Introduction What exactly is organic wine? Is it better for you? In recent years, organic wine has moved from the realms of health nuts and hippies to the mainstream, where it now represents one of the fastest-growing categories in the liquor store. But is it really that different from conventional wine? With Earth Hour coming up on March 30 and Earth Day on April 22, I’m dedicating today’s episode to organic wine, with a deep dive into what it is, its history and what the research shows about its benefits. Highlights How has the public perception of organic wine […]
The Worst Wine Mistakes Not to Make: Wine Etiquette
The hosts of CTV’s The Social love their wine. We shared a few good glasses together as well as some laughs on wine etiquette — how to avoid being low-classy with wine ;) Click the arrow above to watch the video. You can also read my story on The Grapes of Gaffe. Find out the answers to these “pressing” wine questions: How do I hold a wine glass, by the stem or the bowl? Hold your glass by stem—otherwise your hands will warm the bowl and the wine, and leave unsightly fingerprints. Your wine glass should never be poured […]
Cider House Rules: Cider Food Pairings, Cocktails, Serving Tips (Video)
On CTV’s The Social yesterday, we had fun chatting about all things cider, from serving it (glassware, temperature) to pairing it with food; from cocktails to fascinating historical trivia. St. Patricks Day is this weekend and if you’re looking for an alternative to beer, why not have some cider instead? With so many different types, there’s sure to be a cider that will please your palate! Here to break them all down for us is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes. HISTORY OF CIDER Tell us a bit about the history of cider and […]
What to Ask the Sommelier with Lesley Brown, Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers
Introduction Lesley Brown has been a part of the Canadian Wine Industry for the past 17 years and works with several high profile wine agencies. She holds an International Sommelier Diploma and has taught wine courses to hundreds of students. Lesley is currently the BC Regional Sales Manager for The Bacchus Group and she also sits on the board of directors for the Import Spirit and Vintners Association and has recently taken over as the President of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS) BC and the Vice President of the CAPS National Board. Highlights How did Lesley’s travels […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings March 16
You can access the 93 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 March 2, 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 before […]
California Wine Fair 2019: Dates, Cities and Venues
Let’s Toast with California Wines! The 2019 California Wine Fair is traveling across the country in April touching down on 5 cities coast to coast. California’s success has been built by a pioneering spirit that prides itself on its unique identity, lifestyle, personality and passion for the grape. This year, more than 150 wineries, 450 wines and numerous friends from the vineyards will be visiting Canada and meeting with lovers of California wine. NatalieMacLean.com Members receive $5 off the regular ticket price by using the promo code: cwfnatalie The ticket price includes all wine tasting samples and light hors d’oeuvres. Visit www.calwine.ca for […]
Bottle of the Sexes: Women versus Men on Wine
Introduction Are men from Bordeaux and women from Burgundy? In my 20 years of studying and writing about wine, I’ve encountered a lot of differences in how men and women approach the subject. There are also several studies that show the same thing. In honour of International Women’s Day this week, I’m diving deep into “women’s wines”, whether they’re actually any good and how wines marketed to women are affecting the industry. Highlights Are the “chick wines” on the market any good or are they simply marketing gimmicks? What are my thoughts and tasting notes for three of the […]
Blending Humour and Wine in South Africa with Charles Back, Fairview Wine
Introduction Charles Louis Back is the third generation owner of South African wine and cheese producer Fairview, in Paarl in the Western Cape Province. Charles Back studied winemaking at Elsenburg Agricultural College in Stellenbosch. He officially joined his family’s company in 1978 and took over full control in 1995 after the death of his father, Cyril. Today, Charles Back is known as one of the great entrepreneurs and innovators of the wine world – an individual who likes nothing more to swim against the stream. From the start, he has done things differently, introducing Mediterranean grapes such as Viognier, Tempranillo, […]
What’s the Allure of Wines from Provence? Video with Jill Barth
Our guest this evening is a wine columnist for Forbes and a wine country travel expert for USA TODAY. She’s the founder and author of L’Occasion, an award-winning digital magazine that celebrates the ways we drink, make, and contemplate wine. She’s also a Provence Wine Master through the Wine Scholar Guild and received a fellowship to the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers. And she joins me now, live from her home in Chicago: Welcome Jill Barth! Watch previous episodes of the Wednesday Wining Show (WWS) and find out who’s coming up next. Jill Barth I’m a […]
