Falling into a habit of drinking the same wine is easy and predictable. But exploration demands something different. The #winophiles and Vignobles & Signatures are here to take the guess work out of your holiday wine selection on December 15th.
Many styles of rosé come in mass-produced and boutique quantities, the later are more difficult to find. Both are good, but it’s the obscure French rosé that excites me.
Nea Berglund grew up among the vines at the Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux property her father purchased in 1990. This “French summer cottage” called Château Carsin is located in the town of Rion and has been a great opportunity for her. She’s now the winemaker and the modern mind behind Charivari Wines. Come in for a visit!
Picpoul screams spring into summer when it comes to white wines. Something for a spontaneous Saturday picnic? Or a wine that seriously pairs with seafood whether grilled, baked or raw- absolutely! The great thing about Picpoul is the reasonable price tag: it hovers around $10 to $15.
I’ll bet at some point in your life a French wine stole your heart. It seems to often steel hearts worldwide including mine. In fact, I do love French wine.
Not to say I’m less fond of wines from other countries. Reds, whites, and bubbles from all over the world lasso me. But this month, a month of love and valentines, the French #Winophiles take you to France.
France is a country associated with l’amour. Love of wine and food, and so much more. This month the French Winophiles explore wines with a name or concept reminiscent of love. And appropriately February focuses on these things so come see what we have in store!
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.
Sauternes is a sweet wine appellation south of Bordeaux that includes five small villages. One of them, Barsac, is a sister AOP and home to Château Doisy-Daëne and many other producers. Fantastic wines are produced with modest prices. An area to check out if you’re new to Sauternes style wines.
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.
There’s more to Beaujolais than Nouveau. In fact, from Beaujolais AOC to the Crus, you’ll find red, rosé, whites and sparklers for any occasion whether daily drinking or a special event. The best part- the wines of Beaujolais are affordable.