“Let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world.” ~Napoleon Bonaparte If you visited Bordeaux chances are you made it to the right bank. There you’ll find several famous appellations vying for attention including Pomerol, the smallest of Bordeaux’s most esteemed. And in this AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protegee) where there are several families who own and run… Read more »
A year ago I wandered into a favorite wine shop in Bordeaux and discovered Vermentino again. It’s a grape that grows in many places. France, Italy, Australia, California and Oregon are prime areas. I’ve tasted some from each place but the one that stands out is the Vermentino from the Corsican Arena family. A Family Business in Patrimonio Antoine Arena… Read more »
The deep colored Tannat grape is thriving in Uruguay. With naturally high acid and a slant towards firm tannins, it’s fruity (cherry, plum and brambly berries) with sometime notes of spices, earth and floral. The signature grape of Uruguay, it was brought to the country in the 19th century by the Basque born immigrant Pascual Harriague and often called the “Harriague grape”.
California made people think rosé is sweet…and lesser quality. But it’s made all over the world. And, Provence (France) is credited for putting it on the map. Rosé is for serious wine lovers, yes, but really anyone interested in wine. Perhaps it were the marketers that ruined its image? Cheap and affordable? Rosé is just the opposite. It can be… Read more »
Vinexpo Bordeaux was the site of several talks and master classes including a special tasting showcasing the Italian sparkler Franciacorta. Little known in the United States or other parts of the world, Franciacorta may just be the next Champagne. It hails from the Lombardy region of northern Italy, where Italians have been making renditions of sparkling wine since the 1600s…. Read more »