Natalie MacLean's Blog, page 24
February 22, 2024
The Merry Widows of Mousse: Champagne Widows
They were all young women whose families owned the great champagne houses at the turn of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. When they lost their husbands to war or illness, they did not do what was expected: step aside or sell the business. Nor did they marry again (though they were still in their twenties and thirties), handing over the reins to a new husband. Instead, these celebrated veuves, or widows, took control of their châteaux to produce some of the most prestigious wines in the world – wines that still bear their names: Veuve Clicquot, Pommery, Laurent-Perrier, Roederer and […]
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Pairing Wine with Oscar Party Snacks and Movies
On Global’s Morning Show yesterday, we paired wines with Oscar-worthy snacks from Cibo Wine Bar as well as former winners of the Best Picture Award. Here are my Top 20 Oscar Wines showing your which liquor stores have them in stock now … enjoy! Titantic 1997 Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne Grilled whole calamari, mixed greens, diced tomatoes extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice The Sting The Entertainer Red Belnd Americana Pizza Tomato, mozzarella, pepperoni, mushroom, green peppers The Godfather Castello di Gabbiano Chianti […]
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February 21, 2024
Men Versus Women Winemakers: Battle of the Bottles?
In honour of International Women’s Day, we chatted with one of Canada’s best winemakers, Ann Sperling, who just happens to be a woman ;) You can click on the arrow above to watch our interview. You can also read more than 75 comments here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/natdecant... We discussed Ann’s pioneering work with biodynamic and organic viticulture, her various vineyards across Canada and in Argentina, and her own approach to winemaking. Want to get one of Ann’s wines? You have a wide choice: Southbrook, Versado, Sperling Vineyards and she has consulted for Benjamin Bridge. You’ll also find the specific wines we tasted […]
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February 20, 2024
Changes in Burgundy and Untangling a Complicated Region with Raymond Blake, Author Breakfast in Burgundy
Introduction Why is Pinot Noir considered the holy grail of wine? What makes the French region Burgundy so complicated, and how can we untangle it? What would surprise and delight you about how both the wine and the region have changed in the past five years? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with one of Ireland’s leading wine writers, Raymond Blake. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway One of you is going to win a copy of On Burgundy: From Maddening to Marvellous in 59 Wine Tales, to which Raymond Blake contributed […]
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February 13, 2024
Candid Wine Conversations with Scott Sexsmith of Up Close & Personal and Matt Cundill of You May Also Like
Introduction How do you choose the best wine pairings for dessert? When should you summon the sommelier? How can you improve your smell vocabulary and learn to distinguish between different aromas? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by Scott Sexsmith of Up Close & Personal and Matt Cundill on You May Also Like. 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 […]
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Galentine’s Grape Escape: Wines for Your Squad
Patricia Boal’s show is heard on Newstalk 1010 and 580 CFR radio, part of the Bellmedia network, as well as iHeart Radio. Listen to the interview here. Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, but what if you’re not in a relationship? There’s a special day for you, too. It’s called Galentine’s Day and it’s happening today. Here with her suggestions for what we should be drinking on both days is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine and food pairing classes at nataliemaclean.com. Let’s start with what is Galentine’s Day? It’s one of those made-up micro-holidays, like Friendsgiving […]
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February 12, 2024
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings February 17, 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 February 3rd. 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 […]
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February 7, 2024
Best Wine and Chocolate Pairings for Valentine’s Day: Uncork the Romance
Rosey, the host of CTV’s Morning Live show, and I shared lots of great wine and chocolate pairings and laughs this week. These tips will carry you beyond Valentine’s Day. We’re starting off with a white wine. Does it pair well with chocolate? Not at all! But the reason I’m including it is that it’s perfect for Galentine’s Day, the day before Valentine’s Day when you and your gal pals celebrate something far more lasting than romantic love: female friendship! This is especially true if you’re coming out of a break-up or divorce. There is the aptly named 2023 […]
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February 6, 2024
Best Sommelier Questions and How the Shape of Wine Acidity is Revealing with Vanessa Price
Introduction Why do the wines change when you’re pairing them with kale versus other greens? Why should you avoid storing wine in the fridge? What’s the best question you can ask a sommelier in a restaurant? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Vanessa Price, the author of Big Macs and Burgundy: Wine Pairings for the Real World and the wine expert for The TODAY Show. 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 […]
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January 30, 2024
Creative Wine Pairings with Circus Peanuts, Cheetos and Twinkies with Vanessa Price, Author of Big Macs and Burgundy
Introduction Have you ever wondered which wine pairs best with your favourite guilty pleasure snack? Why are Cheetos and Twinkies great for learning about food and wine pairing? How can everyday foods encourage you to try wines you may have otherwise avoided? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Vanessa Price, the author of Big Macs and Burgundy: Wine Pairings for the Real World and the wine expert for The TODAY Show. 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 […]
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