Search Results for: women

How to Sabre Champagne + Sparkling Wines

Leanne and I chat about sparkling wines and Champagnes for the holidays. Click on the arrow to play the video above.   Napoléon visits the Moët & Chandon cellars in 1807   Napoleon is credited with inventing the sabering technique and is famous for his phrase: “In victory we deserve Champagne, in defeat, we need it.” The famous Champagne maker Veuve Clicquot, who lost her husband when she was just 27, was a wealthy young widow. She would entertain Napoleon’s officers (early day sampling program). They, in turn, tried to impress her by sabering the tops of the Champagne bottles […]

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How Can You Improve Your Sense of Smell with Wine? Johannes Frasnelli Has Great Tips

Introduction How can you train your sense of smell? Why does smelling require much more focus than our other senses? What is retronasal olfaction and why is it so important when it comes to enjoying wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with author Johannes Frasnelli. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Video Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wednesday at 7 pm eastern on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I’ll be jumping into the comments as […]

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Smell, the Cinderella Sense, Goes Full Princess on Wine with Johannes Frasnelli

Introduction Why is smell, often called the Cinderella sense, so underrated in our culture, especially when many luxury products, such as wine, spirits and perfume, are based on it? Even though dogs have more than twice the number of scent receptors than humans, why are we better at detecting wine aromas? What might surprise you about how we perceive the senses of taste and smell? Why is the sense of smell so evocative compared to other senses? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Johannes Frasnelli, a physician and a professor focused on the sense of smell. You […]

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The Surprising Health Benefits of Wine with Tony Edwards, Author of The Very Good News About Wine

Introduction Have the health risks of moderate wine consumption been grossly overstated? How does moderate wine consumption reduce heart disease? What is the ideal amount and pattern of wine consumption for maximum health benefits, and how does it differ between men and women? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with author Tony Edwards. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of his terrific new book, The Very Good News About Wine.   How to Win To qualify, all you have to do is email me […]

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Rioja’s Magical Wine, Medieval History and Modern Architecture with Adam Lechmere, The Smart Traveler’s Wine Guide

Introduction What makes the Rioja region of Spain a must-visit destination for wine lovers? What are the best food pairings for Rioja wines? What’s the sticky history behind the Battle of Wine festival in La Rioja? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Adam Lechmere, editor of The Smart Traveler’s Wine Guide to Rioja, among other books in this series. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Giveaway Two of you will win a copy of the terrific new book, The Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide to Rioja, written by Fintan Kerr and edited by our […]

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Why Ontario and Canadian Wines Deserve Your Attention and Taste Buds

Natalie MacLean Leave a comment

    The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), the world’s second largest purchaser of wine after Costco, published this article in its magazine.   Local Champion   Ottawa-based wine expert and author Natalie MacLean is a trusted resource for good wine and good food who was awarded the 2024 Wine Growers Canada Wine Industry Champion Award earlier this year. We recently sat down with her to discuss the changing landscape of Ontario wine.   Do you feel the Niagara wine industry has changed much in the past twenty years?   I’ve seen (and tasted) the dramatic rise in Canadian […]

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How Alcohol Fuels Innovation and Group Cohesion with Edward Slingerland

Introduction What is the connection between alcohol and innovation? How does alcohol improve the quality of group brainstorming? Why is it important not to think about alcohol consumption through a medical lens alone? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Edward Slingerland, a professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia and the author of Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Giveaway Two of you will win a copy of his terrific book, Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our […]

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How Wine Fosters Creativity, Trust and Sociability with Edward Slingerland, Author of Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization

Introduction How does alcohol, especially wine, foster our creativity, trustingness, and sociability? What does the “beer before bread” hypothesis suggest about alcohol’s role in the development of civilization? Should there be different minimum drinking ages for wine and beer versus spirits? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Edward Slingerland, a professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia and the author of Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Giveaway Two of you will win a copy of his terrific book, […]

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Beyond Eurocentric Wine and Food Pairings + Sonoma’s Hidden Gems with Winemaker Theresa Heredia

Introduction Why should you look beyond Eurocentric wine and food pairings? What’s so special about making vineyard-designated wines? How can you get the most out of your next trip to Sonoma County? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with superstar winemaker Theresa Heredia who has worked for some of California’s most prestigious wineries. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Giveaway One of you will win a bottle of Gary Farrell wine.   How to Win To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that you’ve posted a review […]

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What Are Wine Supertasters? How Can You Find Out if You’re a Supertaster?

Watch this CTV News video here Editor’s Note: You’ll find more media coverage for the book here.   In her new book Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much, Natalie MacLean talks about being a supertaster. The book has just become a national bestseller and she’s here to tell us more about supertasters.   Welcome Natalie.   So what is a supertaster and why are women more likely to be one? Dr. Linda Bartoshuk, at Yale University School of Medicine, discovered the supertaster phenomenon in 1999. Women are more than twice as […]

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