Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings September 5

You can access the 107 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 August 22. 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 […]

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Pairing Wine and Cheese Pairings Like a Pro with Laura Werlin

Introduction What should you consider when pairing wine and cheese? Why is sparkling wine the perfect pairing for many cheeses? Are there red-flag flavours that signal a bad wine and cheese match? How can you develop your wine and cheese pairing palate? What can you do to make the most of your cheese and wine course when entertaining? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with James Beard award-winning author, Laura Werlin, one of the planet’s most authoritative writers on cheese and cheese and wine pairings. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Highlights […]

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The Wine Bible’s Karen MacNeil on Women and Wine

Introduction How did The Wine Bible get its name? How was it unlike any wine book of its time? What was it like as a young woman trying to break into the male-dominated New York wine scene in the 1970s? Why are there significantly fewer women than men with the Master Sommelier designation? How does wine help you to immerse yourself in other cultures? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible, former wine correspondent for the Today Show, the first Food and Wine Editor of USA Today, and […]

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Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings August 22

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 August 8. 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 my scores mean or my tasting process? Find out here. Here is […]

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Austrian Wine Sparkles with Sekt Style

Sponsored Post by the Wines of Austria Austria has outstanding wine regions, wineries – and internationally acclaimed wines. Where “Austria” is written on the outside, Austria must be inside, too; only this can guarantee the top image of Austrian products in the future and around the world. According to Austrian wine law, “Austrian wine” is defined as a wine made in Austria from grapes grown in Austria. This applies also to Austrian sparkling wine. The Austrian Sekt Day Every year, the Austrian Sekt Day is celebrated on October 22nd. That is when this high-quality domestic product is given the spotlight […]

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How to Break Wine & Food Pairing Rules? with Chris Scott

Introduction Why should you pair wine to the diner, not the dinner? Do you always have to follow the “rules” when pairing food and wine? Which fun food and wine pairing should you try with your pandemic snacking? How can you develop your aroma vocabulary? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Chris Scott, a U.K.-based sommelier who published the world’s first-ever wine podcast, the UK Wine Show and who, with his wife, Jane also founded ThirtyFifty, a company which offers fun and no-nonsense wine tastings for private and corporate events. You can find the […]

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Why Should You Take Online Wine & Food Classes? with Chris Scott

Introduction Can being a supertaster affect your preferences in alcoholic beverages? Why don’t you find a lot of wineries in Ottawa? How do online classes give you an advantage over in-person classes? How is the pandemic impacting the way you buy wine? Why should you buy wine directly from wineries? How can my Wine App help you find the best wine to pair with your food? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Chris Scott, a U.K.-based sommelier who published the world’s first-ever wine podcast, the UK Wine Show and who, with his wife, Jane also […]

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Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings August 8

    You can access the 107 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 July 25. 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 […]

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How Does a Wine’s Name Affect How Much You’ll Pay for it? with Dr. Antonia Mantonakis

Introduction How does the ease with which you can pronounce a winery name affect your perception of both the wine and its price? Are wine experts or novices more likely to assign a higher value to wines with complicated names? How do grape names affect your purchase decisions? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Dr. Antonia Mantonakis, Fellow of the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute and Professor of Marketing and Consumer Psychology at Brock University’s Goodman School of Business in St. Catharines, Ontario. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Highlights […]

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6 Tips to Make You Wine Smart Quick (Video)

1. Expensive Doesn’t Mean Better: Do you need to pay a lot to get a great wine?         Ruffino Prosecco Tuscany, Italy                   Santa Margherita Brut Valdobbiadene Superiore Prosecco Veneto D.O.C.G., Italy         2. Look for Second Labels         Woodbridge Winery Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 California, United States                 Robert Mondavi Winery Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Central Coast, California, United States           3. Quick Pairing Tip: Is the Wine ​Mouth-​Watering or  […]

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