Tag: Wine 101
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Loire Valley: A Treasure Map of Wine
France’s Loire Valley is like a treasure map – beginning on the Atlantic coast near Nantes and meandering east to the hills of Auvergne in the heart of France. Because of its noteworthy architectural heritage in its historic towns, outstanding cultural landscape along the Loire River, monuments to bygone eras such as the Renaissance and…
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I Say Grenache, You Say Garnacha
Grenache is one of the most widely planted grape varieties in the world. It goes by many different names, such as Garnacha in Spain and Cannonau in Sardegna. This workhorse grape is a key component to two of the world’s most celebrated wines, Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Priorat, at yet it is largely under-appreciated. Jancis Robinson argues,…
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Get to Know German Riesling
Riesling is one of the world’s greatest wine grapes. It is a versatile grape, capable of producing a variety of wine styles from different regions throughout the world. It is tolerant of a range of temperatures, though it performs best in cooler locations. Furthermore, Riesling is arguable more expressive of terroir than any other vitis…
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Have You Discovered Alentejo? Why Not?
Southern Portugal is dominated by the Alentejo wine region. Located just an hour and a half east of Lisbon, Alentejo is a perfect destination for wine lovers and history buffs. It is home to a large array of indigenous grapes; the red wines are rich and full body, the whites are crisp and aromatic. Alentejo…
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Life is Sweeter with Amarone
Amarone della Valpolicella is one of Italy’s greatest wines. It is a complex wine, rich and bold, with each sip embracing years of tradition. There is no other wine made quite like it. It can also be a divisive wine. While most people adore the rich notes of dried fruit and raisin-like sweetness some find…
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Crusing the Rhône River, Sipping Cru Wine
Wouldn’t it be great to take a river boat cruise down the Rhône River? There are many quaint towns with world-class restaurants and festivals happening throughout the year. Best of all, great views of the vineyards and changing topography from northern to southern Rhône. I have written many articles about Rhône Valley wines. I have…
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It’s Time to Rediscover Australian Shiraz
What is the first grape that comes to mind when you hear Australia? Shiraz is as synonymous to Australia as vegemite. However, Australian Shiraz has experienced an identity crisis. The US wine market was flooded with inexpensive, over-ripe Shiraz that was initially well received and highly consumed, yet overtime spawned questions as to whether Australian…
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A New World Discovery: Wines of Brazil
Is it possible for a wine region 480+ years old to be a new discovery? Have you had wines from Brazil? Until a few weeks ago neither had I. According to Jancis Robinson Brazil is the third most important producer in terms of quality in South America, but there is a caveat; most of the…
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To Oak or Not to Oak; Exploring the Wonders of Chablis
I have a confession to make. I am not a huge fan of Chardonnay. That is not to say I don’t like it. I am just incredibly finicky about how I like it. I drink it and enjoy different expressions of it with different foods; however, rarely will I pour myself a glass to simply…
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Welcoming Hanukkah with Traditional Food and Kosher Wine Pairings
Hanukkah began yesterday. The eight-day Jewish festival of lights is celebrated nightly with the lighting of the Menorah and prayers. Hanukkah also includes special foods specifically chosen as part of the celebration. Let’s take this year’s Hanukkah one step further and pair some high quality kosher wines with the foods of Hanukkah.
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