Father’s Day is Sunday and BBQ season is in full swing, so why not toast Dad with wines that pair well with the grill? But which wines work best? Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine and food pairing classes at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome Natalie. Great to be with you, Mona! Tell us about this first wine. The first wine is the coveted Caymus Napa Cabernet, made by the Wagner family who are celebrating the 50th anniversary vintage of this wine. It’s just arrived in stores. The […]
Wine Articles
Celebrating Women in Wine with Jennifer Wilhelm & Andrea Brambila
Introduction Are you curious about the untold stories of the legendary women who helped create the Ontario wine industry and who also shaped its future? Wine might lead people to work in the wine industry, but what sustains a lifetime career beyond that? Why don’t we celebrate people while they’re alive, but instead wait to express those heartfelt thoughts in a eulogy, post-mortem biography or other memorials? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with author Jennifer Wilhelm. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Jennifer Wilhelm’s […]
Wines for Summer BBQ, Picnics, Seafood: CJAD Radio
Which wines to crack open for summer BBQs: big reds for meats and flavourful whites for seafood and veggies. Seven Deadly Zins, Menage a Trois, Innsikillin Riesling, St. Nicholas Cider and Errazuriz Sauvignon Blanc. Do you have to pay much a lot for good wine? No, and here’s why. We chat about this and other tasty topics on CJAD radio, one of the largest morning talk shows in the country. Wines for Summer BBQ, Picnics, Seafood: CJAD Radio Barry: 7:41 summer’s here, although it’s kind of tough to tell this morning, but summer is here. So what wines go […]
Summer Wines and Seafood, Barbecue, Picnics – Sommelier Sheila Person
In this interview, I chat Sheila Person who at the time was sommelier and manager at Eight Wine Bar in Toronto. Sheila has since moved back to Calgary, Alberta, where she shares her passion for wine at Crowfoot Wine and Spirits. We chat about spring and summer wines, including great bottles for the cottage and pairings for her favourite books. Fun! What first got you interested in wine? Growing up in small town Alberta, I wasn’t exactly immersed in wine culture. Sure, my parents drank it, and my dad even made fruit wine, but it was actually the tools that […]
Heroic Italian Wines & the Future of Italy’s Wines with Marc Millon
Introduction What is a heroic wine? Which emerging trends will shape the taste of Italian wine in the next decade? How has Italian art and architecture directly influenced its wines? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with author Marc Millon. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Marc Millon’s terrific new book Italy in a Wineglass: The Story of Italy Through Its Wines.. 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 […]
How Wildfires Are Changing the Landscape of Wine Country
I’ve been reporting on the economic and environmental impact wildfires have on the wine industry. My hope is that this raises awareness among consumers for both the importance of fire safety in wine country and the need to support these wineries as they struggle to recover from these events. Here’s the latest segment on CTV News with anchor Mutsumi Takahashi. Wildfire season has already begun and it’s hit Alberta and British Columbia hard. Last year, wildfires were also hard on B.C.’s wine country. So what do the wildfires mean for Canada’s wine industry this year and going forward? […]
Italy in a Wine Glass: The Story of Italy Through Its Wines with Marc Millon
Introduction Which almost-forgotten grape Italian varieties deserve more recognition? What might surprise you about the stories and wines from Campania? What makes wine such a great narrative vehicle throughout history? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with author Marc Millon. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Marc Millon’s terrific new book Italy in a Wineglass: The Story of Italy Through Its Wines. 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 […]
Mixing Business and Pleasure; Authenticity and Forgery in Art and Wine with Bianca Bosker
Introduction How are innovators making art and wine more engaging and accessible? What is it about the art and wine worlds that makes business and pleasure often one and the same? Is authenticity in art and wine important? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with author Bianca Bosker. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Bianca Bosker’s terrific new book Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See. How to Win […]
Wine Glasses: How Many Do You Really Need? Which Shapes Work Best?
I’m often asked if the shape of a wine glass really matters? How does it affect the taste of wine? Just how many wine glasses do you need? Here’s my advice … A Glass Act: The 7 Essential Wine Glasses Wine Glass Type Why It Works Sparkling Wine Champagne, Italian prosecco, Spanish cava or any other sparkling wine is best enjoyed in a tall, narrow glass to preserve the bubbles. And there are specific glasses for different kinds of bubbly, ranging from straight, very slender flutes to long-stemmed, slim white-wine style glasses. White Burgundy White Burgundy […]
The Obsessive Passions and Parallels Between Art & Wine with Bianca Bosker, Author of Get the Picture and Cork Dork
Introduction Why are people with obsessive natures often drawn to both wine and art? How does strategic snobbery create deliberate barriers to entry into the art and wine worlds? What does it mean to stay in the work or to stay with the wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with author Bianca Bosker. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Bianca Bosker’s terrific new book Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See. […]