This month the French Winophiles are roaming the Rhône Valley! We received three sample wines from the venerable House of Chapoutier from three different regions of the Rhône Valley – Crozes Hermitage, Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Luberon. Overview of the Rhône Valley The Rhône Valley is a key wine-producing region in the southeast of France. It follows the north–south course of…
Author: Martin D. Redmond
A Journey To Iberia And Beyond for Open That Bottle Night #WinePW #OTBN
Open That Bottle Night 2018 was a splendid five hour affair with memorable wines, food, laughter and fellowship shared with great friends! Of all the wine “days” (Cabernet Day, Chardonnay Day, Champagne Day, etc), Open That Bottle Night (“OTBN”) is my favorite. That’s because it’s a great opportunity for fellowship around food and wine; and making memories with the special…
Wine Of The Day: 2012 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon
This is an outstanding well-structured, delicious and fruit forward wine….It’s wines like this that make Napa so popular! The Martin Stelling Vineyard, planted in 1978 , and located behind the winery in Oakville, is the cornerstone of Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc aged…
Wine of the Day: 2005 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904
This is a layered, harmonious wine that shows the beauty of old school Rioja aging combined with modern “elaboration” practices. This wine is blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano from vines over 40 years old in the cool climate vineyards of Briñas, Labastida and Villalba. It was aged for four years in American oak…
Celebrating L’Amour Du Vin With French Wine At The Table #Winophiles
The theme for this month’s French Winophiles is L’amour– French wines with a name or concept reminiscent of love. When I received these sample wines (as always, opinion are my own), I immediately saw the connection between L’Amour (love) and the Saint-Amour from Beaujolais, and the Rosé from D’Anjou in the Loire Valley. The connection between…
Easy #ValentinesDay Three Course Champagne Pairing Dinner Featuring Bruno Paillard Brut Premiere #Food and #Wine Pairing
Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love! And when I think of a celebration, I think of Champagne! Chances are you that you’ve been enjoying Champagne for toasts or as an aperitif, but it’s such a food friendly wine (the most food-friendly in my book) it can take you from a toast, through appetizers, on to the…
#Food And #Wine Pairing: Blandy’s Madeira Sercial 10 Years Old and Sushi
One sip of Madeira and I asked myself “why don’t I buy and drink this wine more regularly?” That question was the first thing that popped into my head when, after five years (according to my tasting notes) I opened a bottle of Blandy’s 10 Year Malmsey Madeira a few weeks ago. It was one of two sample…
A Taste of Valtellina: 2014 Ar.Pe.Pe. Rosso Superiore Paired With Wild Mushroom Ragout over Creamy Polenta #ItalianFWT
When you travel, do you tend to visit and place once, and then want to try a new place? Or are you more comfortable returning to a beloved destination again and again? Of course, it likely depends on your experience with a place. Well after making a virtual visit to Valtellina last year, I’m delighted…
Lodi Chronicles; Get To Know Lodi Petite Sirah
As you may know if you follow this blog, I’ve been contributing to Visit Lodi! Conference & Visitors Bureau blog. Visit Lodi is the official travel website for Lodi, California. From time to time I share the blog posts I’ve written for Visit Lodi here. My latest piece written for Visit Lodi is entitled Get to Know…
What Grows Together, Goes Together – Slow Cooker Cassoulet Paired With Affordable Occitanie Wines #Winophiles
This month the French Winophiles are exploring Occitanie – formerly Languedoc-Rousillion; and in particular the AOPs of Minervois and Corbières. And what better way to explore a wine region that simultaneously exploring its gastronomy. Certain wines are always paired with certain dishes because they come from the same “paese” or region, and therefore have traditionally been served…