A Tale of Two Niagara Wineries: Ravine Wines Have Deep Roots

By Trish Kroeger As a relatively new lifestyle and travel photographer, the opportunities I’m about to embark on while visiting far away destinations and delightful wineries will undoubtedly be the envy of many wine connoisseurs. Luckily for me as a proud Canadian, I will never have to venture too far away from home to experience the thrill of visiting world class wineries and meeting passionate and inspirational people along the way. So it made perfect sense to me, with the imminent end of summer fast approaching, that I grab my camera and head off to the most picturesque place I […]

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How I Survived My First Facebook Live Video Wine Tasting

LIVE Facebook Video tasting wine — first one for me… thank goodness I had a drink (or three)! Find the wine reviews here: http://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks/search Posted by Natalie MacLean on Thursday, 4 August 2016   I finally did it. I took the plunge and recorded my first Facebook Live video today. No editing, no re-do, no net. Yet this was the most electric wine tasting experience I’ve ever had. I’m hooked. The comments and connection are amazing: https://www.facebook.com/nataliemaclean/videos/10157249028750284/ Click to play the video above and let me know what you think. Cheers! Join me on Facebook for my next tasting: www.facebook.com/nataliemaclean  

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796 Wine Reviews, 113 Wines, 16 Wine Writers and Sommeliers, 1 Terrific Tasting

  Canada’s top wine writers and sommeliers gathered in our national’s capital yesterday to taste through an impressive line-up of wines. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram were on fire as they posted their reviews live and shared on social media. You can get the complete list of wines here, along with their reviews and the closest liquor stores that have these wines in stock now. This list is also accessible on the wine mobile apps. Stay tuned: we’re already planning our next big tasting!     Jacky Blisson above has just returned from Napa Valley where she wrote her final papers […]

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Why Washington Wines Will Surprise You: Videos + Reviews

Recently, Canada’s top wine writers and sommeliers gathered in the nation’s capital for a spectacular tasting of Washington State wines led by head winemaker at Columbia Crest Winery, Juan Munoz Oca. This also included wines from Chateau St. Michelle, H3 and Two Hands, which are part of the winery’s portfolio. Here are their surprising insights and insider tips on discovering Washington state wines.   Heather Wall Wine Columnist, Huffington Post Canada Juan weaves a familiar story of most winemakers I have had the pleasure of meeting. Wine is in his blood and prior generations have taught him a love and respect for […]

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Is This the World’s First Crowd-Sourced Wine? You Can Vote!

As a tech geek, I love this story behind the world’s first crowd-sourced wine. Our team member, Lori Kilmartin, does a fabulous job of sharing it from our tasting of Washington wines recently.   Lori Kilmartin Sommelier & Blogger I really enjoyed hearing about the “Crowd-Sourced Cabernet” program that Juan launched in 2014. As the location of the winery in Paterson, Washington is a bit off the beaten path, visitors were not as plentiful as at other wineries. Juan wanted a way to share the winery and the experience of making wine with others, so he came up with this unique idea. […]

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Best Bottles for Outdoor Dining: Wines for the Wet & Wild

By Rebecca Meïr-Liebman of Chef & Somm A couple of posts ago, I wrote about the best wines for summer entertaining – well, I have a bit more to say about the joys of summer sipping. Here’s Part Two, enjoy! Dip and Sip – The Pool Party Crunchy, oily, salty chips and hot dogs with all the fixin’s are so much fun under the sun, especially poolside! My preference is to wash this super-casual stuff down with an ice cold beer or cider, but there are a few playful wines practically made for chillaxin’ by the pool!   Adamo Estate Winery Rosé, Hockley […]

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Mozzarella Spring Rolls Recipe Paired with Gabbiano Chianti Classico

Mozzarella Spring Rolls Recipe Serve with Gabbiano Chianti Classico Ingredients Spring roll wrappers Sundried Tomato paste, drained of the oil Pickled Peppers, julienne Prosciutto slices, very thin Galbani Mozzarella cut into 3 ½ inch logs ½ inch thick Basil leaves Black pepper Vegetables Oil for frying Directions: Lay the spring roll wrap and lay a slice of prosciutto in the center and spread some tomato paste on it, place a piece or two of pickled peppers and a log of mozzarella on it, wrap like a spring roll and seal the edges with a brushing of water. Deep fry at […]

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Garden Variety Wines: The Best Bottles for Outdoor Dining

By Rebecca Meïr-Liebman of Chef & Somm Spring and summer means outdoor parties – casual barbecues to white-glove garden soirées – and there’s a perfect wine for every al fresco occasion. Flip Flops and Fine Wine – The BBQ When food is smoky and beefy, you might automatically think of an oaky Cabernet Sauvignon, but let’s not forget how hot and humid it can be, so a nicely chilled, oaky white wine or slightly chilled lighter red – may be just the thing! An oaky white – think Norman Hardie Chardonnay or La Crema Chardonnay will complement smoky, grilled chicken, […]

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Delicious Galbani Cheese Recipes and Wine Pairings

Caprini Salad with Galbani Fresh Mozzarella A delicious, fresh recipe that can be made in minutes. Enjoy as an appetizer or side dish. Ingredients 8 oz. Galbani Fresh Mozzarella Ball 3 Vine Ripe Tomatoes Yellow Pear and Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half 1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced Capers, chopped 1 Lemon Zest Oregano Garlic Basil Olive Oil Lemon Juice Salt and Pepper, to taste Wine Pairing Gabbiano Pinot Grigio Directions 1. Cut the vine ripe tomatoes into quarters and arrange on salad plates with sliced cherry tomatoes and yellow pear tomatoes. 2. Scatter sliced onions. 3. Slice Galbani Mozzarella Ball […]

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Balderson Cheddar Cheese and Wine Pairings: Spot On!

Cheese expert Cecilia Smith and I had so much fun filming this spot for Balderson Cheddar. Of course, we had to be thorough with our research and played with various wine and cheese pairings throughout the day of the shoot. This spot airs on, and is posted with permission from:  The Food Network, The Lifestyle Network, Home & Garden Television, W Network and other channels.     I was fascinated with the production behind a 30-second spot: it took all day. The film crew were pros. Although I was ready to drop at the end of the day, it was […]

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