How did my first sip of "fancy wine" jump-start my thirst for wine knowledge and experiences? Why is this a perfect time for you to take an online wine course? Why is it hard to pair certain vegetables, like asparagus, with wine? What juicy, behind-the-scenes insights will you read in my upcoming third book? What's it like being a woman in the wine world?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm being interviewed on The Connected Table with Melanie Young and David Ransom.

Highlights

• Why did my first sip of "fancy wine" start my thirst for wine knowledge and experiences?
• How did I get started with Highland dancing?
• Which aspects of dancing have helped me to develop as a wine writer?
• Can wine help you to connect the various aspects of a liberal arts education?
• Why is this a perfect time for you to take an online wine course?
• Why will you find it hard to pair certain vegetables, like asparagus, with wine?
• Which wine should you choose to perfectly complement difficult to pair vegetables?
• How can my online food and wine pairing course help you to improve your wine skills?
• What juicy, behind-the-scenes insights will you read in my upcoming third book?
• What's it like being a woman in the wine world?
• Which amazing Canadian food and wine pairing do you have to try?
• Which iconic Canadian wineries should you visit on your next trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake?
• What wine regions would make the ultimate cross-border pairing in wine travel?

About Melanie Young and David Ransom

Melanie says her first wine education event was at the age of 15. "My dad was a wine educator in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for more than 30 years and taught me to taste and drink both well and responsibly. For a public speaking class at my high school, I decided to teach fellow students how to open and serve a bottle of wine. I came to school that day wearing my tastevin around my neck and carrying a bottle of wine. A lineup of teachers stood in the back of the classroom watching me with interest as I started to demonstrate my special skill. The thing is, being underage, they would not let me open the wine!"

Melanie's articles on wine, spirits, food and travel have been published in Wine4Food, The Epoch Times, Wine Enthusiast, Seven Fifty Daily, Jewish Week and several food industry trade outlets. Melanie is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier International, the Wine Media Guild. She has spoken and/or moderated panels on career reinvention, building your brand and women in the industry.

David's story in wine began with his father's love of wine leading to the family buying a winery in New York State in the 1980s. "We all jumped in together and started Rivendell in 1987," says David, "and I got to name it." Rivendell, named after the House of the Elves in J.R.R. Tolkein's The Lord of the Rings, went on to become New York's top award-winning winery while the Ransom family owned it, getting top honors from critics, as well. Outside the winery business, David has been involved in the education, promotion and marketing of wines and spirits across the country for over 30 years.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the https://www.nataliemaclean.com/103.