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 […]
Sparkling Wine
How to Sabre Champagne + Sparkling Wines
Leanne and I chat about sparkling wines and Champagnes for the holidays. Click on the arrow to play the video above. Napoléon visits the Moët & Chandon cellars in 1807 Napoleon is credited with inventing the sabering technique and is famous for his phrase: “In victory we deserve Champagne, in defeat, we need it.” The famous Champagne maker Veuve Clicquot, who lost her husband when she was just 27, was a wealthy young widow. She would entertain Napoleon’s officers (early day sampling program). They, in turn, tried to impress her by sabering the tops of the Champagne bottles […]
Which Wine Pairings for turkey, fruitcake or cheese?
The holiday countdown is on and Canadians are scrambling for last-minute gifts for their hosts and loved ones. Wine and food seem like a natural option at this time of year, but with thousands of bottles lining the shelves at liquor outlets, where does one begin? “I’d start with pairing the wine that you’re going to bring to go with the dinner. Wild guess, might be turkey,” says sommelier Natalie MacLean, editor of the wine review site nataliemaclean.com. She suggests a sparkling wine like Cava from Spain, a Pinot Noir from New Zealand, a dry rose from France or […]
Pairing Comfort Wines with Comfort Food (Video)
As the weather cools, we enjoy heartier dishes, including comfort food. But which wines should you pair with them? Here with her tips is Maritimer Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome Natalie. First off, are there such things as comfort wines? After much research on this topic, I concluded there were no “uncomfortable wines” since I found them all of great comfort ;) However, I found that certain wines tend to pair better with comfort food than others. Great! Tell us about your first pairing. Comfort food tends to have rich, robust flavours. […]
How to Choose the Perfect Anniversary Wines?
Cyn: Anniversaries are a time to celebrate and reflect on memories made along the way. So today we’re going to do that through wine! We’re raising a glass to season 10 with the wine expert who’s been with us from the beginning. Mel: Here to help us pick out awesome anniversary bottles is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes. Welcome, Natalie! Jess: We’re going to take a walk down memory lane with you, Natalie, to see if we can recall the wine wisdom you’ve shared with us over the years. But first, you’ve brought us […]
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 […]
Pairing Quebec and Nova Scotia Wine with Books (Video)
We’re back with more Canadian books and bottles to help you celebrate your long weekend. You can watch our previous segment with BC and Ontario books and wines here. Natalie, you’re starting with Quebec. What do you recommend? I have a zesty sparkling wine from Domaine Pelchat in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, with aromas of freshly baked bread and green apples. Domaine Pelchat Lemaître-Auger La Noce Sparkling Wine Quebec, Canada It would pair well with shellfish, spicy dishes and La Belle Bête (Mad Shadows), written by Marie-Claire Blais when she was just twenty years old. It […]
5 Best Father’s Day Book-an-Bottle Gift Sets
Father’s Day is this Sunday, and you might like to toast dad with a glass of wine or two, but what should you pair with your vino beyond BBQ? How about some terrific books? Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com. What are you recommending first? I have Hockey 365, The Second Period: More Daily Stories from the Ice by Mike Commito. Remind dad of why he loves hockey every day of the year, not just during the play-offs. Whether you are a Canadiens fan or a long-suffering […]
Prosecco’s Success Story (and Snob Disdain) with Stevie Kim of Vinitaly
Introduction How did Prosecco lead the way for many people discovering Italian wines, and then why did it get so much hate? How can “Mamma Jumbo Shrimp” help you as a wine lover? Is food or wine the main protagonist of most meals? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with the founder of Vinitaly and host of the Italian Wine Podcast, Stevie Kim. 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 […]
The Wine in Our Stars: Pairing Wine and Your Astrological Sign
On CTV’s Your Morning we had fun chatting about pairing wine with your zodiac sign. At the beginning of every new year, we often see astrological forecasts for the major events that might happen or the people we’ll meet. Why pair wine with your astrological sign? Many of us sneak a peek at astrology columns when it comes to romantic or career possibilities, and each zodiac sign has its own birthstone and flower, and, so why not a signature wine? Whether or not you believe in astrology, I think it’s a fun way to explore wine. Suzette, I think we […]
