Introduction Is a $400 wine really ten times better than a $40 one? Does the right glass really improve your wine and is it worth it when the size makes you look ridiculous? Why do wine labels matter and should the label’s look be part of every wine review? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Charles Jennings and Paul Keers, co-authors of the hilarious book I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of their terrific book, I […]
Which Wines to Drink for Summer
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’s Salad Daze: The Ultimate Guide to Pairing Wine and Vegetables
On CTV’s Your Morning Yesterday, the network’s national breakfast show, we paired wine with vegetables and spring produce. Click the video above to watch. Intro Pairing red wine with a steak is easy, but can you drink that same wine with fresh spring produce, like asparagus or artichokes? Here to tell us how to pair wine with veggies and salads is Natalie MacLean, the editor of Canada’s largest wine review site at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome Natalie Station 1 Host: Natalie, why are vegetables harder to pair with wine than say […]
Toast to Dad: Perfect Father’s Day Wine and Book Gifts
Father’s Day is Sunday, so why not toast Dad with wines that not only pair well grilled favourites, but also with some terrific new books? Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine and food pairing classes at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome Natalie. Great to be with you, Crystal! What are you recommending first? I have Farmhouse Vegetables: A Vegetable-Forward Cookbook by the award-winning chef Michael Smith from PEI. This collection of vibrant recipes is inspired by the culinary bounty of his farm at the Inn at Bay […]
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 […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings: June 7, 2025
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 May 24th These are just some of the benefits of supporting our 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 […]
Why do wine descriptors like cat’s pee alienate many wine lovers? Charles Jennings and Paul Keers answer that and more in “I Bought It So I’ll Drink It”
Introduction How does using everyday metaphors make wine writing more relatable? How has the pressure to be an expert in everything turned simple pleasures into social competition? Does buying your own wine versus getting free samples make you a better wine writer? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Charles Jennings and Paul Keers, co-authors of the hilarious book I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of their terrific book, I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. […]
How Labels on Wine and People Can be Misleading – CTV News Montreal
Most of us live our lives, as we believe things to be. We label, we judge, we make assumptions about ourselves and others. Sometimes we’re right. Often, we are wrong. We know Natalie MacLean. She joins us often to give us advice on wine, and I call her our resident bon vivant. But from a woman who makes her living studying wine labels, she will be the first to tell you that when it comes to labels. It’s complicated. Her latest book is called, Wine Witch on Fire. Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation and Drinking too Much. […]
Natural Born Beauty in a Bottle: Wachau Wine
By Rebecca Meïr-Liebman of Chef & Somm One of the most wonderful aspects of wine is that it allows us to travel the world without leaving home. From anywhere in the world, we can taste the terroir of Bordeaux, Sonoma, or the Mosel, especially when we successfully pair the cuisine of a particular region with its wine. But can we truly grasp the complexity of a wine and its terroir without actually going there, without touching the land, breathing the air and getting to know the regions’ style, tradition, and philosophy? At the risk of coming off as elitist, I […]
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: […]
