Shows
Tasting TogetherTaking A Toddler To France Was A Good Idea After All...Miroki and her husband Eric joined André and his family (Anja and Spencer) on their trip to Champagne. Earlier this year we had a chat with Alina and Kyle about bringing a toddler with them to France - and it eased André's nerves. While there were definitely some challenges ... It has been a good trip. Consider this episode a teaser of what's to come after some great food and wine was consumed in Epernay and Reims. Listen to our episode with Alina and Kyle a.k.a @Travelmilove - https://embed.acast.com/6511c60bfcda220011a8...2025-05-2249 min
Tasting TogetherWhiskey - Whisky - Rye?Both Miroki and Andre are lovers of whisk(e)y, but how much do they know, outside of the fact that Scotch spells it “whisky”? Miroki had a chance to attend a UK tasting that featured drams from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. Plus, she catches up with Foxes Bow co-founder, Tony Foote, to talk about how they are reinventing the image of Irish whiskey, and Jamie Johnson, Ambassador for Glenfiddich and Balvenie, to discuss why Scotch is such a household name globally and why women are STILL dealing with gatekeeping in the whisk(e)y world?Yo...2025-05-071h 04Tasting TogetherEaster, Passover, and $15 Eggs!Miroki and André catch up while Miroki is still on the road celebrating passover with her in-laws in Massachusetts. The Easter Bunny visited Spencer for the first time - with a large basket of chocolate. How are Americans coping with tariff's on the horizon - and 15$ eggs in the grocery stores... You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André on Instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2025-04-2341 min
Tasting TogetherTemperatures - Baller Champagne - Tariffs - What more could you ask for?Miroki and André get caught up on some news of the day - and take a look at a couple of tastings they recently attended.They attended a tasting hosted by Wakefield Wines where the theme of the night was the importance of serving temperatures for wine.An opportunity to taste La Belle Epoque - the full lineup including a Blanc de Blancs, a Rosé, and Brut from Perrier JouetAndré needs to get over himself - and he admitted to having a great time and meal at Medieval TimesYou can fol...2025-04-0957 min
Tasting TogetherWould you spend $1000 on Dinner?Miroki recently visited Danico for her first One-Michelin star dining experience. André has been very critical of the Michelin Guide in Toronto ... Did Danico deliver the goods - or did Miroki leave disappointed? https://www.danicotoronto.com/https://guide.michelin.com/ca/en/ontario/torontoYou can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André on Instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2025-03-2641 minTasting TogetherWhat do Beer and Terroir Have In Common?André and Miroki have been chatting about the concept of beer and terroir for quite some time on and off. So this week they set off on a mission to find brewmasters to help them dissect whether or not beer and terroir function in the same sentence. After all - You can import you ingredients - assemble it in any Canadian city - and say made in Canada on the can. They are joined by Mark Horsley of Barrel Heart Brewing - and Aaron Spinney of Merit Brewing - both located in Hamilton.https://barrelheart.com/2025-03-1247 min
Tasting TogetherDavid Adelsheim Pioneer of Oregon Pinot Noir (and Chardonnay)David Adelsheim is the charismatic founder of his eponymous winery. He also makes amazing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Miroki and André sit down with David to get some stories about what it was like getting his winery started in the 70s - and where the Oregon wine industry is going.You can learn more about Adelsheim Winery here - https://www.adelsheim.com/ and they are represented by Mark Anthony Wine and Spirits You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André on Instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Ac...2025-02-261h 02
Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting PeopleMatt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast: Episode 200 – Miroki Tong, Wine Writer/Wine Podcast Co-Host ('Tasting Together with Miroki Tong & Andre Proulx')On the latest 'Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast I'm joined by wine writer and wine podcast host Miroki Tong.
I admire her crazy work ethic level when it comes to all her projects and the passion she has for all aspects of the wine world.
Not a shock at all how much fun our conversation was.
2025-02-1657 min
Tasting TogetherWhat do you know about Port Wine?André visited the city of Porto last November. While he was on vacation - he took the time to visit a handful of Port Houses to learn everything he could. His visits included Taylor-Fladgate, Niepoort, and Ramos Pinto. André and Miroki dive into all things Port on this episode of Tasting Together - What's the difference between tawny and ruby ports? How is port made vs. regular still wines. Which Port house does André believe he is the reincarnation of the founder of?*The show photo is of the 'Piano' from Ramos Pinto - which contains all...2025-02-1245 min
Tasting TogetherHappy Lunar New Year - Is Bringing A Two Year Old to Champagne A Good Idea?It's Lunar New Year! - Miroki opens up about what it's like to connect with her roots, and how important it is for her to celebrate. Is this going to be the catalyst that makes her fall in love with cooking? André is planning a trip to Champagne - with a two year old - so what better way to plan his trip than to speak to a couple that did just that. Miroki and André are joined by Alina and Kyle of https://www.instagram.com/travelmilove/ or https://www.tiktok.com/@tr...2025-01-291h 01Tasting TogetherDecolonizing Cuisine with Chef Shane ChartrandMiroki and André are big fans of Top Chef Canada - seeing great cooking coming from all corners of the country is inspiring. This season one chef stood out - and that is Indigenous Chef Shane Chartrand. Shane joins Tasting Together to talk about his time on the show - and to talk about his own origin story. You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André on Instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2025-01-151h 02
Tasting TogetherTWO GUYS TALKING WINE - The Man Behind The Wine Lists At The Fairmont Royal YorkTHIS IS NOT AN EPISODE OF TASTING TOGETHER - BUT TWO GUYS TALKING WINE - WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS EPISODE AND HAVE A GREAT 2025!Why don't we see more Ontario wine on wine lists in Toronto? We put that question to the Sommelier at the Fairmont Royal York - Steven Karataglidis. Steven has made it his mission to add a diverse range of Ontario wines on the lists at this prestigious hotel.You can follow Steven on social media at - @stevenkarataglidisMake sure you help the two guys...2025-01-0147 minTasting TogetherNOT Another Turkey Wine & Food Pairing PodcastLet's face it - André is old... and he has been doing the writing about wine thing for awhile... So this year he said he's not going to do the wine and holidays writing. Can Miroki make his heart grow three times bigger and change his grinchy ways? You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André on Instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-12-1847 minTasting TogetherThe Epic Wine Tasting We're Glad We Didn't MissOn a nice October day - during the week Miroki was due to be wed - André forced her to drop all her plans to attend the grand cru culinary wine festival in support of UHN programs hosted by Halpern. 2024 was the 20th incarnation of this festival and raised 38 million in support of the new surgical tower at Toronto Western Hospital. That being said - Grand Cru is also a great place to taste some wines that may be out of reach for some...We had the chance to taste and chat with 2024-12-0446 minTasting TogetherMiroki Tastes Her Way Through Cuba - Yes, The Food IS Good!Miroki booked a last minute mini-moon with Eric, and chose to discover Cuba for the first time. While the beaches are nice, she learned of Cuba's notorious reputation for having bad food. But is it all it seems?On one side, cigars, rum, and piña coladas galore! On the other, rolling power outages, hitchhiking doctors and collapsing buildings.Despite booking at a resort, she chose to try walking in the steps of a local, spending days exploring and tasting in Varadero, Havana and Matanzas.Voices of C...2024-11-2037 minTasting TogetherSimu Liu vs. Bobba - Miroki's Wedding Food Rocked! While Miroki was busy getting married a French Canadian Startup was busy appropriating Asian culture by creating a ready to drink bubble tea. This came to light on CBC during a segment on Dragon's Den where Canadian/Chinese actor Simu Liu raised concerns to the founders of Bobba. Miroki spent countless hours planning her wedding - was the payoff worth it in the food department?You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-11-0646 minTasting TogetherHow Did You Fall In Love With Cooking?André enlists some help from his friends to keep the lights on while Miroki is off getting married. They talk about Gilbert Proulx's appearance on Wall of Chefs, their love of the original Iron Chef, and Japanese cuisine.They are joined by Guillaume Frénéhard to talk about how the french learn about food. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-10-2349 minTasting TogetherWhat Do 700 000 Hot Dogs Look Like? And Can You Get One In A Michelin Guide Restaurant?Miroki and André take some time to go over the latest news they may have missed over the past few weeks ... It turns out that Torontonians eat A LOT of hot dogs at Blue Jays games... How are things going for the 2024 harvest in Niagara... The newest Michelin Guide is out - and André might be warming up to it. Is Oktoberfest in Kitchener-Waterloo just for tourists - or is it worth going out of your to visit? You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at instagram @andrewinereview2024-10-0935 minTasting TogetherThe Triumph Of Mom and Pop Shops In Food and SpiritsIn this episode André take a look at the origin of the famous Panino from the Italian Star Deli in Regina. https://www.italianstardeli.com/Here is the CBC story referenced in the podcast - https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-wednesday-edition-1.4191090/regina-deli-owner-cuts-off-his-legendary-mullet-from-heck-1.4191095Miroki visited Khoury's Fine Wine and Spirits on her recent visit to Las Vegas - What's it like slinging bottled in sin city? https://www.khourysfinewine.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-09-2549 minTasting TogetherThe Great Wine Regions of Michigan (and Indiana)Miroki has been on the road recently and couldn't resist the siren's song of the vineyards of Indiana and Michigan. She visited - Stranger Wine Co.Modales WinesOliver Winery & VineyardsThis is the end of Season One of Tasting Together - stay tuned for Season Two coming up next weekYou can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-09-1232 minTasting TogetherIs Chardonnay The Most Important Grape In The World?André and Miroki were guests at the Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (www.coolchardonnay.org). This led André to the question 'Is Chardonnay the most important grape in the world?'. We put this question to virtually everyone who attended the celebration... Are you surprised by the answer?We spoke with a large number of people ...Stefan Neumann who was the excellent keynote speaker at I4CJL Groux of StratusThomas Bachelder of Le Clos Jordanne (and his eponymous winery) Ann Sperling and Peter Gamble of Dobbin Estates...2024-08-2846 minTasting TogetherCon Culture - Eating from the FreezerMiroki has been eating and drinking her way through the American Midwest - she recently was in Indianapolis for Gen Con. How Long Is Too Long To Keep Something In Your Freezer? André has come to the realization that some of the stuff stored in his home might have passed it's expiry date.Is Loblaws on the ropes? Their Q2 earnings were down - so they're trying to bribe consumers with trading cards?You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at instagram @andrewinereview2024-08-1437 minTasting TogetherWhere to Eat in Halifax - Spirits Producers Fight Back!Miroki and André record separately in this busy travel part of the summer. Miroki shares her favourite places to eat in Halifax! André brings an update to a story that we covered earlier this season with regard to spirits producers and the LCBO.You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-07-3115 minTasting TogetherHow Hard Is It To Make French Pastries - Do We Need A Liquor Monopoly?We sit down with Anna Warunkiewicz one of the owners of Chaton in Hamilton - www.chatonhamilton.comWe update the world on whether or not the world has ended for wine lovers in Ontario as the LCBO strike rages on. You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-07-1744 minTasting TogetherBachelorette Etiquette - Premium Wineries of South AfricaFirst and foremost - here is the link to the GoFundMe set up for the Lacey Family - https://www.gofundme.com/f/honouring-kimball-laceys-legacyWhat is proper Bachelorette Etiquette if you decide to head to wine country? Is South Africa about to have its day? Why don't we drink more of these wines? You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-07-0348 minTasting TogetherIt's Time To Upgrade Your Wine Glasses! - Is an LCBO Boycott Looming?Miroki and André sit down with the worlds most famous wine glass manufacturer - Maximilian Riedel. Does stemware make a big difference to the taste of your wine? Are the worlds biggest distillers in the middle of a showdown with the LCBO? Could this showdown lead to a boycott that might leave the shelves empty later this summer... You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-06-1948 minTasting TogetherWine in Corner Stores! Loblaws Boycott! The Norm is NOT okay!There's been a lot of food and wine news going on! Doug Ford recently announced that come hell or high water booze will be in corner stores! is this a win for the industry?May is over - what did the Loblaws boycott accomplish?Norman Hardie has been making appearances at a variety of wine events - what's up with that?Additional Reading and Listening:https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/845-commons-against-the-wind/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canadian-winemaker-norman-hardie-accused-of-sexual-misconduct/https://www.beanfield.com/2024-06-0553 minTasting TogetherA Visit To Lake Seneca in the Finger LakesAndré took an April visit to lake Seneca - he visited Hillick and Hobbs, Hermann J Wiemer, and Fox Run. This was a return to the United States after his first visit to the Finger Lakes in 2017 when he heard that Paul Hobbs was opening a winery. Miroki and André take some time to unpack the trip and have a conversation about Riesling, Natural Wine, and the Geology and Geography of Lake Seneca.Wineries visited - https://www.hillickandhobbs.com/https://www.wiemer.com/https://foxrunvineyards.com/Yo...2024-05-2254 minTasting TogetherThe Joyce of Cooking! - Terroir in Prince Edward CountyWe are joined by Joyce Leung - Food Blogger, and Cooking Class Instructor - https://www.joyceofcooking.com/ André took a dumpling making course from her earlier this year - and when she talked about navigating asian grocery stores felt we had to share this with the audience.Miroki had the opportunity to check out Terroir in Prince Edward County - https://www.pecwines.com/featured-events/terroirYou can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...2024-05-0840 minTasting TogetherIt's Time to Spring Into Spice - Earth Month with Unboxed MarketToday we are joined by Beverly Crandon, Sommelier and Organizer of Spring Into Spice. What can people expect this year? (Oh and André shamelessly plugs the 80x Wine Company who will be pouring wine at this years event) We celebrate the end of Earth Month by chatting with Michelle Genttner of Unboxed Market. You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-04-2444 minTasting TogetherCuvée - A Celebration of Ontario Wine - The Passover FeastAndré and Miroki had the opportunity to check out Cuvée in it's first post-pandemic broad celebration. What stood out for them at this event? They are joined by Miroki's fiancé Eric Weiss to discuss passover traditions. You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-04-1040 minTasting TogetherWho Is Going To Help Miroki Plan Her Wedding?How do you deal with food allergies as a new parent? This got André thinking about how restaurants are forced to deal with people with made up allergies ... What is going on with the wine industry in Nova Scotia and British Columbia? Are made in Canada wines going to include more foreign juice in the near future?We sit down with Trevor Frankfort of https://trevents.ca/ to talk about wedding planning - which may or may not have something to do with the fact that Miroki is in the middle of planning hers. ..2024-03-2755 minTasting TogetherWhat Does Sustainability Mean in the Wine World?Today Miroki and André are joined by Gilian Handelman of Jackson Family Wines.The discussion revolves around sustainability - and how a large wine company can contribute to the future of winemakingWines that were tasted:Capensis Chardonnay - $120 / available periodically thru HALPERNFreemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon - $130 / available continuously thru LIFFORDTenuta Di Arcenu Arcanum - $175 / available periodically thru LIFFORDYou can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast...2024-03-131h 05Tasting TogetherFishman Lobster Clubhouse - Wee Baby Spencer's First Lunar New Year! - Hot Spicy SpicyMiroki and André visited a GTA institution Fishman Lobster Clubhouse. Coming to the end of Lunar New Year - André brought his daughter Spencer out to celebrate with good food - What does a 13 month old think of a mountain of Lobster? Miroki also celebrated by visiting Hot Spicy Spicy in North York - We are joined by co-owner Simon Chen - the restaurant features recipes from his mother's cookbook (Mama Chen). You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See...2024-02-2845 minTasting TogetherHappy Lunar New Year - Valentine's Day - Eric Chong of R&DMiroki and André take a look at Lunar New Year and Valentine's Day. Do we really need another piece of wine content unpacking wine and chocolate? They are also joined by Chef Eric Chong of R&D in Toronto - The conversation takes an unexpected turn when they discuss the market perception of Chinese food. What needs to be done to help elevate Chinese food in the eyes of Canadians. You can visit R&D here - https://www.rdspadina.com/ You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseY...2024-02-1455 minTasting TogetherThe End of Dry January - Black Grapes Come to Toronto - Winterlicious!On this last day of Dry January André has some thougths about the LCBO and Non-Alcoholic beverages. Tomorrow is the beginning of Black History Month - We speak with Sommelier Beverly Crandon a little bit about the history of Black people and wine. She is also hosting a fantastic event called Black Grapes later this month - You can get tickets here - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-history-month-black-grapes-tickets-518171192987 You can learn more about Beverly here - https://www.beverlycrandon.com/ and here https://www.springintospice.com/We also take a...2024-01-3159 minTasting TogetherToronto Loses A Beloved Bottle Shop And the Icewine Harvest Is Among UsRecently Peter Pantry shut it doors in Toronto - This beloved bottle shop became a destination for coveted bottles during the pandemic. André and Miroki muse about whether or not bottle shops are a viable business model in 2024. They unpack a recent article in Toronto Life that André felt was a glorification of bad chef behavriour in kitchens. They also had the opportunity to check out the Niagra Icewine Festival and Gala that recently took place.You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at ins...2024-01-1752 minTasting TogetherWhat Did You Enjoy Over The Holidays? - Let's Drink Boxed Wine!Miroki and André sit down and reflect on what they enjoyed over the holidays. In spite of stressful family time it sounds like great food and drink was enjoyed by all. André may have discovered one of the GTA's best sushi restaurants in a strip mall in Burlington. Miroki continued her tour of Alvin Leung's restaurants.They also reflect on Dry January - and food and health goals for 2024.They also sit down with Trevor Gulliver CEO/Co-founder of St John Wines and Restaurant. Where they unpack the quality of Trevor's wines that ca...2024-01-0445 minTasting TogetherWhat Are you Drinking on the Holidays? - Everything You Wanted To Learn About OystersMiroki and André catch up with 640 Toronto's Danny Longo - What will they all be drinking over the holidays?Hamilton is a culinary destination - they sit down with Chief Oyster Shucker David Burns, and Chef Kat Ellis to talk about all things Oysters at Maisy's Pearlhttps://www.maisyspearl.com/You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André at instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2023-12-2044 minTasting TogetherA Look At Michelin Star Restaurants in Hong Kong - Wines of Quinta da Boa Esperança with Artur GamaMiroki got off the plane and sat down with André to do a final wrap up fo the incredible eats that can be found in Hong Kong and Taiwan. A clear highlight was the creative - but also affordable - food at Bo Innovation - https://www.boinnovation.com/ Earlier this fall they also sat down with Artur Gama - owner of two wineries in Portugal - Quinta da Boa Esperanca and Quinta do Cardohttps://quintadaboaesperanca.com/https://www.quintadocardo.pt/You can follow Miroki o...2023-12-0640 minTasting TogetherThe Demon Chef Alvin Leung - Miroki is in Hong Kong!Miroki is visiting Hong Kong to spend time with her family. Her parents grew up there! When André said he wanted to live viacriously through her on this trip he didn't expect her to visit all of the top rated spots in the city.Miroki had a chance to visit Bo Innovation and the Demon Celebrity, where she had the opportunity to sit down with Celebrity Chef Alvin Leung.If you're in Hong Kong you can check out Alvin's food athttps://www.boinnovation.com/http://thedemoncelebrity.com/2023-11-2238 minTasting TogetherCrush: Message In A Bottle - Grey Cup Eats - Wines of Nova ScotiaAndré and Miroki are joined by Maya Gallus of Red Queen Productions to talk about her newest documentary Crush: Message In A BottleFeaturing winemakers and grape growers in Niagara including Thomas Bachelder, Kelly Mason, Shiraz Mottiar, and Anne Marie Saunders. André is gearing up for his annual Grey Cup party - it's time to talk about what eats to enjoy over four quarters (even if the Riders didn't make the cut this year) Miroki stepped off the plane and visited a few wineries in Nova Scotia to dig deeper in...2023-11-0841 minTasting TogetherWhere Italy Meet Austria: The Wines of Alto Adige - Would You Eat Seal Meat?Miroki Tong and André Proulx unpack wine and candy pairings as we head to the final stretch before Halloween. André had a chance to visit Alto Adige in early September. What did he learn about this wine region where Italy and Austria meet? You can learn more about Alto Adige at: https://www.altoadigewines.com/They speak with Chef Nathan Hornidge about seal meat. Chef Nathan focuses on using local and sustainable ingredients in his cuisine. You can learn more about Seal products at: www.canadiansealproducts.comYou ca...2023-10-2555 minTasting TogetherThe Great Pumpkin Spice Re-Brand - Wines of Argentina Pt. 2Miroki and André are legally obligated to acknowledge fall by discussing all things Pumpkin Spice. André has an idea on a rebrand for Pumpkin Spice that may allow it to bring people joy year round.We are once again joined by Joaquin Hidalgo to dive deeper into Argentinian Wines. There are some fantastic Limited Time Offers available at the LCBO for the month of October 2023. Learn more about these amazing wines at https://www.winesofargentina.org/enLet's take a look at some of the great fall events taking place in the GTA an...2023-10-1147 minTasting TogetherThe Mid Autumn Festival - Let's Get Schooled On Argentinian WineMiroki Tong and André Proulx are back after a week off - no longer restrained by terrestrial broadcast in their first episode of the Tasting Together Podcast.André and Miroki love diving into culture through cuisine and it's the Mid Autumn Festival on September 29th. Nothing like kicking off our first episode with the inspirational story of Baker Joe from Wai Tack Kee - https://www.waitackkee.com/ - Let's hear the story of how one chef has worked to bring delicious Chinese baking to Canada.We're heading into fall which means many pe...2023-09-2752 min