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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Pairing Wine with Sharks, Dragons and Kevin O’Leary

Introduction What should you consider when buying wine as an investment? What’s the cold, hard truth about the Canadian wine industry? What makes for a successful wine brand launch? Are Kevin O’Leary’s wines as great as he says they are? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Kevin O’Leary, prickly merchant of the television shows Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank, as well as the founder of O’Leary Fine Wines, O’Leary Funds, and O’Leary Financial Group. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Highlights What should you consider when buying wine as an investment? […]

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How We Buy Wine Based on Secret Retail Triggers with Dr. Tim Dodd

*** Editor’s Note: You can get your free Ultimate Guide to Wine & Food Pairing here. ***   Introduction What would surprise us about the way we buy wine? What techniques do wine retailers use to trigger impulse buys in the store? What are the biggest differences between the way men and women buy wine? Why is a direct to consumer sales model beneficial for you as a buyer? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Dr. Tim Dodd, James Young Regents Professor of Hospitality Management, and Director of the Texas Wine Marketing Research Institute […]

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How Did the Mega-Hit Movie Sideways Change Pinot Noir (and Merlot)?

Introduction How did the novel and movie Sideways change the wine market in North America? In the book, the character Miles is portrayed as a wine snob, but what really defines a wine snob? What do you need to know if you want to become a successful writer? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Rex Pickett, author of the mega-hit wine book and movie Sideways. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Highlights How has time been a great friend to Sideways? What is it about the characters in Sideways that makes them […]

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Bordeaux and China: Wine Culture Clash or Perfect Pairing? Suzanne Mustacich Reveals Surprising Insights

Introduction Why is Bordeaux considered the ultimate luxury brand in the world of wine? Why did the Chinese market suddenly start buying Bordeaux wines in the 1980s and 90s? Why does Bordeaux in particular suit the ancient Chinese culture of prestigious gift-giving versus other expensive wines? How does the demand for Bordeaux in China affect both the prices you pay and the styles you drink? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Suzanne Mustacich, author of Thirsty Dragon: China’s Lust for Bordeaux and the Threat to the World’s Best Wines. You can find the wines we discussed […]

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Video: Your Most Pressing Wine Questions Answered

  Anne-Marie, Lindsay and I had fun chatting about their most pressing wine questions last week on CTV’s Your Morning, the network’s national breakfast show. Have you ever wondered what to look for on a wine label or if you can cook with a wine? Here to answer your most pressing wine questions is Natalie MacLean, editor of Canada’s largest wine review site at nataliemaclean.com.   Question 1. Wine Faults   Sometimes I taste a wine and I think, ugh, that’s awful. How do I know if the wine is bad or I just don’t like it?   What do I do […]

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Why Sommeliers Love Austrian Gruner Veltliner with Heidi Fisher Pfaffl

Introduction Would you like to learn more about Austrian wines, especially its iconic grape, Gruner Veltliner? Do you know why this wine is one of the most versatile wines on the planet?  Why should an Austrian Heuriger be on your must-visit list? Which Austrian red wine should you try next? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Heidi Fisher Pfaffl who is in charge of business administration and marketing at her family’s winery, Weingut Pfaffl. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Highlights How did the Pfaffl grow from a small farm to […]

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Wine Girl Reveals the Wine World’s Dark Side and Hope for the Future with Sommelier Victoria James

Introduction What’s it like serving wine to celebrities like Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, Beyonce and Miley Cyrus? How is being a sommelier different when you work at a Michelin-starred restaurant, especially when you’re just 21 years old? Why is the wine world still largely an old boys club and how does that impact the wines you drink? Which shocking ingredients might you find in some non-organic wines? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we’re chatting with Victoria James, author, restauranteur and the youngest person in the world to pass the certified sommelier exam with the Court of Master […]

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Video Interview: “Wine Girl: The Obstacles, Humiliations, and Triumphs of America’s Youngest Sommelier” author Victoria James

My guest is Victoria James, the author of two books, her most recent, a gripping memoir called Wine Girl, which has been on the national bestseller list for four weeks. She’s also the youngest person in the world to pass the certified sommelier exam with the Court of Master Sommeliers at just 21 and has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants ever since. Today, she’s the partner and beverage director at New York’s Cote Korean Steakhouse restaurant. Her journey to this stellar position, however, was a difficult one as the sub-title of the book alludes: The obstacles, humiliations, and triumphs of a young […]

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Angelina Jolie Wines with Winemaking Consultant Clark Smith

Introduction Why would you want to challenge a young wine with oxygen? Why don’t you hear many technical conversations around wine? How can movie genres help you understand a winemaker’s intentions? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we’re chatting with Clark Smith, winemaker for his own WineSmith label and several other brands, consulting winemaker, author, inventor, musician, and professor to the wine industry throughout the globe. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Highlights What is the $50,000 winery phenomenon? Why shouldn’t you think of wine as a “chemical solution”? Why would you want to […]

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