What factors contribute to the cost of a wine? Which regions offer great value? Why “go south” in traditional wine producing countries? How do you go into a liquor store and find those bottles? Why are people so fascinating in the wine industry?
Wine Articles
Australian Wine, Food and Restaurants
The Wizards of Mod Oz By Natalie MacLean “Daaarling, come in, come in!” says Sophia Loren’s Australian twin, opening the door. Jeannice Kersh—big hair, big make-up and cat’s-eye glasses dangling from 12 strands of metallic pearls around her neck—takes me by the arm into her restaurant. Edna’s Table is the Niagara Falls of Sydney dining: a landmark, a wonder and a little kitsch, but you must go. How else can you regale everyone back home with stories of eating kangaroo and crocodile? “When I was growing up, only the poor people ate ‘roo. The rich people gave it to their […]
The real interest here is the prose: MacLean gives everyday farming issues an interesting plot-line – LA Weekly Magazine
Aspirin, caffeine, blowfish. What really cures a 2012 hangover (Happy, happy by the way)? We’re going with cheap — but good — wine. Sure, ’tis this time of year for New Year’s resolution cliches. But as wine journalist Natalie MacLean is well aware, the key is finding those bargain wines that actually are worth a second sip. In her latest book, Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wines, MacLean offers up her personal winery tasting experiences followed by tips for seeking out wine bargains in various regions. You know, the typical practical wine advice set up. Only […]
What’s Different in Wine Country Ontario – Toronto Tasting January 16
Toronto Event Monday, January 16, 2012, Reception: 6:00pm, Tasting: 6:30pm The Ontario Wine Society Toronto Presents: “What’s Different in Wine Country Ontario” Some Ontario wineries out there are “pushing the envelope” … “thinking outside the bottle” … “venturing in new directions”. They are making wines from non-mainstream varietals or different styles from mainstream varietals. And, they are doing a great job of this. We thought that you would be interested in trying some. We know that the winemakers would love to have you taste their pioneering efforts. So, we have assembled a collection of some of these interesting wines for […]
Unquenchable Will Make you Feel Warm and Fuzzy; I love her lively writing – Reader’s Digest
This wine book will make you feel warm and fuzzy in its own way, by steering you toward low-priced yet high quality booze. In between cage diving with South African sharks, touring vines with a rosé-guzzling French mule and peeling potatoes with a Canadian special effects producer-turned-organic wine maker, MacLean visits some of the world’s most acclaimed wineries and takes notes on the best deals in everything from Shiraz to Pinot Noir to Port. She highlights one region per chapter, offers excellent “wine cheapskate” tips and suggests dishes crying out to be washed down by the local wares. I love […]
Is there a big difference between a $10 and a $30 wine? How can you find good but affordable wines in the liquor store? The Link, CBC Radio
How do you find wines that are affordable, but still delicious and not too corporate or homogenized? Is there really a big difference in quality and taste between a $10 and a $30 wine? Does your ability to taste diminish as you get older? How can you become a better wine taster? Marc and I chat about these and tips on how to find these wines in the liquor store.
A First Rate Writer, With a Warm, Engaging Style… Compulsively Readable – Gerald Asher
Gerald Asher is my favourite wine writer: elegant and effortless in his prose. In 1974, the French government awarded him the Order of the Mérite Agricole, France’s oldest Civil Award, and in 2009 he was inducted into California’s Vintners’ Hall of Fame. His books, drawn mainly from his columns in Gourmet Magazine, for which he was the wine editor for 30 years, include On Wine, Wine Journal, Vineyard Tales, and The Pleasures of Wine. These are his thoughts on Unquenchable … Natalie MacLean is a first rate writer, with a warm, engaging style. Her interviews are excellent: she captures the […]
An Engaging Style That Makes the Book Fun to Read – San Jose Mercury News
The end of the year always brings flurries of new wine books, many of which are destined to become gifts for some wine lover. Two topics are getting a lot of attention this year: budget wines, and the tension between technology and “naturalness” in winemaking. For a view of “budget” wine, there’s “Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wines” by Natalie MacLean. Her book is arranged by days of the week, with each day representing a region of the world. The Australia chapter (Sunday) focuses most of its attention on Penfolds and Henschke. Each chapter ends with […]
Restaurant Wine Lists: Choosing Wines, Sommeliers, Fair Markups – The Restaurant Guys Radio Show
I chat with radio hosts Mark and Francis about restaurant wine lists, from advice on how to choose wines from a list to whether the markups are fair. We also cover a wide variety of other wine topics, including how do you earn a living from wine writing and the new book Unquenchable to shopping for wine with mobile apps and the power of social media, especially Twitter and Facebook, for finding new wines you love.
Champagne Guide: Styles, Sweetness, Quality, Food Matches and Differences from Other Sparkling Wines
While most people still reserve a glass of Champagne or sparkling wine for New Year’s Eve and the occasional toast while out for dinner, you really don’t need a formal reason to pour yourself a glass of bubbly. In fact, Champagne is one of the most food friendly wines available and I encourage you to sip bubbles just for the shear pleasure of the experience. Sparkling wine is made throughout the world but the name Champagne is reserved only for the wines from France’s chilly northern wine making region of the same name. The following guide will clarify a few […]
