As I gear up for the every other year Vinisud in Montpellier in February I tend to get into the mood by working my way through wines from the more active regions from France which take part. That means the Languedoc, Roussillion, Provence and of course the Rhone Valley. Yesterday with a group of friends … Read more
Français : Feuilles de Vignes – Grenache Blanc (Photo credit: Wikipedia) I'm not so much a white wine buyer these days, but the wine I'm very excited about and thankful that I bought two cases of is the 2011 Michel Gassier Nostre Pais Blanc, a delightful blend made from three Rhone grapes. The wine is … Read more
English: Modified version of Commons image Image:Rhone transit suspension.jpg to show the major cities, rivers and wine regions of the Northern Rhone Valley (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Last night I drank a bunch of wonderful wines that just have to be noted. I was up in Seattle for a birthday dinner of a friend. The dinner … Read more
Image of Qupé via Snooth Sadly, due to my flight schedule I'll be missing the San Diego chapter wine event of Family Winemakers tasting. My passes arrived but I'll be flying back from London this coming Sunday. But….that means I'm even more focused on the upcoming Rhone Rangers tasting in San Francisco, the weekend of … Read more
I love Cinsault and regardless if the grapes are from Provence, the Rhone or the Languedoc, I constantly find that wines made from the obscure grape are always dreamy. I first fell in love with the grape when Bonny Doon's winemaker, Randall Grahm first came out with a DEWN wine made 100 percent from the … Read more
Image of Domaine du Cayron via Snooth Knowing I'm heading to Vinisud, which is hands down my favorite wine event that happens every other year in Lattes, France (just outside of Montpellier) in a few weeks I decided to get more Rhone grape focused. Last night here in Amsterdam I was able to locate the … Read more
Image via Wikipedia I have a deep cellar of wines so finding gems that have aged is what I like to do. a few nights ago a few friends of mine and I decided to do the post turkey day dinner at Pamplemousse Grille (I can walk there and the food and staff are so … Read more
Image of Domaine du Cayron via Snooth The other night I had drinks and appetizers with a few new and old friends at the Pamplemousse Grille, the local spot I can walk to (and from) that just happens to have the best food around. I pulled a few old gems from the cellar– 1999 Gigondas' … Read more
Image via Wikipedia The 2000 La Montagnette is a Cotes du Rhone that was made for importer Dan Kravitz of Hand Picked Selections by one of the better cooperative in France's Rhone Valley in the town of Estezargues. It's mostly Grenache, with some Syrah, Mourvedre and Carignan in the blend from what I recall. It has aged … Read more
Image via Wikipedia It was an overcast day, but the wind was still, making the short thirty minute drive from Lyon to the town of Ampuis, France, best know for the wine called Cote-Rotie, or the Roasted Slope an easy drive. Even with the cloudy sky and the day starting at 10 the wine world … Read more
