In Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is the duke of the manor while Merlot is the duchess, and if these terms sound antiquated in 2021, be assured that the traditions of the region are delightfully established. And nowhere in Bordeaux is this…
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Posted on 2021.08.26 in France, Bordeaux, Wine-Aid Packages  | Read more...
With apologies to Mr. Shakespeare, a rosé by any other name would probably be sweeter. The fortunes of pink wine have risen and fallen with consumer tastes, especially in the United States, where rosé has endured a shunning for being…
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Posted on 2021.08.20 in Chinon, France, Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Wine-Aid Packages, Loire, Provence, Southern Rhone  | Read more...
Storied Bordeaux Left Bank Châteaux’ Second Wines 2018: ‘Dense’ and Exceptional. Casey Affleck to Ben? Jim Belushi to John? Or God forbid, Frank Stallone to Rocky? Wine critics often regarded a château’s second label wine with a haughty sniff, referring…
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Posted on 2021.08.11 in Pauillac, Saint-Estephe, Saint Julien, Margaux, France, Bordeaux, Wine-Aid Packages  | Read more...
Exploring the French Backcountry Along the Route of ‘Tour de France’ in Ten Stages. The ‘Tricolore’ in Red, White and Rosé. The terrain is rough but the terroir is sweet! The Tour de France was founded in 1903—which, for the…
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Posted on 2021.07.16 in Jura, Jura, Savoie, France, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Wine-Aid Packages, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire, Southern Rhone, Northern Rhone  | Read more...
Tastes in wine run hot and cold and so do the climates that produce them. Nearly every commercial vine on earth is grown between 30° – 50° latitude (both north and south), but that range offers an almost endless array…
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Posted on 2021.07.02 in France, Wine-Aid Packages, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire, Provence  | Read more...
The Loire Valley, the fabled stable for thoroughbred whites from Sancerre, Savennières and Vouvray, has often (and unfairly) been dismissed for its reds. In fact, cooler vintages of the past have sometimes resulted in erratic ripening, leading to thin, somewhat…
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Posted on 2021.05.20 in France, Loire  | Read more...
When arguing political ideologues, it’s wise to remember that the left wing and the right wing are part of the same bird; likewise, in Bordeaux, the Left Bank and the Right Bank refer to the same river system. In southwest…
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Posted on 2021.05.18 in France, Bordeaux  | Read more...
A grape variety born in Bordeaux, Merlot often gets a bad rap due to the glut of simple, fruity wines that bear its name lined up on party store shelves. But when the soils and climate are ideal, and production…
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Posted on 2021.02.03 in Bordeaux, France, Wine-Aid Packages  | Read more...
Stone rarely looms as large in French life as it does along the Loire River Valley. The generous and celebrated local supplies of malleable limestone (tuffeau) are responsible for both grand old castles and Cabernet Franc-based wines that are lively and…
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Posted on 2020.09.09 in France, Wine-Aid Packages, Loire  | Read more...
“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.” — Rainer Maria Rilke Whether you’re social-distancing with friends on the patio, grilling in the backyard, or just relaxing on a cozy chair with a…
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Posted on 2020.06.08 in France, Beaujolais, Spain DO, Burgundy, Wine-Aid Packages, Loire, Cava, South West  | Read more...