Introduction This Sunday is Father’s Day, so I’m going to get downright practical on this episode with some terrific gift wines suggestions that you can buy dear old dad. Now I recognize not everyone celebrates Father’s Day for various reasons. Mine was that my father was an alcoholic, and my mother left him when I was two years old. However, I had a wonderful grandfather and several other men in my life who were inspirational role models. I think of them on Father’s Day. So, how do you choose the perfect gift bottle? And is there such a thing as […]
The Wine Bible with Karen MacNeil Video
Our guest this evening is Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible! Note: The audio and visual are out of sync (thanks Facebook!) but the interview is well worth listening to … just close your eyes ;) Want to know who our next guests are? You can find out here and previous episodes of the Sunday Sipper Club (SSC) . The former wine correspondent for the Today Show, the first Food and Wine Editor of USA Today, and she has been published in more than 50 newspapers and magazines including The New York Times, Town & Country, […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings June 8
You can access the 122 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 25, 2019 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 […]
Gripping Wine Stories with San Francisco Chronicle Wine Columnist Esther Mobley
Introduction In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we’re chatting with Esther Mobley, on the gripping stories that catapulted her to become the columnist for one of the most prestigious wine columns in North America, the San Francisco Chronicle, at just 24 years of age. Enjoy! Highlights How did Esther’s college admissions essay end up in the New York Times? Why did Esther decide to spend her gap year working at a vineyard? What experiences from the vineyard in Napa piqued Esther’s interest in the wine world? Should wine writers all experience winemaking? What came next for […]
Wine & War: The Vinous Insurrection
Introduction Welcome back for Part Two of an audio essay to celebrate National Wine Day, this past Saturday, May 25. Most of what I’m going to share with you today is based on a magazine piece about wine and civility that I wrote two months after 9/11. On this episode we’re looking at the role wine has played in some of the greatest conflicts our world has ever seen from French winemakers’ fight against the Nazi wine trade, to the impact of 9/11 on the US wine economy. If you missed part one, please go back and have a listen […]
Wine for Normal People with Elizabeth Schneider (Video)
Our guest this evening is the award-winning host of one of the popular wine podcasts, Wine for Normal People. She’s also a Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers, a Certified Specialist of Wine by the Society of Wine Educators, and co-founder of Underground Wine Events, which brings together wine lovers with terrific, small wineries, and a public speaker on wine around the US. She’s the author of the forthcoming book, Wine For Normal People, to be published by Chronicle Books this November 2019. She also holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings May 25
You can access the 115 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 11, 2019 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 […]
Pairing Wine and Yoga to Unwined with Morgan Perry
Introduction In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we’re chatting with Morgan Perry who pairs wine and yoga in her Vino Vinyasa classes. More than marketing or whimsy, it’s actually rooted in a holistic lifestyle philosophy. Enjoy! Highlights Why did Morgan decide to pair wine and yoga? What is a yoga vinyasa class experience like? What are vinyasa and shavasana? Why does Morgan believe yoga enhances the wine tasting experience? How has Morgan wine-ified some of the yoga poses for her classes? Are Morgan’s classes tailored to the type of wine being tasted? What are Morgan’s thoughts […]
National Wine Day Prompts These Thoughts
Introduction May 25 is National Wine Day and in honour of that, I think it’s worth exploring how wine, as a beverage, has influenced our culture. Wine has been an integral part of human history from ancient civilizations right through to the modern day. It has become deeply associated with culture, power and prestige in a way that no other beverage has. Most of what I’m going to share with you today is based on a magazine piece about wine and civility that I wrote two months after 9/11. However, the search for civility in everyday life has more resonance […]
About Natalie MacLean
How can you help me? You love wine and you want to know which bottles to buy and what dishes to pair with them. I’m here to help. Think of me as your red-nosed superhero, using my jaw-dropping powers for your wine-drinking pleasure: Buy wines you love in your price range with my wine reviews that include food pairings. Download my free mobile apps that have front label scanners and barcode readers to instantly access my reviews and tell you which liquor stores closest to you have the wines in stock. Learn about how to taste wine and pair it […]
