Sommelier Astrid Young has selected our Wine Review of the Week to celebrate the Victoria Day long weekend. Contrary to appearances in the prim picture to the left, Queen Victoria adamantly opposed abstinence from alcohol, calling it a “pernicious heresy.” Her majesty’s favourite tipple? A tumbler filled half with red wine and half with whisky. No wonder why she reined so long; she was completely “preserved.” Astrid, an International Sommelier Guild (ISG) graduate and candidate for Master of Wine, has a much more modern and palatable suggestion for the long weekend, especially if grilled grub is on the menu. Astrid […]
What Will Readers Learn from Wine Witch on Fire? CTV’s Morning Show
Annette and I chat about the memoir on CTV’s Morning Show. In her new memoir, Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much, Natalie MacLean writes about resurrecting her life and career in the glamourous but sexist wine industry. Indigo has named it one of the “Most Anticipated Books of the Season.” Natalie joins us now to chat about her memoir. Welcome Natalie. So what is the book about? Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much starts with my shock when […]
Sip & Read: Uncork the Perfect Mother’s Day Wine & Book Gifts She’ll Love
Mother’s Day is this Sunday. You might like to toast mom with a glass of wine or two, but what can you pair with wine beyond flowers? How about some terrific new 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 Blank: A Novel by Zibby Owens. Pippa Jones is a 40-something writer whose first book was an instant bestseller. Now she can’t think of what to write as she faces a blank page. Her son suggests handing in […]
The Best Books & Bottles for Mother’s Day Gifts
Watch CTV News video here Mother’s Day is this Sunday. You might like to toast mom with a glass of wine or two, but what can you pair with wine beyond flowers? How about some terrific new 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 The Sugar Bowl Feud by Halifax author Gina Brown is about four grieving siblings who inherit their mother’s house full of stuff. When the oldest chooses the sugar bowl as a keepsake, sparks fly. […]
Spanish Wine Pairings + Cookbook Creation Secrets with Barbara Scott-Goodman
Introduction Why do Spanish wines pair well with earthy, savoury dishes? How does food photography affect the cost of a cookbook? How can you set yourself up for success as an aspiring food or drink writer? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with author Barbara Scott-Goodman. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Barbara Scott-Goodman’s terrific book Wine Time: 70+ Recipes for Simple Bites That Pair Perfectly with Wine. How to Win To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings May 11, 2024
You can access the wines that I reviewed as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches. If you are a Paid Member, you can add my wine picks to your custom shopping list with one click and access that list on your smartphone to find the stock for each wine in your closest LCBO store. You can also see my wine reviews for April 27th. These are just some of the benefits of supporting out wine community as a Paid Member. Inventory stock numbers are usually posted online a day or two before the release based on the LCBO doing so. Curious about […]
New Wine Memoir Takes a Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Wine World – CTV Your Morning
In her hot, new memoir, Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much, Natalie MacLean writes about resurrecting her life and career in the glamourous but sexist wine industry. Indigo has named it one of the “Most Anticipated Books of the Season.” Natalie joins us now to chat about her memoir. Welcome Natalie. So what is the book about? Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much starts with my shock when my husband of twenty years demands a divorce. My year gets […]
Challenging Wine Matches with Barbara Scott-Goodman, Author of Wine Time: 70+ Recipes for Simple Bites That Pair Perfectly with Wine
Introduction Can you pair pickled foods with wine, or will their vinegarized flavours ruin the wine? Which wines pair best with soft-shell crab? What goes into great food photography, whether in a magazine or cookbook? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with author Barbara Scott-Goodman. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Barbara Scott-Goodman’s terrific book Wine Time: 70+ Recipes for Simple Bites That Pair Perfectly with Wine. How to Win To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me […]
Mother’s Day Brunch Wine and Champagne Pairings
Jeff and I had such fun chatting about wines for Mother’s Day gifts on Canada AM, especially champagne for brunch. There’s even a “live action” shot with uncorking a sparkler. (Okay, not so much.) Here are my Top 20 Wines for Mother’s Day, either made by women or named for them. Often the latter were originally made by women. You’ll also find more suggestions in my Mother’s Day wines for Epicurious as well as for More Magazine. Jeff: It’s Mother’s Day, of course, on Sunday, and if you are planning on taking her out for brunch, you might want to […]
