Watch CTV’s Morning Live video here Editor’s Note: You’ll find more media coverage for the book here. Looking for a sizzling summer read? In her new memoir, Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much, Natalie MacLean writes about resurrecting her life and career in the glamourous but sexist wine industry. The book has just become a national bestseller. Welcome Natalie. So what is the book about? Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much starts with my shock when my husband of […]
Ontario Wine
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings March 4, 2023
You can access the wines that I reviewed as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches. If you are a Paid Member, you can add my wine picks to your custom shopping list with one click and access that list on your smartphone to find the stock for each wine in your closest LCBO store. You can also see my wine reviews for February 18th. These are just some of the benefits of supporting out wine community as a Paid Member. Inventory stock numbers are usually posted online a day or two before the release based on the LCBO doing so. Curious […]
Pairing Romantic Movies and Wine for Valentine’s Day
On CTV News, Leanne and I chat about pairing wine with romantic movies for Valentine’s Day. Got a favourite that we didn’t include? Pairing Romantic Movies and Wine for Valentine’s Day Michael: As we look ahead to Valentine’s Day you may be interested in some wine pairings. Leanne Cusack and a very special guest aren’t suggesting pairings with food though, very interesting. Leanne: Not the typical at all, Michael. And not just wine and chocolate because Natalie MacLean, wine writer extraordinaire says, “Too ordinary for you right now”. Natalie: Exactly! Been there, done that. It’s time to pair wine with romantic movies […]
Best Bubbly for New Years? There’s a Wine for That
In our continuing holiday wine series with Canadian Press (CP), we chat about great sparkling wines for New Year’s Eve. You don’t have to go for Champagne, even though this is the traditional treat. There are terrific options from around the world, including Spanish Cava, Italian Prosecco and sparkling wine from Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the United States, among many other regions. Natalie MacLean, editor of Canada’s largest wine review site at www.nataliemaclean.com, chooses her favourite sparkling wines: Kim Crawford Small Parcels Fizz Sparkling Wine Marlborough, New Zealand […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings December 3, 2022
You can access the wines that I reviewed as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches. If you are a Paid Member, you can add my wine picks to your custom shopping list with one click and access that list on your smartphone to find the stock for each wine in your closest LCBO store. You can also see my wine reviews for November 19th. These are just some of the benefits of supporting out wine community as a Paid Member. Inventory stock numbers are usually posted online a day or two before the release based on the LCBO doing […]
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, […]
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 […]
6 Great Niagara VQA Wines to Drink + Visit
As we enter fall, there’s never been a better time to explore local wines and wineries. Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean who offers North America’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome Natalie. First tell us why it’s a great time to explore Niagara wines. – Delicious and pair well with fall dishes – Fall harvest is beautiful time to visit the region – Support local producers, Every bottle of Canadian wine made from Canadian grapes contributes about $80 to the economy versus $18 for an import. $11.6 billion to the economy with spin […]
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 […]
Pairing Canadian Wine with Salmon, Crab, Lobster (Video)
The long weekend is coming up, and you might be celebrating with a glass of Canadian wine or two, but what should you pair with your vino? Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com So we’re going to start on the west coast Natalie. What do you recommend? We’ll start with this lovely, zesty Sauvignon Blanc from Red Rooster Winery, nestled high above Okanagan Lake on the Naramata Bench in the Okanagan Valley. It has crisp, fresh aromas of lime zest and lemon sunshine. Red […]
