Are Winemaker Consultants Good or Bad Wizards?
Good Wizard or Bad Wizard? Winemaking consultants, “Flying Winemakers”, you’ve probably heard of one or more. The best known is perhaps Michel Rolland, reknown for helping wineries adjust their vineyard and cellar practices to achieve riper wines with bolder flavors. These translate into high scores from major publications such as those of Robert Parker and … Continue reading
Château du Moulin-à-Vent Through the Seasons
Château du Moulin-à-Vent Back in November last year, I was contacted by Morgane at Château du Moulin-à-Vent. He proposed sending some samples knowing my interest in food and wine pairings. We had just returned from a trip to Lyon, France where we had the opportunity to taste the versatility of Cru Beaujolais. As the unofficial … Continue reading
Exploring Madiran with Vignobles Brumont #Winophiles
Southwest France, Unknown in the US The wines of Southwest France are little known in the US. Deep in the shadows of Bordeaux (which geographically should be considered part of the region), the wines are difficult to find and even knowledgeable wine shop employees may not discern a difference between Sud-Ouest (Southwest) and Languedoc-Roussillon. The … Continue reading
Come Along as the French #Winophiles Explore Southwest France
Explore Sud-Ouest France (Virtually) with the French Winophiles The French #Winophiles are a group of wine writers and bloggers who love French wine, food and travel. Every month, we all explore some pre-arranged aspect of French wine. We all post and chat about our experiences on the third Saturday of the month. This month’s topic: Southwest … Continue reading
French #Winophiles Return to Sud-Ouest (Southwest) France
Explore Sud-Oest (Southwest) France with the French Winophiles on July 15th! It’s been 2 years since our #Winophiles group first explored the wines of Southwest France. As French wine regions go, it’s near the bottom of the list for familiarity. It’s time to return to further our investigation! Looking at the map, you might realize … Continue reading
Salmon and Morels with the Domaine Wines of Louis Max #Winophiles
French Winophiles Linger in Bourgogne Our winophiles group loves Burgundy (Bourgogne) so much, we decided we needed to spend two months exploring the region. Last month, we were in Chablis and the Northern part of the Côte d’Or: the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune. The wines of these northern regions are real … Continue reading
Crawling Through the Cellar at Louis Max
Moral of the Story: When your wine industry friend sets up a visit, JUMP ON IT! While planning our visit in France last fall, I contacted a couple of local Minnesota wine industry folks for any tips or visits we might make while in the Côte de Nuits in Burgundy. I didn’t hear anything back, … Continue reading
Tour and Taste at Château Phélan-Ségur
Château Phélan-Ségur During our week long visit hosted by our friends at Millesima, we were treated to a private visit at Château Phélan-Ségur in St. Estephe. Where the Heck is St. Estephe? You’ll never realize how large the Bordeaux wine region is until you have the opportunity to visit. Several hours drive from end to … Continue reading
French Wine 101 – Beaujolais and Provençal Rosé
French Wine 101: Beaujolais and Provençal Rosé As we move into the summer, you’ll need some warm weather wines to drink. Of course, white wines are a natural, so let’s add Beaujolais as a great warm weather red wine, and this is France, so it’s time to learn about rosé. Quick link to download 1 … Continue reading
Northern Burgundy Served Up With Rabbit #Winophiles
French #Winophiles Linger in Burgundy I love Bourgogne wines and we drink plenty of them at our house. Lucky for me, our French #Winophiles group is lingering in the region for both May and June! In May, we’re focusing on the northern reaches, including Chablis and the Cote d’Or. Grilling and barbecue are not exactly … Continue reading















