This month the French Winophiles are taking a virtual summer escape to the Loire Valley. Jill of L’Occasion with be hosting the event ( (Check out her invitation post here.) About the Loire Valley The Loire Valley, two hours southwest of Paris is known as “the Garden of France” due its abundance of fertile farmland that…
Pairing Maria Papoila Vinho Verde with Summer Pizza #WinePW
Lead by our host Cindy Rynning of Grape Experiences, this month the Wine Pairing Weekend bloggers are exploring the Portuguese wine region of Vinho Verde (pronounced vee-nyo-vaird). About Vinho Verde Vinho Verde is located in the cooly, rainy northwestern province of Minho. Its climate, affected by mountain ranges, valley and rivers, along with its mostly…
Dreaming of Sicily With A Graci Rosato #ItalianFWT
Maybe you saw it. There was an article in Forbes stating that Sicily is planning to discount half the price of plane tickets and pay for one of every three nights in hotels in a €50 million scheme to revive its battered tourism industry. This was 6 weeks or so into California’s Shelter-In-Place order, and quarantine…
Why Lugana Should Be In Your Glass And On Your Italian Travel Itinerary
Last month I participated in the #Winestudio Lugana program. While the theme was primarily focused on “One Grape, Five Wine Styles”, we were also introduced to the “Lugana Lifestyle”. More on that later. I’m love trying new-to-me grape varieties and wine regions. That’s what inspired me to try a wine called “Lugana” I saw on a…
Getting To Know The Wines of Moldova #WinePW
This month, the Wine Pairing Weekend group of bloggers is making a virtual trip to the Republic of Moldova. Our host is Jeff of FoodWineClick who made an actual press trip to Moldova last year. Check out this very informative post entitled “Could Moldova Be Your Next Wine Destination” for more about his experience. About…
A Splendid Virtual Tasting with Smith-Madrone’s Stu Smith
Stu told us during the tasting that “balance is everything”. That winemaking aesthetic is evident in each of these world-class wines proudly crafted from the Spring Mountain’s distinctive terroir.
Wine of the Day; 2015 Herdade Pegos Claros “Primo”
My WOTD is the 2015 Herdade Pegos Claros “Primo” which hails from the new-to-me Palmela DOC on the Setúbal Peninsula of Portugal. The star red grape (also new-to me) of the peninsula is Castelão, an indigenous grape variety which thrives in the peninsula’s warm, sandy soils, and can ripen to perfection, producing lovely, fresh, fruity…
Champagne Drappier’s Blanc de Quatre Blancs; A Taste of Champagne’s White Heirloom Grape Varieties #Winophiles
This month the French Winophiles are exploring “Unexpected Pleasures In Champagne”. Our event is being hosted by Gwendolyn of Wine Predator . And what are the “unexpected pleasures of Champagne”? In my case, it’s a “two-fer”. I’m sharing a wine made from unexpected heirloom grapes from a producer in an unexpected region in Champagne. The Aube –…
A Taste Of Chénas, Beaujolais’ Rarest Cru #Winophiles
We thoroughly enjoyed this alluring, delicious and food-friendly wine. This month the #Winophiles, a group of French wine, food and travel aficionados are exploring Beaujolais, and in particular Cru Beaujolais! I have long believed that Cru Beaujolais are among the most food friendly wines. But several years ago I attended a Beaujolais Wines & Japanese Cuisine Pairing…
A Cadre Of California Skin-Contact Wines Paired With Ethnic Fare #WinePW
Ultimately, what I love about skin-contact white wines is that they are über food friendly, and offer a complex array of aromas and flavors not typically found in either white, red or rose wines! On the second Saturday of each month, a group of bloggers who are passionate about pairing food and wine come together…