Blending Humour and Wine in South Africa with Charles Back, Fairview Wine

Introduction Charles Louis Back is the third generation owner of South African wine and cheese producer Fairview, in Paarl in the Western Cape Province. Charles Back studied winemaking at Elsenburg Agricultural College in Stellenbosch. He officially joined his family’s company in 1978 and took over full control in 1995 after the death of his father, Cyril. Today, Charles Back is known as one of the great entrepreneurs and innovators of the wine world – an individual who likes nothing more to swim against the stream. From the start, he has done things differently, introducing Mediterranean grapes such as Viognier, Tempranillo, […]

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What’s the Allure of Wines from Provence? Video with Jill Barth

Our guest this evening is a wine columnist for Forbes and a wine country travel expert for USA TODAY. She’s the founder and author of L’Occasion, an award-winning digital magazine that celebrates the ways we drink, make, and contemplate wine. She’s also a Provence Wine Master through the Wine Scholar Guild and received a fellowship to the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers. And she joins me now, live from her home in Chicago: Welcome  Jill Barth!   Watch previous episodes of the Wednesday Wining Show (WWS)  and find out who’s coming up next.     Jill Barth   I’m a […]

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Wines for Seduction: A Vine Romance for Valentine’s Day

Introduction Do you want to seduce someone this Valentine’s Day? Forget the lingerie, lipstick and silk-tie handcuffs – just share a glass or two of wine with your amour. Just in time for V Day, I’m going to share with you my favourite wines for seduction, including some melt-in-your-mouth pairings with chocolate.   Highlights Why do almost 60% of women prefer wine over candy for V Day? Why has Champagne, in particular, has long been the drink of romance Why is Pinot Noir called the “heartbreak grape”? How can you avoid ruining your wine with chocolate? Is chocolate an aphrodisiac […]

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Are Vegan & Vegetarian Wines Better for You? Ezra Cipes, Summerhill Winery, BC, Has Answers

Introduction Ezra Cipes is proud to carry on the family legacy at Summerhill Pyramid Winery. Since the Cipes family moved from New York to Summerhill Vineyard in Kelowna, British Columbia when Cipes was five, he has grown up in the wine industry and feels blessed to now lead a company dedicated to creating beauty in collaboration with nature. Cipes has a multitude of passions and talents. After working in the wine production cellar while attending public school in Kelowna, Ezra embarked on a career in music. He worked as a touring and session musician and became a published songwriter. But […]

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Scandalous Wine Women on TV

Introduction I have to confess: I am obsessed with Alicia Florrick, the successful attorney on The Good Wife, and Olivia Pope, the high-powered Washington D.C. “fixer” on Scandal. In this episode, I’m going to share with you my secret obsession with the wine drinking habits of these women on television and what I believe that says about our cultural relationship with wine.   Highlights How have alcoholic beverages featured with women on TV changed over time? What do Alicia Florrick and Olivia Pope have in common with Philip Marlowe? How does wine act as a key plot device on Scandal? […]

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Wine Confidential: An Insider Look at the Wine World with Bianca Bosker

Introduction Bianca Bosker is an award-winning journalist and the author of the New York Times Best Seller, Cork Dork: A Wine-Fueled Adventure Among the Obsessive Sommeliers, Big Bottle Hunters, and Rogue Scientists Who Taught Me to Live for Taste, which has been hailed as the “Kitchen Confidential of wine.” Bianca has written about food, wine, architecture, and technology for The New Yorker online, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Food & Wine, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and The New Republic, among other publications.   Highlights How did Bianca stumble into wine while writing about tech at the Huffington […]

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What Does It Take to Become a Master Sommelier with Geoff Kruth

    Master Sommelier Geoff Kruth is President of GuildSomm.com, a non-profit membership organization of over 10000 wine professionals. He is one of less than 200 people worldwide to have ever earned the designation of Master Sommelier. He was featured in the 2012 documentary film SOMM, co-produced the film SOMM: Into the Bottle and was a producer of Esquire TV’s Uncorked; he also hosts the GuildSomm audio podcast. Connect with Geoff: Facebook: @geoff.kruth

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Flying with Flavour: Travel and Wine Stories with Stephanie Piché (Video)

Our guest this evening is Stephanie Piché, Dining & Travel Expert, Founder of Legacy Service Academy and Podcast Host & Producer of “Flying For Flavour“ Click on the “Follow” and “Like” buttons on this Facebook page to get notified when we go live. Click on the arrow above to hear Stephanie’s story. Want to know when we go live with our next guest? Click on “Get Reminder” on the page below: www.nataliemaclean.com/live Click on “Get Notified” at the link above to know when we go live. You can also click on “Follow” and “Like” buttons to know when we make […]

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Why Do You Like the Wines You Do with Marnie Old and Jean-Charles Boisset

Introduction Sommelier and author Marnie Old is a breath of fresh air in the wine world. An engaging performer and gifted teacher, she is refreshingly direct and down-to-earth. Marnie’s focus on matters of real-world relevance to consumers, not winemakers or brewers, puts her in demand as an expert speaker on wine and beer around the country, most notably as a featured seminar presenter at the annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. She is also the founder and organizer of Philly Bierfest, an annual festival celebrating Pennsylvania’s German brewing heritage. Jean-Charles Boisset was born into the world of wine in […]

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