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January 9, 2023 6

Sylvie Bigar, author of Cassoulet Confessions: Food, France, Family, and the Stew That Saved My Soul, Talks to Provence WineZine

“What is cassoulet?” You would be forgiven if you don’t know or if you thought it was simply a popular regional stew conceived in the South of France. Visions of a complex concoction may come to mind: beans, ham hocks, pork rinds, garlic... [...]

August 1, 2022 3

Gabay and Bernheim’s Rosés of Southern France should be in your wine library

The recent publication of Rosés of Southern France is cause for great celebration among casual rosé drinkers and oenophiles alike. Elizabeth Gabay MW and Ben Bernheim have written an engaging and comprehensive book that not surprisingly centers on Provence rosé but it also includes rosés from all other neighboring regions in the South of France. Their depth of... [...]

January 2, 2022 5

ON THIS NEW YEAR’S EVE, I LET THE WINE TRANSPORT ME TO ANOTHER TIME AND PLACE

If ever I wanted a wine to transport me, as a good wine can do, it was this past New Year’s Eve. By the time 2021 was mercifully drawing to a close – amidst sky-rocketing COVID rates, fires burning more than 500 homes in Boulder, Colorado, record snowfall in California, record heat in parts of France, unprecedented threats to... [...]

August 15, 2021 2

GERARD ISIRDI’S WONDERFUL ART EXHIBITION AT CHÂTEAU BARBEBELLE CLOSES SOON

Provence is abuzz this time of year with fabulous offerings of art, music, opera, film, wine tastings, and the usual fêtes that move from village to village. We traveled from New England to Provence last month specifically for this show by French painter Gérard Isirdi at Château Barbebelle in Rognes... [...]

July 5, 2021 3

1000 ROSÉS IN 10 WEEKS*: ELIZABETH GABAY MW AND BEN BERNHEIM’S GUIDE TO THE ROSÉS OF SOUTHERN FRANCE

Full disclosure: The South of France is a small world and when one writes about rosé, this world is really small. Elizabeth Gabay MW is a friend but, that aside, this guide is an exceptionally impressive endeavor that belongs in the online libraries of anyone who drinks rosé from... [...]

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... [...]

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... [...]

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 1, 2021 8

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,... [...]

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