You can access the 136 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. 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 what […]
Best Wine Pairings for Vegetarian Food + Recipes (Video)
What an amazing tasting of wines paired with delicious vegetarian recipes from Food & Drink magazine created by editors Victoria Walsh and Eric Vellend! The turnout was HUGE and the chat stream so lively (see comments further below). Add this to your calendar so you don’t miss our next event: 3 Tips for Veggie Sips Tip #1: You’re Just My Type • Consider the types of veggies in the dish: flavour, weight and texture? • Light or bold? Crisp or creamy? Mild or spicy? Tip #2: Can You Take the Heat? • Are the veggies […]
Moms Sipping Sangria and Talking Wine with Sheila Walsh and Anita MacArthur
Introduction Which hilariously named Sangria recipe should you try today? How did an unintentional restaurant order spark my passion for wine? Why should you serve Pinot Noir in a big glass? How can you safely expand your wine horizons the next time you go to a store or restaurant? What do you need to know about low-cal wines? How can you use the “wet t-shirt trick” to quickly cool a bottle of white wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by Sheila and Anita for the Moms Sipping Sangria podcast. You can find the wines […]
Taste the Season at Home with Niagara-on-the-Lake Wineries
The Covid lockdown has hit wineries particularly hard, with visits to their tasting rooms banned for months and restaurant sales down. How are they coping? What strategies are they using? How can you support these local, grassroots businesses? There’s never been a better time to drink wine and feel great about it. *** Support your local wineries this season! Click here >>> shop local wines for the holidays *** We’re going to be chatting with someone who’s at the heart of this issue in Niagara-on-the-Lake wine country. Andrea Kaiser grew up there admist the winemaking revolution fueled by […]
Risotto with Radicchio and Pecorino Cheese Recipe Paired with Monte Zovo Sa’Solin Valpolicella Ripasso
Monte Zovo Sa’ Solin Valpolicella Ripasso pairs well with this wonderful fall recipe. Risotto with Radicchio and Pecorino Cheese Ingredients for 2 people:160 g of Carnaroli rice1 radicchio1/2 vegetable stock cube1/2 glass of Monte Zovo Sa’ Solin Valpolicella Ripasso1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons of grated Pecorino cheese Fill a pot with about 400 ml of water. Add the stock cube and keep the broth hot on low heat. Cut the radicchio into strips and stir fry it in a saucepan with a tablespoon of oil for few minutes, then add the rice. Toast it, deglaze with the […]
Tagliatelle with Pumpkin and Sausage Recipe Paired with Monte Zovo Sa’Solin Valpolicella Ripasso
Monte Zovo Sa’ Solin Valpolicella Ripasso pairs well with this wonderful Fall recipe: Tagliatelle with Pumpkin and Sausage Ingredients for 2 people:200 g tagliatelle pasta400 g pumpkin pulp1 onion400 g pork sausage200 ml vegetable broth4 spoons of grated cheeseOlive oilNutmeg to taste Mince the onion, cut pumpkin into cubes and add with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the broth and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until it’s creamy. Add cheese and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Meanwhile, crumble the sausage and brown it in a pan. Cook the tagliatelle in salted […]
Family-Run Wineries v Corporate-Owned? Henry of Pelham’s Daniel Speck
Introduction What was it like being part of the budding Niagara wine scene? Why are wineries so well-suited to be family-owned? How does the terroir of the Niagara bench influence what you taste in Henry of Pelham wines? Why is Henry of Pelham so well-known for their Baco Noir? What hidden message can you find on the label of Henry of Pelham Family Tree wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Daniel Speck of Niagara’s Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery. You can find the wines we discussed here. Highlights How was Daniel’s […]
Baked Pumpkin Slices Recipe Paired with Monte Zovo Sa’Solin Valpolicella Ripasso
Monte Zovo Sa’ Solin Valpolicella Ripasso well with this wonderful fall recipe for Baked Pumpkin Slices. Baked Pumpkin Slices Ingredients:1.5 kg pumpkin20 g pumpkin seeds1 rosemary sprigSalt to tasteExtra virgin olive oil20 g flaked almondsSmoked paprikaBlack pepper Cut the pumpkin into slices, oil a baking tray and place them on. Sprinkle them with oil and chopped rosemary. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, pumpkin seeds and almonds. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 40-45 minutes. Serve with Monte Zovo Sa’ Solin Valpolicella Ripasso This post is a partnership with the team at Monte Zovo Winery, who provided the recipe. Wine reviews […]
The Shape of Wine Taste with Australia’s Wakefield Wines
Introduction How can you visualize the taste of wine in a chart? How would those charts be different for Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling and Shiraz? What makes the wines from Australia’s Clare Valley unique? What is bâtonnage and what flavours and aromas will result in the wine? How does acidity improve your tasting experience? Why is balance one of the most critical aspects of a great wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Justin Taylor and Neil Hadley of Australia’s Wakefield Wines. You can find the wines we discussed here. Highlights What was […]
The Best Croatian Wines to Try Now + Wine Regions
On CTV News, we dive into Croatian wines. Let’s first take a look at Croatia on the map and where the wine regions are. Croatia hugs the Adriatic Sea, and is neighbours with Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia and Montenegro. There are four major wine regions, but the best-known vineyards are on the Dalmatian islands planted on steep hillsides and getting lots of sunlight to ripen the grapes. Here’s a wine to help you remember that region, the Dalmatian Dog is from Dalmatia and made from the Babić grape: it’s full-bodied with dark plum flavours. […]
