Last month, I was thrilled when I received an invitation to participate in a fun competition for the 2016 Wine Blog Trophy. Organized by the Loire Valley Wine Trade Fair, which takes place in Angers from February 1 to 3, 2016, the essence of the competition is to guess the appellation and vintage of two mystery bottles (one…
Author: Martin D. Redmond
How To Host A Champagne Pairing Dinner Illustrated
It’s a day I’ll always remember. A day that forever changed my evolution as a wine lover. On June 30, 2014, I received an email whose subject line read: Invitation to Attend 2014 Champagne Harvest Media Trip. I simply couldn’t believe it. But it turned out to be true. And I was blessed with the opportunity…
A 3-Course Sparkling Wine Dinner with Iron Horse Classic Vintage Brut #winePW
Wine Pairing Weekend is a monthly collaborative event for wine/food bloggers started by David Crowley of Cooking Chat. It’s a great way to find food and wine pairings that work (or learn from the ones that don’t); along with tips on how to create your own food and wine pairing magic. Cindy Lowe Rynning of Grape Experiences is…
A Taste of The Art of Italian Living With Ferrari Trento #WineStudio
Last month I was invited to participate in an online 4 week program put on by Protocol Wine Studio. The sessions featured the Italian sparkling wine producer Ferrari Trento. I was thrilled to receive the invitation for at least a couple of reasons: First, I adore sparkling wines. It’s a deathbed wine for me. And I’ve…
#WineWednesday Review: 2014 M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut
From time to time, I receive wines samples from wineries or their public relations agencies for review. I feature such samples here on #WineWednesday Review. This week it’s the 2014 M. Chapoutier Côtes du Roussillon Villages Les Vignes de Bila-Haut About Domain Bila-Haut Domaine Bila-Haut is the passion project of famed Rhone/Hermitage producer, Michel Chapoutier. As head…
A Taste of Friuli – Got Pignolo? #ItalianFWT
One of the things I love most about food and wine is their ability to transport one to a different place. And a place’s people, culture, and customs are reflected in its food and wine. In that sense, one can virtually travel the world through food and wine. And that is exactly what we are doing…
A Taste of Villa Maria Pinot Noir #NZPinot
Earlier this month, myself and other select wine writers participated in a virtual wine tasting on Twitter – the Villa Maria (“VM:”) “First Sip of Fall” Pinot Noir tasting. The tasting featured VM hosts Helen Morrison, Senior Marlborough Winemaker and Josh Hammond, Marlborough Winemaker, along with wine expert and social media maven Nanette Eaton of Wine…
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Paired With An Aussie Sticky #winePW
It’s here. Thanksgiving. The perennial harbinger of the holiday season that seems to arrive all to quickly. For me that typically means going 100 miles per hour with my hair on fire! It’s already happening. I had other plans for this month’s Wine Pairing Weekend “Creative Thanksgiving Pairing” theme. Alas, things have been crazy busy for…
Veal Ribs with Fontina with Vallee d’Aosta Torrette Supèrieur #ItalianFWT
One of the things I love most about food and wine is their ability to transport one to a different place. And a place’s people, culture, and customs are reflected in its food and wine. In that sense, one can virtually travel the world through food and wine. And that is exactly what we are doing…
Book Review: “The History of Wine in 100 Bottles” By Oz Clarke
I love wine. Truth be told…I’m a wine geek. I also love history, and cultural anthropology. But these topics can be well…boring. In his recently released book “The History of Wine in 100 Bottles: From Bacchus to Bordeaux and Beyond” (Sterling Epicure, 224 pages, $24.95) inimitable wine personality Oz Clarke manages to give us his take…