Feature Archives

May 24, 2021 5

PROVENCE: TOP FRENCH WINE REGION IN EXPORT MARKET GROWTH IN 2020

In a year marked by turbulence and an overall decrease in exports of French wine by as much as 5% in volume, Provence witnessed exports increase by nearly 6% in volume, making it the wine region posting the greatest growth abroad. By comparison, Burgundy posted 1.4% growth in the export market and the Loire Valley showed... [...]

May 1, 2021 3

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
Baby, It’s Cold Outside

As you know from Susan’s recent articles (“A Perfect Storm” and “Fear and Angst”), the Southern Rhône Valley has had a really tough time of it lately. Long, drawn out freezes have severely affected the vines, which will affect CDR wines for years to come. Today, to show support of vintners from that region, I am pairing my meal with a... [...]

April 27, 2021 2

“A PERFECT STORM” HITS THE SOUTHERN RHÔNE VALLEY VINEYARDS

The French language is usually where we turn for precise (and typically ingenious) expressions to describe almost any situation. In the case of the historic April frosts that severely impacted vineyards from Champagne to Provence, the French might borrow one from the English language. A perfect storm...

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April 14, 2021 7

FEAR AND ANGST IN THE VINES IN PROVENCE

Vineyards across France were exposed to plummeting temperatures and severe frosts last week, causing massive damage to the vines as well as other crops. The storied regions of Burgundy and Bordeaux may have captured more of the attention from mainstream journalists, but virtually every part of France was affected by temperatures that dipped as low as -8֯ Celsius (17.6֯ Fahrenheit) on as many as three nights... [...]

April 3, 2021 1

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
A Twenty-Nineteen Treat

Elizabeth David’s book, An Omelette and A Glass of Wine, gave me an idea: pair this week’s rosé with a simple frittata. Nothing fancy. Sometimes the simplest combinations are the best. Let me just say that it was, indeed, a good idea. I made a very simple frittata, using the onion tops of fresh spring onions, and paired it with the... [...]

March 14, 2021 0

Save the Date: Sharing Wine and Food at the Table to Benefit The Alex Manfull Memorial Fund

Sharing Wine & Food at the Table Thursday, April 1st 7:00 p.m. (ET)

Zhuzh up your cheese and charcuterie board to pair with Château Barbebelle Cuvée Madeleine Rouge and benefit The Alex Manfull Memorial Fund Supporting Research, Education, and Treatment of PANDAS.

Please join Susan and William “Towny” Manfull, founders of The Alex Manfull Memorial Fund, and David Scott Allen, editor of Cocoa & Lavender, at the Urban Wine Club for a fun and informative webinar about an excellent ... [...]

March 7, 2021 5

FOUR-MONTH SUSPENSION OF TARIFFS ON EU WINES IS ESPECIALLY GOOD NEWS FOR ROSÉ

Patrick Walsh, founder and proprietor of Provence Wine Imports, a small importer and distributor located in the Boston area and focused on wines from Provence and the Rhône Valley, heaved a huge sigh of relief when he read the news. After all, an unexpected 25% tax levied on the sole products that one’s... [...]

March 6, 2021 3

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
A Good Stretch

As I have mentioned here before, I like to put wines to the test, finding their limits when pairing with food. Does it go with this? Or that? What could I change in the recipe to make it work? Often it takes two or more bottles of a wine to find its perfect match. The challenge I faced this week was that I had one bottle of the L’Exclus d’Alary... [...]

March 1, 2021 9

A Look at Rosé Diversity in a CIVP Masterclass with Elizabeth Gabay MW

I am not usually out of bed and in front of my computer, Zoom-ing with strangers (mostly) who are drinking rosé before the sun rises, but these days are different. On Thursday, February 25th, the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence (CIVP) held a masterclass on Vins de Provence at 11:00 a.m. in France. Unfortunately,... [...]

February 14, 2021 9

THE THREE FACES OF GRENACHE

If you are a fan of wines from Provence or the Southern Rhône Valley, you are on an intimate basis with Grenache Noir. You probably don’t sidle up to the bar and order a “Grenache Noir” like you would a glass of Pinot or Cab, but I assure you that, in Provence and the Southern Rhône Valley, you are drinking wines of which Grenache is a major part. You may also know Grenache Blanc, one of its mutations... [...]

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