Aligoté Emerging from the Shadows #Winophiles

French #Winophiles Highlight God Forsaken, Forgotten, Under-the-Radar Grapes This month, our French Winophiles are looking under the rug and in the closet for those forgotten, ignored, or neglected French grapes. Take a look at our findings by scrolling down in this post for a whole list of links to some great finds. If the subject … Continue reading

Warm Up by the Fireplace with Raclette and Vins de Savoie #winepw

Imaginary Trip to the French Alps Oh to spend some time skiing/snowboarding in the French Alps, drinking Vin de Savoie every evening! Full disclosure: we have not been skiing/snowboarding in the French Alps.  We are Park City Utah ski/snowboard rats. However, the sentiment is the same.  When you come in from a day outdoors, you … Continue reading

The Italian Wine Cooperative Surprise #ItalianFWT

Italian Food, Wine & Travel Group Discovers Italian Wine Cooperatives This month, our group of Italy fans is exploring the wine cooperatives of Italy.  Virtually every course, text, or article on cooperatives stresses how they produce just average wines. The growers are paid by the ton for their grapes, so there is no incentive to … Continue reading

Gewürztraminer and Cooking the Cover of Bon Appétit

Cooking the Cover Do you have a favorite cooking magazine? I’ve had subscriptions to several over the years, and I’ve landed on Bon Appétit as my long term favorite. The recipes find that magic balance between something new and different while still being accessible. I can generally find the ingredients and the list is not … Continue reading

French Wine 101: Taste for Yourself #Winophiles

French #Winophiles Offer Advice for Newcomers to French Wine Our French #Winophiles group is kicking off 2020 with a round of advice for newcomers to French wine. Take a look further down in this post to links to a whole list of ideas. Are you a newcomer? You’re sure to find an approach which appeals … Continue reading

Rack of Lamb in the Snow with GD Vajra Barolo

Winter Grilling in Minnesota (or anywhere, really) So many people put the grill away for the winter, but why? Well, there is the dark, and the snow and the cold….. In Minnesota, though, we’d hardly use our grills for more than 3 months and who can tolerate that? I’m fortunate to own a ceramic grill, … Continue reading

Preview for French #Winophiles: Newcomer’s Guide to French Wine

Introduce a Newcomer to French Wine Imagine this: you and a friend enter a wine bar with an exceptionally deep and broad selection of By The Glass wines from around the world. Your friend tells you they would love to learn more about French wines but they don’t know where to start.  How would your … Continue reading

Italian Wine 101 – Start Your Journey Here #ItalianFWT

Introduce a Friend to Italian Wine with Italian Food, Wine and Travel Bloggers We’re kicking off 2020 at the #ItalianFWT blogging group with a question: How would you introduce Italian Wine to a curious friend?  My answer follows, and you can get a dozen other suggestions from our links at the bottom of this post. … Continue reading

View of Barbaresco

Introduce a Friend to Italian Wines with #ItalianFWT

Introduce Your Curious Friend to Italian Wine Italy is a country filled with wine; there are twenty regions and every single one produces wine! Of course, some are more famous than others. Italian wines have their own style and many feature grapes grown nowhere else in the world. For the newcomer, Italian wines can be … Continue reading

Vouvray Pairs with Cream #Winophiles

Loire Valley White Wine Roller Coaster I love white wines from the Loire Valley. There is such variety as you travel from the central vineyards with Sauvignon Blanc, out to the middle Loire for Chenin Blanc, and finally crisp Muscadet as you get out to the coast: perfect for the oysters nearby. There are many … Continue reading