Two appellations lie within the Languedoc-Roussillon: the Corbiéres and Minervois AOPs (Appellation d’Origine Protégée). Both are focused on red wines made from Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault, and Lladoner Pelut in differing proportions. They deliver a small amount of noteworthy whites made primarily from Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Vermentino (Rolle), and Maccabeu (Viura). Several other grapes grow there too. Read on to learn about defining characteristics of these areas.
I’m thrilled to be a finalist in the Millesima wine blog awards! Established to highlight the wine blogging community in Europe and the US, the three award categories are Wine Reporter, Food and Wine Pairing, and Wine Travel. Two people from the US and Europe are picked in each category as finalists for the next round.
Vin Santo, the classic Italian dessert wine made in the appassimento method is a beautiful amber color. Inviting aromas of deep caramel- similar to a sweet Madeira- and also hazelnuts and dried stone fruits. It’s great on it’s own but we especially like it with cantucci, a type of Italian biscotti. Dunking is acceptable!
Pairing sweet and savory flavors definitely works, it certainly did here- a tart with figs, pears and caramelized leek yum. My choice was Beaujolais, anything other than a Beaujolais Nouveau, the wine so many are familiar with this time of year. Depending on how you garnish this vegetarian tart, it pairs with many types of wine. Figs not in season? No worries, skip them or use another fruit.
Located in Chianti Storico (old Chianti), you find Chianti Classico wines. Montefioralle is an organic producer located near Greve- an easy trip from Florence for tasting wine and olive oil.
Alto Adige gets about 300 sunny days per year – perfect for high acidity retention in its grapes. It’s where snow capped mountain slopes meet a Mediterranean climate with pristine blue skies. And it’s where distinctive wines are produced. The Italian Food, Wine, and Travel authors (#ItalianFWT) virtually travel to northern Italy for Alpine Wines this month. And, in fact,… Read more »
Great French wines are found in the Basque. Most people think of Spain when they hear the word Basque. But a little known fact is 15% of the area lies within southern France, where the coastal towns of Biarritz, Bayonne, and St-Jean-de-Luz entertain sun worshipers and surfers while just inland Hendaye in the Pyrénées foothills captivates hikers. The south west… Read more »
Buying wine is like buying chocolate. They both have a world of flavors and attributes to consider. Do you want fruity or deeper earthy tastes? Belgian? Dark or milk? 85%? Then you navigate labels- Costa Rican, single origin, fair trade? You decide on a bar but see local producers as you head to check out. So many choices. The same… Read more »
To understand Bourgogne it helps to understand its regions; a few offer excellent value wines. Saint Aubin is one in particular. Bourgogne (referred to as Burgundy in many countries) is long and narrow. The whole of Bourgogne runs from the town of Auxerre in the north (the land of Chablis) to just south of Mâcon, (north of Lyon in the… Read more »
