The ancient Greeks invented money. Bring back the old days when wine was free. We don’t know who the individual was who first conceived of money, but we suspect it may have been a prescient winemaker who understood he could become rich and happy at the same time. It figures then, that if you go to some of the finest (and priciest) restaurants in the country, you’ll find wines made from the Assyrtiko (ahs-SEER-tee-koh) grape on their wine list. (British wine writer, Jancis Robinson, named Assyrtiko as the wine she would have if she could only have one.) Sign up […]
Wine Articles
Ontario’s Best Sommelier to Compete for National Title
Last night, we were joined by special guest Emily Pearce-Bibona who has just been named Ontario’s Best Sommelier in a gruelling day-long competition. Click on the arrow above to watch the video. We went behind the scenes with Emily to chat about what it was like to compete (and win) in this competition hosted by the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers. Plus, she shared her expert tips on tasting and enjoying wine, including how to choose a great bottle from a restaurant list, with the help of your sommelier, of course ;) You can read 69 comments here and […]
How to Taste Wine Like a Pro at a Winery or Restaurant
On CTV’s The Social yesterday, we chatted about how to get the most from your winery visit, including what to bring, what to ask and how to spit your wine. You can watch the full video here. However, when you’re at home, please don’t spit the two lovely wines that I selected for this show: Rosehall Run Pinot Noir and Viewpointe Auxerrois ;) I absolutely love it when there’s a strong reaction to any segment we do on The Social: it means we’re engaged and passionate about wine! When I mention that there shouldn’t be sediment floating around in your […]
Wine Prices: Is the Price Right?
In this segment of CTV’s The Social, we chat about how wines are priced: does a $100 wine taste ten times better than a $10 one? How can you spot the bargains in the liquor store? What clues can you find on the bottle label about quality and price? You can get a shopping list with my top rated and best bargain wines showing the stock at your closest liquor stores when you join as a VIP Member. Many of us love to shop and nearly all of us love a good bargain. But finding a Versace dress […]
Men v Women on Wine: The Score v The Story?
• Men stay in their comfort zones; women are more adventurous. • Women shop for communal gatherings, men for themselves. • Men are geared toward impressing, women toward pleasing. • Women buy wine for the short term (sharing), men for the long term (hoarding). • Men buy on the basis of testimonials from experts, women on tips from friends and merchants. • Women order wine by the glass at restaurants; men order bottles. It started back in, well, the Garden of Eden. In the beginning, it was Eve, inquisitive and experimental, who first sampled a “forbidden” fruit. And once she […]
Wine for Women: Bottle of the Sexes
I love tasting and writing with tongue in cheek. Here’s my column in More Magazine about so-called women’s wines. Personally, I can’t resist a pink label or cuddly squirrel. I guess I’m just at the mercy of those intrepid marketing teams … it’s like they read my mind after I had been drinking too much of Two Hands Gnarly Dudes Shiraz … More articles about women and wine. You go girl!
Video: How Can you Become an Ontario Wine Specialist? IWEG Wine of-Course!
We had a lot of fun this past Sunday sipping on our favourite Ontario wines and chatting about the New Ontario Wine Specialist Certificate! Click on the arrow above to play the video. You can read the 138 comments here (and comment yourself). Share your thoughts on your favourite Ontario wines and discover which wines others love that you might want to try. Also find out how you can become a Certified Ontario Wine Specialist. Sip with you soon! P.S. If you click on the “Like” and “Share buttons on Facebook now, you’ll get the heads up when […]
Why Does Vancouver Wine Festival Need to be on Your Bucket List?
This Facebook Live Video above, we chat about the Vancouver International Wine Festival. You can click on the arrow above to play the video. We’re joined by guest wine columnist, Monique Sosa of Ottawa Family Living magazine. You’ll find our most recent live video wine tasting here: www.nataliemaclean.com/live We taste every Sunday evening at 6 pm eastern so add us to your calendar and grab a glass of wine. Click on the buttons for “Share” and “Like” on the page above to get notified when we go live. If you’d like to read the comments for this video, or make […]
Kim Crawford Cocktail Recipe: Kim Spritz
KIM SPRITZ Sponsored Post by Kim Crawford Wines A new twist on an old favourite, the Kim Spritz offers the refreshing appeal of a spritzer with the unmistakeable, mouth-watering acidity of Kim Crawford’s Sauvignon Blanc. Ingredients: 4 pieces cucumber 1/2 oz. liquid cane sugar 1/2 oz. yuzu juice 4 oz. Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 3 oz. Perrier Method: Lightly muddle the cucumber, liquid cane sugar and yuzu juice in a shaker. Add the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc and ice. Shake vigorously 8 to 10 seconds. Filter into a big glass filled with ice. Top with Perrier. Stir, garnish with a […]
Kim Crawford Pinot Noir Salad Dressing Recipe
Kim Crawford Pinot Noir Salad Dressing Recipe Sponsored Post by Kim Crawford Wines The ultimate wine pairing only takes a drizzle to dazzle. Use Kim Crawford Pinot Noir to put a flavorful flourish on seasonal salads. INGREDIENTS: Kim Crawford Pinot Noir Sugar DIRECTIONS: In a wide saucepan or skillet, combine Kim Crawford Pinot Noir with sugar (a good ratio is 3 cups wine to 1 cup sugar), bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until syrupy and reduced to about a third of the volume. Let cool, bottle, and refrigerate. You can also pour it back into the […]
