In our second video chat below, Food Network star Michael Smith talks about his take on food and wine pairing, especially with seafood. Michael’s laid-back approach to all things wine and food is part of his success. You’ll note his conversational tone in this video … it’s as though we’re sitting at his kitchen table enjoying a good glass of wine. Find out why Michael is especially keen on wines from B.C.’s Okanagan Valley. What’s your take on pairing food and wine? Which wines pair best with seafood? Which don’t? What’s one of your most memorable wine and […]
Food & Wine Pairing
Wine & Vegetable Pairing Tips
When it comes to the task of pairing vegetables with wine, an award-winning sommelier and wine writer is up to the challenge. “A lot of us are eating a lot more than meat these days, and even if you haven’t gone completely vegetarian, the move towards more healthy eating means there is a lot more greenery on our plates,” says Natalie MacLean. But she does agree the match between the plate and the glass becomes more challenging when it comes to seeking veggie-friendly wines. Full-bodied red wines should be avoided because they contain tannins, she explains. These are the natural […]
Recipe: Homemade Nachos and Cottage Cheese Dip with Chianti
Add some sophistication to your St. Patrick’s Day Celebration St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and there’s no better way to celebrate than with a Sunday soiree full of good wine and Canadian cheese. When throwing a St.Patty’s Day get-together, I recommend making this fabulous homemade nachos and cottage cheese dip. Made with Canadian Cottage Cheese, guests will swoon over the dip’s soft and creamy texture. Splashes of green chives and cilantro make it perfectly on theme for the occasion. The best part? It only takes about ten minutes to prepare. A great wine to go with the […]
Canadian Wine & Cheese Pairing: Go Local for Taste
The Honorable Minister of Agriculture, Gerry Ritz (above), was among hundreds who gathered near Parliament Hill in Ottawa last night to celebrate Canadian cheese and wine with the terrific pairings below. It was a privilege to meet the farmers and producers across this country who create these artisanal cheeses. It proved to me, once again, just how well our own food and drink pairs together, and the incredible range of styles and flavours we create. Le Mont-Jacob Fromagerie Blackburn Jonquière, Québec The Blackburn Farm has been in the family for over 80 years. In 2006, 4 generations later, the […]
Pairing Wine and Molecular Gastronomy: Steve Robinson
My story about Steve Robinson was originally published in Ottawa Magazine, the sister publication of Toronto Life Magazine. Ottawa sommeliers are proving to be among the best in the province. Steve Robinson placed second in this year’s Ontario’s Best Sommelier Competition, and was named one of the top 30 under 30 in the province’s hospitality industry by the Ontario Hostelry Institute. Robinson studied chemistry at the University of Ottawa, then completed the sommelier fast-track program at Algonquin College and finally became certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2011. The 26-year-old’s passion for science and wine pair perfectly for […]
Wine, Chips and Snack Pairings Video
In our second video chat below, sommelier Mike Pierce gets into some specific and fun snack food and wine pairings. There were some surprising insights (really) as I thought all snacks would go best with sweet wines … Skittles proved me wrong, though I loved the Cracker Jacks pairing best. Have you discovered an unusually great pairing? What things do you have to keep in mind for the chemically-enhanced flavors of snack food? Any wines that really don’t work with snack food? Why do more obscure and expensive wines seem to go better with junk food? You can […]
Wine and Junk Food Pairing from Maverick Mike
Our guest this evening is Mike Pierce, Sommelier and Co-Owner of San Francisco’s Maverick Wine Bar and he joins me now live from San Francisco. Welcome to the Sunday Sipper Club P.S. Tune in here for our next Live Video Wine Tasting: www.nataliemaclean.com/live Click on the “Follow” and “Like” buttons on this Facebook page to get notified when we go live. We’ll be simultaneously broadcasting on Facebook Live, YouTube Live Stream and Twitter Live Video via Periscope. Watch previous episodes of the Sunday Sipper Club (SSC) and find out who’s coming up next. Anyone can pair filet […]
Brookstreet Sommelier Rene Wallis Wine Tips
Rene Wallis, sommelier at the Brookstreet Hotel’s restaurant Perspectives, in Kanata shares, his tips on choosing from a wine list, unusual food pairings and favourite holiday wines. Where did you grow up? My mother raised my older sister, Angela, and I on her own in Ottawa’s French village of Vanier, a bilingual community where everyone knew each other. Wine wasn’t on the dinner table, but my good friend’s Portuguese parents made their own wine. At his tenth birthday party, I bit into a large piece of hot pepper on the pizza, filled my glass from a large pitcher of […]
Wine and Cheese Pairing Video
In this video we pair wine with 4 types of cheese: triple cream brie, goat cheese or chèvre, apple wood-smoked cheddar and blue cheese. I’ve selected four different styles of wine, but the fun is in mixing and matching to find new combinations. You can find more cheese pairings here or in the drinks matcher.Got a favourite? Let me know. In related news, you’ll find a video on pairing wine and pizza. Carmen Reserva Chardonnay 2010, Chile The 2010 Carmen Reserva Chardonnay wins the Best Brie Wine award! It’s caramel, toffee depths are a perfect backdrop for such a […]
Wine and Pizza Pairing Video
Are you planning a movie night soon with pizza? Here are tips on pairing your favourite pies with wines, whether you love Hawaiian, Margherita or Meat Lovers’ pizza. These are the four wines I tasted in this video, however several of them may not be in stock now so I have suggested some alternatives below. You can find more pizza pairings here or in the drinks matcher. Got a favourite pairing that you’d like to share? In related news, you’ll find a video on pairing cheese and wine. Urban Nik Weis Selection, Weingut St.Urbans-Hof Riesling 2009, Moselle, Germany Pure […]
