Natalie MacLean's Blog, page 11

Wines and Spirits That Taste Good and Do Good

Click on the image above to play the video   We’re all becoming more conscious of the impact of our purchases, and that includes what we pour into our glasses. Many wineries and distilleries are leading the way, combining exceptional taste with sustainability and community support.   Joining us today is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com.     Welcome, Natalie.   Great to be back with you! I think of these wines and spirits as drinking with a conscience — we get to feel virtuous and tipsy at the same time.   That’s […]

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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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Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings November 16, 2024

  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 November 2nd. 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 […]

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Women, Wine and Health: The Good News with Tony Edwards

Introduction What might surprise you about the impact of alcohol on heart disease? How can wine drinkers reduce the risk of certain cancers with one supplement? Does wine help protect against cognitive decline and dementia? Why do some organizations make extreme recommendations for eliminating alcohol? 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 at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and […]

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10 Best Tempranillo Wines to Buy Now + 5 Surprising Facts about Tempranillo

Tempranillo is a native grape from Spain, and many believe, the most important grape for Spanish wine. The name Tempranillo comes from the Spanish word “temprano” which means “early” and is a reference to the fact that this grape ripens earliest of all other grapes in the country. You’ll find my most recent Tempranillo reviews and ratings here. 5 Surprising Facts about Tempranillo: 1. Tempranillo is most commonly known as Tempranillo, but it does have as many synonyms, as there are dialects of Spanish. Here are a few more of its names: Tinto Fino, Tinto del Pais, Ull de Llebre, […]

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Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings November 2, 2024

  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 October 19th. 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 […]

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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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Defining Minerality, Mouthfeel and Musty Aromas with Gus Zhu

Introduction Why do certain musty or animalistic aromas, like barnyard or manure, become more acceptable to wine lovers over time? What does minerality really mean when it comes to wine? Why is mouthfeel so important to appreciating wine? How does the colour of wine influence our perception of how it tastes? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Master of Wine, Gus Zhu. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Giveaway Two of you will a copy of his terrific new book, Behind the Glass: The Chemical and Sensorial Terroir of Wine Tasting.   How to […]

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5 Best Canadian Cookbooks Paired with 4 Fabulous Wines

Click on the image above to play the video The Taste Canada Awards gala takes place this evening in Toronto. It’s known as the Oscars for Canadian food and wine writing. Here to toast five of the nominated books is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com.   Welcome Natalie! I have to say that things are really heating up for this culinary competition tonight. The writers are simmering with anticipation, and some are even cooking up schemes to curry favour with the judges. Back to you, Mer.   Ha! Which wine are we starting […]

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