Organic Wine v Biodynamic Wine v Sustainable Farming: Differences?

By Natalie MacLean Why farm organically? Many winemakers consider the approach as part of their overall commitment to quality. Organic farming requires a much deeper understanding of the vineyard and a greater vigilance over it. Problems must be detected early because organic fixes take longer. Another benefit is the social responsibility for winery workers’ health and not exposing them to toxic chemicals. What are the environmental benefits? Many wineries have locked horns with environmentalists and local residents over the issue of deforesting the land in order to plant vineyards. Hillsides are a flash point. Winemakers know that vineyards on slopes […]

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Angelina Jolie Wines with Winemaking Consultant Clark Smith

Introduction Why would you want to challenge a young wine with oxygen? Why don’t you hear many technical conversations around wine? How can movie genres help you understand a winemaker’s intentions? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we’re chatting with Clark Smith, winemaker for his own WineSmith label and several other brands, consulting winemaker, author, inventor, musician, and professor to the wine industry throughout the globe. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Highlights What is the $50,000 winery phenomenon? Why shouldn’t you think of wine as a “chemical solution”? Why would you want to […]

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Pairing Wine and Cannabis with the Herb Sommelier Jamie Evans

Introduction What does a wine enthusiast have in common with a cannabis user? How can you pair wine with cannabis? What do you need to know about terpenes and wine pairing? How do infused beverages bring together the cannabis and wine industries? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we’re chatting with Jamie Evans, founder of The Herb Somm, a cannabis blog and lifestyle brand that is focused on the gourmet side of the cannabis industry. Enjoy!   Highlights What health and lifestyle benefits can you experience from using cannabis? What does a wine enthusiast have in common […]

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Randall Grahm: A Californian Blend of Wine, Wit and Wisdom

Introduction Randall Grahm was born in Los Angeles in 1953 and attended the University of California at Santa Cruz where he was a permanent Liberal Arts major. Sometime later he found himself working at the Wine Merchant in Beverly Hills sweeping floors. By dint of exceptionally good karma, he was given the opportunity to taste an ungodly number of great French wines and this singular experience turned him into a complete and insufferable wine fanatic. He returned to the University of California at Davis to complete a degree in Plant Sciences in 1979, where owing to his single-minded obsession with […]

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Are Organic Wines Better for You?

Introduction What exactly is organic wine? Is it better for you? In recent years, organic wine has moved from the realms of health nuts and hippies to the mainstream, where it now represents one of the fastest-growing categories in the liquor store. But is it really that different from conventional wine? With Earth Hour coming up on March 30 and Earth Day on April 22, I’m dedicating today’s episode to organic wine, with a deep dive into what it is, its history and what the research shows about its benefits.   Highlights How has the public perception of organic wine […]

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What You Don’t Know About Wine & Health, But Should

Are you confused about the various heath studies when it comes to wine and breast cancer, heart disease or brain function? Would you like to know exactly what moderation means when it comes to drinking wine? That’s exactly what we’re going to discover tonight with our guest this evening who is a gynecologist and obstetrician. He is also part of an international research community that investigates the role of wine in health. He holds an advanced-level sommelier certificate from the International Wine & Spirits Guild, and he joins me now live from his home office in Arizona. You won’t want […]

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Video: What are Orange and Natural Wines?

What a terrific chat with Ann Sperling, Winemaker at Southbrook Vineyards! Click on the arrow above to watch the video. Listen to Ann’s stories about making Canada’s first orange wine. Is orange wine the new white wine? Why are orange and natural wines so trendy? What makes them different from other wines? Cheers, Natalie   Watch previous episodes of the Sunday Sipper Club (SSC) and find out who’s coming up next.   Click on the video above to hear Ann’s explanation of Orange wines. Here’s a sampling of our lively discussion from our tasting… Rachelle O’Connor · 34:47 As a Natural Nutritionist and […]

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Organic Wine: What is it? Toast Earth Day with Wine, Naturally

 Last night, we had two spectacular, on-fire conversations with Canadian rock-star winemaker Thomas Bachelder. Click the arrow above to watch part one before the internet gods cut us off ;) Part two is below. It was a wide-ranging conversation sprinkled with limestone and lyrical story-telling. You’ll find his wines under his own Bachelder label as well as Domaine Quelyus. You’ll find previous and upcoming Live Video Wine Tastings here.   Want to get the heads up on Facebook when we go live next Sunday? Take 3 seconds right now and click on these 2 grey buttons under the wine bottle image: […]

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Pascual Toso Proves There’s More to Argentina Than Malbec

  By Priya & Alex, A Vine Romance The only thing better than enjoying a good bottle of wine is getting to meet the person who made it. We were fortunate to have that opportunity recently as we sat down with winemaker, Felipe Stahlschmidt from Pascual Toso. This Argentinian winery is celebrating it’s 125th anniversary. That’s a nice age for a “New World” region. They describe their production facility as “an old Chevy with a brand new Mercedes engine inside”. It’s a great analogy for an older building that has been completely updated with state-of-the-art production equipment. Alex: Pascual Toso is a fairly large […]

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How to Find the Best Organic Wines: Buying Tips

By Natalie MacLean Who makes organic wine? The number of wineries making organic wines is increasing steadily, with the result that they’re available in a far greater range of styles than ever before. Formerly, they were only the domain of small producers, but now large companies are taking an interest as a way to diversify their offerings and to improve their environmental images. Some of the producers implement some organic principles and not others, some grow organic grapes but don’t make organic wine and still others make both organic and non-organic wines. So check the labels carefully. Why don’t more […]

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