Natalie MacLean's Blog, page 13

Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings September 21, 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 September 7th. 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 about […]

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The Rise of Southwestern Ontario Wines with Martin Janz, Winemaker at Pelee Island Winery

Introduction Why is winemaking always a challenge, no matter how long you’ve been doing it? How are wind machines used to mitigate the negative impact of cold weather? How does Pelee Island’s biodiversity influence the brand and winery? Why is it important for winemakers to respect the natural environment? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Martin Janz, the chief winemaker at Pelee Island Winery in Southwestern Ontario. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Giveaway Three of you will each win a fabulous bottle of LOLA Light Rosé from Pelee Island Winery.   How to […]

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The Enchanting Wines of the Greek Peloponnese

  The Peloponnese peninsula occupies the southernmost part of mainland Greece and is the nation’s largest vineyard. The wealth of distinctive native and international grapes, in conjunction with the wide diversity of available terroirs, has given rise to an astonishing range of wines.     Although the climate of the Peloponnese can be broadly described as Mediterranean, the varied topography generates different weather patterns. Large mountains alternate with coastal areas and breathtaking vineyards can be found at altitudes exceeding 1,000 m above sea-level. All these result in one of the most diverse and complex wine-growing departments of Greece. There are […]

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How British Columbia Wineries Are Recovering and Why You Should Visit Them

    This year, British Columbia’s wine country faced a devastating frost that damaged many vineyards’ crops. But in true Canadian spirit, these wineries have pivoted, offering unique experiences to welcome visitors.   Whether you’re planning a last summer getaway or looking forward to the harvest season, our next guest will give you some great ideas.   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 always say that when life gives you lemons, make limoncello—but when life gives you frost, well, […]

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Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings September 7, 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 August 24th. 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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Why Ontario and Canadian Wines Deserve Your Attention and Taste Buds

    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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The Magical Wines from Central Greece

  Editor’s Note: Join me on a taste journey through the heart of Greece’s wine landscape, where ancient traditions meet modern innovation. The article below is sponsored by the Wines of Greece. I’ve long been a fan of Greek wines and my reviews of them remain independent.     Central Greece is a large and diverse department. It is also one of the most mountainous areas, including part of the Pindos Mountain Range. Topography and soils are complex and diverse, providing an astonishing variety of available terroirs. The “king” in the vineyards is Savatiano, however a large number of other […]

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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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7 Mouth-Watering Comfort Food and Wine Pairings

As the weather cools, we enjoy heartier dishes, including comfort food. But which wines should you pair with them? Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com.   First off, are there such things as comfort wines?   After much research on this topic, I concluded there were no “uncomfortable wines” since I found them all of great comfort. However, I found that certain wines tend to pair better with comfort food than others.   Great! Tell us about your first pairing.   Comfort food tends to have rich, robust flavours. […]

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

Grenache or Grenache Noir (pronounced gren-aash) is also known as Garnacha in Spain, and as Cannonau in Corsica and Sardinia, Italy. You’ll find my Top 10 Grenache reviews and ratings here. 5 Surprising Facts about Grenache: 1. The best Grenache grapes come from old vines and low yields and they are generally blended with other varieties such as Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan, Tempranillo and Cinsaut. It is usually in a blend, rather than a single varietal wines, because Grenache lacks tannin, colour, and acid. However, the exception to this is the Sardinian D.O.C. wine Cannonau di Sardegna, which is by law 99% […]

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