Nat Decants - Red, White and Drunk All Over

990 AM Radio New Orleans
November 26, 2007

By Tim McNally

Natalie MacLean, a real dynamite of a person, full of energy, enthusiasm, and solid viewpoints, graciously gave us some of her time and discussed food and wine pairings.
Such matters are only of casual importance to about 85% of the general population, but if you are near a wine person, then those decisions about what wine to have with what foods take on higher importance.

It is particularly difficult if you don’t really understand the difference between a fruit-driven Cabernet Sauvignon and a big, full-of-alcohol-and-fruit Zinfandel. Nor do you really care, but someone near you, whom you love very much and want to please, is well aware of the characteristics. Yet you may be the one who is choosing the Holiday Menu, and they will be guests in your home.

So, Natalie has created a really simple and straight-forward chart that takes a lot of the guesswork out of the right wine to have with the dinner. It’s really a blessing for good hosts and hostesses who want to make Holiday feasting a treat for all in attendance.

Simply head to www.nataliemaclean.com, and note the Food and Wine Pairings link in the right-hand margin. Then choose your menu item, and she will make numerous suggestions as to the wine that works.

While you are on the site, sign up for her free monthly newsletter. Even if you do not have a deep passion for wine, it’s a very entertaining missive and I think you will enjoy reading it.

Her book, Red, White, and Drunk All Over, can be obtained at Barnes & Noble and at www.amazon.com.

ABE Books
September 28, 2006

Wining and Writing
“People think I have the best job in the world,” laughs Natalie Maclean – one of North America’s leading wine writers and the author of Red, White and Drunk All Over. “They think I’m drunk all day.”

In the not-too-distant past, Natalie’s life revolved around the Internet industry and speaking at trade fairs across America as a “web evangelist” for a California-based computer firm but wine was always her passion.

“When I was working in California, I’d spend all day on the show floor and then I'd pack up and head off to Napa Valley to find the wines and visit vineyards,” she said. “I went on maternity leave in 1998 and in a sleep-deprived state I decided that I should give it all up and become a wine writer.

“Now I can’t imagine doing anything else. I have a job that involves sensory pleasure, and I engage my mind and my body when I’m writing about wine.”

Natalie started by writing freelance articles about wine for magazines but her knowledge of the Web was to prove extremely useful.

“I firmly believe in the Internet and after getting some articles published I e-mailed them to people whom I knew were interested in wine and what I was doing,” she said. “As you know, the Internet is very organic – at first I was e-mailing to 50 people and then it was 200 people and now I have an e-mail newsletter that goes to 53,000 people.”

The e-newsletter, called Nat Decants, is free and its wide distribution and popularity has helped to put her on the wine writing map – and drive countless paid writing assignments her way from magazines around the world. Anyone can sign up for Nat Decants by visiting www.nataliemaclean.com.

At the 2003 World Food Media Awards in Australia, Natalie was named the World's Best Drink Writer ahead of 1,000 other writers. Her articles have appeared in more than sixty newspapers and magazines, including the Chicago Tribune and BusinessWeek.

Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass recaps her adventures in the world of wine and is much more than a series of recommendations for wine lovers. It is a memoir of Natalie’s experiences and adventures as she dives head first into all aspects of wine – from picking grapes to marketing the wine to flogging bottles in a retail store to pouring it out as a sommelier in a fancy restaurant. Even her own dinner party is dissected as she frets over the wine to accompany each course and what her guests are thinking.

She bumps along in pickup trucks driving from vineyard to vineyard across California and explores the legendary vineyards of France – each time trying to get involved as much as possible.

“I love to participate – it makes for a more interesting story,” said Natalie, who shares a bottle of wine every night with her husband over dinner and has 800 bottles stored in her cellar. “If there’s an adventure to be had, I want to do it.

“The book is aimed at two kinds of people. Firstly, the people who watched the movie, Sideways, and loved it, and want to know more about wine and be entertained at the same time. Secondly, I want to reach the wine expert who is already confident and knowledgeable about wine, but wants to be entertained by learning more about the people and places in the world of wine that they already know.

“Wine writers and wine critics are quite different. I’m a wine writer and what I do is much more than recommendations. I use wine as an excuse to get into peoples’ lives. I use wine as a way of traveling and seeing people.

“My heart belongs to the Old World wines like pinot noir. I appreciate that the approach of winemakers in North America is different. The wine culture is much younger here. However, when I went to France I fell in love with the people, the countryside and the wine sent me to heaven.

“I use simple descriptions when writing about a wine – I think long colorful descriptions are not helpful. Some people are talking about all sorts of fruits and things – I just don’t get that from a glass. I try to be practical and look for interesting narrative that I can get behind. I want to reach out to people who share my passion for wine – after all wine is about a buzz and hedonism.”

Akron Beacon Journal
November 8, 2007

By Tricia Colianne

The Akron Beacon Journal published the same story as the New Jersey Star-Ledger.

Alibi
May 8, 2008

By Joseph Baca

For too long, oenology (een-ology, the study of wine) was considered off-limits to the average American consumer. Wine knowledge was a carefully guarded male stronghold of stuffy sommeliers, grumpy English professors with big, red noses and the wealthy. But in the late ’80s and early ’90s, the wine industry began selling its products in the United States with a more inclusive approach.

A methodical marketing scheme began with easily understood White Zinfandel. Wineries started selling people on Chardonnay and then Merlot, varietals that were easy to drink, whose names had a ring of sophistication. People took notice. It was a one-two punch, and consumers were knocked out by wine and its mystique.

The Internet picked up remaining slack in informing people in the U.S. what the rest of the world already knew—wine is for everyone. Wine sales and the pursuit of wine knowledge increased exponentially. Suddenly people from all walks of life were speaking authoritatively about wine.

During this foment over fermented grape juice, one group was particularly successful in getting its foot in the door and storming the wine industry: women. They've become an influential force in wine consumption and production (which, by the way, has surpassed beer in sales). Studies show that women purchase about 65 percent of the wine consumed in the U.S., but Elizabeth Thach, a PhD and professor of wine business and management at Sonoma State University, believes women in the U.S. purchase up to 80 percent of the market share. On the other end of the bottle, the restaurant business—particularly fine dining—has been transformed by the women in wine. Until the last two decades, female chefs or waitstaff were seldom seen, as were female wine buyers or salespeople. All that's out the window now.

This shift has occurred on multiple levels and on a global scale. Women in other countries have always been wine drinkers. But they've used the last few decades' market growth to carve out a niche for themselves as leaders in the business, as addressed by Ann B. Matasar in Women of Wine: The Rise of Women in the Global Wine Industry. Her book is an in-depth study of women’s role in the worldwide wine industry and the obstacles they've had to overcome. Today, women such as Helen Turley, Susana Balbo, Merry Edwards, Eileen Crane and Heidi Schröck are among the best winemakers in the world. These women produce truly stellar wines. They're the “rock stars” of the industry.

One of their arenas is Women in Wine, a yearly symposium hosted by Napa Valley's COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts. Women are invited to join in panels and hear guest speakers that include the biggest females in the industry.

You might hear Jancis Robinson, Andrea Immer, Leslie Sbrocco, Natalie MacLean or Karen MacNeil speak, all highly regarded sommeliers, wine writers and educators. Women in Wine has become a huge and important event for women involved in the wine industry.

Bottling the Sexes

Biology may play a part in wine's affinity toward females. Linda Bartoshuk of the Yale Medical School conducted a study with findings that 25 percent of the population are "supertasters"—people with greater-than-average sensitivity for taste—and that the majority of those people are women. Furthermore, the study shows women may also have more highly developed olfactory systems, so they can better separate smells. Although Bartoshuk's study is controversial, it goes a long way in explaining women’s dominant role in the industry. Other experts differ greatly in their opinions and say women are simply more detail-oriented and better at vocalizing their thoughts about wine.

Differences in how men and women interact with wine don't stop there. According to Leslie Sbrocco in Wine for Women, producers have adopted completely new ways of selling their products because the sexes relate to wine in radically different ways. Men treat vintages like trophies, basing purchases on high scores and big names. Women are more practical. Taste and price weigh heavily on their decisions. Women also like the social aspects of wine, sharing it with friends and pairing it with food—and marketing language reflects that. Although it smacks of gimmickry to some, it seems to work. Sales have increased.

Megan Clemans, a representative of Boutique Wines of New Mexico, agrees with Sbrocco. She says since she was first exposed to wine, the focus has changed from affluent men to women of all types and social classes. If you enter a wine store today, Clemans notes, you'll find brands have been feminized in both appearance and flavor profile.

Jessie Griego of Fiasco Fine Wine has also witnessed sweeping change firsthand. "Having grown up in New Mexico and in the food and beverage industry, I have seen the transformation of what was once an almost exclusively male industry to one that embraces the talents and palates of women," she says. "In the past, many female salespersons were relegated to using 'sexiness' to sell … not so anymore. It is now recognized that women have discerning palates.”

New Mexico’s wine industry is bursting with knowledgeable women who've changed the landscape. Among them are Holly Penland of Quarters Wine Shops, a newcomer who has had a serious impact on the local industry; Patty Anderson of Anderson Valley Vineyards; Kathy Lovin of The Vineyard Express; Lori-Anne Castillo of Winemark; Mary Gronewold of Marcello’s Chop House; Carol Zonski of Jubilation Liquors; Melissa Olivas of Chama River Brewing Co.; Margaret Sheffield of Kelly Liquors; and Kelly Burton and Nellie Bauer of Chef du Jour and Jennifer James 101. No women have had as much effect on the local wine industry as Myra Gattas at Slate Street Café; Jennifer James, whose name stands alone; Nathalie Gruet; and Laura Mudd. The time, brains and muscle all these women have lent to promoting Albuquerque’s wine industry is beyond calculation. Like a great wine that's constantly evolving, the potential is boundless for these revolutionary women of wine.

AskMen.com
May 29, 2008

By Shawn Loeffler

Natalie MacLean, editor of the award-winning wine newsletter at NatalieMacLean.com and author of Red, White and Drunk All Over helped AskMen.com learn about the extraordinary white wine Gewürztraminer.

Gewürztraminer has historically been unfairly treated and ignored. This dry white wine calls Alsace home and despite its distinctive character, its more popular big brother Riesling largely overshadows it -- “partly because Gewürztraminer is hard to say in a restaurant or liquor store,” says MacLean. Once you taste Gewürztraminer, however, you’ll either love it or hate it. Either way, there’s no way you can ignore this versatile wine or its lychee and rose aromas any longer.

About Gewürztraminer

Gewürztraminer is an honest and straightforward wine. According to Natalie MacLean, many oenophiles write off this incredible wine because “it has unusual aromas that are an acquired taste (or smell).”

Gewürztraminer is one of the few wines that has adopted the name of the grape from which it is produced. The grape itself has a pink to red colored skin and the etymology of its name offers an interesting story: The “traminer” part of its name is derived from a region in the Italian Alps known as Trentino-Alto Adige, while the “Gewürz” portion is distinctly German and means “spicy.” Adding to the international scope of this story is the fact that the Gewürztraminer varietal has had the most success in France.

Gewürztraminer isn’t an easy wine to produce, owing in large part to the early spring budding and is, therefore, susceptible to frost damage. The vine is reluctant to fight off viral infections and the grape clusters are typically small in the best of conditions. As a result, many producers fail to give it the care or time it deserves.

Where to find Gewürztraminer

If you were so inclined to take a wine tour to explore the regions from which Gewürztraminer hails, you’d be well-advised to pack a wool sweater, a warm hat and a pair of long pants. That’s because this grape thrives in cooler climates and though it does best in the Alsace region of France, its producers there still struggle with it. The vine must be closely monitored and an exacting harvest time is essential to producing a wine that maintains the proper acid and pH balance. If it’s picked too early, you’ll end up with an acidic wine and, conversely, if it's picked too late, you’ll miss out on Gewürztraminer’s distinctive qualities because it gets too ripe.

Your Gewürztraminer wine tour might also bring you to Canada, the U.S., Australia, Italy, Germany, and Israel. The good news is, however, that after years of static production acreage, Gewürztraminer is expanding, most notably in New Zealand and in Oregon and Washington states.

One of the main problems with Gewürztraminer producers is that they are not able to dedicate enough land to the grape; usually they give it five acres, but “some do more” according to MacLean. As a result, much of Gewürztraminer’s reputation is derived from the shipper and not the vineyard.

How to pair Gewürztraminer

Many consider Gewürztraminer a perfect wine to be paired with spicy Asian cuisine, such as Indian or Thai. It is true, but there are so many other possibilities owing to its bold flavors and aromas. Natalie MacLean says that Gewürztraminer is one of the most versatile wines to match with food because it's full-bodied and flavorful, so it stands up to heartier meat dishes than most whites. Its spicy and floral aromatics also means that it can handle curries and tangy sauces.”

"In fact, in the interactive wine-and-food matching tool on my website, I pair Gewürztraminer with beef bourguignonne, black pepper crusted cheeses, duck a l'orange, rack of lamb with rosemary seasoning, charcuterie, and onion tarts," says MacLean. She also points out that this delicious white wine isn’t always limited to being paired with main-course dishes or with hors d'oeuvres: “When Gewürztraminer is made in an off-dry or dessert style, it marries beautifully with fruit-based desserts, such as flans and cobblers, as well as various pastries.”

Try playing matchmaker with some of these suggestions:

• Sauerkraut and sausage
• Munster cheese
• Curry-based plates
• Chinese and Mexican
• Fresh fruit
• Fatty and oily game
• Smoked salmon
• Chicken

Gewürztraminer prices

Given the inherent difficulties with the production of Gewürztraminer, it is a relatively affordable wine. "As more and more wine lovers discover Gewürztraminer 's versatility and terrific taste, the market for it will grow. In the meantime, those of us who have discovered it now can drink this undiscovered gem at very reasonable prices in the range of $7 to $15," says MacLean.

Gewürztraminer can also extend into three-digit territory, but unless you’re trying to impress someone (and let’s face it, no one likes a wine snob) it’s a waste of your money. If, however, you’re looking for a bottle to bring to a dinner party or to give as a gift, excellent bottles of Gewürztraminer can be had for anywhere between $18 and $40.

If you’re a neophyte, you’ll be pleased with a mid-priced bottle of Gewürztraminer. A bottle in this range will contain all the typical Gewürztraminer characteristics you need to learn and develop your tasting skills. Also note that as more producers emerge in the United States, you won’t necessarily have to spend more than $20 for a quality bottle.

Gewürztraminer recommendations

2001 Hugel Gewürztraminer Vendange Tardive
AC Alsace, France
$69.95

This Gewürztraminer is a low-acidity wine with rich layers of sweet pears, lychee and spice. Pair it with pork and glazed ham with cloves.

Natalie MacLean’s score: 91/100

2005 Darting Gewürztraminer Kabinett, Qmp, Dürkheimer Nonnengarten
Germany, Pfalz Region
$16.95

Stunning! A white wine with exotic layers of rose petals, lychee and nuts. Closed with a screwcap.

Natalie MacLean’s score: 90/100

2005 Gewürztraminer Vendanges Tardives
Alsace, France
$34.00

The producer states that this bottle is made from late-harvest grapes, which creates a wine with subdued Gewürztraminer characteristics. Despite its subtleties, it’s still an intense glass with complexity and length in the mouth. The bottle should be served as an aperitif or with light desserts.

Gewürztraminer takeaway tips

• Gewürztraminer can be drunk as an aperitif or with nearly any meal.
• Gewürztraminer is often considered a dessert wine.
• Its color is typically straw yellow.
• A glass of Gewürztraminer will often have spritz.

Brockville Recorder and Times
April 10, 2008

By Judy Creighton

The Brockville Recorder and Times published the same story as the London Free Press.

Calgary Herald
May 30, 2007

Renowned wine writer's pairing advice
By Shelley Boettcher

Trying to kill time but look productive in the office this morning? Consider a wine education site.

Chances are good that if you're Canadian and you enjoy reading about wine, you've heard about Canuck wine writer Natalie MacLean. Her book, Red, White and Drunk All Over has sold thousands of copies around the world since it was published early last year, and she's won pretty much every wine writing award in the world. And there are a lot of them.

Natalie's website is a terrific source for people interested in learning more about wine; I'm especially fond of her food and wine matcher (http://www.nataliemaclean.com/matcher), which gives hints for beginning oenophiles trying to plan meals. Choose a food category (appetizers, desserts, for instance), or choose a wine (red, white, sparkling etc.) She'll offer up dish suggestions, recipes and, of course, a list of wines to try.

And when you get bored of menu planning, you can always go back to her main site. You can poke around the site and read her often-hilarious wine articles for hours. Or at least till it's time to go home and put your newfound knowledge into practice.

Canadian Press
March 31, 2008

By Judy Creighton

Four Canadians, including a cookbook author, a magazine and a wine writer as well as a television producer, have been nominated for the prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards for 2008.

Established in 1990, the awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their field. They are dedicated to James Beard, who died in 1985. He was a cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food.

He helped mentor and educate generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts.

Trish Magwood of Toronto has been nominated in the entertaining cookbooks category for her 2007 cookbook "Dish Entertains" (Harper Collins). She is also a successful food entrepreneur who owns Dish Cooking Studio in Toronto.

Toronto freelance food writer Sasha Chapman has been nominated in the Food-Related Consumer Issues segment of the competition for her piece "Sitting Ducks," which appeared in Toronto Life magazine in 2007.

A previous four-time winner of James Beard Awards for her writing about drinks, Natalie MacLean of Ottawa is nominated this year in the multimedia category for her presentation "When Food Fights With Wine."

And for his production of Bocuse d'Or 2007, Nick Versteeg of Shaw Cable in Victoria, B.C., is nominated in the Television Food Special category.

The awards and reception will take place at the Lincoln Centre in New York Sunday, June 8. The journalism and broadcast media awards will be presented at the Hudson Theatre on Friday, June 6.

Canadian Wine Facts

By Natalie MacLean

1. Canadian wine making is not a recent phenomenon. Viking explorer Leif Ericson first named Canada Vinland in 1001 BCE after he found so many vines growing where he landed at L’Anse Aux Meadows, Newfoundland. In 1535, Jacques Cartier also found many grapes growing on the island he named Ile de Bacchus (later known as Ile d’Orleans).

2. Jesuit priests found that wine made from the native rough-hewn grapes, which were not classic vitis vinifera grapes, was barely palatable for sacramental purposes. Vitis vinifera grapes were first planted in the 1900s.

3. Johann Schiller, a retired German soldier, is known as the father of the Canadian wine industry. In 1811, he applied his expertise from Rhine winemaking to 400 acres of grapes planted in the Niagara region of Ontario.

4. The first commercial winery was Vin Villa on Pelee Island in 1866. Today there are 250 wineries with in six provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

5. By 1919 all provinces went dry under Prohibition except Quebec which banned the sale of all alcohol but beer and wine. In a strange twist, Canadian law made it illegal to sell but not to manufacture liquor. Alcohol was also permitted for medicinal, scientific, industrial, sacramental and mechanical purposes. The inevitable result was the proliferation of basement, kitchen and cow shed distilleries as well as a booming smuggling trade to the US.

6. As Canadian humorist Stephen Leacock noted at the time “To get a drink during Prohibition it is necessary to go to the drugstore and lean up against the counter making a gurgling sigh like apoplexy. One often sees there apoplexy cases lined up four deep.” The use of alcohol for “medicinal reasons” became so loosely defined that the government eventually required tonic wine makers to add an ingredient that would cause the “patient” to vomit above the stated dosage. These “therapeutic wines” soon lost their market following.

7. At the end of Prohibition, each provincial government decided to regulate the sale alcohol similar to the system in Scandinavia. The government monopoly in Canada’s largest province, Ontario, is the world’s largest single purchaser of wine in the world buying 8.5 million cases annually (that’s twelve 750 ml bottles per case or 76.2 million litres in total). Approximately 69 percent of the current price of wine is comprised of government taxes.

8. In 1955, Bright’s winery produced the first 100 percent Canadian chardonnay. Up to this point, the most illustrious brand in the company’s repertoire was a Catawba grape-based sherry that was dubbed “Bright’s Disease” by less than enthusiastic tipplers.

9. In the early 1970s, Canadians preferred sweet “pop wines”; one of every 24 bottles consumed in Canada was Andre’s Baby Duck sparkling wine. The menagerie of other pop wines on the market at that time included Gimli Goose, Pink Flamingo, Baby Deer, Baby Bear, Little White Duck, Fuddle Duck and Luv-a-Duck and Pussycat.

10. In addition to the classical varieties, Canada grows several unique hybrids such as Baco Noir, Seyval Blanc, Marechal Foch, a cross between Pinot Noir and Gamay grapes, and Vidal, often used as the basis for its world renowned ice wine.

11. Canada’s cool climatic conditions enable it to be the largest ice wine producer in the world. The grapes for ice wine must be gathered and pressed at a temperature not higher than –8oC. Although both Germany and Austria are large ice wine producers, their climates are not as consistently cold as is Canada’s to guarantee ice wine production every year. Canada produces over 2 million 375ml bottles of ice wine annually. The average price of C$45/bottle in Canada will go as high as C$220 in Japan.

12. Ontario’s premier wine regions include Niagara Peninsula, Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island. British Columbia hosts the second largest grape growing regions including the Okanagan Valley, Similkameen Valley, Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island. The lakes and geography within these regions moderate temperatures and provide an excellent microclimate for grape growing. Eventually, subregions within these appellations will be created based on distinct microclimatic conditions. Canada’s wine regions are on the same latitude as Burgundy, France; Chianti Classico, Italy and Rioja, Spain.

13. Cool climates such as Canada’s produce grapes that are naturally higher in a chemical compound resveratrol. Resveratrol is the anti-oxidant in grape skins that protects the fruit against fungus attacks, and when consumed in wine, appears to reduce fat and cholesterol in human blood which contribute to heart disease.

14. Canadian wines have consistently won medals at international competitions over the past decade. For example, the Niagara winery Inniskillin won France's highest award, the Grand Prix d'Honneur, at the 1991 Vinexpo against 4,100 wines for its 1989 Ice Wine. Other awards have included Grand Golds at VinItaly for icewine and chardonnay, the Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Trophy for the best blended red, the Civart Tophy for the best of the gold medal winning dessert wines and six gold medals at Vinexpo '97, of which three were for red wines. In March 1999, the British Columbia winery Calona Vineyards won the gold at Chardonnay du Monde competition (World Chardonnay) in France for its 1997 Artist Series Chardonnay.

15. In 1988, the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) was created to ensure minimum quality standards in designated Ontario appellations somewhat similar to the designations in France (Appellation Origine de Controlle or AOC) or the US (American Viticultural Area or AVA). Since then British Columbia has also adopted the system. VQA wines are tested by an independent tasting panel for typicity, quality and the absence of faults. Winemaking techniques and grape ripeness are also audited. Efforts are underway to nationalize the system which would help Canadian wineries to export to European markets where often country-wide standards must first be in place.

16. California winemaker Ernest & Julio Gallo make two and half times the amount of wine that Canadians drink annually. Canada’s largest winery, Vincor, produces 7 million cases annually making it the fifth largest winery in North America.

17. In the year ended March 31, 1997, Canadians spent $11.4 billion on beer, wine and spirits, a 3.6 percent increase over the previous year. They consume an average of 10.6 litres of wine per capita annually, of which 40% is red wine, 42% white and 18% sparkling, fortified and other wines combined. The highest consumption is in the north: those from the Yukon drink an average of 19 litres per capita. Over the past five years, wine consumption has increased 3.2 percent while beer and spirits decreased by 4.7 percent and 7.5 percent respectively.

18. The United States is Canada’s largest wine export market, and in 1997, Canada exported 180,000 bottles to America.

19. To find out more about the Canadian wine industry, visit the following web site: http://winesofontario.org and http://www.bcwine.ca.

Canadian Wines

By Natalie MacLean

What better way to celebrate Canada Day than with wines that are truly our own? Choice isn’t a problem with 250 wineries in eight provinces producing 120 million bottles annually. But it’s the quality of Canadian wines, rather than the quantity, will convince you that they are the ideal complement to summer fare. Although many Ontario and British Columbia wines are available nationally, those from smaller operations may only be available in their home provinces. This makes them a special treat worth sampling if you encounter them during your summer travels.

Canada has a long history with the grape. Viking explorer Lief Erickson first named the country "Vineland" in 1001 BCE when he saw so many vines growing in Newfoundland.

Although the classic vitus vinifera grapes such as cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay do not grow in the province, blueberries, cloudberries, lingoberries, or partridge berries, are the basis for three wineries making fruit wines. These wines exhibit a fresh berry character with bright acidity, making them great accompaniments to lobster dinners and other fish dishes. Try the Rodrigues Markland Cottage Winery Patridgeberry/Lingoberry Wine ($11) and serve it chilled. Rodrigues Markland wines, which are all certified kosher, are available in Newfoundland, Ontario and Alberta.

Moving west, six Nova Scotia wineries make wines during a growing season that is shorter and cooler than those in Ontario and British Columbia. Therefore, vintners use winter hardy grapes such as marèchal foch (a cross between pinot noir and gamay grapes), de chaunac, seyval blanc and vidal blanc as well as German varietals such as riesling and gewürztraminer. Jost Vineyards, located on the Northumberland Strait in Malagash, won twenty-two medals in international wine competitions in 1999 alone. The Jost Vineyards Marèchal Foch 1997 ($9) has dark fruit aromas that pair well with barbecued hamburgers topped with salsa or a seared pepper-encrusted steak. The wine is available in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Manitoba.

Rossignol Estate Winery is the only wine producer on Prince Edward Island. Its fruit and table wines are bottled with labels bearing the artwork of Nancy Perkins, a P.E.I artist, and John Rossingol, the win The seyval blanc and marèchal foch wines won two silver medals at the Intervin International Awards for Wine Achievement in New York while the fruit wines have also received recognition in competition. Try the Rossignol Estate Winery Strawberry Rhubarb ($15) made from lightly pressed fruit that is aged for a year to make this sweet amber wine. It drinks well as an aperitif or as a pie-in-a-glass dessert on its own.

With its cold climate, Quebec is traditionally known for producing fine maple syrup, not fine wine. However, about fifteen wineries produce 250,000 bottles annually, ninety percent of which is white wine, mostly seyval blanc. About half of Quebec’s wine is produced in the Eastern Townships, eighty kilometers southeast of Montreal, where there are more hours of sunshine on average than the rest of the province. The province’s winemaking heritage goes back to 1535 when French explorer Jacques Cartier found so many grapes growing on Ile d’Orleans that he named it Ile de Bacchus after the Greek god of wine.

Vignoble du Marathonien Cuvée Spéciale 1999 ($12), a blend of cayuga, seyal blanc and vidal grapes, has a floral and orange peel aroma similar to the muscat grape. It goes well with chicken dishes and other white meat with sweet sauces. Vignoble de l’Orpailleur’s Vin Blanc 1999 ($11), made from seyval blanc, is a dry white wine with an intense green apple nose and a hint of honey. Drink it with shellfish, white meat and mild cheeses. Both wineries have won medals at international wine competitions.

Ontario’s premier wine regions, Niagara Peninsula, Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island, are on the same latitude as those of Burgundy, France; Chianti, Italy; and Rioja, Spain. The cool climate enables vintners in Ontario along with those in B.C. and Quebec to be the largest ice wine producers in the world. Although both Germany and Austria are large ice wine producers, their climates are not as consistently cold as is Canada’s to guarantee ice wine production every year. Canada produces over 2 million 375ml bottles of ice wine annually. The average price of $45/bottle in Canada will go as high as $220 in Japan.

When the Niagara winery Inniskillin won France’s 1991 Grand Prix d'Honneur for its icewine, the world started to take note of Canadian wine. To win this vinous Nobel Prize, Inniskillin competed against 4,100 wines. While icewines may be made in the winter, they drink well year-round and most of Ontario’s wineries make them. Their sweetness allows them to go with the sweetest of summer desserts. Most are sold in the half bottle size (375 ml), so a bottle can easily be shared by two. Try Inniskillin Vidal Icewine 1998 ($50) and Hillebrand Trius Vidal Icewine 1998 ($45). Also try Inniskillin Sparkling Vidal Icewine 1998 ($90) or Magnotta Sparkling Vidal Icewine ($50), both have an effervescence that softens the perception of sweetness on the palate, allowing these wines to complement a wider range of foods such as veined cheese, nuts and fruit desserts.

In addition to sweet and sparkling wines, Ontario produces a wide range of red and white still wines. Cave Spring Riesling 1999 ($11) is crisp, refreshing white wine that is among the most food friendly, pairing easily with most summer dishes. Henry of Pelham Baco Noir 1999 ($12) has long been known as a benchmark for this varietal red wine with a plummy palate that stands up to grilled and charred meats. Stoney Ridge Cabernet Franc 1999 ($12), with a spicy bell pepper nose, also drinks well with barbecued meats.

Banach Winery in North Battleford, Saskatchewan’s only winery, produces fruit wines based cranapple, strawberry, black cherry and raspberry. The Banach Winery Sir Walter ($12) is made from fresh raspberries with medium sweetness balanced with a touch of tart acidity. It goes well with raspberry and other fruit desserts, and served slightly chilled, it makes a lovely sipping wine for long summer evenings.

British Columbia hosts the largest grape growing region after Ontario with about fifty-five wineries in the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, Similkameen Valley and Okanogan Valley which produces sixty-five percent of the province’s wine. The lakes and geography within these regions moderate temperatures and provide an excellent microclimate for grape growing.

Sixty-five percent of B.C.’s wines are white and include the classic varieties as well as hybrids. For some pleasantly unusual and aromatic white wines, try the Mission Hill Chenin Blanc 1999 ($8) or the Sumac Ridge Pinot Blanc ($12). The province also grows wonderfully rich, fruity red wines such as the Calona Heritage Collection Merlot 1999 ($9) and Okanogan Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 ($9). B.C.’s wines have also won numerous awards in international competition, including the gold medal at the 1999 Chardonnay du Monde competition (World Chardonnay) in France for the Calona Vineyards 1997 Artist Series Chardonnay. Try the current release Calona Vineyards Heritage Collection Chardonnay 1999 ($9).

In addition to tasting Canadian wine this summer, why not visit one of our wine regions? Most of the wineries are nestled in spectacular settings, and they pair wonderfully well with local cuisine, making the trip a gastronomic delight.

Centre Daily Times
February 3, 2008

By Jo and Tom Chesworth

With Valentine’s Day coming, are you wondering which red wine to have with your chocolate? Did you ever wonder which red grape is responsible for the most red wine? Perhaps it’s Cabernet Sauvignon, the major component of most Bordeaux red wines and a mainstay in California vineyards. Wrong. It isn’t Merlot, the major component in the rest of the Bordeaux reds and a darling of California wines. Nor is it Zinfandel. So much for most California reds.

How about Pinot Noir, the great red grape of Burgundy and Oregon? Nope. Well then, it must be Shiraz, also called Syrah, grown in Australia and grown, by law, on the right bank of the Rhone River south of Lyon, France. That’s not it, nor is the Native American Concord grape, a wine that is not even considered to be a grape wine.

In fact, it is none of the “international grapes” nor any of the fashionable “named varietals.” It is difficult to find its name on a wine label for reasons that are political. In France there are four official levels of quality. The two highest levels are based on the area where the grapes are grown and the wine is made. In general, the smaller and more specific the area, the higher the wine’s quality. The rules require that vineyards grow only specified grapes, plant only so many vines per acre and that the wine has a minimum alcohol level. The system is called AOC, (Appellation d’Origine Contrôllèe) and the second level is VDQS, a sort of AOC in waiting. The key rule in the system is that, with very few exceptions, you are not allowed to put a varietal name on the label. No Merlot, no Cabernet Sauvignon, and no Pinot Noir.

The next level is vin du pais on whose label you may put a varietal name, but they don’t bother in Europe. However, if they’re making wine for the American market, they do.

The lowest level in the quality system is vin du table which is seldom exported and is usually found in unlabeled plastic milk bottles in supermarkets in France or delivered by the farmer with the morning milk and eggs. Only in the new world do consumers look for varietal names on their wine labels.

The name of the most widely grown red grape, because little of it is grown outside Europe, almost never appears on a label. In France, the country that produces the most wine, it is called Grenache. In Spain it is Garnacha, and up until the mid-1960s there was more Grenache than Shiraz grown in Australia.

It is grown in Provence, France, across the southern border from Italy, through Chateauneuf du Pape to Marseilles, then along the Mediterranean coast in Languedoc- Roussoillon and on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees to the Atlantic south of Bordeaux. Because the grape grows along the Mediterranean, it does very well in that climate (like Southern California) so that Grenache may be the next California wine of the month.

If you wish to indulge in Grenache with your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day, you might want to get a bottle of 2003 d’Arenberg Grenache from the Derelict Vineyard in McLaren Vale in South Australia at $25 a bottle. Or perhaps try one of the most food-friendly red wines, Chateauneuf -du-Pape. Georges Duboeuf has a range of prices from $9 for the frugal among us to $24 for the profligate.

Natalie MacLean, author of the popular book Red, White and Drunk All Over, calls wine “liquid sensuality and when you pair it with the mouth-coating luxury of chocolate, the combination is impossible to resist.” Some of her matches are chocolate-covered biscotti with Valpolicella (Italy), chocolate- orange cake and Liqueur Muscat (Australia), chocolate with nuts and Tawny Port (Portugal), or milk chocolate and Tokaji (Hungary).

Or you might try the valentine we are giving each other — Barton & Guestier’s Chateauneuf-du-Pape at $22 and Hershey’s Dark Chocolate at 60 cents a bar.

Charleston Gazette
June 5, 2007

By John Brown

As I’ve almost evangelistically proclaimed over the years: “Brothers and Sisters, you got to drink that wine with victuals. Say hallelujah!” Both the wine and the food are enhanced and your sensory pleasure is doubled. One of the best websites I’ve found to get up-to-date information on matching food and wine is: www.nataliemaclean.com/matcher.

Natalie MacLean, award-winning author of the website, is also author of “Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass.” The link above is not just a place to find special occasion food and wine matches. MacLean’s says her matching tool pairs wines with everyday meals, as well as challenging fare, such as vegetarian cuisine, egg-based sauces, cheese, TV dinners, and even dessert, including Jell-O and fudge (for those who like to layer their vices).

Chatelaine
April 2008

By Natalie MacLean

Raise a glass of great vino with help from Chatelaine's wine expert Natalie MacLean. Here are her tips to serving – and enjoying – a perfect glass.

1. Decanting

Pour wine out of the bottle and into a decanter, which can be a water jug, specially designed wine decanter or another large vessel to soften the wine and clarify it of any remaining sediment (the tiny particles from the grapes). Exposing robust red wines to air softens their harsh tannins, which make them taste smoother. White wines don't have strong tannins, so they taste best when fresh from the bottle.

2. Red wine temperature

Serve red wine at about 17C. You can buy a wine thermometer if you really want to be sure, but the wine should be slightly cooler than room temperature. Some light reds, such as beaujolais or other gamay region wines, are better served at cooler temperatures to capture their freshness.

3. White wine temperature

Serve white wine chilled to about 13C. When you pour it, your glass should feel cool but not ice-cold – it shouldn't mist over.

4. Good glasses

A good glass does make wine taste better. All you really need are two all-purpose styles: the bordeaux glass (with a rounded bowl) is the most versatile for reds, and the sauvignon blanc glass (with more of a tulip-shaped bowl) works for most whites. Leading glassware makers include Baccarat, Schott Zwiesel, Waterford, Spiegelau and Riedel.

5. Quality scent

Be sure to smell the wine before you serve it. Whether it's red or white, if it smells like musty cardboard, it may be corked. This flaw occurs when a chemical from the cork leaches into the wine. There's no salvaging it, so try another bottle.

Chicago Tribune
March 14, 2007

Drinking of the green (wine, that is)
By Bill Daley

If you ask me, way too many people will mark St. Patrick's Day this Saturday by sudsing it up with green beer. The rest of us can take heart; there are other liquid alternatives out there guaranteed to brighten the day. Take "green" wine.

Oh, not so much green in color, although certain varietals in a certain light take on limey highlights. I'm talking "green" as in flavor profile: crisp, herbaceous, apple-y. Delicious.

These often-spunky wines will stand up to all the corned beef and cabbage, shepherd's pie, fried fish, poached salmon and colcannon dished out over the weekend.

What fits the definition of green? Depends on whom you ask.

"When I think of 'green' wines, those that come to mind are zippy whites with herbal notes such as New Zealand sauvignon blanc, Italian verdicchio and Austrian gruner veltliner," said Natalie MacLean, author and creator of a free online food and wine matching system (nataliemaclean.com/matcher).

"They all have enough mouthwatering acidity to stand up to traditional pub dishes," she said.

Chicago Tribune (2)
September 12, 2007

By Bill Daley

A ripe tomato deserves to be showcased at the table with, at least, a sprinkling of good salt and, at most, a piece or two of mozzarella, basil sprigs and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. And, to make it even more celebratory, be sure to pour some wine even though there's a challenge in finding one that will work with the lively, mouth-filling flavor tomatoes bring to the table.

Sommelier Marcus Will says the tart acidity of fresh tomatoes demands a wine equally electric or the wine will end up tasting flat.

"Move to a sauvignon blanc that's zippy and slightly racy," he says.

Will is not alone in recommending sauvignon blanc. Other experts suggest the herby sauvignon blancs from France's Loire and Bordeaux regions.

Natalie MacLean, the Canadian wine writer, also points to sauvignon blanc on her Web site, Nat Decants (nataliemaclean.com). But there are other wines, both red and white, that can work with tomatoes, such as an Italian barbera, because of their acidity.

"When tomatoes are cooked in a multi-ingredient dish or in a sauce, such as ratatouille or marinara, they're less harsh and their acid edge is softened," she noted in an e-mail interview. "With these dishes, you can try other juicy Italian reds, such as Valpolicella, sangiovese and dolcetto. They all have complementary ripe red fruit aromas, a touch of spice and a mouth-awakening acidity."

MacLean said pinot noirs from such cool climate regions as Burgundy, New Zealand and Oregon have a tartness to hold up to tomatoes. But warm-climate pinots, such as those from California and Australia, are "too ripe and flabby to hold their own," she said.

A fresh approach

2005 Domaine de Bel Air Pouilly Fume: This sauvignon blanc from France's Loire Valley perfectly matched the mouth-feel of tomatoes. Elegant, with notes of grapefruit and anise, this wine made the tomato taste even fresher. $23.

2004 Villa Giada Barbera d'Asti Ajan: Aromatic, with notes of spice, clove and pepper, this Italian red tasted of dark fruit and earth. Wine highlighted the tomato's natural sweetness. $22.

2005 Gustave Lorentz Gewurztraminer Reserve: This Alsatian white was better poured on its own. The oily richness of wine got lost amid the tomato's flavors. $18.

2004 Gobelsburger Gruner Veltliner: From Austria, this white offered butterscotch notes offset by a zesty acidity. Most tasters thought the wine overwhelmed the tomato. $18.

2004 Ruffino Chianti Superiore Il Leo: Rich Italian red with plump fruit underscored by notes of earth. Most tasters thought the wine did not improve when matched with the tomato. $17.

2005 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani: Italian red with a very low profile, this wine's unassuming berry flavors almost disappeared when paired with the tomato's vitality. $19.

Chicago Tribune (3)
September 5, 2007

By Bill Daley

It's high season for tomatoes, that short but intense period when locally grown tomatoes seem to be everywhere: Farm stands, supermarkets, back-yard vines. One bite into a juicy, ripe sun-warmed tomato and you recognize once more what all the fuss is about after spending months dodging those wan, rock-hard "tomatoes" sold or served out-of-season.

A fresh, vine-ripened tomato deserves to be showcased at the table with, at least, a sprinkling of good salt and, at most, a piece or two of mozzarella, basil sprigs and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. And, to make it even more celebratory, be sure to pour some wine even though there's a challenge in finding one that will work with the lively, mouth-filling flavor tomatoes bring to the table.

Marcus Will, sommelier at Va Pensiero in Evanston, said that the tart acidity of fresh tomatoes demands a wine equally electric or the wine will end up tasting flat.

"Move to a sauvignon blanc that's zippy and slightly racy," he said.

Will is not alone in recommending sauvignon blanc. It is the tomato wine of choice for Efrain Madrigal, wine director of Sam's Wines & Spirits. He suggested the "especially herby" sauvignon blancs from France's Loire and Bordeaux regions.

"To me, these wines have an herby, almost tomato leaflike note that works well with uncooked tomatoes," he said.

Natalie MacLean, the Canadian wine writer, also points to sauvignon blanc on her Web site, Nat Decants (nataliemaclean.com). But there are other wines, both red and white, that can work with tomatoes, such as an Italian barbera, because of their acidity.

"When tomatoes are cooked in a multi-ingredient dish or in a sauce, such as ratatouille or marinara, they're less harsh and their acid edge is softened," she noted in an e-mail interview. "With these dishes, you can try other juicy Italian reds, such as Valpolicella, sangiovese and dolcetto. They all have complementary ripe red fruit aromas, a touch of spice and a mouth-awakening acidity."

MacLean said pinot noirs from such cool climate regions as Burgundy, New Zealand and Oregon have a tartness to hold up to tomatoes. But warm-climate pinots, such as those from California and Australia, are "too ripe and flabby to hold their own," she said.

Tom Benezra of Sal's Beverage World stores also recommended Italian reds, including Chianti and barbera.

"Rarely does one sit down to a meal of wine and fresh tomatoes alone," he said. "In summer, plain fresh tomatoes make a terrific side dish to grilled beef and lamb, so [those] red wines will work well."

But Benezra doesn't go with sauvignon blanc. He doesn't think New Zealand sauvignon blanc has "enough structure" to stand up to the "robust acidity" of a fresh tomato. As for the French sauvignons like Sancerre and Pouilly Fume, Benezra said they "often show flinty minerality ... which does not do tomatoes any favors."

His choice then? Gruner veltliner from Austria.

"This green wine has a steel structure which readily stands up to a juicy tomato while not competing with its flavors," he said.

He also favors fruity wines like a French Vouvray, made with chenin blanc grapes. He also said dry fino and manzanilla sherries with "their zesty, salty smell ... are a natural match with more strongly flavored fresh tomato dishes such as tomatoes with vinaigrette or gazpacho."

In their book, "What to Drink with What You Eat," authors Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg recommend a number of wines for tomatoes in their various forms: Pour a rose with raw tomatoes, a Spanish albarino for tomato confit, sangiovese and barbera for cooked tomatoes, and so on.

They also quote Brian Duncan, wine director of Chicago's Bin 36 restaurant. Serve a gewurztraminer with a platter of differently colored tomato slices sprinkled with olive oil, sea salt and basil and, he predicted, "People will think you are a rock star!"

Duncan told the authors that pairing raw tomatoes with the fruity, high-acid German wine would make it seem like you were tasting a tomato "for the very first time."

- - -

A fresh approach

The Good Eating wine tasting panel sampled one Austrian white, two French whites and three Italian reds to discover which worked best with tomatoes purchased at Chicago's Green City Market. As always in these informal blind tastings, the score reflects how well the wine matches up with the food.

2005 Domaine de Bel Air Pouilly Fume

This sauvignon blanc from France's Loire Valley perfectly matched the mouth-feel of the tomatoes. Elegant, with notes of grapefruit and anise, this white wine made the tomato taste even fresher.

(3 corkscrews) $20

2004 Villa Giada Barbera d'Asti Ajan

Aromatic, with notes of spice, clove and black pepper, this Italian red tasted of dark fruit, earth and tomato leaf. The wine highlighted the tomato's natural sweetness.

(2 corkscrews) $19

2005 Gustave Lorentz

Gewurztraminer Reserve

This Alsatian white was better poured on its own. The oily richness of wine got lost amid the tomato's flavors.

(2 corkscrews) $15

2004 Gobelsburger Gruner Veltliner

From Austria, this white offered butterscotch notes offset by a zesty acidity. Most tasters thought the wine overwhelmed the tomato.

(2 corkscrews) $15

2004 Ruffino Chianti Superiore Il Leo

A rich, smoky Italian red with plump fruit flavors underscored by notes of earth. Most tasters thought the wine did not improve when matched with the tomato.

(1 corkscrew) $14

2005 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani

An Italian red with a very low profile, this wine's unassuming berry flavors almost disappeared when paired with the tomato's vitality.

(1 corkscrew) $16

-- B.D.

Sources: These wines may or may not be in stock at your local store; inquire first. At least one of these wines was found at these stores: Binny's Beverage Depot stores, Fox & Obel, Schaefer's in Skokie, The Wine Cellar in Palatine, Randall & Vine Wine Shoppe in Algonquin, DiCarlo Fine Wine & Spirits in Mundelein, Tannins in Elmhurst. Prices may vary from store to store. Prices are rounded off.

(4 corkscrews) Excellent (3 corkscrews) Very good (2 corkscrews) Good (1 corkscrew) Fair (No corkscrews) Poor

Chicago Tribune (4)
January 9, 2008

By Bill Daley

Does boeuf bourguignon have to be made with a wine from its namesake region, Burgundy? It's traditional, yes, but it doesn't have to be.

It's no accident that Fiona Beckett, the British food writer, recommends a red from France's Languedoc or Rhone. She wants a more full-bodied wine in her recipe.

Nor does the wine in the pot need to be the same as what's poured in the glass. Wine can lend a great deal of flavor to cooking, but long cooking destroys a fine wine's nuances and layers of complexity.

"Burgundy isn't the only wine that pairs with beef Burgundy, and it isn't even necessarily the best match," added Natalie MacLean, the Canadian wine writer who offers a wine-food matching tool on her Web site, nataliemaclean.com. "I pair the dish with a wide variety of red wines, including Barolo, Bordeaux, New World cabernet sauvignon, Chianti, Cotes-du-Rhone, merlot, syrah and zinfandel. I also match it with full-bodied whites, such as chardonnay and gewurztraminer."

Mark L. Esterman, the Michigan-based wine buyer for Meijer stores, uses whatever red is left over from the night before, so he'll usually go with a cabernet sauvignon or a Bordeaux from Saint Emilion. If he must buy a wine for cooking, he uses "a good wine -- just not an expensive wine."

Efrain Madrigal, wine buyer for Sam's Wines & Spirits, thinks big cabs, Bordeaux and Barolo belong in the decanter, not the pan. He looks for red wine with abundant cherry-plum flavors, fresh acidity and even a little earthiness.

"Lately my go-to cooking red has been the 2006 Casa de la Vega Garnacha from La Mancha, Spain," he said. "It is absolutely marvelous as a cooking wine: vinous, fresh, savory and, of course, it is a dynamite companion when served with the dish it was used in."

Alixe Lischett of Cabernet & Company in Glen Ellyn prefers a Burgundian wine or American pinot noir. She stays away from cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel or heavy syrahs because they might flavor the stew too much.

Another thing about not using a Burgundy, said Sterling Pratt of Schaefer's in Skokie, is coming up with alternative names for the dish.

"Alliteration may be important here," he quipped.

Pratt has a point. While "sirloin shiraz" and "steak sangiovese" could work, boeuf bourguignon just rolls off the tongue ... well, for the French anyway. Here's how to pronounce it: "Beuf boor-gee-NYON."

Boeuf bourguignon

Preparation time: 35 minutes

Cooking time: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Chilling time: 12 hours

Yield: 6 servings

Fiona Beckett prefers to use a fuller-bodied red wine from the Rhone or Languedoc instead of Burgundy in this recipe adapted from "Food, Wine & Friends." Pancetta, an Italian bacon, is sold in specialty markets and some supermarkets; you can substitute regular bacon.

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 1/2 ounces pancetta, coarsely chopped

2 pounds beef chuck, fat trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

3 onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons flour

2 cups red wine, plus extra if needed

Bouquet garni of thyme sprigs, parsley stalks and 1 bay leaf

2 tablespoon butter

4 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta; cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a Dutch oven. Add the beef to the skillet, in batches if necessary; cook, turning, until brown on all sides, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to the Dutch oven.

2. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil in the skillet. Lower heat to medium; add the onions. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to caramelize, about 15 minutes.

3. Stir in flour; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in the wine. Raise the heat to medium-high; heat to a boil. Pour the onion mixture over the meat in the Dutch oven; add the bouquet garni. Heat to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer; cook until meat is just tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Refrigerate 12 hours.

4. Return the stew to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Heat to a boil over medium-high heat; lower heat to a simmer.

5. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms; cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir the mushrooms into the stew; cook until flavors come together, about 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more wine for a pronounced wine flavor, if you like. Sprinkle with parsley.

Nutrition information per serving:

462 calories, 63% of calories from fat, 32 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 111 mg cholesterol, 9 g carbohydrates, 32 g protein, 310 mg sodium, 2 g fiber

- - -

Ranging far from Burgundy

The only Burgundy wine in this informal blind tasting came in dead last in scoring, both on its own and when paired with a beef stew made in the style of bourguignon. The wine was just too austere. Ratings below reflect how well the wine worked with the beef stew.

2006 Dona Paula Estate Malbec

A steal at $13, this deep purple beauty smelled of dark berries and earth and coated the palate seductively. Berry fruitiness was sparked with black pepper and balanced with tannins. The stew enhanced the wine's flavor, accenting the layers of spice.

(3 corkscrews) $13

2005 Martin Codax Ergo Rioja

This tempranillo-based red from Spain had a jammy berry flavor reined in by plenty of acidity and tannins. Short, bright finish. The stew gave the wine more complexity, toning down the berry and bringing up earthy notes.

(3 corkscrews) 13

2004 Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasters liked this Aussie a lot on its own and with the stew; their scores barely budged. Most felt the stew brought out the fruitiness in an otherwise lean but powerful wine. Some, however, thought the wine was overwhelmed by the meat.

(3 corkscrews) $20

2005 Bogle Vineyards Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

With its light color and earthy nose, this California red seemed oh-so-Burgundian. Cherry and berry flavors were augmented by notes of earth and black pepper. The wine's score dipped slightly when paired with the meat.

(2 corkscrews) $15

2002 Chateau Perron Lalande de Pomerol

A Bordeaux blend of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon, this wine was terrific on its own with good mouthfeel, assertive barnyard aroma, and notes of earth, stone and black pepper overlaying the fruit. The stew overwhelmed the wine, muting its force.

(2 corkscrews) $22

2005 Rene Lequin-Colin Bourgogne

Au courant with its screw cap and its varietal (pinot noir) labeling, this Burgundian red did not impress panelists very much. Most found it thin and sharp, but one taster thought that's what a rich, hearty stew needed for balance.

(2 corkscrews) $22

This story also appeared in the Orlando Sentinel.

Chicago Tribune (5)
March 5, 2008

By Bill Daley

Muscat is an ancient grape poised for new attention from adventurous wine lovers looking for a fragrant wine that comes in a wide range of styles from dry to sweet.

Chicago-area retailers have seen the wine growing in popularity. Tracy Lewis Liang, wine and spirits director at Treasure Island Foods stores, has noticed a recent uptick in sales. She said the renewed interest is because people are getting over the idea that fruity means sweet and unsophisticated.

"Muscat is one of those grapes like riesling and chenin blanc that can make any style of wine from bubblies to dry dinner wines to wonderful dessert wines," she said.

Hundreds of muscat varieties are grown for winemaking or for table grapes or raisins. Two of the top varieties are muscat a petits grains, used for dry Alsatian wines, and the sweet muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, according to "The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia."

"This grape is like Silly Putty," said Efrain Madrigal, wine director of Sam's Wines & Spirits. "You can make it into any style of wine you want ... I think its versatility is why it continues to captivate winemakers."

Grown around the world, from Europe to Australia to California to North Africa, muscats share a distinct perfume.

"From flowery and dry versions in Austria and Alsace to nectarlike potions from California and Australia, aromatics is the key," said Doug Jeffirs, director of wine sales for Binny's Beverage Depot stores. "Nothing else is so much like pure grape essence, like biting into the ripest grapes right off the vine. That's why muscat has, and always will have, its own place in the wine world."

Don't think you've ever had muscat? Well, sparkling Asti (once known as Asti spumante) is made from muscat, as is its fizzy cousin, moscato d'Asti. Today, Asti is one of the most popular Italian wines made.

Tom Benezra of Sal's Beverage World theorizes the newfound attention to muscat wines is because there's increased interest in sparkling wines.

"Moscato d'Asti is showing the greatest increase in part because of its frizzante style," he said. "With its obvious grapy flavors, gentle bubbles and sweet finish, the wine is an easy crowd pleaser. Moscato d'Asti pairs well with most desserts and its unusually low alcohol, typically 5 to 7 percent, makes it an ideal after-dinner cocktail."

Janel Syron, sommelier at WineStyles Belmont in Chicago, said that muscats, like rieslings, appeal especially to wine newbies because they're generally sweeter in style and fit in with the sweeter drinks most Americans are used to.

"They are great wines to help ease you into wine drinking without intimidating you," she said.

Natalie MacLean, the Canadian-based wine writer and editor of an online wine newsletter (nataliemaclean.com), believes the dryer styles are catching on fast because they pair well with seafood, poultry, pork and veal.

"Muscat is one of the great underrated wines in the world," she said. "Buy it now while it's still reasonably priced."

- - -

Sweet wins the day

Six muscats from around the world, three dry and three rather sweet, were the focus of this blind tasting. Panelists clearly preferred the sweeter styles, which had a vibrant fullness the drier muscats lacked.

2006 Martin & Weyrich Moscato Allegro

Made in the style of an Italian moscato d'Asti, this California wine had an elegant spark thanks to lots of acidity. Slightly spritzy, the wine smelled of honey and pears. Serve with apple tart, strawberry shortcake.

(3 corkscrews) $12

2007 Benessere Muscat di Canelli Frizzante

The nose of this just-released wine from California's Napa Valley had a touch of rubbery funk nestled in among the floral scents. The wine's mild fizziness helps cut the sweetness. Serve with roast chicken stuffed with dried apricots, poached pears or triple-cream cheeses.

(3 corkscrews) $25

2006 St. Supery Moscato

From California, this last of the sweeter muscats has plenty of grape flavor and a soft yet sugary finish. The wine smelled of honeyed cooked fruit.

(2 corkscrews) $17

2003 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Herrenweg de Turckheim Muscat

From France's Alsace region, this dry wine offered plenty of minerals, a pronounced flavor of grapes and violets and a sweet honeyed aroma. Serve with shrimp de Jonghe, sauteed scallops, Virginia ham.

(2 corkscrews) $40

2004 Vignalta Sirio Muscat

From Italy's Veneto region, a dry muscat with notes of washed stone, apples and even a whiff or two of salami. Tart finish. Serve with melon and prosciutto, charcuterie, roast chicken.

(2 corkscrews) $14

2003 Jean Leon Terrasola

Made of 85 percent muscat, 10 percent parellada and 5 percent gewurztraminer, this Spanish blend had a petroleum-like nose and taste. Notes of stone and pear, very tangy aftertaste. Serve with flounder in beurre blanc sauce, poached pears.

(2 corkscrews) $16

Sources: These wines may or may not be in stock at your local store; inquire first. At least one of these wines was found at these stores: Binny's Beverage Depot, Sal's Beverage World, Sam's Wines & Spirits, Artisan Cellars, Fine Wine Brokers, Fox & Obel, Treasure Island Foods, WineStyles Belmont, Cabernet & Co. in Glen Ellyn, DiCarlo Fine Wine & Spirits in Mundelein, Dobby's World Wide Wine & Liquors in Palatine, WineStyles in Palatine, WineStyles in Woodridge. Prices may vary from store to store. Prices are rounded off.

Tampa Bay Online also published this on March 10, 2008.

Chicago Tribune (6)
September 2, 2008

By Bill Daley

Finding only two domestic pinot blanc brands, one from Oregon and the other from Long Island, sitting ignored on the very bottom shelf of the "other whites" section at Sam's Wines & Spirits' Marcey Street store underscored visually just how below-the-radar this grape variety remains.

Oz Clarke, the British wine writer, once famously compared pinot blanc to Cinderella because the grape variety always seems overshadowed by other grapes. Certainly that is the case here in the U.S., where pinot blanc is snubbed. Too bad, because pinot blanc can have a lively acidity, a refreshing crispness and appealing body.

"It is a wine that is round, full and elegant without having an odd tartness on the finish," said Charlene Pontrelli of WineStyles in Woodridge. The wine should not be citrusy but more like an apple, she added, with "a hint of creaminess and a touch of nuttiness on the finish."

While there are those, like Tom Benezra of Sal's Beverage World stores, who think "pinot blanc and 'great' is somewhat oxymoronic," others like Alixe Lischett of Cabernet & Co. in Glen Ellyn savor its appeal.

"I think pinot blanc can be wonderful with food, especially fowl like the Thanksgiving turkey or your everyday chicken," she said. "It's not usually as dry as chardonnay so I feel it makes a better pairing with the bird. Its nose is slightly fruity, more ripe apple than anything, and a good one has some hints of spice and honey on the palate."

Perhaps pinot blanc is suffering from an identity problem: You've got to know it to love it. And, like other white grape varieties identified with France's Alsace region, pinot blanc has had difficulty in the American market despite the plus of being labeled by grape type. Though a white mutation of pinot gris, which is a lighter-colored version of pinot noir, pinot blanc was long linked to chardonnay because it had a similar if less fragrant style, according to "The Oxford Companion to Wine."

The confusion extended into the vineyards. In Australia, "The New Wine Lover's Companion" reports, much of what was called pinot blanc was found to be chardonnay while some of California's oldest pinot blanc vines were actually another variety called melon de bourgogne.

Pinot blanc also goes by other names in other countries. It's "pinot bianco" in Italy (not to be confused with pinot blanco, which is chenin blanc). It's "wiessburgunder" in Austria and Germany, "beli pinot" in Croatia and "clevner" or "klevner" in some corners of Alsace.

In Alsace, where pinot blanc has attained the most renown, the grape is often blended with other varieties, notably auxerrois, but is sold as "pinot blanc." Indeed, there's no limit on how much auxerrois can be added, it can even be in the majority, and still be billed as pinot blanc, said Louise Jordan, a spokeswoman for the Alsace Wine Council, an industry group.

In the United States, Oregon and parts of California are the most notable growers of pinot blanc. You will likely have to look hard for it in Chicago-area stores. Offering a reason why is Bill Newton, special projects manager for Binny's Beverage Depot stores.

"We only have a couple domestic pinot blancs, Elk Cove from Oregon and Valley of the Moon from California," he said. "Part of the problem is that there is not a great deal of demand for pinot blanc so not much is planted. The best domestic pinot blancs I have tasted have been when I visited Oregon. St. Innocent, Witness Tree, Bethel Heights all have pinot blanc, but often they are only available through the winery due to small production."

Sounds like what he's saying is for us to get more pinot blanc we all need to drink more pinot blanc. That shouldn't be too hard. Pinot blanc goes with many foods. Wine writer Natalie MacLean posts numerous pairing possibilities on her Web site, nataliemaclean.com: corned beef, brie, chicken Caesar salad, Asian-style noodles, sashimi, leek and onion dishes, even gefilte fish.

Give pinot blanc a spin in your wine glass. Let me know what you think.

The tasting: Back to the source—Alsace

Although all hail from the French province of Alsace, these seven pinot blancs each had its own personality. Some were golden and full-bodied like a chardonnay while others seemed paler, more reserved. The Good Eating tasting panel clearly preferred the bolder pinot blancs.

2005 Albert Boxler Reserve

Crisp green apple notes and touches of grapefruit balance an almost grapey sweetness in this pinot blanc. Fresh and juicy. Serve with pan-fried trout, kung pao chicken, tacos al Pastor.

$28

2005 Albert Mann

Colored gold like chardonnay and richly scented with notes of apple, pear and stone, this wine had a slightly oily texture that enriched the pineapple, apple and peach flavors. Serve with seared scallops, chicken tikka masala.

$16

2004 Marcel Deiss Bergheim

There was a certain brown tinge to this pinot blanc. Expect notes of apple, honey and stone on the nose. The flavor is of apricots and peaches; acidity keeps the sweetness in check. Nice, long finish. Serve with an Alsatian onion tart, grilled sausages.

$25

2005 Domaine Bruno Sorg

A light gold, this wine had a lively citrusy nose and tasted like pear, apple and mango, with a hint of butterscotch on the finish. Serve with crab rangoon, cashew chicken.

$13

2005 Trimbach

Nearly colorless, but with flavor notes of apple, grape and black pepper. Supporters liked it well enough but doubters found it a tad watery. Serve with sauteed mushrooms, turkey burgers.

$13

2006 Lucien Albrecht Cuvee Balthazar

A very aromatic wine, this creamy pinot blanc was ripe the flavors of peaches and plums. Serve with Thai green curry, cheese quiche, roasted chicken.

$13

2005 Jean Ginglinger Cuvee George

Watery and dull, a number of tasters wrote. Others found it more palatable, with a minerally nose and tart fruit flavor. Serve with grilled shrimp, choucroute.

$18

Sources: These wines may or may not be in stock at your local store; inquire first. At least one of these wines was found at these stores: Binny's Beverage Depot, Sam's Wines & Spirits. Prices may vary from store to store. Prices are rounded off.

CNNMoney.com
October 26, 2007

By Jessica Dickler

NEW YORK (CNN.com) -- From a box of Franzia to a bottle of 1961 Chateau Petrus, there are few drinks with such a wide range of quality and cost as wine.

As wine has grown more popular, more and more producers are getting into the market with inexpensive offerings designed to be consumed immediately, pushing overall prices down steadily.

But at the same time, demand has soared for premium wines, which are grown in limited quantity and released in moderation -- resulting in record breaking prices.

This Sunday, an Imperial of a 1961 vintage of Château Petrus (which is the equivalent of eight regular bottles) is expected to sell for $150,000 at an auction at the Columbia Yacht Club in Chicago. That would make it one of the most expensive bottles of wine ever sold at auction.

(For the record, the most expensive bottle sold to date was a 1945 Château Mouton-Rothschild that fetched $310,700 at Sotheby's in February of this year, according to Vinfolio.)

The Château Petrus is part of a large collection of bottles of Bordeaux that also includes a Jeroboam (equivalent to six regular bottles) of 1945 Château Mouton-Rothschild, and Magnums (equivalent to two regular bottles) of 1921, 1947 and 1961 Château Petrus; 1945 and 1982 Château Mouton-Rothschild; and 1961 Château Latour-A-Pomerol.
How to win at a wine auction

"There are really two kinds of wine now, one is for drinking, and the other is for collecting. Like rare stamps, collectible wines can take on inexplicably high price levels," said Princeton University economics professor Orley Ashenfelter who publishes a wine newsletter called Liquid Assets.

"I drink my wine and use my postage stamps to mail letters, and I continue to marvel at those who don't."

Collectors on the other hand, may want to make a bottle of this caliber the showpiece of a high-end wine cellar without ever intending to drink it. Rather they would hope to resell it in the future, hopefully for a profit, Ashenfelter said.
Vying for a vineyard

The price of a good bottle of wine is largely based on the cost of production, according to Natalie MacLean, editor of a wine newsletter and author of Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass.

Factors from the quality of the vineyard property and its orientation (an eastern exposure provides more gentle sunlight) to the type of barrel (oak or otherwise) and length of the cork, all contribute to the price a good bottle can command.

But, "after a certain point the pricing becomes irrational," said MacLean. The value of luxury wines is based more on factors such as prestige, rarity and reviews.

Of the high-status wines on the market, the Château Petrus is considered among the best. That's because it's from the prestigious right bank of the Gironde river in the Bordeaux region of France.

In addition, large bottles, like an Imperial, are rare and can command a significant resale premium over standard bottle sizes, according to MacLean. Many also believe that wine in bigger bottles ages more slowly and therefore has a longer life.

And on top of that, 1961 is ranked among the best vintages for Bordeaux, and its peak drinking window is right now, making it a prime buy.

"There's no saying where the price could go," according to Edward Robert Brooks, managing director of Edward Roberts International auction house, which is managing the sale. "Blue chip collectibles in any category tend to fare well."

In terms of an investment, "wine is one of the few collectibles you have to destroy to enjoy," he added, and as the number of available collectible bottles diminishes over time, those remaining will be worth more.

MacLean nevertheless warns against buying a wine like this as an investment. "Flipping is always risky," she said. Although, worst case scenario, "you could always drink your liquid assets."

Cooking Light
September 2007

By Gretchen Roberts

"Wine likes to grow up slowly in dark, cool conditions," says Natalie MacLean, author of Red, White, and Drunk All Over: A Wine Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass. If it's too hot, the wine will age too quickly. It’s the difference between cooking your dinner in the microwave versus slow-roasting it."

The ideal temperature for storing wine is 55 degrees Fahrenheit, with a humidity level around 75 percent. The cool temperature helps the wine mature at a slow, steady rate, maintaining optimal taste during the storage period. Since most fine wines are plugged with natural cork, and not topped with a synthetic version or a metal screwcap (an option that is increasingly popular with moderately priced wines), cool temperatures and high humidity levels help prevent the cork from becoming dry and brittle, which would allow air into the bottle. Wine that is exposed to air or too much sunlight oxidizes, turns brown, like apple slices, and ends up tasting like spoiled fruit. Storing bottles on their sides also helps keep the cork hydrated.

A wine fridge is convenient for entertaining, since the wines are both close at hand and ready to serve," MacLean says . Alternatively, you could simply expand your basement storage by adding racks and keeping an eye on sudden temperature spikes or dips. As long as the temperature fluctuates gradually, you're OK," MacLean says. "Many people have basements that are naturally cooler than the rest of their homes, and a cool basement is a better place to store wine than a warm house."

If you pour wine daily, are you likely to have several varietals of wine on hand to pair with meals? If so, you'll need the same storage conditions already discussed, but with more space in which to store bottles. "lf you drink a glass of inexpensive wine every day or so, you're probably not buying bottles that need to be aged," MacLean says. "In that case, you don't need a cellar, just a place to put bottles that is away from the extremes of heat and cold."

Expert pick for best storage and accessories for your wine

Natalie MacLean’s pick: Sub-Zero undercounter wine refrigerator ($2,500; 8OO-222-7820 or www.subzero.com ) Why: These fridges provide a great staging area when you're entertaining. You can store up to 45 bottles instead of running back and forth to the cellar. This model is UL-approved meaning it’s safe to use in outdoor kitchen settings.

Crystal-Clear Answers

By Natalie MacLean

Most of us agree that a good glass makes a drink taste better. You can go overboard, though: some glassware companies (and drink snobs) insist on a different glass for every kind of cocktail, spirit, beer and wine. Listen to them describe the design of each glass, and you might think you'd accidentally wandered into a PhD class on structural physics. Let's face it though: buying more than a hundred glasses isn't just expensive, it's impractical—to store and clean them, and even find room for them on the table for dinner or a party.

Besides, just as we're bending traditional rules about matching food and drink nowadays, we're also relaxing our approach to glassware—choosing what pleases us, and what's practical. You really only need three basic glasses, for wine, beer and cocktails. Caterers know this well: they deal with a range of gatherings, and they're experts in what works at a reasonable price and with realistic effort. We asked several to pick their favourite glasses in each category.

Tracey Black and Heather Maclachlan of Ottawa's MacKay Street Epicuria use highball glasses for most mixed drinks, spirits straight up or on the rocks, long drinks, water, punch, pop and juice. Unless they're catering for a martini-based cocktail party, or there's a special request for them, they don't use martini glasses.

They serve beer in a stemmed, tapered beer glass: it's easy to hold while balancing hors d'oeuvres in the other hand. For wine, they prefer an eight-ounce glass with a simple curved bulb for both reds and whites. (When catering for wine tastings, though, they use different glasses for reds and whites.) The two believe that larger glasses are more practical: they don't have to be refilled constantly, and there's room to leave a space at the top—which minimizes the risk of sloshing wine onto clothes or the carpet. As well, the larger wine glass allows guests to swirl the wine and appreciate its aromas.

Susan Bowman of All the Best Fine Foods in Toronto uses a 10 ½ ounce glass for beer, soft drinks and water. She says she chooses glasses that don't have cut or coloured glass as they're more versatile: they work with various place settings and don't obscure the colour of the drink. Bowman favours a flute glass for festive get-togethers: champagne, sparkling wines and many specialty cocktails look elegant in this glass. Plus, she says, the flute is a well-balanced glass that's easy to hold while standing or sitting.

For wine, she likes to use an 8 ½-ounce tulip-shaped glasses. She prefers ones that are durable—that don't break easily, and that fit easily into a standard dishwasher. This means a sturdy stem rather than a thin and delicate one, and a medium height rather than tall. It also means that they should be made of glass rather than crystal, which scratches easily and must be hand-washed.

Ann Dunkley from Toronto's The Moveable Feast uses glassware that has elegant stems and modern designs which work well for dressy cocktail parties. She likes the high ball and double old fashioned glasses: they accommodate just about any cocktail, as well as beer and water. She uses a nine-ounce tulip glass for still wine, but prefers the traditional flute for champagnes and sparkling wines: these wines go flat too quickly in a regular glass.

Dunkley recommends stocking three to five glasses per person. In her experience, some guests will invariably set their empty glass down and forget it; some will switch from one type of drink to another; and some just prefer a clean glass for their next drink. It's not only faster to have clean glasses ready, she says, but it's also cheaper: it costs less to rent extras rather than pay someone to wash them during the event.

There's a wide range of wine glassware available; so if you want to add to your basic collection, start by buying different glasses for red and white wines. Simplicity is still the guiding principle, though: choose one glass with a narrow bowl that can accommodate most styles of white wine—most often this is the glass for Sauvignon Blanc, but most Chardonnays, Rieslings and other popular white wines will drink well from this glass.
For reds, choose a glass with wider bowl to accommodate the robust aromas of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Zinfandel. You may also want to get some small dessert wine glasses for Ice Wine, Late Harvest Wine, Port, Sherry and even liqueurs, brandy and cognac.
These extra glasses need not break the bank: many glassware companies—Riedel, Baccarat and Waterford—sell several lines at different price points. Often their value line can even go in the dishwasher. The only thing now is for them to create a glass that makes oxidized wine taste fresh again.

Cater Contacts

MacKay Street Epicuria, Ottawa: 613-745-7356
All the Best Fine Foods, Toronto: 416-928-0569
Moveable Feast, Toronto: 416-969-8962

Glassware Sellers

LCBO Stores across Ontario
William Ashley
Wine Establishment, Toronto: 416-861-1331
C.A. Paradis, Ottawa: 613-731-2866
Blasted Bottles, Ottawa: 613-761-5999

Dallas Morning News
July 10, 2007

By Kim Pierce

A winey friend turned me on to a useful and user-friendly food-and-wine pairing site, put together by author and sommelier Natalie MacLean, who's accumulated a string of prestigious writing awards.

Start your pairing by food (What goes with lobster?) or by wine (rosé, dry). The site not only gives some really good, imaginative pairings, it also links to recipes (Lobster Cakes with Mango Rhubarb Salsa).

The site includes podcasts (How will global warming affect wine?), FAQs, and more. Can't find the match you need? You're invited to e-mail Natalie, and she'll suggest a match for you.

Dallas Morning News (2)
January 21, 2007

By Kim Pierce

It's not too soon to start thinking about V-Day. In that regard, a question came up recently: What wine do you pair with chocolate? It's a good question, because the wrong combination turns chocolate bitter and wine sour. I wrote about this two years ago for V-Day, and the Taste wine-tasting panel came up with chocolate, cheese and wine combos a year ago. Cathy Barber wrote about the unusual combination of scotch and chocolate last year, too.

Here's yet another source to help you negotiate the sweet-and-bitter wine-chocolate shoals: Wine expert Natalie MacLean pairs wine and chocolate desserts on her Web site. Read on for her top 10 combinations.

1. Dark chocolate and a wine from the Banyuls region of France

2. Chocolate-covered biscotti with a recioto della Valpolicella from Italy

3. Chocolate-orange cake with muscat liqueur from Australia (I would add orange muscat from a Texas winery, such as Flat Creek Estate)

4. Chocolate and nuts with a tawny port from Portugal

5. Milk chocolate with a tokaji from Hungary

6. Bittersweet chocolate with an amarone from Italy

7. Chocolate-dipped fruit with a Canadian icewine

8. Chocolate ganache truffles with a Sauternes from France

9. Chocolate-raspberry cheesecake with framboise liqueur from California

10. Chocolate hearts with cream filling with a Spanish cream sherry

These are all generic styles of wines or liqueurs, rather than wines from specific producers, so when you go to the store, you should be able to find a match.

You can go to MacLean's Web site at www.natdecants.com and follow the steps for pairing wine and food to see more matches.

Dayton Daily News
April 29, 2008

By Beth Blair

The Dayton Daily News published the same story as the WNBC New York.

Daytona News-Journal
February 14, 2007

By Jeff Farance

Natalie MacLean, a sommelier and educator, writes for several magazines. "Wine gives me an excuse to meet really interesting, obsessive, passionate people," she said. "So it's my way into people's lives."

"I can tell the story of people's lives through wine."

MacLean described her book as being about "wine and seduction," -- with an emphasis on the human-interest angle that is her entry point in writing.

Wine and seduction go together, she said. "Researchers at the University of Glasgow (Scotland) discovered that the other person appears, on average, 25 percent more attractive after one glass of wine."

What kind of wine should be paired with a Valentine's Day celebration?

Bubbly of most any sort, is practically de rigueur for any special occasion, MacLean said. "Plus, sparkling wines are friendly to most appetizers and desserts. And people are friendlier when paired with them."

"There have been some studies saying women prefer wine over chocolate for Valentine's Day because wine ususally means sharing and spending time together."

But let's not forget the chocolates, she said.

"There are some wines -- maybe port, for example -- that do pair well with chocolate," MacLean said.

"I like to double up on my vices, so wine with chocolate is a great combination."

Daytona News-Journal (2)
February 13, 2008

By Jeff Farance

Think of Valentine's Day, and what color comes to mind? Not white. Maybe pink. Certainly red.

Many will pop the cork on a bottle of bubbly in a romantic gesture. Champagne and other sparklers do, indeed, pair nicely with almost anything. Romance is almost inherent in serving sparkling wine. But, being a contrarian and lover of all wines red, I'm opting for a red Valentine's Day.

Just to bolster my case, I turned to a renowned expert, columnist, accredited sommelier, writer, wine judge, author, raconteur and lovely person, Natalie MacLean (her free Internet newsletter is at www.nataliemaclean.com).

We're both fans of red wines, particularly zinfandels, and we're both admittedly cheap. So still-reasonably-priced zins often are the go-to beverage for almost every occasion.

"Does zin serve you as well as it does me with chocolates, especially dark chocolate?" she asked in a recent e-mail. "I think some tannic fruit is a nice counterpart to dark and even to lighter milk chocolates. I love zinfandel with dark chocolate: The wine's blackberry and plum flavors marry well with the darker flavors of this chocolate."

So there it is. Break out the Hershey's or our own Angell & Phelps (a welcome treat) and uncork a red zin.

Natalie also recommends something I've long loved but not had in ages: "Late harvest zinfandel also works well because of its extra sweetness and richness." It's a dessert wine made by a number of zin producers and usually vinted in half-bottles.

"The lightly fizzy Italian sparkler Brachetto D'Aqui, with its ripe notes of strawberries, would be divine with decadent cake," also notes Natalie.

"Even though I'm serving (sparkling wines) more often, they still aren't exactly a staple," she says. "But I've always felt they're the ultimate pairer with most anything. A (semi-sweet) bubbly would be lovely with a light chocolate dessert. In wine, you can find all the flavors, richness and sweetness of chocolate, but chocolate just doesn't have that added bonus of alcohol!"

Just one recent notable example of a formidable zin is Chase Family Cellars Hayne Vineyards 2003 Napa Zinfandel (an uncheap $45). It promised and delivered ripe black cherry and plum flavors with a background of toasty vanilla. The nose was dark cherry with a hint of volatile eucalyptus, but we also found some mocha notes on the palate that made it ideal for some very dark chocolate. The body was full (not quite chewy, but still a big wine), and the finish extended way past dessert.

So, Valentines, candy's dandy, but, hey, it's hard to drink a toast with it. But wine and chocolate are a hard combination to beat for a Cupid caper.

Daytona News-Journal (3)
April 9, 2008

By Jeff Farance

What a learning experience a wine-tasting can be. And there's an added benefit of that relaxing sensation derived from a few hours of sniffing and sipping.

So here I was, tasting and talking with Marie-Edith Olivier, a regional sales manager for Robert Kacher Selections, an importer of many interesting boutique French wines at various price levels. And she's pouring a white wine whose label, surprisingly to me, proclaims it's a Domaine du Tariquet Sauvignon.

"Sometimes we change the labels for the U.S. market so they display the grape, which is not what we do with most French wines," said the Marseilles native during her tasting at the Port Orange Wine Warehouse.

For about $8, this is a classic sauvignon blanc -- some moderate citrus on the nose, more lemons, limes and pineapples than grapefruit on the palate. The body is moderate and the finish solid. This isn't the aromatic, really grapefruity stuff of New Zealand sauvignon blancs. It was tasty, and I enjoyed it.

But I was mystified. Did the French really do a lot of sauvignon blancs, but, in typical fashion, call them something else? I just couldn't remember.

Too lazy and busy for even an Internet search, I turned to my favorite authority: Natalie MacLean, a sommelier, wine educator and writer, and editor of a free, award-winning wine newsletter at nataliemaclean.com.

"French sauvignon blanc isn't as noticeable on the shelves as is this wine from other regions, such as New Zealand or California," says MacLean. "That's because the grape isn't often noted on French labels. However, both Bordeaux and the Loire Valley produce spectacularly crisp and mouth-watering versions of this wine.

"In the Loire, they're often labeled as sancerre or pouilly-fume. In Bordeaux, sauvignon blanc is blended with the grape semillon to produce a richer style. Some famous labels include Chateau Haut-Brion and Domaine de Chevalier.

"French sauvignon blanc can taste more austere, almost stony, compared to fruitier and more herbal versions from New World regions. But once you develop a taste for it, you'll love the way it pairs with a wide range of dishes."

MacLean includes hundreds of pairings for sauvignon blanc and other wines in her online food-and-wine matching tool at nataliemaclean.com/matcher.

I knew pouilly-fume. I've had them (though they're never labeled as sauvignon blancs and are so minerally and austere, they're not readily apparent as such). They were the basis of wine legend Robert Mondavi's proprietary name for his California sauvignon blanc, "Fume Blanc," which I've enjoyed many times.

So now lovers of this versatile white have more options for sauvignon blancs worldwide.

East Bay Express
March 19, 2008

By Blair Campbell

When a medium-fancy friend of mine recently joined me for dinner at a medium-fancy Bay Area restaurant, she recoiled when our waitress told her the price of certain Syrah: $8 a glass. Her horror wasn't at the cost — although it certainly could have been. Instead, she was realizing that since many of this restaurant's wines were in the $10-15-a-glass range, this $8 glass might very well have been a dollar-store special of dubious quaffability.

Now, this same friend regularly — and happily — purchases bottles of wine for $8 or less. "If it tastes good, I take great personal satisfaction in getting that deal and having a delicious glass of wine at the same time," she says. Still, she's all too aware of the steep restaurant markup on wine. Wines by the glass can be sold for as much or more than the retail price of the bottle — allowing restaurants to immediately recoup their costs and to drive consumers toward purchasing a whole bottle. Bottles are typically priced for two to three times their retail value. "Once you get more savvy about the markup, it does feel a little obnoxious — but I like to pair my food with wine," my friend concludes. "And there's nothing more disappointing than a bad glass of wine."

That love of wine, and fear of disappointment, are just what restaurateurs are banking on — literally. But this phenomenon may be less about greed and more about self-preservation.

"The big thing with wine is, after you open it, it's going to go bad pretty quickly," says Rolan Reichel, an Oakland resident and former restaurateur now working in the beverage industry. Reichel explains that offering wines by the glass can actually be a money loser for restaurants. "Unless you're really busy, you're going to end up with a lot of half-empty bottles at the end of the night. You can lose a lot of money on your wine program." This is why, Reichel explains, you see many restaurants experimenting with different-sized pours, carafes, and other ways of getting the consumer to drink more and try more-expensive brands. "For a lot of restaurants, wine by the glass is a service. That's why people try all these other things. If they made money, they wouldn't tinker with it."

For Rick Mitchell, proprietor of Luka's Taproom and the new Franklin Square Wine Bar in downtown Oakland, "tinkering with it" has meant half off every bottle on Luka's wine list every Sunday night.

"Sunday nights were slower for us, so we wanted a way to bring people in," explains Mitchell, adding that the discount gives patrons who typically order by the glass a good reason to try something new. "We wanted to give people incentive to open the wine list and order a bottle." Ideally this would give some of the higher-priced wines on the list a bit of added exposure — that $80 bottle you'd normally skip right over looks a little more tempting at $40. Unfortunately, says Mitchell, it doesn't really work out that way. "Ninety percent of the people come in and get the cheapest bottle we offer, at half off," he notes with a chuckle.

Luka's 50-percent-off-a-bottle night is just one example of how many restaurants are bowing to an increasingly savvy and wine-thirsty consumer. A comparable trend is the waiving of corkage fees — the amount a restaurant charges when you bring your own bottle — either all the time or on regular no-corkage-fee nights. Anecdotal evidence shows these nights generate huge business; my local place is often booked solid, with a line of walk-ins out the door. There's also a convivial atmosphere, attributable to the fact that restaurants are giving their patrons not just a break from "obnoxious" markups, but also a chance to strut their own wine knowledge and make their own choices about which wines to pair with what's on the menu.

Lest you feel your expertise is lacking in that area, we've enlisted some advice from Natalie MacLean, author of Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass. A noted authority on food-and-wine pairing, MacLean offers an interactive matching tool on NatalieMacLean.com; here she recommends the good varietals and regions to look for at the liquor store when choosing what to drink with various cuisines.

MacLean's suggestions accompany a list of six restaurants we think are noteworthy for their consumer-friendly wine programs. Consider a visit — and if you want to make the night a real steal, consult archived Wineau columns for the best bargains among the varietals mentioned, and where to find them.

Elmira Star-Gazette
November 17, 2007

By Jeff Richards

Have you picked out the perfect bottle of wine to accompany your Thanksgiving dinner next week?

No matter what type of wine you like, Finger Lakes wineries can provide a great bottle of wine for that special occasion when friends and family gather to give thanks.

Wine writer Natalie MacLean offers five tips for choosing just the right wine to go with your holiday meal.

She suggests starting with bubbly. More and more area wineries are not only making sparkling wines, they also earning accolades with them. Swedish Hill Winery in Romulus earned the Best Sparkling Wine award at this year's Wine and Food Classic held in the Napa Valley. It is one of four sparkling wines I was able to taste recently that should be a hit.

Natalie's next suggestion is to consider the turkey. She says that most turkey is dry in texture and could use a mouthwatering wine like a crisp Riesling or pinot grigio to complement it.

"I think Riesling is one of the best wines for a holiday meal," say Natalie. "I love Finger Lakes Rieslings. They hold their place with the best Rieslings in the world."

That plays right into one of the strengths of the Finger Lakes. Recently, King Ferry Winery earned a gold medal at the Canberra Riesling Challenge in Australia with its 2006 Treleaven Dry Riesling. The wine scored 55.5 points, finishing only a half point behind the worldwide winner that was produced in Germany. Other Finger Lakes wineries that scored well in the challenge were Heron Hill, Sheldrake Point Vineyard, Wagner Vineyards and Rooster Hill Vineyards. Overall, five of the top eight wines in the U.S. division were from the Finger Lakes.

Natalie also suggests looking beyond the bird. You do not have to match the wine to just the turkey, she says. Dave Peterson, manager at Swedish Hill agrees, saying, "I love those fruity, dry roses with food." Or how about a 2006 Vidal Blanc from Atwater to go with the squash or green beans, suggests Katie Marks, who handles public relations and marketing at Atwater Estate Vineyards in Hector, where her father, Ted, is proprietor.

Natalie goes on to recommend a buttery chardonnay to complement the smoky flavors of chestnuts and pecan stuffing. You get the idea: there are lots of options, red, white and rose.

Natalie's closing suggestion focuses on dessert. "End on a sweet note. If anyone still has room when it is time for pumpkin or pecan pie, offer a late harvest or Riesling ice wine." That is another category in which the Finger Lakes wineries excel. There is even a holiday treat called Cranberry Essence from Cayuga Ridge Estate that ties in beautifully with a Thanksgiving meal.

The bottom line is that Finger Lakes wineries offer a bountiful selection of wines to accompany your meal.

Here's to a joyful Thanksgiving holiday as you share the day with loved ones.

EMC News
October 29, 2006

By Victoria Carnaghan

Natalie MacLean is used to playing many roles in her day-to-day life. The acclaimed wine columnist has published dozens of articles in food and drink publications across North America. She’s also a mother, a wife and an expert at web design.

But in her newly published book, Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine Soaked Journey From Grape to Glass, the first time novelist takes on jobs she never would have imagined herself doing.

A result of three years of travelling through the world’s most famed wine regions, Ms. MacLean’s book is written so readers feel they are riding along with her as she visits classic wine regions in France, California and tries her hand at various wine-related jobs.

“I worked undercover as an expert sommelier in a fancy French restaurant for the night, which resulted in many drops of expensive wine spilled on white tablecloths,” she said in a recent interview. “I like to do, not just to research.”

She also worked in a wine shop in New York and helped with the or wine harvest in California.

“I describe what it's like to be out in the middle of the vines, picking grapes under a blistering hot sun. Then back at the winery, I became one with my subject; essentially, a human grape: sticky, purple and completely crushed,” she wrote on her popular web site.

But other than first hand experience, Ms. MacLean also uses live interviews and historic research to support her personal observations: “I tried to find passionate, obsessed people in the wine industry. I think people like to read about other people. I met a strange and marvelous and nutty man (in Bonny Doon Vineyards in California), and told his story.”

And though Ms. MacLean has travelled extensively, (recreationally she said she likes to go to non-vineyard parts of the world too) she said she, her husband Andrew and their son Rian love their current Nepean neighbourhood.
“We love being here,” she said of her home for 10 years. “Especially with my son, I can’t imagine raising him anywhere else.”

Currently, Ms. MacLean is touring the USA and Canada to promote the book, hitting major Canadian cities from the coast to coast, as well as in Atlanta, Miami, and Charlotte.

With an impressive educational background, including an Masters in Business Administration from London’s Western University that she funded herself by giving Highland dancing lessons to her neighbours in her native home town by Halifax, Ms. MacLean has also been recognized by her contemporaries. In 2003, she garnered the Food Media awards World’s Best Drink Writer nod and has won four James Beard foundation Journalism Awards and five awards for excellence in food journalism from the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Armed with these credentials, the writer said she is happy doing just that: writing regularly for news dailies, wine and food magazines and updating her e-newsletter each week. Recently, she hit 53,000 subscribers, hailing from countries across the globe, and couldn’t be happier.

“I love that connection, the camaraderie,” she said. And writing a book helped to further establish a relationship to fans of her work.

“A book allowed me to do a lot of things, but deeper. I met more passionate people, and established a stronger bond with readers.”

In her book, Ms. MacLean also describes her personal evolution from a newly-graduated student, to accredited sommelier and experienced taster. She said she tried her first good wine in a Toronto restaurant after the waiter recommended she and her future husband, Andrew, try a Brunello. The two assented, thinking they were getting an entrée.

In the introduction of the book, Ms. MacLean writes:
“The pop of the cork seemed to relieve something inside me. The aroma of the wine rushed out to meet me and all the smells I’d ever known rushed away.”

And this descriptive passion is one of the definition characteristics of her work. As a food journalist, Ms. MacLean said the key to reaching readers successfully is to find a way to be “imaginative but concrete. You have to try to describe what’s a very subjective experience. It’s a matter of trying to translate into words an experience that appeals to smell and taste; you’re trying to verbalize that but doing so with magic and allure in your writing.”

Furthermore, she added, a writer always has to love their subject. Ms. MacLean’s personal passion for wine, its hedonism, its connection to history, geography and commerce are the backdrop to her style and expression, she said.

And despite the sometimes complex language and volumes of knowledge that seem to define the world of wine, the author says the best advice she could give to wine amateurs seeking to refine their palate is to try lots of wines. “There’s no substitute for pulling corks,” she says. “And compare them side by side. Serve or order a few ones at once”; and of course, make sure to read books and articles written by those wisened by experience.

Epicurious
February 2008

By Natalie MacLean

These five wines help set the mood. Better yet, they're paired with recipes, so you've got five instant dinners.

Beringer Third Century 2005 Pinot Noir, Central Coast, California
(about $14)

This bottle's name refers to the fact that this winery is now operating in its third century--the company has been around since 1876. The Central Coast is similar to the cool climate of Burgundy, and the fruit shows the same characteristics of just-ripe fruit with an intoxicating undercurrent of earth and spice. (Though if you really like spicy, you might consider a Zinfandel instead.)

Errazuriz Wild Ferment 2005 Pinot Noir, Casablanca Valley, Chile
(about $17)

This wine was fermented with wild native yeasts, which extends the fermentation process and deepens both the color and flavor of the wine. It is full-bodied, with the lush flavors of strawberry, plums, and cedar, and a silky smooth texture. Dishes cooked with wine are easy to match with many vinos, but I chose this dish because the root vegetables echo the wild, sexy earthiness of the wine.

Amity Vineyards 2005 Pinot Noir, Oregon, United States
(about $23)

An elegant, medium-bodied Pinot, this one has enticing aromas of spice and black cherry that marry splendidly with the robust flavors in the pasta "rags" recipe and Beef Bourguigon. The wine is elegant and balanced, with a long finish. Although the dishes are a little more muscular than the wine, they work together much like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. (She definitely needed balance to dance backwards in heels.) You'll dance all