No other holiday celebrates the gift of wine like Thanksgiving. But which wines to pair with turkey and all the side dishes? Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine pairing classes at nataliemaclean.com What’s your top tip when it comes to pairing wine with Thanksgiving dinner? Wine is a taste of the harvest along with all the delicious dishes on the table. But actually choosing a bottle can feel like a thankless task, especially with so many flavors to match from sweet creamed corn to more bitter greens and veggies, plus […]
British Columbia Wine
How to Choose the Best Wine Class or Course
Back to Wine School Now that the kids have headed back to school, let’s chat about how the adults have changed the way they learn about wine, especially with online courses. It’s a virtual world of wine learning at your fingertips. Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome, Natalie Great to be here! First, tell us why online wine courses have become so popular? Online courses offer the best of both worlds: they’re accessible to everyone no matter where you live, they’re more comprehensive than a […]
5 Wines to Toast St. Patrick’s Day and Their Lucky Pairings
St. Patrick’s Day is often celebrated with a pint or two, but what if you love wine? Here to chat with us about the best pairings for Irish food and classic dishes is Natalie MacLean who offers North America’s most popular online wine classes. Hi Natalie. Is there a wine that pairs with corned beef and cabbage? This begs the question: Can we skip the corned beef and cabbage and just have wine? My Irish grandmother is probably turning over in her grave. Traditional matches for this meal usually include Irish stout, like Guinness. But what about wine? Corned […]
Sparkling Wine from Cava to Cremant: Festive Fizz
Sparkling wines and champagne for New Year’s Eve is our topic in the CTV News clip above. Here’s a list of the bubblies we discussed, including cava from Spain, cremant from France and sparkling wines from Canada and the US. Let me know which sparkling wine you’re opening for New Year’s Eve in the comments below. You can get a shopping list with my top sparkling wines showing the stock at your closest liquor stores when you join as a VIP Member. Girls Night Out Sparkling Wine Ontario V.Q.A. Clean, crisp and refreshing: this is a terrific […]
Pairing Wine with Weird Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes (Video)
You may have some wines in mind for your Thanksgiving roast turkey, but what should you drink with non-traditional recipes, like turducken or deep-fried turkey? That’s what Lindsey and I chat about on CTV’s Your Morning, the country’s national breakfast show. Let’s start with beer can turkey. What is it and which wines should we have with this dish? So for this wonderfully weird recipe, you sit the turkey on a beer can on a grill, which results in a moist meat, and a crispy, satin-brown skin. Of course, you could pair this dish with beer since you cooked with […]
Perfect Pairings for Thanksgiving with Quails’ Gate Wines
The post is sponsored by Quails’ Gate Winery Nothing says harvest season like giving thanks over a large gathering of friends and family. This Thanksgiving we at Quails’ Gate Winery are thankful for a rich harvest from our vineyard and for you! To celebrate the season, we’ve compiled a list of perfect harvest pairings. These pairings can be your guide as you begin to plan and enjoy gatherings, feasts and being together. Below are 12 harvest-inspired meals and their corresponding wine pairings. Together these perfect food and wine experiences will have you satiated, satisfied and maybe even surprised! Pairing […]
Why Open That Special Bottle Tonight + Smell’s Role in a Full Life with Jim Duane
Introduction Why should you open that bottle of wine you’ve been saving? What makes Icewine such a difficult and expensive wine to produce? Why is the sense of smell such an important part of living a full life? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by Jim Duane, winemaker and host of the Inside Winemaking 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 YouTube Live Video. […]
Wine Stories, Food Pairings, and Canadian Wines with Inside Winemaking’s Jim Duane
Introduction What is it really like to be a wine industry insider? How can stories help you to learn? What makes Riesling one of the most food-friendly wines? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by Jim Duane, winemaker and host of the Inside Winemaking 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 YouTube Live Video. I’ll be jumping into the comments as we watch it […]
A Call for Canadian Wines: Let Them Move Coast to Coast Glorious and Free
On Canada Day, many of us raise a glass of local wine to celebrate. But which Canadian wines will make your July 1st memorable? Here, with her picks for you, is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine and food pairing classes at nataliemaclean.com. Hello Natalie. Before we dive into these wines, tell me where the Canadian wine industry stands today and how has it fared during the lockdown? – There are now more than 800 wineries now from coast to coast in Canada. – Great selection of wine from coast to coast, wine is made in every […]
Hate Valentine’s Day? There’s a Wine for That Too
This is one of a series of chats we had yesterday on the CBC drive-home shows across the country. I liked this one in particular with host Sue Smith of Homerun in Quebec because she has a great sense of humour. Sue also wanted recommendations for those who hate Valentine’s Day … I was happy to oblige along with the food pairing suggestion of heart-shaped cookies that you break into small bits first with a hammer. Now that we’ve launched the inventory of SAQ wines on the site, along with the LCBO, BC Liquor Stores and the first […]
