Introduction Why is it so difficult to describe wine? How did England pave the way for Champagne as we know it today? What do winemaking and gardening share beyond being plant-based? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Hugh Johnson. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Two of you will win a copy of his marvellous memoir, The Life and Wines of Hugh Johnson. How to Win To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. It […]
Wine Articles
How Much do you Know About Champagne? Take the Pop Quiz
Got your champagne ready for New Year’s? Here are my Top 20 Champagnes to celebrate the New Year and which stores have them in stock now. Take the Pop Quiz below and you’ll have some trivia to drop this evening as you celebrate the New Year! Pop Quiz 1. Is all sparkling wine champagne? No. Only sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France may be called Champagne. It’s a trademarked word. 2. Before the modern era of product placement in movies, which Champagne was the favourite of James Bond? Bollinger or as Bond would call it, Bolly. That was also in […]
How do You Pick a Great Gift Wine? 5 Tips for Festive Sips
Want to give someone a bottle of wine this year? On Global Television’s Morning Show, we chat about quick tips on how to choose a great gift wine this holiday. Wine is a great gift because: – one size fits all – doubles are fine – it’s easy to re-gift Also: – it’s easy to return for cash without a receipt – wine doesn’t have to be cared for and it should never be watered – it’s consumable so it doesn’t create clutter adding to more stuff in your home How to decide which wine to give? […]
Pairing Wine and Holiday Dishes and Treats
On Global Television’s Morning Show today, Carolyn, Jeff and I chat about pairing wine with holiday treats such as shortbread, chocolate Santas and fruitcake … … yes, we’re going there ;) Plus, here are bonus tips on pairing wines with other holiday favourite dishes … Can we be honest? Holiday turkey dinner is just an excuse for most of us to chow down on our favourite side dish, whether it’s cranberry sauce, chestnut stuffing or sweet potatoes. Often they have more interesting flavours than that dry old bird in the middle of the table. So please, let’s […]
The legendary Hugh Johnson, author of The World Atlas of Wine, on how you can improve your wine-tasting skill and pleasure
Introduction Are you curious what it would be like to ask for wine advice from legendary Hugh Johnson, author of The World Atlas of Wine, among many other books? What would he advise you on how you can improve your wine-tasting skill and pleasure? Why was Hugh initially against wine scoring and how has his perspective changed over the years? What makes a wine great in Hugh’s opinion? Why does Hugh now prefer English sparkling wines over his long-time favourite Pol Roger Champagne? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Hugh Johnson. You can find the wines we […]
How to Sabre Champagne + Sparkling Wines
Leanne and I chat about sparkling wines and Champagnes for the holidays. Click on the arrow to play the video above. Napoléon visits the Moët & Chandon cellars in 1807 Napoleon is credited with inventing the sabering technique and is famous for his phrase: “In victory we deserve Champagne, in defeat, we need it.” The famous Champagne maker Veuve Clicquot, who lost her husband when she was just 27, was a wealthy young widow. She would entertain Napoleon’s officers (early day sampling program). They, in turn, tried to impress her by sabering the tops of the Champagne bottles […]
10 Best Cabernet Franc Wines to Buy Now + 5 Surprising Facts about Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the five grapes in Bordeaux blends, along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. You’ll find my top 10 Cabernet Franc reviews and ratings here. 5 Surprising Facts about Cabernet Franc: 1. Cabernet Franc is a thin-skinned, early-ripening grape with a lighter body and acidity than the robust Cabernet Sauvignon, but is more susceptible to spring frosts. 2. Cabernet Franc, along with Sauvignon Blanc, is actually one of the genetic parents of Cabernet Sauvignon. 3. In France, which boasts the most vineyard acreage of Cabernet Franc in the world, several regions […]
How Can You Improve Your Sense of Smell with Wine? Johannes Frasnelli Has Great Tips
Introduction How can you train your sense of smell? Why does smelling require much more focus than our other senses? What is retronasal olfaction and why is it so important when it comes to enjoying wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with author Johannes Frasnelli. You can find the wines we discussed here. Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Video Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wednesday at 7 pm eastern on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I’ll be jumping into the comments as […]
Smell, the Cinderella Sense, Goes Full Princess on Wine with Johannes Frasnelli
Introduction Why is smell, often called the Cinderella sense, so underrated in our culture, especially when many luxury products, such as wine, spirits and perfume, are based on it? Even though dogs have more than twice the number of scent receptors than humans, why are we better at detecting wine aromas? What might surprise you about how we perceive the senses of taste and smell? Why is the sense of smell so evocative compared to other senses? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Johannes Frasnelli, a physician and a professor focused on the sense of smell. You […]
Women, Wine and Health: The Good News with Tony Edwards
Introduction What might surprise you about the impact of alcohol on heart disease? How can wine drinkers reduce the risk of certain cancers with one supplement? Does wine help protect against cognitive decline and dementia? Why do some organizations make extreme recommendations for eliminating alcohol? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with author Tony Edwards. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of his terrific new book, The Very Good News About Wine. How to Win To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and […]
