Vignerons Indépendants – Why You Should Care
Vignerons Indépendants Are the Independent Growers of France By sheer luck I had the opportunity to attend the Vignerons Indépendants Salon in Lyon, France in both 2015 and just recently, 2016. The Salon is an annual multi-day event where over 500 independent growers convene for a wine show with the intent to sell their wine … Continue reading
#MerlotMe and Wine Pairing Weekend; We’re At It Again!
October Is #MerlotMe Month Our Wine Pairing Weekend group had so much fun with MerlotMe in October last year, we decided to do it again! In collaboration with the MerlotMe wineries, we’ll be posting and chatting up our love for Merlot in the month of October. Join us as we celebrate the much maligned grape that … Continue reading
Virtual Trip to the Douro in “A Year in Port”
My $40 Free Screening I had the opportunity to pre-screen the upcoming release of A Year in Port this weekend. So of course, I did a little research and picked up a bottle of Ramos Pinto 10 year Tawny Port, one of the Port houses in the movie, to assist in my enjoying the film. … Continue reading
Celebrate Albariño Day with spicy Shrimp & Clam Pasta
Albariño Day/Week Grape Celebration days have become a popular way to promote wines from a region or from a common grape around the world. They can be a bit confusing, as sometimes the day/date seems to be a bit vague. Some, like #AlbariñoDay are placed perfectly in the calendar. August is prime time for seafood … Continue reading
Three Different Shades of Ribera del Duero – Ferratus Winery
Ferratus winery in Ribera del Duero Early this summer I received an offer to evaluate wines from Ferratus in the Ribera del Duero region of Spain. Its a region I’m interested in exploring, so I jumped at the chance, and a few days later, three different wines arrived in the mail. All are the same … Continue reading
Can You Taste Dirt? Soils & Sancerre
Tasting the Dirt There’s lots of discussion in print and online these days about terroir, soils and location vs. winemaker and who or what is more important. Do flinty, seashell filled soils produce mineral wines? I can assure you there are no actual stones in your wine. Here’s the important question: Can a regular person … Continue reading
Another Face of Nebbiolo: Sforzato #ItalianFWT
Sforzato di Valtellina – One More Valtellina Gem Finishing up our visit to Valtellina, we have one more Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo) based wine to try: Sforzato di Valtellina. Ours was from the Nino Negri winery. Sforzato is something a bit different. Sforzato di Valtellina is made by the passito process in which the grapes are dried … Continue reading
My Love-Hate Relationship with Loire Whites – French #Winophiles
Warning: This is a rant, but it does have a happy ending. I hope you’ll read on. One-Two Punch Knocked Me Out In preparing for our French Winophiles virtual visit to Touraine in the Loire, I was hit by a double dose of love-hate for Loire Valley whites. First, I must say two things: I’m … Continue reading
A “Must Have” Piemonte Book for Your Bookshelf
A Labor of Love: Wine Family Women of Piemonte Whether you have visited or not, there is a book coming that any Piemonte lover will enjoy. Like me, if you have been lucky enough to visit, you must daydream regularly about your return. What a beautiful land full of wonderful wines, food, and stories. My … Continue reading
A First Taste of a Friend’s First Chardonnay
iOTA Cellars Expands It’s a rare opportunity to taste a winemaker’s first wine, or their first wine from a new grape. We’re long time fans of our friends at iOTA Cellars Pinot Noir. They have been producing Pinot Noir commercially since the 2006 vintage, and we have been enjoying their wines from the beginning. In … Continue reading
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