Food, Wine and Travel Blog

What type of wine is viognier? Of all the remarkable white grapes of France, Viognier [pronunciation: vee·on·nyei] enjoys the greatest anonymity. Tasted blind, you’d instantly recognize its signature scent and flavors of peach and apricots. Yet, the grape is rarely mentioned on labels or actively promoted as part of France’s glorious white wine culture. Enjoy […]

What is it that’s so special about white wines from Sancerre? If one change has dominated the last 40 years, it is undoubtedly shifting emphasis from place to grape. In Europe, the name of a wine, with few exceptions, was its place of origin. The New World saw things very differently; in Australia, New Zealand, […]

Which wines and cheese pair best together? No foodie topic is more open to debate, disagreement, and subjectivity than “correct” cheese and wine pairing. Local cuisine, different cultures, and personal preferences make what seem perfectly acceptable wine and food combinations appear utterly awful to others. Our own feelings on this subject are almost schizophrenic; personal […]

Cassis White Wines At first glance, there are few surprises left in French viticulture. The wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and indeed Provence are globally renowned – Pauillac, Blanc de Blancs Champagne, and Provencal rose are as many cultural icons as they are wine styles. Yet, with real effort, France still has undiscovered regions and terroirs […]

The infamous white wines of Burgundy The status and reverence given to the superlative white wines of Burgundy are arguably under threat. California, Australia, New Zealand, and other European regions have proven that you can coax great class and refinement out of Chardonnay grown worldwide. It is simply undeniable that Burgundy no longer has a […]

Today, most of us are well acquainted with the ‘celebrities’ of wine – the Chardonnays, Merlots, Shiraz, and Sauvignon Blancs of this world. Indeed, ask most white-wine drinkers what they fancy after work, and more often than not, their response will be, ‘I always go for a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.’ Or perhaps a glass […]

Rueda: Spanish White Wine Spain has long been celebrated for its versatile and delectable wines; Rioja, Ribera Del Duero, and Priorat are now all major household names. From London to New York, you’ll hardly come across a wine store or restaurant list that doesn’t contain at least a few Spanish wines – the country is […]

The Alsace region is one of France’s great unsung wine heroes. Lost in the excitement over Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne, the Alsace region just quietly gets on with the business of making piercingly aromatic, unique, and simply exquisite wines. It is also one of France’s most spectacular places to visit, with the Voges mountains’ splendor […]

Discover Bordeaux White Wines To most people, Bordeaux is probably the most well-known and celebrated of France’s great wine regions. This fame has chiefly spread because of Bordeaux’s red wines – few connoisseurs aren’t familiar with Lafite, Latour, and Petrus. And with good reason, some of the world’s finest and noblest red wines are made […]