Introduction Which wineries are leading the way with vegan wines? How are some restaurants expanding into innovative vegan or vegetarian menus? What makes Riesling so versatile, especially with vegan dishes? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Jennifer Huether and Priya Rao, authors of The Social Herbivore: Perfect Pairings For Plant-Based Cuisine. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway One of you is going to win a copy of Priya Rao & Jennifer Huether’s terrific book, The Social Herbivore: Perfect Pairings For Plant-Based Cuisine – the first book ever on plant-based food and wine matching. […]
Wine Trends
What Are Vegan Wines & Are They Better for You with Jennifer Huether and Priya Rao
Introduction Are vegan wines better for our health? What three aspects of a wine determine whether it’s vegan or not? How can you identify whether or not a wine is vegan by looking at the label? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Jennifer Huether and Priya Rao, authors of The Social Herbivore: Perfect Pairings For Plant-Based Cuisine. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway One of you is going to win a copy of Priya Rao & Jennifer Huether’s terrific book, The Social Herbivore: Perfect Pairings For Plant-Based Cuisine – the first book ever […]
The Golden Rule to Buy Burgundy & Avoid High Prices with Raymond Blake, Author of Côte d’Or
Introduction How did the French region of Burgundy come to the world’s attention as a wine region in the first place? What’s the golden rule for buying Burgundy, especially Pinot Noir? What’s behind the sometimes eye-watering stratospheric prices of Burgundian wines? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with one of Ireland’s leading wine writers, Raymond Blake. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway One of you is going to win a copy of On Burgundy: From Maddening to Marvellous in 59 Wine Tales, to which Raymond Blake contributed three essays. Two of you will […]
Women Drive Wine Sales Up: Liquid Profits
A recent Globe & Mail report says that women have been driving wine sales up over the past decade. As a woman who writes about wine, it doesn’t surprise me given that wine is the drink of conversation, to be savored and enjoyed with friends over dinner rather than knocked back as shots in a bar. I get several hundred e-mails every day from the 326,000 subscribers to my wine e-newsletter, many of them from women asking about how to pair wine with food or how to serve it (glass, temperature etc). Women are still largely the the social planners, […]
Women’s Wines: Are They Pink Plonk?
Pretty in pink is a common theme. As are images of stilettos, vamp red lips, long limbs and sexy cocktail parties. In a bid to corner the chick wine market while at the same time helping women overcome their supposed fear of buying wine, wineries around the globe are tarting up their labels with a wink towards debaucherous girls’ nights out – rebranding or creating new blends with names such as Strut, Bitch and Pink. “I’m always skeptical of marketing-driven wines,” says Natalie MacLean, editor of Canada’s largest wine review site. “Authentic wine has its roots in the ground, not […]
Men Versus Women Winemakers: Battle of the Bottles?
In honour of International Women’s Day, we chatted with one of Canada’s best winemakers, Ann Sperling, who just happens to be a woman ;) You can click on the arrow above to watch our interview. You can also read more than 75 comments here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/natdecants/posts We discussed Ann’s pioneering work with biodynamic and organic viticulture, her various vineyards across Canada and in Argentina, and her own approach to winemaking. Want to get one of Ann’s wines? You have a wide choice: Southbrook, Versado, Sperling Vineyards and she has consulted for Benjamin Bridge. You’ll also find the specific wines we tasted […]
Changes in Burgundy and Untangling a Complicated Region with Raymond Blake, Author Breakfast in Burgundy
Introduction Why is Pinot Noir considered the holy grail of wine? What makes the French region Burgundy so complicated, and how can we untangle it? What would surprise and delight you about how both the wine and the region have changed in the past five years? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with one of Ireland’s leading wine writers, Raymond Blake. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway One of you is going to win a copy of On Burgundy: From Maddening to Marvellous in 59 Wine Tales, to which Raymond Blake contributed […]
Best Sommelier Questions and How the Shape of Wine Acidity is Revealing with Vanessa Price
Introduction Why do the wines change when you’re pairing them with kale versus other greens? Why should you avoid storing wine in the fridge? What’s the best question you can ask a sommelier in a restaurant? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Vanessa Price, the author of Big Macs and Burgundy: Wine Pairings for the Real World and the wine expert for The TODAY Show. 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 […]
What’s Hot in the World of Wine? Latest Trends (Video)
The hosts of CTV’s The Social and I had great fun chatting about hot, new wine trends. Have you tried any of these wines? Let me know in the comments. What’s heating up in the world of wine this summer? What should we be thinking—and drinking—when it comes to wine? Our next guest is here with the trends to look out for this summer. Joining us now is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine and food pairing classes at nataliemaclean.com. Let’s start with the first type of wine that’s trending right now: orange wines. What […]
Creative Wine Pairings with Circus Peanuts, Cheetos and Twinkies with Vanessa Price, Author of Big Macs and Burgundy
Introduction Have you ever wondered which wine pairs best with your favourite guilty pleasure snack? Why are Cheetos and Twinkies great for learning about food and wine pairing? How can everyday foods encourage you to try wines you may have otherwise avoided? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Vanessa Price, the author of Big Macs and Burgundy: Wine Pairings for the Real World and the wine expert for The TODAY Show. 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 […]