Ep 88 Wine, Storytelling, and Life Lessons with Natalie MacLean (Part 1)

The Cork & Fizz Guide to Wine

How does one go from working at Supercomputer company SGI to becoming a renowned wine critic author?

Today, we are joined by Natalie MacLean, author of Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass; Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wines; and Wine Witch on Fire.

Natalie shares her transformation from tech to full-time writer, and dives into how storytelling can transform complex topics like wine into engaging and memorable experiences. The conversation turns personal when Natalie opens up about her memoir, Wine Witch on Fire, which blends wine education with deeply personal narratives about overcoming significant life challenges. And we chat about wine reviews; are they really helpful?

Natalie is the wine expert on CTV’s The Social, Canada’s largest daytime television show; CTV News; CHCH Morning Live; and CityTV’s Breakfast Television. She was named the World’s Best Drinks Writer at the World Food Media Awards, and has won four James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards. She is the only person to have won both the M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award from the James Beard Foundation and the M.F.K. Fisher Award for Excellence in Culinary Writing from Les Dames d’Escoffier International.

So, if you are ready to dive into Natalie’s remarkable journey, her wine tasting tips, and the challenges and triumphs of navigating the wine industry then this episode is for you.

And don’t miss next week when Natalie is back on the podcast and we chat about her memoir Wine Witch on Fire, her struggles with drinking, and the bullying she endured in the online space.

Connect with Natalie:

Website: https://www.nataliemaclean.com/

Natalie’s Books: https://www.nataliemaclean.com/blog/books/

Free Pairing Guide& Book Club Guide: https://www.nataliemaclean.com/

Episode Highlights:

• Meet Natalie MacLean

• Natalie’s wine journey from tech to wine author

• Are wine reviews really helpful?

• Why you want to find a wine critic with a similar taste

• Connection through storytelling in wine writing

• Natalie’s memoir Wine Witch on Fire

What did you think of the episode? Text me!

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