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…
Tag: Wine and food pairing
Sparkling Wine Dinner Series; Ferrari Brut Paired with Creamy Seafood Risotto
Sparkling wines are the ultimate wine of choice when it comes to celebrations of special occasions. But sparkling wines are too often neglected, and vastly underappreciated when it comes to pairing them with food throughout a meal – from appetizers to dessert. I strongly believe that sparkling wine has a bigger role to play at…
Two Easy Summer Meals And Two California Rosés #WinePW
I adore Rosé wine! Here’s why. Rosés are such a versatile wines at the table, they give me a break from thinking about, or in some cases over-thinking food and wine pairings. Consequently whether one is a professional, such as a sommelier or chef; wine enthusiast, or a novice, when it comes to food and wine…
Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng and Arrufiac? Oh My! #Winophiles
This month the French Winophiles are making a virtual trip to France’s Hidden Corner, the South-West (or ‘Sud-Ouest’ as the French call it) wine region! Actually, we’re revisiting the region. When we first visited a couple of years ago, I discovered the Perfect Wine For Liver And Onions! It was from the mostly overlooked Marcillac AOP, and…
Bordeaux Paired With Cajun and Italian Classics #Winophiles
If you’ve ever considered food and wine pairing principles, then you know the most tried, tested, and found true principle of food and wine pairing is “What grows together, goes together”. In other words, match the food and the wine of a place together. For example, pairing Italian food with Italian wines, or a pairing oysters with…
A Walk On The Wild Side; 2012 Sandro Fay Costa Bassa and Pasta con Finocchietto Selvatico
My wife and I enjoy walking in our neighborhood. Over the course of the past few weeks, each time we walked past this particular empty lot not from where we live, our olfactory senses was overwhelmed by fresh herbal aromas that hinted of licorice. It looked like fennel to me. And that’s what it…
Batting A Thousand for #OTBN Vol. 8 – A Celebration With Friends #winePW
Seven bottles of wine for seven people…Twas a splendid OTBN17! Of all the wine “holidays” (Cabernet Day, Chardonnay 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 people in our lives. OTBN was created by former Wall Street Journal wine…
Wine of the Day: 2007 Bonny Doon Vineyard Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard
2007 Bonny Doon Vineyard Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard – “The flavors are just as enchanting, if a bit feral, as the aromas showcasing boysenberry, black and red currant, olive, smoked meat and dark roasted nut flavors”… I must confess that when I purchased this wine, and I noted the vintage (almost 10 years old) and the…
Lodi Chronicles: Lodi Winter White Wines
As you may know if you follow this blog, I’ve been contributing toVisit Lodi! Conference & Visitors Bureau blog. Visit Lodi is the official travel website for Lodi, California. My latest feature on the Visit Lodi website is about Lodi winter white wines. It’s entitled Lodi Winter Whites. It’s features five Lodi white wines perfect for the…
Wine of the Day: 2013 Fields Family Wines Old Vine Zinfandel
“On the palate it’s medium-bodied, elegant, fresh and focused with a harmonious cool climate Zinfandel character.” Dark ruby color with exuberant kirsch, black raspberry, bramble and spice aromas. On the palate it’s medium-bodied, elegant, fresh and focused with a harmonious cool climate Zinfandel character. It shows ample kirsch, pomegranate, and peppery spice flavors wrapped…