Natalie MacLean's Blog, page 32

How a Wine Critic Chooses Wines for TV Segments

Watch this CTV News video here   Many of you are familiar with our resident bon vivant Natalie MacLean who recommends great wines for us, but how does she select those wines? She talks about this in her bestselling book Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much and joins us now to give us those behind-the-scenes factors that go into her decisions. Welcome, Natalie.   So you’ve been recommending wines to us for several years now. How do you choose which bottles you’ll suggest? First, I put on a blindfold, then I walk […]

Soul-Searching German Riesling with Terry Theise, Author of What Makes a Wine Worth Drinking

Introduction Are you curious about the soul-searching nature of German Riesling? Why is Riesling the best wine for tasters to train themselves to improve their skills? Why shouldn’t you approach a new glass of wine with anticipation? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Terry Theise, a much-respected expert on and importer of boutique wines from Germany, Austria, and Champagne. 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 […]

Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings August 19, 2023

  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 5th. 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 […]

What is a Wine Witch and Why Use it in a Book Title? I Share Why on The Wonderful World of Wine Podcast

Introduction Which Canadian wine regions should you add to your must-try and must-visit lists? What makes some of the wine designations and certifications problematic? Why do stories about witches run through my new book Wine Witch on Fire? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by Mark Lenzi and Kim Simone, hosts of The Wonderful World of Wine 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 […]

Wine Witch on Fire Launch at the Clio Club in Toronto

                                              I couldn’t have asked for a more gracious host, or better friend, than Angela Aiello to help launch the book in Toronto.                                                                                                               […]

Wine Witch on Fire Book Launch at Peller Wine Estates in Niagara

                        What a spectacular launch at Peller Wine Estates with a wine tasting lunch.                                               With Dr. John McTavish, wine columnist for the St. Catharine’s Standard                                                                                   […]

Word on the Street: Wine Witch on Fire at the Toronto Book Festival

  The Word on the Street Toronto Book and Magazine Festival           with Dundurn Press team, Erin Pinksend and Ankit Pahwa     with Chris Houtson, Chief Operations Officer, Dundurn Press     with fellow author, Barbara Fradkin           On the way to the festival, I was captivated by this fountain ;)     Check out The Word on the Street Toronto Book and Magazine Festival here            

Wine Witch on Fire Book Launch at Le Cordon Bleu

What a spectacular event at Le Cordon Bleu to launch Wine Witch on Fire! Click on the videos to feel the energy ;) Thanks to Victoria Doherty for her wonderful pictures and videos!   With my mother, Ann, to whom this book is dedicated … love you, Mom!                                                                                             Lots of social media buzz…   […]

New South African Wines and Pinotage Misconceptions with Dr. Winnie Bowman

Introduction Are you curious about new South African wine styles and regions to try? What do most people misunderstand about Pinotage wine? Is it really necessary to spit when doing a wine tasting? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with international wine and spirit judge Dr. Winnie Bowman. 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 […]

Why is Cabernet Sauvignon the King of Red Wines? (Video)

Leanne and I chat about Cabernet Sauvignon in honour of Cabernet Day, the last Thursday before Labour Day… when we need something stronger in our glass than rose. ;) Here are some quick facts you should know about Cabernet Sauvignon: Cabernet Sauvignon was originally created by crossing the white grape Sauvignon Blanc and the red grape Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Franc is the parent grape of both Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon is most famous in Bordeaux, France, where it’s part of a blend that can include any or all of the following grapes to increase the complexity of the […]