Merlot became a brand name wine in the 1980s because of its smooth, rich, easy-drinking flavors and texture. It has less acidity and astringency (that furry mouth feeling from tannins) than many other grapes and a medium-body that appeals to many palates. Reif Estate Winery First Growth Merlot Niagara River, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada You’ll find my Top 10 Merlot reviews and ratings here. Merlot has since been somewhat vilified, like Chardonnay, for being boring: the soft jazz of the wine world. Remember Miles’ scorn for Merlot in the movie Sideways? […]
Merlot
Fall Wines: A Warming Taste Trend
Wine styles are as seasonal as clothing. In the summer, I drink light, refreshing wines that remind me of a simple T-shirt and shorts: perfect for sun-baked beaches and country road strolls. But in the fall, my wine, like my clothes, becomes warmer, more layered and better able to combat those cool winds of October. In the video above, Leanne and I chat about fall fashions in wine, from the run-way to your dining room table. The wines featured in this show include: Robert Mondavi Private Selection Chardonnay, California Toasted Head Chardonnay, California Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon, California Santa […]
Fall Wines: Grapes, Regions and Food Pairings: BNN Video
In the video above, we discuss the best wines of fall food pairings from around the world on the Business News Network (BNN). You don’t have to pay a lot to get great value in your glass these days. Click on the arrow above to play the video and find out which wines over-deliver on their price point. Pamela: As the season changes your wine list should change too. We could all use some tips on picking a good bottle of wine, with great value. I caught up with Natalie MacLean who is a wine writer and also author of […]
8 Best California Wines to Drink Now
A new crop of Californian wines are hitting liquor store shelves this month. Here to tell us about which ones we should look for is Natalie MacLean, who offers North America’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com. Give us an overview of California wine, Natalie. California wine country is vast, stretching from the Oregon border in the north, down to Mexico in the south: wine grapes grown in 49 of California’s 58 counties. California accounts for more than 80%of U.S. wine production and is the fourth leading wine producer in the world. That said, many wineries are […]
Easy Entertaining with Wine and Cheese (Video)
In the second segment, Leanne and I talk about chat about what makes wine and cheese pop on a plate visually, and how to mix textures, tastes and flavours. You can watch our first video segment on wine and cheese pairing here. Pasqua Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie Veneto DOC, Italy Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand Miguel Torres Chile Las Mulas Sauvignon Blanc Central Valley, Chile […]
Summer Smoked Cheese Platter Recipe Paired with Shiraz, Merlot
Pool-Side Pickers Backyard pool parties are the best. But staying in the sun all day can leave you and your guests fatigued and most of all, hungry. If you find yourself hosting or invited to a backyard bash, serve something that’s always a satisfying crowd pleaser: a delicious Canadian cheese platter. Of course, when preparing the perfect platter there are questions that arise, like which cheeses should you serve and which wine pairings work best with them? That’s why I’ve compiled a list of my summer go-to’s that will satisfy the most discerning palettes. So here it is, my list […]
9 Best Napa Valley Wines to Drink Now
On CTV news, Leanne and I chat about terrific Napa Valley wines at the LCBO. You can watch our first chat about California wines on CTV News here. We’re narrowing our focus on Napa Valley wines in this segment. Tell us about this region. What would surprise us about Napa Valley? It’s the most famous wine growing region in the U.S. but it’s actually tiny, producing just 4% of Californian wine and only 0.4% of the world’s wine production. The valley floor is just 30 miles long and just 5 miles at its widest point. […]
California Wines: Grapes, Styles, Regions and What to Buy
On CTV News, Leanne and I chat about why Californian wines are among the most popular at the liquor store. You can also watch our second chat about Napa Valley wines here. How the wildfires impacted California wineries? Thankfully, 2021 is a “drama free harvest.” It’s small but mighty, as drought is the defining feature in Napa and Sonoma, as it was the third-driest year in more than a century, and the stress has meant fewer grapes. But drought also causes smaller grapes with more concentrated flavor and tannins. People talk about intense aromas and depth, […]
Pairing Wine & Creative Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Carolyn, Jeff and I chat about pairing wine and grilled cheese sandwiches for Canada Day on the national edition of Global Television’s Morning Show. These aren’t your ordinary grilled cheese sammies: step it up on July 1 or 4, and create one of these for yourself and for your guests. Loblaw’s Executive Chef, Mark Russell, created these terrific grilled cheese sandwich recipes. The accompaniments are part of Loblaw’s From Our Chef line. Here are my favourite Canadian wines that I’ve tasted recently, plus wines from around the world in the spirit of international peace and diversity through food and drink! […]
Wine Paired with Fast Food: CTV’s The Social Video
We had so much fun pairing wine with fast food this past Friday on The Social, CTV’s new national talk show in the video. Think “The View”, but with smarter hosts and a much stronger social media angle. Hosts Melissa Grelo, Lainey Lui, Traci Melchor and Cynthia Loyst all have impressive backgrounds with other successful shows. I’m honoured to be their new wine go-to gal on the show. Jackson-Triggs Entourage Grand Reserve Brut Sparkling Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada You can also watch our second episode where we do a […]
