Introduction Are you curious about what it takes to manage a list of 500 different wine labels at one of America’s best restaurants? Why is wine so powerful in creating memories? What is the most important role of the sommelier? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Sommelier of the Year, Tonya Pitts. 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. […]
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Pinot Noir’s Heartbreaking Beauty and Moderation Tips with Wines to Find
Introduction Which aspects of the Beamsville Bench make it particularly suited for growing grapes for wine? Why is Pinot Noir called the heartbreak grape? What are some ways for wine professionals and wine lovers to moderate their consumption? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by Sandy Dawkins and Michelle Lester, hosts of the Wines To Find podcast. 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 […]
Synthetic Wine, Alcohol-Free Wine and Sabering Champagne with Dragonvine’s Steven Laine
Introduction Can you imagine a world where there’s only synthetic wine? And what is synthetic wine anyway? How does removing alcohol impact the tasting experience? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Steven Laine, award-winning restaurateur, hotelier, and author. 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 we watch it together so that I can […]
Thriller Novel Asks: “Can You Imagine a World Without Wine?” with Steven Laine, author of Root Cause
Introduction Can you imagine a world without wine? How did an author create a new genre of wine thriller based on a winemaker’s worst nightmare? What if the root louse phylloxera that destroyed most of the European vineyards in the 1850s returned but was even more destructive? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Steven Laine, award-winning restaurateur, hotelier, and author. 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, […]
Wine and Religion + Santa Ynez Valley with Adam McHugh
Introduction What did John the Baptist, Dom Perignon and Saint Vincent have in common when it comes to wine? What makes the vineyard of Clos de Vougeot in Burgundy so fascinating? Why should you consider visiting the wine region Santa Ynez in Santa Barbara County? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Adam McHugh, author of Blood from Stone: A Memoir of How Wine Brought Me Back from the Dead. 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 […]
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Makes Wine from Stone with Blood From A Stone’s Adam McHugh
Introduction How did one man make a complete career pivot from working with dying in hospice care to living among the vines and writing about them? Why is French oak so treasured and so expensive? Which historical events led to the development of what we now know as the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Adam McHugh, author of Blood from Stone: A Memoir of How Wine Brought Me Back from the Dead. You can find the wines we discussed here. Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Video Join the live-stream […]
10 Best Syrah Wines to Buy Now + 5 Surprising Facts about Syrah
Today, February 16th is International Syrah Day #internationalsyrahday #syrahday Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape grown throughout the world, used primarily in the production of red wine. Syrah is one of the most noble and most fashionable red wine grapes in the world. You’ll find my Top 10 Syrah reviews and ratings here. 5 Surprising Facts about Syrah: 1. In 2004, Syrah was the 7th most planted varietal in the world. Today it is estimated that Syrah is now 5th most planted wine grape in the world. 2. Syrah has a long history in the Southern Rhone region of […]
Can You Lose Weight While Drinking Wine?
Do we have to give up wine if we want to shed a few pounds? No! Click on the arrow above to watch the video … On CTV’s The Social, we put this notion to the test with a fun quiz show format on calories and wine. How many answers can you get right? Three of the wines we’ll taste are marketed as “diet wines” with just 70-80 calories: SkinnyGrape, SkinnyGirl and one other, plus two ringers. Two wines are not diet wines, but are naturally low in calories. The names of two wines give them away, but […]
10 Best Zinfandel Wines to Buy Now + 5 Surprising Facts about Zinfandel
In our latest Facebook Live Video chat, we chat about the robust red wine Zinfandel. What makes it different from other red wines? How is it related to the Italian red wine Primitivo? What foods pair best with Zinfandel? What’s the group Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP) all about, and International Zinfandel Day on November 19? You can click on the arrow above to play the video. Zinfandel is a vitis vinifera red wine grape that produces deep robust wines, most famously from California. You’ll find my most recent Zinfandel reviews and ratings here. Surprising Facts about Zinfandel: […]
10 Best Pinot Noir Wines to Buy Now + 5 Surprising Facts about Pinot Noir
Leanne and I had fun chatting about Pinot Noir this past Wednesday on CTV News! I’ll be posting the wines we featured soon. Pinot Noir is a wine of great sensuality, a silky texture and seductive aromas. “God made Cabernet Sauvignon whereas the devil made Pinot Noir,” winemaker André Tchelistcheff once remarked. This thin-skinned berry is known as the “heartbreak grape” because it’s difficult to grow and is unstable even bottled. That’s why you often pay more for Pinot Noir than most other red wines. You’ll find my top 10 Pinot Noir reviews and ratings here, including pinot […]
