Arenales in San Sebastián, Spain, is a small restaurant and bar known for its natural wines. It offers a relaxed atmosphere with tasty small plates and various wines, including Cellar Frisach’s eco-friendly L’Abrunet Negre. The bar provides a unique alternative to traditional pinxto hopping.
I met proprietor Jean-Christian Mayordome at Vignerons Indépendants in Bordeaux. A former doctor, his desire was to grow grapes and make wine was stronger than practicing medicine, thus he created this estate from scratch in 1998. He farms about 26h (63 acres) in the Southern Rhone: Gigondas AOC and Seguret Côtes du Rhone Villages areas. He used natural practices from… Read more »
Years ago, when I went into a wine store in Chicago where I lived and asked for a Sicilian red wine, I was handed Nero d’Avola. The same thing happened in Northern California some time later, and now in Bordeaux, we get the same. While I enjoy wine made from this grape, I am less of a mainstream person, preferring… Read more »
Today is December fourth, the day everyone world-wide celebrates the red wine grape Cabernet Franc! I keep it local sharing one of my favorites from Bordeaux producer Paradise Rescued. One Hundred Percent Varietal Cabernet Franc in Entres-Deux-Mers In Bordeaux, France’s largest wine region and also the world’s biggest single and most concentrated vineyard area, you find several of the world’s… Read more »
Small, organic, and producing sleek, mineral-driven wines, Domaine Gueguen Chablis and their rare Cepage Confidentiel are two wines to try now.
The sparkling wine of Catalonia is varied and includes the Classic Penedès and Corpinatt off-shoots of Cava. Come with me to learn about two.
Domaine Hauvette and Clos Cibonne- two red wine producers in Provence to remember, especially paired with a Mediterranean plate of lamb meatballs
Will George be number 7? Heck, Nobody’s Perfect! (See below for links to what these mean.) Mark and I recently participated in a Zoom session with two small Bordeaux wineries, Chateau de Monfaucon and Chateau George 7. They are unique in that the prolific women behind them made their ‘what’s next?’ happen- each built their operations from the ground up,… Read more »
Merlot is widely planted across the globe holding the number two spot of most planted grapes. The resulting wine spans from juicy, fruity and jammy to deep, nuanced and complex producing some of the world’s most expensive bottles. And did you know it all started here in Bordeaux?!? In fact a document from 1783-4 indicated the name could come from… Read more »
Arancini are deep-fried or baked rice balls stuffed with yum. You make them with leftover risotto, which has to be one of the most popular, signature Italian dishes after pizza. And the best way to enjoy arancini is with a glass of Sicilian wine! (Scroll down for the recipe.) Reputedly a great Sicilian street food, the Arabs occupying Sicily served… Read more »