Cider House Rules: Cider Food Pairings, Cocktails, Serving Tips (Video)

On CTV’s The Social yesterday, we had fun chatting about all things cider, from serving it (glassware, temperature) to pairing it with food; from cocktails to fascinating historical trivia. St. Patricks Day is this weekend and if you’re looking for an alternative to beer, why not have some cider instead? With so many different types, there’s sure to be a cider that will please your palate! Here to break them all down for us is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes.     HISTORY OF CIDER Tell us a bit about the history of cider and […]

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Wine Score Bottle Decals

   For more information on the gold score bottle decals, please email [email protected]. 15 second in-store video clip (click on the arrow above to play).   Please note: The scores that you use on the bottle stickers must be Natalie’s scores out of 100 points. Please do not use the Community Score out of 5, or convert them to a score out of 100 for the stickers.       Also available in non-metallic black and white:

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Wine and Books: Holiday Gifts – Breakfast Television

This past Thursday, we chatted about book and bottle pairings as holiday gifts on Breakfast Television. Words and wine seem like a natural pairing to me … here are my favourites. What are yours?   1. Books are Beautiful The publisher selected 30 classic works of literature and assigned each a beautiful colour. Then the editors organized them in a rainbow of words so spectacular that you’re going to want to line them up on your shelves and just look at them.               Wolf Blass Yellow Label Sparkling Brut, South East Australia, Australia: Green […]

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Gift Wines: Tips on How Not to Send the Wrong Message in a Bottle

Leanne and I chat about how to find the right gift wine for everyone on your list on CTV News.     Meanwhile, we’re chatting about the same topic with the Associated Press: Wine Gift-Giving Tips for Novice Vinophiles Trendy, tasty and one-size-fits-all, wine is a versatile holiday gift, whether you’re on your way to a house-warming or looking out for something for the in-laws. But navigating the world of wine can be a trial for the novice vinophile. Enter wine experts, who have a few tips on how not to send the wrong message in a bottle. Recon The […]

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Wine & Cheese Pairing Video: What Is Your Favourite?

Click on the arrow above to watch the video right here. Such a great discussion with lots of favourite pairings and tips! We’ll have a second chat this Wednesday, November 14th at 8 pm eastern – mark your calendar! Please note that while these two feedback sessions about pairing wine and cheese are on Facebook, the course itself will NOT be … so don’t let that stop you from joining me in the course in early December ;) You can also watch the video on Facebook, read the latest comments that keep coming in, read my answers and make a […]

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How Austria’s Gruner Veltliner Got its Groove Back

  Would you like to learn more about Austrian wines, especially its iconic grape, Gruner Veltliner? Do you know why this wine is one of the most versatile wines on the planet? That’s exactly what we’re going to learn tonight with our guest who joins me live just north of Vienna. Our guest this evening is in charge of her family’s winery, Weingut R&A Pfaffl, along with her brother, who is the winemaker and vineyard manager. Heidie Fisher Pfaffl takes care of everything else, from business administration to marketing and sales. Pfaffl Winery is one of Austria’s leading wine producers, […]

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Wine Marketing Secrets with Dr. Tim Dodd (Video)

Our guest this evening is the James Young Regents Professor of Hospitality Management, and Director of the Texas Wine Marketing Research Institute at Texas Tech University. He worked with the New Zealand grape and wine industry before becoming involved with the Texas industry in the late 1980s, serving as President and other roles within the Association. He completed his doctoral dissertation on winery tourism and continues to conduct research on marketing and economic issues related to wine. He has also published numerous articles on these topics in a variety of professional journals and has presented at various international conferences. And […]

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How the Gruner Stole Christmas: Austria’s White Wine is a Holiday Treat

By Melissa Pulvermacher It’s the most wonderful time of the year… to eat, drink and be merry! When stocking up for those holiday parties, we all have our usual go-to wine selections, but with so many options, it may just be worth your while to venture out and try something new. For this holiday, consider looking to Austria for new selections. Austria is really hitting the world stage with quality wine production and while they may not be producing mass amounts, we are now seeing more and more in our market here in Ontario and the wine is certainly worth […]

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Pairing Wine and Tomato Dishes (Video)

In the video clip above, Jeff and I chat about pairing wine with different types of tomatoes and tomato dishes. What’s your favourite pairing?   Jeff: Stores and Farmer’s Markets are lush right now with colourful products including tomatoes of every colour ripe off the vine or cooked up in a sauce. Nothing can complement a tasty dish like a great glass of wine. And here with her picks for perfect pairing is wine expert Natalie MacLean, nice to see you. Natalie: It’s great to see you, Jeff. Jeff: Now listen, before we get to the tomato, which, to me, […]

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Best Summer Wines for Barbecue + Seafood: CTV News

In part two of our regular wine chat, Leanne and I talk about the best wines for summer, whether it’s zesty whites, such as Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc, for seafood; and robust red wines, such as Shiraz, Cabernet and Malbec, for BBQs. All of my wine picks are under $20, including several that scored 90+ points. Stock up now!       Posted with permission of CTV    

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