Natalie MacLean's Blog, page 53
August 4, 2022
Chicken and Canadian Cheddar Sliders Recipe with Chardonnay and Riesling Pairings
Hooray for summer weekends! Typically I like to do something low-key on the weekends, like get out of the city and go to a cottage with friends. But if you’re anything like me, planning the perfect cottage meal can be a challenge; it’s easy to resort to the standard hot dogs and hamburgers. To take a break from the regular cottage fare, try this recipe for Chicken and Canadian Cheddar Sliders with Cucumber Remoulade. They’re a refreshing change from the usual, with smooth Canadian Cream Cheese and yummy Canadian Cheddar. The cheese definitely taste delicious on their own, and […]
August 3, 2022
What’s Hot in the World of Wine? Latest Trends (Video)
The hosts of CTV’s The Social and I had great fun chatting about hot, new wine trends. Have you tried any of these wines? Let me know in the comments. What’s heating up in the world of wine this summer? What should we be thinking—and drinking—when it comes to wine? Our next guest is here with the trends to look out for this summer. Joining us now is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online wine and food pairing classes at nataliemaclean.com. Let’s start with the first type of wine that’s trending right now: orange wines. What […]
August 2, 2022
Cozy Mysteries in Wine Country + Wisconsin Wines with Author Joy Ribar
Introduction Would you like to hear about some fabulous mystery books that are set in wine country? What is it about books that encourage deep connections with readers? Are you curious about Wisconsin wines? Why are the state’s wine region a beautiful place to visit? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Joy Ann Ribar, author of the Deep Lakes Cozy Mystery series. 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 […]
How to Choose Wine from a Restaurant List like a Pro
On CTV’s The Social yesterday, we chatted about how to choose wine from a restaurant list, including how to indicate how much you want to pay without saying it out loud and sending back a bad bottle. On Twitter, many folks asked which rosé I poured for Teddy. It’s the lovely Anew Rosé from Columbia Valley in Washington State. On Marci’s table is the Jackson-Triggs Cabernet Shiraz. Hope these tips help you through you next restaurant wine experience. Ask for help Find someone who should the wine list well, usually the sommelier, the bartender or your server. Tell your sommelier a few […]
July 26, 2022
Why Open That Special Bottle Tonight + Smell’s Role in a Full Life with Jim Duane
Introduction Why should you open that bottle of wine you’ve been saving? What makes Icewine such a difficult and expensive wine to produce? Why is the sense of smell such an important part of living a full life? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m being interviewed by Jim Duane, winemaker and host of the Inside Winemaking 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. […]
July 25, 2022
6 Best Boxed Wines, Canned Wines, Tetra Pak Wines (Video)
Gone are the days of thinking good wine has to come in a bottle. And taking your vino on the go has never been easier with the latest innovations in packaging. Here with some of her favourite canned and boxed sippers is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes. We’re excited to get tasting but before we start sipping the specific wines you’re recommending, tell us what’s driving the shift in these packaging trends? There are three big reasons. First, convenience. All three formats are much easier to open than a bottle: no corkscrew required. You can […]
July 24, 2022
What’s the Right Temperature for Your Wine? (Video)
Part of relaxing at the cottage is often enjoying a glass of wine on the deck or the dock, but which wines, and how do we keep them cool when temperature soars? That’s what we chat about on Global Television’s Morning Show. Let’s start with the sparkling wine you’ve selected for us, tell us about it. Nothing’s more refreshing than a glass of bubbles in the summer heat. However, when you’re at the cottage, you’re not going to crack open a bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne. You want something affordable and delicious. That’s why I’ve picked Relax Bubbles, […]
July 23, 2022
7 Best Wine and Book Pairings: What to Drink While You Read (Video)
Alex and I had so much fun chatting about pairing bottles with books on CTV’s morning show. What’s the first pairing you recommend? We’re starting on the west coast with The New York Times bestselling memoir, Wild, by Cheryl Strayed. After Cheryl loses her mother to cancer and her own marriage is destroyed, she decides to hike the Pacific Northwest Trail, more a thousand miles, from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State alone and without any training. It’s a deeply moving story of how this young woman heals through this treacherous journey I’d pair […]
Pairing Quebec and Nova Scotia Wine with Books (Video)
We’re back with more Canadian books and bottles to help you celebrate your long weekend. You can watch our previous segment with BC and Ontario books and wines here. Natalie, you’re starting with Quebec. What do you recommend? I have a zesty sparkling wine from Domaine Pelchat in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, with aromas of freshly baked bread and green apples. Domaine Pelchat Lemaître-Auger La Noce Sparkling Wine Quebec, Canada It would pair well with shellfish, spicy dishes and La Belle Bête (Mad Shadows), written by Marie-Claire Blais when she was just twenty years old. It […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Online Exclusives Vintages Release Ratings July 30th
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 June 30th. 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 […]
