On Global’s Morning Television Show, I asked Carolyn and Jeff to try five terrible food and wine matches … their expressions are priceless. We chatted about why these pairings don’t work, and then how to fix them: either with the food or the wine. I can’t cook, so I go the wine route ;) However, a squeeze of lemon or a dash of salt will often help. Here are the wines and pairings we featured below. We all know that a big red wine pairs well with a steak, but what about more difficult dishes like vegetables and […]
French Wine
5 Great Holiday Books & Bottles to Give or Get
We’re back with more book and bottle pairings with Natalie MacLean. What do you have for us first? We’re starting with The Witches of Moonshyne Manor by Bianca Marais This is a magical novel about a modern-day coven of witches who are under the threat of losing their home. This is really a story about the power of sisterhood, secrets and identity. Bianca is a lyrical writer who infuses great insight and humour into her story. I should also note that Bianca will be at Perfect Books in Ottawa this Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in conversation with author, […]
How do You Choose a Wine Class or Course? (Video)
On CTV’s The Social, we chat about how to choose a wine tasting class or course. Click the arrow above to watch the segment. You can join me in my free online video class here that also tells you more about my full course, with food and wine pairing. Cheers, Natalie JESS I’ve been known to host some pretty epic wine nights – just ask anyone here! Not to brag, but it’s probably because I have a certificate in Italian wine which I got when I worked in the restaurant industry. And I found that after I started learning […]
7 Best Wine and Book Pairings: What to Drink While You Read (Video)
Alex and I had so much fun chatting about pairing bottles with books on CTV’s morning show. What’s the first pairing you recommend? We’re starting on the west coast with The New York Times bestselling memoir, Wild, by Cheryl Strayed. After Cheryl loses her mother to cancer and her own marriage is destroyed, she decides to hike the Pacific Northwest Trail, more a thousand miles, from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State alone and without any training. It’s a deeply moving story of how this young woman heals through this treacherous journey I’d pair […]
Is Chardonnay Too Cool to be the Teacher’s Pet? Video Report Card
On CTV News, we chat about Chardonnay: it’s rise to popularity, fall from grace and resurgence. We also discuss the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (i4c) and which Chardonnays you should be drinking now. Let’s start with why Chardonnay became so popular in the first place? · It’s the second most widely planted white wine grape on the planet, but the most popular among drinkers. · The most widely planted white wine grape is a Spanish workhorse grape called Airen that’s often in rustic blends, to put it politely, and it’s gradually being replaced with Chardonnay. · If Chardonnay got […]
Mature Champagne + Robert Parker’s Tasting Technique with Scott Greenberg
Introduction What’s it like tasting wines with the legendary wine critic Robert Parker? How does food take wine to the next level? What’s it like to have dinner with celebrities of the wine world? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with wine journalist and host of the Vine Guy Podcast, Scott Greenberg. You can find the wines we discussed here. Watch Party Join me for the debut Watch Party of the video of this conversation that I’ll be live-streaming for the very first time on Zoom on Wednesday, June 16th at 7 pm eastern. You can […]
Wine, Politics and Diplomatic Entertaining with Washington Post Publisher, Fred Ryan – Part 2
Introduction Only one president made his own wine and it wasn’t Thomas Jefferson. So who was it? How did Jackie Kennedy Onassis’ love of France shape White House menus? Which famous California winemaker attended a White House celebration and as a result had a falling out with his brother and started his own winery? What would surprise you about what’s in the White House wine cellar? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Fred Ryan, publisher and CEO of the Washington Post and author of Wine and The White House. You can find the wines we discussed […]
Why You Need This New Wine Label Scanner App Now (Video)
On CTV Morning Live, Stefan and I chat about how this new wine label scanner app helps you in the liquor store … … from getting instant access to wine ratings and food pairings to tracking your favourites in your virtual cellar. You can get the free app now before you go to the liquor store. Apple has just selected the app as one of the best Food & Drinks apps in the category of Wine & Cocktails … yay! Wines Featured on CTV Morning Live Colio Estate Wines Lily Sparkling […]
Back to Wine School: The Best Wine Courses (Video)
It’s that time of the year, back to school for the kids. But what about the adults? If you have a thirst to learn more about wine, you might be considering taking a wine course. But how do you choose which one is right for you, and what exactly will you learn? On Global Television’s Morning Show, Carolyn, Jeff and I chat about how to choose the right wine course for you and what you’ll learn. First off, tell us why we wouldn’t just surf the web to learn about wine? – There’s lots of free content online but it […]
Why is the Rosé Wine Revolution Happening Now? Elizabeth Gabay, Master of Wine, Knows (Video)
The tech gods weren’t cooperating with us for this chat as Liz’s audio was cutting in and out so we had a shorter chat than usual. We’ll reschedule Liz in the future. Our guest this evening is Elizabeth Gabay, And she joins me now, live from London, UK; welcome to the Sunday Sipper Club Elizabeth Gabay! Want to know who our next guests are? You can find previous episodes of the Sunday Sipper Club (SSC) and to find out who’s coming up next. . Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution With a degree in history and a […]
