Natalie MacLean's Blog, page 23

Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings May 11, 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 April 27th. 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 the release based on the LCBO doing so. Curious about […]

The post Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings May 11, 2024 appeared first on Natalie MacLean.

Is Wine Gluten Free? Raise a Glass to Celiac Awareness Month!

Is wine gluten-free? Yes, for the most part. Wine is made from grapes, not grains. That’s good news for celiacs, those suffering from a digestive disease that makes them intolerant to gluten. May is Celiac Awareness Month so I thought it would be worth addressing this issue, especially since I’m asked about it occasionally. The boom in gluten-free foods makes me wonder why there hasn’t been wine labeled to that extent, though that is akin to labeling fresh fruit as trans-fat free. I’ve read The Wheat Belly and have followed various experts on this matter, not because I am intolerant […]

The post Is Wine Gluten Free? Raise a Glass to Celiac Awareness Month! appeared first on Natalie MacLean.

Challenging Wine Matches with Barbara Scott-Goodman, Author of Wine Time: 70+ Recipes for Simple Bites That Pair Perfectly with Wine

Introduction Can you pair pickled foods with wine, or will their vinegarized flavours ruin the wine? Which wines pair best with soft-shell crab? What goes into great food photography, whether in a magazine or cookbook? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with author Barbara Scott-Goodman. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Barbara Scott-Goodman’s terrific book Wine Time: 70+ Recipes for Simple Bites That Pair Perfectly with Wine.   How to Win To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me […]

The post Challenging Wine Matches with Barbara Scott-Goodman, Author of Wine Time: 70+ Recipes for Simple Bites That Pair Perfectly with Wine appeared first on Natalie MacLean.

Mother’s Day Brunch Wine and Champagne Pairings

Jeff and I had such fun chatting about wines for Mother’s Day gifts on Canada AM, especially champagne for brunch. There’s even a “live action” shot with uncorking a sparkler. (Okay, not so much.) Here are my Top 20 Wines for Mother’s Day, either made by women or named for them. Often the latter were originally made by women. You’ll also find more suggestions in my Mother’s Day wines for Epicurious as well as for More Magazine. Jeff: It’s Mother’s Day, of course, on Sunday, and if you are planning on taking her out for brunch, you might want to […]

The post Mother’s Day Brunch Wine and Champagne Pairings appeared first on Natalie MacLean.

Wine Sulphites, Mindful Drinking and Marketing Alcohol on The Erica Diamond Podcast

Introduction Should you avoid wine with sulphites? What are some of the important differences in the way wine is marketed to men versus women? How can you practice mindful drinking without giving up the wine you love? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by Erica Diamond on The Erica Diamond Podcast. 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 […]

The post Wine Sulphites, Mindful Drinking and Marketing Alcohol on The Erica Diamond Podcast appeared first on Natalie MacLean.

Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings April 27, 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 April 13th. 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 the release based on the LCBO doing so. Curious […]

The post Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings April 27, 2024 appeared first on Natalie MacLean.

10 Best Moscato d’Asti Wines to Buy Now + 5 Surprising Facts about Moscato d’Asti

Moscato d’Asti is a fragrant and slightly fizzy DOCG dessert wine produced in the Northern Italian region of Piedmont. You’ll find my most recent Moscato d’Asti reviews and ratings here. Surprising Facts about Moscato d’Asti: Moscato d’Asti is produced from the Moscato Bianco (white Muscat) grape in and around the town of Asti. The hub of Asti production being the tiny village of Canelli. Moscato Bianco is the fourth most planted grape in Italy and perhaps the first cultivated vine in Piedmont. Moscato d’Asti is often mentioned in the company of its relative wine Asti. The two have many differences. […]

The post 10 Best Moscato d’Asti Wines to Buy Now + 5 Surprising Facts about Moscato d’Asti appeared first on Natalie MacLean.

Bourbon, Mint Juleps + Kentucky Derby: A Spirited Race

When the Kentucky Derby runs this Saturday, the horses won’t be the only ones racing. Over at the Seelbach Hotel, the mint juleps will be flying too. By the end of the day, the hotel staff and its bartender, Edward Duffy, will have concocted more than 3,000 of these traditional cocktails made with bourbon and fresh mint hand-picked from the hotel grounds. Built in 1905, the Seelbach Hotel was F. Scott Fitzgerald’s favorite watering hole—and it was also his setting for the wedding of Daisy and Tom Buchanan in his novel The Great Gatsby. But today, amid the creaking bar […]

The post Bourbon, Mint Juleps + Kentucky Derby: A Spirited Race appeared first on Natalie MacLean.

How the New Wine Tax Impacts You — Even If You Don’t Drink Wine

 Click the arrow above to play the video Most of my topics on the TV morning shows are about enjoying wine with family and friends. However, recently I’ve started speaking out on the 6 pm newscasts, like this one from CTV, about the taxes levied on the Canadian wine industry. They’re higher than any other wine-producing country. This issue deserves your attention given its impact on the future of our wineries. I encourage you to contact your Member of Parliament (email addresses are noted with each member’s name). CTV News at 6 pm: The latest excise tax increase on […]

The post How the New Wine Tax Impacts You — Even If You Don’t Drink Wine appeared first on Natalie MacLean.

Splendid Vin Jaune, Jura Wine’s Wild Variety and Mysterious Grapes of the French Alps with Wink Lorch

Introduction What makes Vin Jaune from France’s Jura region so special? What can you discover about the diversity of wine coming out of Jura and the French Alps? What are some insider tips for planning a journey to the French Alps? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with author Wink Lorch. You can find the wines we discussed here.   Giveaway One of you will win a copy of Wink Lorch’s terrific book about the wines of Jura and the French Alps.   How to Win To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and […]

The post Splendid Vin Jaune, Jura Wine’s Wild Variety and Mysterious Grapes of the French Alps with Wink Lorch appeared first on Natalie MacLean.