aMuse Bouche: Burgundy Spice
With Burgundy’s rich and strongly flavored dishes, it’s easy to see why tangy Dijon mustard would be a specialty here. At a Moutarderie tour at Edmond Fallot, I learned the difference between Dijon and Burgundy mustard.
The Côtes de Bordeaux: Affordable Bordeaux With Pedigree
When people think of red Bordeaux, they usually categorize them by Right Bank or Left Bank. But there’s another family of reds called the Côtes de Bordeaux crafted by small, family-owned wineries with a lot of care, pride and in many cases, world-class knowledge.
Spreading French Joie de Vivre to the Masses: Vin de France
Don’t tell Managing Director Valerie Pajotin that Vin de France are mere “table wines”, even though technically, that’s what they are. For Valerie and a contingent of her colleagues from Anivin – the trade group for Vin de France – these wines have the potential to become a global force majeure
The Appealing 2011 White Burgundies for the Modern Drinker
I looked forward to trying the 2011 vintage white Burgundies at a recent Frederick Wildman tasting in San Francisco. The vintage ended …
Why buy Chablis now
I had the opportunity recently to select the Chablis wines for a series of media events here in San Francisco and the …
Chateau de Saint Cosme – a reference point for Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre blends
These classic Rhone and Sud de France blends have re-captured my attention in recent months beginning with a Gerard Bertrand tasting this …
Act II, part 3: The Languedoc is the South of France
Until recently, I believed the creation of a new foundation Languedoc appellation effective 2008 with its less onerous production requirements would cause …
Act II: The Languedoc in context, part 2
Gerard Bertrand clarified to me that in his opinion, grape varieties are tertiary to the character of the wine, after terroir and …
Act II: The Languedoc in context, part 1
When I have the opportunity to meet winemakers from the Languedoc, I grab it because there is no wine region in France …
Rosé season is back!
This is the time of year when we start dreaming of spring peas, favas, asparagus and … rosé! I tasted several of them …