Enjoy Affordable Left Bank Bordeaux With Your Steak
Bordeaux is Expensive, Right? Many wine drinkers know that top Bordeaux wines are expensive. In 1855 Napoleon asked wine regions to classify their top wines. Bordeaux selected their Grand Cru Classé wines, with 5 wineries named to Premier Grand Cru Classé. These were the most famous and expensive wines of their day. Château Lafite Rothschild … Continue reading
Cariñena – A Discovery Waiting for You
In Cariñena, Value is Hidden Here’s some excellent advice in wine: look where others are not looking. Undiscovered regions are often filled with delicious wines that are superb values. You could do some research to find out the Cariñena region in Spain is located in the larger region of Aragon. But that would be of … Continue reading
Looking Beyond Biodynamic Certification at Cantina di Filippo #ItalianFWT
Italian Food, Wine and Travel Writers Explore More Sustainable Viticulture This month, our Italian Wine, Food and Travel group is researching sustainable approaches to winemaking in Italy. Our investigation started as a look into biodynamics, but it turns out that can be a bit problematic. Why? Because certification isn’t right in every situation. The real … Continue reading
Anteprima Sagrantino
Or: How I tasted 45 of the Most Tannic Wines and Lived to Tell the Tale After hosting our recent Italian Food, Wine & Travel group’s foray into Sagrantino, I received a surprise invitation to attend Anteprima Sagrantino. This annual press event celebrates the release of young Montefalco Sagrantino wines in Montefalco, Umbria. The local … Continue reading
Lamb Shanks Provençal with Les Baux de Provence and Cassis #Winophiles
French Winophiles Dream of Provence Just the word “Provence” brings forth dreamy thoughts of bright sun, warm summer days, lavender fields and a laid back, relaxed life. And of course, delicious food and wine! This month, our French Winophiles group is conjuring up memories or aspirations of that Provencal landscape while we highlight foods and … Continue reading
Picturing Uruguay with Lentil Stew & Aguara Tannat #winepw
Wine Pairing Weekend Group Imagines Uruguay It’s February and our Wine Pairing Weekend blogging group is picturing what summer must be like down in Uruguay. Never heard of wine from Uruguay you say? I had heard, but had never tried one. Thanks to Amanda Barnes of Around the World in 80 Harvests and the South … Continue reading
Sagrantino to Warm a Minnesota Winter Night #ItalianFWT
Italian Food, Wine & Travel Group Tackles Sagrantino February is my turn to host our group, and I was hoping my buddies would take on the challenge of trying a Montefalco Sagrantino. Sagrantino is a lesser known grape, but it is the king of the Montefalco area within the larger Umbria region of Italy. And … Continue reading
Sagrantino, the Enforcer of Umbria: Preview #ItalianFWT
Sagrantino Grape and the Italian Food, Wine & Travel Group Sagrantino is the bully of the Vitis Vinifera world. Dark, thick skinned, withstands heat and cold. It holds one of the highest levels of tannins in the world of red wine grapes. In Umbria, it has long aging requirements to allow those strong tannins to … Continue reading
Umbria and Sagrantino Grape Invitation #ItalianFWT
Italian Food, Wine & Travel Group Searches for Sagrantino in Umbria Our #ItalianFWT group has visited Italy via her wines for four years! We made our first “visit” to Umbria back in 2015 when we were touring the whole country virtually (my post is here). In February, we’ll be going back, specifically in search of … Continue reading
Our Biodynamic French Friends #Winophiles
Biodynamics Isn’t for Everyone It’s January 2019, and our French Winophiles group is exploring biodynamics in France. I’ve been interested in the viticulture side of wine for some time, and I’ve been writing about it a bit recently. I explained why I’m interested in a post (here) if you’re interested. There’s a lot of hoopla … Continue reading
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