Wine

August 1, 2020 1

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
Nobody’s Perfect

You might think that I like any wine that comes my way. I can see why you might think that, because mostly what you see here in this column are positive reviews and pairings.

But it’s not true. For one thing, when creating a pairing, I try to choose carefully so that I have something good to offer you. I certainly have control... [...]

July 23, 2020 25

À TABLE! CHÂTEAU BARBEBELLE AND GÉRARD ISIRDI COME TO THE TABLE TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT PANDAS, THE POST-INFECTIOUS AUTOIMMUNE BASAL GANGLIA ENCEPHALITIS THAT TOOK THE LIFE OF ALEX MANFULL

The above title would be (more) unwieldy if I included all the names of the friends, family, and strangers who have contributed... [...]

July 4, 2020 8

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
A Transcontinental Tasting

A couple of weeks ago, Susan and Towny, along with several other friends, met with me and Mark on Zoom to cook a meal, taste some wine, and dine together — as if nothing about this was unusual. At times, it almost seemed as if we were together in the same room. But, every once in a while, there would be a hiccup in the ... [...]

June 6, 2020 9

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
Love is in the Air

Love is in the Air... and in my glass. It’s D’lovely!

This month, we continue our salute to 2019 rosé wines — a summer-long celebration of our mutual love of all (or most all) wines pink. Especially those from our beloved... [...]

May 24, 2020 2

Cassis: A Timeless AOC

Cassis is the most beautiful AOC (appellation d'origine contrôlée) in France: the vineyards cling to the slopes of a magical amphitheater that plunges towards the shimmering Mediterranean. The Phocaeans (ancient Greeks from Asia Minor) must have been enchanted with these slopes when they first saw them 2,600 years ago. And they did well to plant them to the vine. The perfect exposure, dry and nutrient-poor soils and the cooling Mediterranean... [...]

May 10, 2020 7

Hermitage – the finest manifestation of Syrah and Marsanne

Standing guard with a fabulous view looking south over the Rhône Valley is the magnificent hill of Hermitage, crowned by the famous chapel of St Christopher.

Geologically, the hill was part of the right bank Massif Central until the Rhône River burrowed its way to the west, ensuring Hermitage as the only granitic terroir... [...]

May 2, 2020 0

Swedish Wine Writer Wins Coveted Award for his Book on Provence Wines

Göran Boman was recently honored with the prestigious international Gourmand World Cookbook Award for his 2018 book entitled The Wines of Provence – Tricolour. Accordingly, this book is the “Best in the World” in the category “French Wine“! I learned that this competition has been likened to... [...]

May 2, 2020 3

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
Praemonitus, Praemunitus

Praemonitus, praemunitus. How is your Latin? Not so good? Don’t worry — neither is mine. But this 15th century Latin proverb, when translated, will be very familiar. “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.” A little insider knowledge can make a big difference, as it helps us to be... [...]

April 26, 2020 25

THE INTRIGUE OF LOURMARIN’S DOMAINE DE LA CAVALIÈRE AND ITS NATURAL WINE

In August, the tiny villages of Provence swell with visitors from around the world. In Lourmarin, the charming Luberon village where luminaries like Henri Bosco, Albert Camus, and... [...]

April 19, 2020 0

A Roundup of Some Lovely 2019 Rosés

My 2019 schedule for tasting was so well laid out…. WineParis, Prowein, AIR Provence, Vinitaly, as well as numerous local tastings…. What could possibly go wrong?

But there is always a silver lining, and, in many ways my tasting this year has been much more focused. Tasting 183 Provence rosés for Decanter magazine just before lockdown and receiving (at home) a number of rosés to taste from around Languedoc have shown that the 2019 rosé vintage is excellent. [...]

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