Salmon Dill Crepes Paired with Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc By: Shari Goodman When you need a break from the busyness of the holiday season, it’s nice to catch up over a delicious but deceivingly simple make-ahead brunch. I used to think crepes were too difficult to make home. I thought of them as something special to be ordered when dining out. But I’ve discovered that although the first crepe often ends up in the garbage, a batch of crepes is easy to make and impressive to serve guests. You can make the crepes ahead of time and store them layered […]
Wine Region
Versatile Vinho Verde: Spring Splendor in the Glass
Last night, we were joined by special guest, Pedro Costa, Head Winemaker of Aveleda Winery chatting about his Vinho Verde wines and why they’re such a great wine style for spring. This was actually a 2-part video series as I managed to melt down my computer’s CPU with multiple simultaneous broadcasting streams to Facebook Live, Twitter Live vis Periscope and YouTube Live Stream ;) You can watch part one above by clicking the arrow, then part two below. Cheers, Natalie Join us on the Sunday Sipper Club, April 9 at 6 pm eastern (Toronto time) with special guest Food Network […]
California Wine Fair + Video Tasting with Beringer Wines
Last night, we were joined by a special guest, Mark Beringer, Chief Winemaker of Beringer Vineyards, to chat about his wines as well as the latest technology that’s transforming California wines. Join us on the Sunday Sipper Club, April 2 at 6 pm eastern (Toronto time) with special guest Pedro Costa to chat about Vinho Verde wines. Tune in here for our Facebook Live Video Wine Tasting: www.nataliemaclean.com/live P.S. Click on the “Follow” and “Like” buttons on this page to get notified when we go live. You’ll find upcoming and past Live Tasting Videos here. MARK BERINGER – CHIEF […]
The Ancient Greeks Invented Invented Map Making — to Help You Find Their Wines
The ancient Greeks invented map making. They had to help people find their wines. As the third-most mountainous country in Europe, Greece’s distinct topography enables the cultivation of cool weather grapes in a warm weather climate, an unexpected attribute of Greek wines and their diverse terrior. But it can also make them hard to find. Hence, the need for maps. One of Greece’s greatest white wines comes from the Moschofilero (MOHS-koh-FEE-leh-roh) grape. If you’ve been looking for a dry Riesling but always find them too sweet, Moschofilero is for you. It has an aromatic, floral bouquet so its dryness will […]
The Ancient Greeks Invented Money — Thanks to Wine
The ancient Greeks invented money. Bring back the old days when wine was free. We don’t know who the individual was who first conceived of money, but we suspect it may have been a prescient winemaker who understood he could become rich and happy at the same time. It figures then, that if you go to some of the finest (and priciest) restaurants in the country, you’ll find wines made from the Assyrtiko (ahs-SEER-tee-koh) grape on their wine list. (British wine writer, Jancis Robinson, named Assyrtiko as the wine she would have if she could only have one.) Sign up […]
The Ancient Greeks Invented the Concept of Pairing Wine and Food Together
Last week in Toronto, I attended a terrific tasting of Greek wines, with more than 40 Greek wineries pouring more than 120 wines at the Royal Ontario Museum (thus the dino). According to the Greek embassy of economic and trade affairs, Greek wine exports to Canada are up 66% since 2010 and are also up 7.5 percent so far in 2017. Last night, we were joined by a special guest, Christina Boutari, North America Brand Ambassador of her family’s wines, to chat about them as well as the surprising changes in Greek wines. Join us on the Sunday […]
The Ancient Greeks Created the Idea of Pairing Wine and Culture
How lucky that wine and culture pair so well together Let us introduce you to wines made from the Xinomavro (ksee-NOH-mah-vroh) grape. These are wine lovers wines, for those who want to debate the great statues of ancient Grecian temples, or perhaps the writings of philosophers like Homer. Yes, it was Homer who famously said, “Sorry Marge. Some wise guy stuck a cork in the bottle.” (Same Homer, right?) Regarded by many as Greece’s best red wine, Xinomavro has many similarities to Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo producing a wine that has a nice amount of acidity. If you love wines from Burgundy […]
Ontario’s Best Sommelier to Compete for National Title
Last night, we were joined by special guest Emily Pearce-Bibona who has just been named Ontario’s Best Sommelier in a gruelling day-long competition. Click on the arrow above to watch the video. We went behind the scenes with Emily to chat about what it was like to compete (and win) in this competition hosted by the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers. Plus, she shared her expert tips on tasting and enjoying wine, including how to choose a great bottle from a restaurant list, with the help of your sommelier, of course ;) You can read 69 comments here and […]
Orange, Poppy Seed & Apricot Loaf Recipe Paired with Oyster Bay Pinot Grigio
ORANGE, POPPYSEED & APRICOT LOAF Sunshine can be fleeting, particularly in the depths of winter, which makes the bright spring flavours of the stunning 90 point Oyster Bay Pinot Grigio an absolute delight! Limited stock is now available at the LCBO so get your hands on some while you still can, and then pair it with this beautiful orange and apricot loaf. It’s incredibly moist, with crunchy poppy seeds topped with fragrant apricots and an orange glaze; the perfect accompaniment to a splash of Oyster Bay Pinot Grigio. Welcome to spring! Orange, Poppy Seed & Apricot Loaf Recipe […]
How to Taste Wine Like a Pro at a Winery or Restaurant
On CTV’s The Social yesterday, we chatted about how to get the most from your winery visit, including what to bring, what to ask and how to spit your wine. You can watch the full video here. However, when you’re at home, please don’t spit the two lovely wines that I selected for this show: Rosehall Run Pinot Noir and Viewpointe Auxerrois ;) I absolutely love it when there’s a strong reaction to any segment we do on The Social: it means we’re engaged and passionate about wine! When I mention that there shouldn’t be sediment floating around in your […]
