We had such fun chatting about spring and summer wines on CTV’s The Social yesterday! Are the wines we drink in the winter that different from the ones we drink in the spring and summer? · Yes, most people’s drinking habits change with the seasons. · We typically drink heavy, alcoholic, heavily oaked wines in the winter because they comfort us and keep us warm. · “Drink what you like” remains in effect no matter the weather, but for most people, lighter drinking in the summer generally means more consumption of white wines. LIGHT & COLD This […]
Wine Video
Video: Why is Rosé One of the Fastest Growing Wine Categories?
One of the fastest growing categories in the liquor store is rosé wine. Here to tell us why and which ones we should buy is Natalie MacLean, the editor of Canada’s most popular wine review site at nataliemaclean.com – why has rosé had such a bad reputation in the past? – how are modern rosés different in terms of how they taste? – how are they different in terms of how they’re made? – you’ve brought some today: which regions should we be looking for in the liquor store? – how are Canadian rosés different from French ones? – is […]
Stories Behind Family-Owned Canadian Wineries (Video)
Welcome back. The long weekend is almost here and if you’re looking for vino to sip on, our next guest has you covered with her amazing recommendations! Here to highlight some family-owned vineyards from across the country is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes. Hi Natalie! Natalie, we love getting your wonderful wine recommendations but before we get to talking about the specific vineyards you’re going to highlight today, can you tell us a bit about the wine production in Canada? • There are four major regions in Canada that produce wines made from grapes: […]
How to Pair Wine with Any Hamburger (Video)
On Global Television’s Morning Show Thursday, we paired wine with many types of hamburgers. Nothing says summer like a juicy two-fisted burger and beer – it’s casual and a good pairing. But what if you want wine with your patti? Wine is also a great pairing, but we think it’s too fancy for the backyard and burgs. However it’s not, and it has a wide range of flavours and styles for the imaginative burgers we have here today. The Daniel – Vegan Patty Grilled onions, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, crushed hot peppers, spicy vegan sauce. In the beginning, Shant […]
Which Wine Pairs Best with Each Stage of a Relationship?
Have you ever wondered which wines pair best with the roller coaster of romance? From first dates to final goodbyes, we’re exploring wines that match every stage of your love life. Joining us today is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular wine review site at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome, Natalie. Great to be back with you! My motto for Valentine’s Day is candy is dandy and liquor is quicker – but wine is divine. Let’s start with first dates. What wine would you recommend for those nerve-wracking initial encounters? Lenz Moser Gruner […]
10 Best Merlot Wines to Buy Now + 5 Surprising Facts about Merlot
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? […]
Pairing Wine and Halloween Treats (Video)
We shared lots of laughs (cackles?) on CTV’s The Social! The hosts chose the theme of a Royal Halloween, so Lainey dressed as Prince George, Cyn was Daenerys from Game of Thrones, Mel was Megan Markle and Marci was Queen Ramonda from the Black Panther movie. I channeled my inner (royal) wine witch and brought my broom shtick to the show. What a hoot we had together! Here are the tips, tricks and wines we discussed … Something a bit scary happens on Halloween: we’re surrounded by lots of treats, but will they pair well with our wine? Here, with […]
5 Best Canadian Cookbooks Paired with 4 Fabulous Wines
Click on the image above to play the video The Taste Canada Awards gala takes place this evening in Toronto. It’s known as the Oscars for Canadian food and wine writing. Here to toast five of the nominated books is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome Natalie! I have to say that things are really heating up for this culinary competition tonight. The writers are simmering with anticipation, and some are even cooking up schemes to curry favour with the judges. Back to you, Mer. Ha! Which wine are […]
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 […]
Video: Wine + Cheese > Who Wore It Best? Perfect Pairings
Wine and cheese: two of life’s greatest pleasures … On CTV’s The Social, we search for the perfect pairing with a fun take on the fashion quiz: Who wore it best? Which one of two wines paired best with a particular cheese? Find out who got it right and who didn’t ;) 7 Unusually Great Wine & Cheese Pairings Guide Here are the wines we featured on the show … see links below for reviews and to find them in your local liquor store. Cheddar Hard cheeses like cheddar become not just stronger, but […]
