Our video chat features social media tips for the wine industry from Marc Saltzman, tech columnist for the Toronto Star, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, CNN and Gear Guide, viewed by 6-7 million people every week at Cineplex movie theatres across the country. What about the concern that many wineries have: they don’t have the time to do it or the budget to hire someone? What’s the real upside in being on social media, especially if you already have a web site? How do you know which social media channels to focus on? Is it all about Twitter […]
LCBO Best Wines: Gnarly Head Zinfandel, Oyster Bay Pinot Noir Vintages September 14
Here are my top wine picks from the September 14 Vintages Release. VIP Members can access all 53 wines that I reviewed as a text shopping list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches and the stock for each bottle in their closest LCBO stores. Stock numbers are usually posted online a day or two before the release based on the LCBO doing so. You can also see the September 28 LCBO Vintages reviews. They can also add my wine picks to their custom shopping list with one click and access that list on their smartphone. This is […]
Monterey and Egg Pita Pocket Recipe with Niagara Riesling
Back to School Lunches for All You’re ready to send your wee ones back to school, but now comes the part most parents dread: packing lunches. Fret not, I found the perfect recipe to make your life just a little easier. The thing I love most about this recipe for Monterey and Egg Pita Pockets is that you can use them for your kids’ lunches and for your own lunch as well. Made with delicious Canadian Monterey Jack, children will love these bite-size pockets. Not to mention that they’re a breeze to prepare. This means you’ll have extra time to […]
LCBO Wines: Australia Shiraz, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Niagara Chardonnay Vintages September 28
Here are my top wine picks from the September 28 Vintages Release, the most quoted Canadian source of reviews in this release. VIP Members can access all 80 wines that I reviewed as a text shopping list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches and the stock for each bottle in their closest LCBO stores. Stock numbers are usually posted online a day or two before the release based on the LCBO doing so. You can also see the September 14 LCBO Vintages reviews. They can also add my wine picks to their custom shopping list with one […]
Is it You or the Wine? How to Identify Wine Faults
Eyes closed, you breathe deeply, searching for the exotic aromas of pinot noir in your glass. Instead, an acrid smell jabs its way up your nose. This is not the essence of fleshy cherries rolling across on a bed of violets you were expecting. It’s more like burnt matches. Is it you or the wine? It’s probably the wine, but how can you be sure, especially when you’re debating whether or not to send the bottle back in a restaurant? Just as wine can absorb and exude exotic aromas, it can also pick up and give off pungent odours. The […]
Wine of the Week: Menage A Trois Red, California
Friday’s advice: If you have to ask if it’s too early to drink wine … you’re an amateur and we can’t be friends. This quote seemed most fitting for the saucy name on this red that delivers more than just a smile in the bottle. Cheers, Natalie Sale Ends: September 15, 2013 Sale Price: $15.95 | Save: $2.00 (Usually $17.95) Natalie’s Score: 90/100 Menage A Trois Red California Don’t buy it for the whimsical name: buy it because it’s good! Loaded with black fruit and dark chocolate aromas. Smooth and full-bodied with a lovely juiciness for many dishes. A blend […]
Three Cheese Caribbean Rice Recipe Paired with Sparkling Wine
The Caribbean is Closer Than you Think It’s definitely getting as hot as the Caribbean, so why not bring the flavour of the Carribean to your home as well? This savoury recipe for Three Cheese Caribbean Rice is the perfect main for a Caribbean-themed bash. And with savoury jalapeno-flavoured Canadian Havarti, Old Canadian Cheddar, and creamy Canadian Gouda, it will have your guests’ palettes dancing on first taste. A great wine to complement the cheesy flavour of the rice is a Hungarian wine called Hungaria Grand Cuvée Brut. While not from the Caribbean, its zesty lemony flavour will balance out […]
Canada’s Wine Trends and Regions: Lang and O’Leary Exchange
Join me tonight on CBC’s Lang and O’Leary Exchange, the national television news program with hosts Amanda Lang and Kevin O’Leary (also of Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank). We’ll be chatting at 4:20 pm EST about trends in the Canadian wine industry as well as emerging new regions to watch from the perspective of Canada’s largest wine site and social media community. Speaking of Kevin O’Leary, you may find this Google + Video interview to the left with him about his own wines of interest. He’s definitely the “merchant of truth” even when it comes to wine ;) Enjoy your […]
Wine of the Week: Malivoire Guilty Men Red, Ontario
This wine of the week shouldn’t spark any feelings of guilt, especially given the price. Cheers, Natalie Sale Ends: September 15, 2013 Sale Price: $13.95 | Save: $1.00 (Usually $14.95) Natalie’s Score: 89/100 Malivoire Wine Company Guilty Men Red V.Q.A., Niagara Peninsula, Ontario An incredibly tasty wine for the money! Wow. Luscious aromas and flavours of fleshy ripe plums and dark berries fill the glass and your senses. There’s some smoky cherries on the finish that make you sidle up closer to the bottle for a top up. Wonderfully supple! Guilty Men Red food pairings: grilled meats, roasted poultry, vegetarian […]
LCBO Best Wines: Henry of Pelham and Oyster Bay Pinot Noir, Elderton Shiraz Vintages August 31
Here are my top wine picks from the August 31 Vintages Release. VIP Members can access all 53 wines that I reviewed as a text shopping list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches and the stock for each bottle in their closest LCBO stores. Stock numbers are usually posted online a day or two before the release based on the LCBO doing so. They can also add my wine picks to their custom shopping list with one click and access that list on their smartphone. This is one of the benefits of becoming a VIP Member. I’ve […]
