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: #winophiles
2010 Cave de Rasteau “Signature” Vin Doux Naturel and Brutti Ma Buoni #Winophiles
As our last installment of 2017, the French Winophiles (#Winophiles) will feature dessert wines from France. It seems a fitting end to a year in which we covered a wide scope of topics that took us around the country through food, travel and history as much as tasting wine. Just as a dessert wine beautifies…
Ready To Elevate Your Beaujolais Game? Go Beyond Nouveau! #Winophiles
Every year, on the third Thursday in November, the world’s fastest wine, from picking to bottling, hits the world-wide market with tsunami of marketing hype. That wine is Beaujolais Nouveau. Beaujolais Nouveau Day is marked in France with fireworks, music and festivals. And it’s not just France. It’s worldwide phenomenon. In fact in Japan, which imports nearly…
2014 Domaine L’Ostal Cazes “Grand Vin” #Winophiles
This month, the French Winophiles are making a virtual trip to the Languedoc-Roussillion region of France (which is now part of a newly formed region called the “Occitanie” – more on that later). I’ve chosen a wine from Minervois La Livinière appellation – the 2014 Domaine L’Ostal Cazes “Grand Vin” and pairing it with vegan…
Champagne Chronicles Redux; A Week In Champagne, A Lifetime Of Memories #Winophiles
Dreams do come true. When I first got into the “wine thing”, as I call it, I dived head first into the pool of knowledge. One of my resources was Karen MacNeil’s The Wine Bible, and one of my favorite chapters in that vinous tome is “Champagne“. Inspired by what I read about Champagne in the…
My Favorite Under $20 Pét-Nat; Patrice Colin “Les Perles Gris” #Winophiles
This month the French Winophiles are exploring affordable ($20 or less) French wines. I must confess that when it comes to affordable wines, Spain and Chile are top of mind for me. France is not; with two exceptions – the Loire Valley and Beaujolais. For this month, I turn to the Loire Valley for…
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…
Back To Back White Burgundy; Chablis vs Côte de Beaune #Winophiles
This month (and next!) the French Winophiles will be taking a virtual tour of Burgundy, the birthplace of two of the world’s most revered grapes – Chardonnay and Pinot Noir! For May , I’m focusing on Chablis and Côte de Beaune . I’ve chosen to focus on white Burgundy, which for the uninitiated are wines crafted…
Under $30 Vintage Champagne? Oui! #Winophiles
This month the French Winophiles are exploring the Champagne region of France. I’ll be tasting and pairing an under $30 Vintage Champagne! The French #Winophiles are a group of wine writers and bloggers that love French wine. Each month we focus on an area or aspect of French wine. Topics include regions, routes, food, travel, history,…
Voulez-vous Savoie? Oui Mondeuse! #Winophiles
This month the French Winophiles make a virtual visit to the Savoie (“Sav-rah”) region of France. I chose a wine from the region made from a new to me grape variety – Mondeuse Noire. About Savoie The Savoie region is located in central France along its eastern edge, nestled beneath the Swiss Alps and along…