Our local caviste (wine shop owner) knows we prefer looking off the beaten path for interesting wines. I continually search for non-French wine and Martin (pronounced mar-tah, above) continually steers me back to France. Yes his selection of less known French wines is vast and, well, fantastic. So again, our last visit, we left with French wine – two bottles… Read more »
Wild mushroom lovers it’s Cèp season here in France (and around Europe and in the States). This deeply tasty variety is delicious sautéed and paired with wine.
Italy is home to innumerable native wine grapes yet international grapes on Italian soil make for fine wines perhaps more recognizable to broader markets.
Winemaking in Cahors these days is a mixture of tradition, and the newer trend, making lighter, fresher, and less tannic 100% Malbec wines with a balance that highlights location and terroir. Traditional Malbec here can be fantastic, yet the older winemaking methods used usually result in bigger and bolder wines that need time for tannins to mellow out. I enjoy… Read more »
From celebrities to top wine producers, it seems everyone has a hand in rosé these days. While Mateus, Lancers, and Sutter Creek turned many people on to rosé in the past, Provence gets accolades for the pale rosé explosion in the 21st century. Yet another style exists beyond the beach and picnic rosés pushed grand marketing schemes. They are referred… Read more »
You know the bottle. It was not familiar to me, but from a ‘new to me’ producer, causing a “Hum, I wonder what this is about?” kind of thought. Domaine de Joÿ from Southwest France in Gascony and their L’Envie white wine was that bottle for us. What a delicious surprise! Price: $18 / 15€ French Winophiles Focus On Southwest… Read more »
“But why Orvieto?” a wine friend asked when I shared I was heading to taste Orvieto wines. Partly because our Italian Food, Wine, Travel group visits Orvieto this month and also because wineries in Orvieto make much more than the easy quaffing style of the past. I wanted to taste these wines of greater character! Anyone who likes exploring less… Read more »
How about tasting a bottle of De Bortoli Woodfired Shiraz from Healthcote, located in the Australian state of Victoria with us! This area is known for big reds, yet this bottle is smooth and inviting.
Climate change touches the forefront of many areas including viticulture. There are thousands of wine grape varieties around the world yet just eleven (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Chasselas, Chardonnay, Grenache, Merlot, Monastrell or Mourvèdre, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Ugni Blanc) are responsible for more than a third of global production. These varieties make up 64 to 87% of production in… Read more »
World Wine Travel Group Spends March in South Australia This week, our group of wine writers and bloggers talk about the white wines from this Australian state. On Friday and Saturday (March 25th and 26th) we all post articles about some aspect of the topic. You can chat with us on Twitter Saturday morning at 11am EDT and 16:00 CET… Read more »