How to Pair Wine with Chips, Nuts and Snacks?

On Global Television’s Morning Show yesterday, we paired wine and snacks, from fish tacos to Sriracha chips from Loblaws’ President’s Choice Black Label line. Yes, there is a wine for sea salt giant corn nuts ;) . Click the arrow above to play the video.         Wine: Yalumba The Strapper GSM Grenache Shiraz Mataro             Food: PC 85% Cocoa Solids Extra Dark Chocolate Bar (100g): imported extra dark chocolate.     Food: PC 70% Cocoa Solids Dark Chocolate: Irresistibly delectable, imported pure dark chocolate. Excellent for snacking or baking.         […]

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Pairing Comfort Wines with Comfort Food (Video)

As the weather cools, we enjoy heartier dishes, including comfort food. But which wines should you pair with them? Here with her tips is Maritimer Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com.   Welcome Natalie. First off, are there such things as comfort wines? After much research on this topic, I concluded there were no “uncomfortable wines” since I found them all of great comfort ;) However, I found that certain wines tend to pair better with comfort food than others. Great! Tell us about your first pairing. Comfort food tends to have rich, robust flavours. […]

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Pizza Wine: Perfect Pairings for Your Pie

Liza, Jeff and I chat about pairing pizza and wine on Global TV’s Morning Show (while the cameramen and studio crew edge in ever closer to the set). Click on the arrow to watch the video above. Queen Margherita Pizzeria made these mouth-wateringly delicious pizzas fresh and hot, featuring first the classic Margherita Pizza. This pizza was named in honor of Queen Margherita, the wife of King Umberto I, in 1889, when the couple visited Naples and wanted to taste the local pie.   Queen Margherita Pizzeria’s Margherita Pizza   A chef selected patriotic toppings with the colors in the […]

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7 Mouth-Watering Comfort Food and Wine Pairings

As the weather cools, we enjoy heartier dishes, including comfort food. But which wines should you pair with them? Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com.   First off, are there such things as comfort wines?   After much research on this topic, I concluded there were no “uncomfortable wines” since I found them all of great comfort. However, I found that certain wines tend to pair better with comfort food than others.   Great! Tell us about your first pairing.   Comfort food tends to have rich, robust flavours. […]

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Beaujolais Nouveau arrives Thursday! Top 10 Food Matches

In our first video chat, Carol Anne and I discuss beaujolais nouveau wines to try this year. However, for those who want to try other easy-drinking red wines this week and during the holidays, we’ve got more suggestions above for you. On the third Thursday of every November, Beaujolais producers in southern Burgundy, France, release wine from the new harvest. More than 60 million bottles make their way around the world to bistros, bars and restaurants. Nouveau is a knock-it-back kind of wine to be enjoyed in the spirit of celebrating the harvest!     Here are my top 10 […]

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Turn Thanksgiving Leftovers into a Great Meal with Wine and Give Thanks Twice

The web abounds with great Thanksgiving turkey recipes, and rightly so. The harvest season is a great time of year and it deserves plenty of celebration. But what are you going to feast on the next day, or the next week, for that matter? Chances are good that it will be turkey sandwiches. What I propose instead is a fun, easy and tasty way to enjoy your leftovers with friends once the big family event has passed. So put a little turkey aside for a delicious Thanksgiving pizza with smoked Gouda, served after a piquant platter of Canadian cheeses paired […]

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French Pizza Recipe Paired with Sauvignon Blanc

French Pizza with a Canadian Twist For me, the holiday season is all about getting together with loved ones and creating lasting memories while gathering around some delicious comfort food. There are a lot of comfort food dishes that can turn an ordinary get together into a memorable meet-up, but none quite like my favourite French Pizza with ham and asparagus. While inspired by our European friends, this recipe features mouth-watering Canadian Swiss and Brie Cheese that infuses an unmistakable taste of home. For a truly domestic holiday delight, pair with a light and fruity 2014 Inniskillin Sauvignon Blanc. Perfect […]

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Mac and Cheese Pizza Recipe Paired with Pinot Noir

Mac and Cheese Pizza What’s true comfort food?  Hint: it involves the words “mac”, “cheese” and “pizza”. Say no more. Mac and Cheese is really having its moment. And, well, why wouldn’t it- it’s amazing! Take a break from take-out and whip up this mouth-watering and fun take on an old classic: Mac and Cheese Pizza. With cheesy grated Canadian Mozzarella, it’s sure to become a family favourite fast. Here are some excellent wine pairings to complement the melted Canadian mozzarella in the mac. The first is a medium-bodied Pinot Noir from Mission Hill Five Vineyards. It’s a beautifully complex […]

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The Good Life (and Good Wine) in Prince Edward County

By Tania Thomas We drove into The County across the Bay Bridge from Bellville on a hot and sticky mid-July morning. The shimmering waters of Lake Ontario beneath us looked refreshing and exceptionally inviting. Sunset on the beach and a swim is definitely on our agenda, but before that there are wineries to visit and winemakers to talk to. Just a few hours away from Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Kingston, nestled on Quinte’s Isle are the vineyards of Prince Edward County, Ontario’s newest VQA wine Appellation and the fastest growing wine region of Ontario. With close to 40 wineries, and […]

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Wolf Blass Yellow Label Wines Go Regional

Wolf Blass Yellow Label Sparkling Brut Sparkling White South East Australia Green apple fresh with zesty lime. Terrific bubbly for this price. Perfect for any large festive gathering. Alcohol: 11% Sweetness: Extra Dry Drink: 2015-2017 Score: 88 Price: $17.95 LCBO #: 708290   Smoked Chicken, Pancetta and Roasted Pear Pizza Recipe Makes:  2 pizzas Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Ingredients: 2 brown pears (Beurre  Bosc) ½ cup Wolf Blass Yellow Label Padthaway Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 1 tablespoon brown sugar 50g butter 2 large par-baked plain pizza bases 250g grated mozzarella cheese 8 thin slices pancetta 1 smoked […]

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