John Updike refers to the French as ‘that strange race, neither northern nor southern, both sensual and ascetic, the epitome in turn of chivalry and the bourgeoisie.’ Updike, a prolific writer of fiction, poetry, non-fiction and art/literary reviews, never got…
- - -
Posted on 2023.02.15 in Tooraine, France, Wine-Aid Packages  | Read more...
Italy is one giant vineyard, cuff to heel, but in France, wine regions are like fireflies in a midnight garden; they light up isolated corners. The brightest fireflies command most of the attention, of course, and as a result, the…
- - -
Posted on 2023.01.31 in Savoie, France, Wine-Aid Packages  | Read more...
A true masterpiece is composed of many elements, and all the details must be in precise balance: The forearm musculature on Michelangelo’s ‘David’ for example—the intake of breath in the nostril of Sanmartino’s ‘Veiled Christ.’ This is as true for…
- - -
Posted on 2022.11.11 in Savoie, Côte Chalonnaise, Givry, Moulin-à-Vent, Beaujolais-Villages, Puligny-Montrachet, Montlouis-sur-Loire, Menetou-Salon, Crémant du Bourgogne, France, Beaujolais, Spain DO, Penedes, Burgundy, Wine-Aid Packages, Loire, Sherry/Jerez, Cava, Alsace  | Read more...
The image of a windmill is a perfect metaphor for humanity’s communion with nature; harvesting the air and using the rotation of a man-made propeller to generate power is synergy at its most basic, and it is also a good…
- - -
Posted on 2022.10.14 in Moulin-à-Vent, France, Beaujolais, Wine-Aid Packages  | Read more...
I’ve always imagined that one of the great pleasures (and challenges) of owning an art gallery is mounting significant shows—exhibitions that represent a relevant theme, whether it is showcasing new talent, topical issues or illustrating cross-cultural interpretations of a similar…
- - -
Posted on 2022.09.20 in Saumur-Champigny, Tooraine, Anjou, Pouilly-Fumé, Vouvray, Terrasses du Larzac, Patrimonio, France, Wine-Aid Packages, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire, Corsica  | Read more...
People tend to shy away from tours where most of their time is spent getting from one destination to the next, but in the Tour de France, that’s the whole point. Over 24 days, the Tour de France makes a…
- - -
Posted on 2022.07.07 in Savoie, France, Wine-Aid Packages  | Read more...
We can all agree that rosé is ideal for warm weather, and we can probably also agree that climate change is leading to a bit too much warm weather. And that does not necessary lead to more rosé, since the…
- - -
Posted on 2022.06.24 in Sancerre, Gigondas, Tavel, Côte-de-Provence, Côtes-du-Rhône, Rosé de Loire, Anjou, France, Wine-Aid Packages, Loire, Provence, Southern Rhone  | Read more...
Nicknamed ‘The Lord of Beaujolais’ for its aristocratic bouquet and noble structure, Moulin-à-Vent is to the ten crus of Beaujolais what Moulin Rouge is to Parisian cabarets: First among equals. Of course, that equality is a matter of taste—some consumers…
- - -
Posted on 2022.05.13 in Moulin-à-Vent, France, Beaujolais, Wine-Aid Packages  | Read more...
When our friend and colleague Leslie Pariseau from ‘PUNCH’ Drinks sent out an email to wine retailers and restaurant/bar managers asking about the state of the art in wine appreciation today, we thought it was worthy of a…
- - -
Posted on 2022.04.28 in Saumur-Champigny, Tooraine, La Tierra de Castilla, France, Spain DO, Wine-Aid Packages, Rioja DOC  | Read more...
Saturday Sips Returns Saturday Sips returns March 5, 2022 with a tasting of several wines from the Henry Marionnet selection. As always, we place safety at the forefront of wine tasting experiences, and whereas we will provide glassware, feel free…
- - -
Posted on 2022.03.06 in Tooraine, France, Wine-Aid Packages, Loire  | Read more...