Bruno Paillard “Première Cuvée” Brut Champagne – “refined, ebullient, and impeccably balanced…“ This wine is a multi-vintage blend of more than 30 crus, each vinified separately. It is composed of Pinot Noir (45%), Chardonnay (33%) and Pinot Meunier (22%); part of which (20%) was in barrel for the first fermentation. It includes between 20-50%…
Author: Martin D. Redmond
Exploring Cru Beaujolais: A Great Everyday Red Wine #Winophiles
This month the French #Winophiles take a virtual trip to Beaujolais. Between Beaujolais Nouveau and Thanksgiving, Beaujolais seems to mostly be a seasonal wine. But it can be more than in a seasonal (holiday) wine. I explore its possibilities as an “everyday” red wine. My inspiration to explore Beaujolais as an everyday red wine came…
Poulsard Paired with a Filipino Menudo
I paired a new to me grape variety – Poulsard, from the Jura region of France, with a classic Filipino dish – Menudo About Jura I can honesty say that I’ve virtually visited every wine region in the world that has been on my vinous “bucket list”. One of, perhaps, a handful of exceptions was…
Wine of the Day: 2014 Bruce Patch Wines “Patchwork”
2014 Bruce Patch Wines “Patchwork…a delicious Zinfandel lead “kitchen sink” blend of 8 grape varieties Fruit for this wine was sourced from a patchwork of vineyards throughout the Alexander and Sonoma Valley. It is a blend of 67% zinfandel with carignane, cabernet franc, malbec, merlot, petite sirah, sangiovese and petit verdot, aged in French and…
Lodi Chronicles: Lodi Native; A Showcase For Lodi Terroir
My latest wine writing exploit is contributing to Visit Lodi! Conference & Visitors Bureau blog. Writing for Visit Lodi feels personal for me. Lodi is a region I’ve come to know and love. It feels like I’ve had a front row seat to its remarkable evolution. The quality and diversity of the wines is…
Wine of the Day: 2013 Fields Family Wines Tempranillo
2013 Fields Family Wines Tempranillo: A Lodi Tempranillo whose savory character evokes Rioja Fruit for this wine was sourced from the first Tempranillo vineyard planted in Lodi. It was fermented on native yeast, and raised in neutral French oak. Bottled unfined/unfiltered. Dark ruby color with exuberant black cherry, cigar box , plum, damp earth…
Lugana: Italy’s (Mostly) Hidden Gem #ItalianFWT
During a trip to Italy last month, I wanted to try as many “new to me” wines as possible. The most memorable of the many white wines I tried was from the Lugana DOC. The theme for this month’s Italian Food Wine and Travel (#ItalianFWT) is unique towns of Italy. Well if you know anything…
Wine of the Day: 2012 Bruce Patch Wines “Take Five” Red Blend
A fruit driven Sonoma Valley red blend that’s a real crowd pleaser! The Bruce Patch Wine “Take Five” Red Blend was inspired by one of the most performed jazz tunes of all time, Dave Brubeck’s legendary song of the same name. This wine was blended from five grapes — 50% merlot, 20% syrah, 18% malbec,…
A Taste of Cinque Terre Food And Wine
My wife and I are vacationing in Italy for a few weeks! We’re taking the Rick Steves Best of Italy In 17 Days Tour and adding on a few more days in Rome and Positano. For the last couple of days we’ve been in Monterosso del Mare. Monterosso is the largest of the five towns that…
Wine Of The Day: 2013 Josetta Saffirio Langhe Rossese Bianco
Rossese Bianco is a grape native to the Cinque Terra region of Italy. It made its way to the Langhe in the late nineteenth century, and was rediscovered in old vineyards of Monforte in the mid 70s. The Langhe Rossese Bianco DOC was established in 2011, acknowledging it as a grape variety native to…