacles? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible. 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 […]
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, […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings November 19, 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 5th. 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 […]
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 […]
