When people think of Pinot Noir, they think of Burgundy or maybe Oregon or Russian River.  Some think that pinot noir, aka Spatburgunder, from Germany is another wine region trying to commercialize on the popularity of pinot.  After all, in 1975, only 3.5% of total German vineyards was planted to Spatburgunder.  But domestic consumption trends have evolved since that time from sweeter white wines to drier reds.  In 2006, 63% of imports were red wines and, as of 2007, Germany became the 3rd largest grower of pinot noir after France and the US, …

Taxes being one of them.  Upon visiting the Rheingau, one will notice all the magnificent castles on the hillsides along the river.  These were owned by the most influential Dukes from the 12th to 15th centuries.  For centuries, the Rheingau River was the major route for transporting wines from the city of Mainz in the Rheingau downriver to Cologne, which was an important trading center for wines.  The Dukes participated in this commerce by exacting tolls for all ships that passed along this route, which effectively doubled the cost of wines, including those of …

If you are not arriving from the North, a good way to start a visit of the Rhone Valley is starting from the South, in Avignon.  It is a quick 3 hour 20 minute train on the TGV from Charles de Gaulle and there are many things to do in this major city, the least of which is visiting the Palace of the Popes.
InterRhone, the Rhone Wine Council, is based in Avignon, so prior to heading out to wine regions, you may want to stop here first.  There are many resources such as maps …

The Rhone Valley officially begins in Vienne which is just about  25 miles south of Lyon on the A7.  The Rhone Valley is divided between the Northern Rhone and Southern Rhone which are quite different in climate and soils, but they have a few important things in common.  They both share the moderating effects of the Rhone River, varying degrees of the cool wind from the North, the Mistral, and certain grape varieties used to different extent such as Syrah and the whites Viognier, Marsanne and Rousanne.
Within the Rhone Valley, there are the “Cotes du …

My favorite time to travel to wine regions is the spring; its not too hot, not too cold, and not too frenetic such as around harvest.  Airfares and hotels are reasonable and winemakers have time to meet with you.  There are other interesting things that go on around springtime.
The first time my friend and I visited Rioja in the spring, my friend looked up and asked what those gigantic birds were on the roofs of the buildings.  Being a New Yorker, I glanced up and with the gravest certainty and without …

You may not realize it yet, but you love this wine!  The U.S. is the #1 export market, by a wide margin, for the wine region Rias Baixas which is located in the far northwest of Spain by the ocean.  Rias Baixas means the “lower estuaries” because it is marked by inlets of water that extend miles from the Atlantic.  Rias Baixas is the only exclusively white wine Denominacion de Origen (regulated quality appelation) in Spain and is dominated by the white grape Albarino.  Albarino grapes produce light-bodied, crisp and faintly …

One could spend days in Jerez being amazed by the infinite pairings of dry sherry with food, if mostly to satisfy a curiosity of pairing a low to medium acid, non-fruity, fortified wine with seafood.
My revelatory meal was at the Restaurant “El Marques” in Jerez where we had an all-sherry pairing dinner.  Our starter was a plate filled with carpaccio of cod topped with an olive and lime vinaigrette, a crepe filled with smoked salmon, guacamole, cray fish and baby onions, and thin slices of king prawn dressed simply with local extra-virgin olive oil and Jerez vinegar …

We have all been trained to espouse the necessity of acidity in wine to pair with food.  But how much is the right amount?  Being an “acid freak”, I have always relished the rieslings, gruners, sauvignons, chenins, pinot noirs and cabernets, et al, with my food, regardless of the dish.  But on recent trips, a couple of wines have changed my perspective, one of them being sherry.  Sherry is the most under-appreciated wine in the world.  For years, wine writers and sommeliers have been saying that sherry is “the next big thing” …

Barnyard rooster with chocolate scent

Ribera del Duero is about 70 miles wide along the banks of the Duero River, with the large city of Vallodolid to the west and Burgos to the east.  Valladolid is one of the biggest cities in Spain, and an industrial one at that with many highways converging onto it and therefore may not be the best choice to stay while visiting bodegas.   Once out of the city, the wine region is a very bucolic and beautiful area with most bodegas within easy access from the central highway of N122.  …

From the eastern part of Rioja to the heart of Ribera del Duero, it is only 125 miles or an easy 2 1/2 hour drive, which makes it a compelling visit to compare the different styles of tempranillo wines.  While relatively close, Ribera del Duero is on the “meseta” or plateau of central Spain and at higher elevations of 2,500 feet above sea level, providing a strong continental climate.   Everytime I think of visits to Ribera del Duero, I am reminded of the blinding luminosity and unpredictable thunderstorms characteristic of continental climates.  …