This past Thursday, we chatted about book and bottle pairings as holiday gifts on Breakfast Television. Words and wine seem like a natural pairing to me … here are my favourites. What are yours? 1. Books are Beautiful The publisher selected 30 classic works of literature and assigned each a beautiful colour. Then the editors organized them in a rainbow of words so spectacular that you’re going to want to line them up on your shelves and just look at them. Wolf Blass Yellow Label Sparkling Brut, South East Australia, Australia: Green […]
Food & Wine Pairing
Wine & Cheese Pairing Video: What Is Your Favourite?
Click on the arrow above to watch the video right here. Such a great discussion with lots of favourite pairings and tips! We’ll have a second chat this Wednesday, November 14th at 8 pm eastern – mark your calendar! Please note that while these two feedback sessions about pairing wine and cheese are on Facebook, the course itself will NOT be … so don’t let that stop you from joining me in the course in early December ;) You can also watch the video on Facebook, read the latest comments that keep coming in, read my answers and make a […]
How Austria’s Gruner Veltliner Got its Groove Back
Would you like to learn more about Austrian wines, especially its iconic grape, Gruner Veltliner? Do you know why this wine is one of the most versatile wines on the planet? That’s exactly what we’re going to learn tonight with our guest who joins me live just north of Vienna. Our guest this evening is in charge of her family’s winery, Weingut R&A Pfaffl, along with her brother, who is the winemaker and vineyard manager. Heidie Fisher Pfaffl takes care of everything else, from business administration to marketing and sales. Pfaffl Winery is one of Austria’s leading wine producers, […]
Canadian Cheese Shops and Retailers
Here’s a list of Canadian cheese retailers from coast to coast, including several that operate online and will ship to you directly. All of them have a terrific selection of both Canadian and international cheeses. Also included here are gourmet food shops and grocery stores that have a strong selection of cheeses. Got a cheese shop to recommend? Let me know at natdecants @ nataliemaclean.com Online Cheese Retailers Cheesy Place Amazing Clubs Cheese of the Month Taste of Cheese British Columbia Benton Brothers Fine Cheese, Kerrisdale, Cambie Village and Granville Island Blue Heron Cheese (Dairy Free) Vancouver Bosafoods Vancouver Charelli’s Cheese […]
How to Become the World’s Best Sommelier with Arvid Rosengren (Video)
Our guest was born and raised in Sweden and initially studied Nanotechnology Engineering, but decided to change his career path to food and wine. He has worked at several of the world’s best restaurants in Stockholm, Copenhagen, Britain and New York City. In 2016, he won the World’s Best Sommelier competition, competing with 60 other top sommeliers. This grueling competition held only every three years and tests theoretical knowledge, blind tastings of various beverages and practical service in front of a live audience. And he joins me live now from his restaurant Legacy Records in Manhattan: Welcome to the Sunday […]
How the Gruner Stole Christmas: Austria’s White Wine is a Holiday Treat
By Melissa Pulvermacher It’s the most wonderful time of the year… to eat, drink and be merry! When stocking up for those holiday parties, we all have our usual go-to wine selections, but with so many options, it may just be worth your while to venture out and try something new. For this holiday, consider looking to Austria for new selections. Austria is really hitting the world stage with quality wine production and while they may not be producing mass amounts, we are now seeing more and more in our market here in Ontario and the wine is certainly worth […]
Pairing Wine and Tomato Dishes (Video)
In the video clip above, Jeff and I chat about pairing wine with different types of tomatoes and tomato dishes. What’s your favourite pairing? Jeff: Stores and Farmer’s Markets are lush right now with colourful products including tomatoes of every colour ripe off the vine or cooked up in a sauce. Nothing can complement a tasty dish like a great glass of wine. And here with her picks for perfect pairing is wine expert Natalie MacLean, nice to see you. Natalie: It’s great to see you, Jeff. Jeff: Now listen, before we get to the tomato, which, to me, […]
Best Summer Wines for Barbecue + Seafood: CTV News
In part two of our regular wine chat, Leanne and I talk about the best wines for summer, whether it’s zesty whites, such as Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc, for seafood; and robust red wines, such as Shiraz, Cabernet and Malbec, for BBQs. All of my wine picks are under $20, including several that scored 90+ points. Stock up now! Posted with permission of CTV
Video: What’s New With Nova Scotia Wines?
Our guest this evening is a certified sommelier and instructor of culinary and tourism studies at the Nova Scotia Community College. She leads tastings of Nova Scotia wines for restaurant staff around the province as well as other educational seminars on behalf of “Taste of Nova Scotia” through the support of the Department of Agriculture. And she joins me live now from her home in the Gaspereau Valley. Welcome Amy Savoury! Watch previous episodes of the Wednesday Wining Show (WWS) and find out who’s coming up next. Did you grow up with wine on the family table at dinner? […]
A Wine Waltz through Austria’s Weinviertel Region
By Rebecca Meïr-Liebman of Chef & Somm In North America, many of us are entranced by commercialism, shopping, the latest must-have piece of tech, and novelty. Sometimes, it feels as if we’ve lost touch with our history and our past. This is especially true you have an opportunity to compare and contrast our values with those of another culture, as I have recently. Then you gain insight into a culture that very much holds on to, and celebrates, its history, music, art and architecture, fashion and food. This contrast became vivid when I visited Austria, courtesy of the Austrian Wine […]
