Category: Mourvedre

Today I have a bottle of Lou Coucardié Red 2012 from the well-known winemaker, Monsieur Michel Gassier from AOC Costieres de Nimes in the south of France, part of the Rhone Valley. This red wine is a blend of 49% Mourvedre, 35% Grenache, and 16% Syrah, coming from his organic vines. If you wonder what is Lou Coucardié, the winery…

Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre blends (GSM) are full-bodied, full of flavour, and please people that enjoy big, hearty red wines. This blend of grapes also makes the famous red Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines. I have two GSM wines from Gérard Bertrand from the Languedoc region in the south of France to review for you: Gérard Bertrand Terroir Corbieres, 2017 Gérard Bertrand Gran Terroir…

If you attended the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2020, you may have had the opportunity to meet Gérard Bertrand and taste his wines from the Languedoc region. I was lucky to also attend his Masterclass where he went in-depth into the history of the Languedoc, his estate, his promotion of biodynamic viticulture and winemaking, and then tasted through 10 of his…

1847 was an important year in Australian wine as two things happened. First John Gilbert who moved from Britain to Australia planted Riesling and other grapes in the Eden Valley in what is known as the Pewsey Vale Vineyard.  This vineyard had 3 generations of Gilbert’s grow grapes till it was sold in the 1920’s, and then again in 1962…

What is meant by a “Cru” in wine?  The term “Cru” is most often used for the French classification system, but the “Cru” concept can apply to any vineyard region recognized for their superior wine quality. My last seminar during the Vancouver International Wine Festival was on the topic of “cru”.  What it is and how it is expressed.  We…

My first Masterclass at the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2020 was about the wines from the Languedoc region produced by Gérard Bertrand and moderated by Anthony Gismondi.  Gérard Bertrand is the ambassador of the fine wines of Languedoc-Roussillon around the world and owns 16 estates with their unique terroirs in the region.  The Languedoc has, in general, had a poor…

I taste many wines at Trade tastings, plus public events like the Vancouver International Wine Festival or Taste Washington.  People who know me, know that I make detailed notes as I taste and can back up my wine ratings.  This year I went through all the wines I tasted in 2019 and have awarded my top 5-star rating to 10…

Please welcome Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné, an iconic winery from Hermitage in the Northern Rhone Valley to the Vancouver International Wine Festival.  Let them introduce themselves to you today. About Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné In 1834, a full 100 years before the introduction of the A.O.C. system, Antoine Jaboulet began to transform a sleepy region into one of the most…

We have new to our market in BC some exceptional wines from the Lirac and from Châteauneuf-du-Pape made by Domaine Duseigneur.  I had a preview of these wines and was able to interview Bernard Duseigneur, tasting through these wines and trying them with a light lunch.  I have been a great fan of Rhone Valley wines but had not yet…

As stated by the Vancouver International Wine Festival, “Rhône grapes have made an indelible mark in their native region in France, but are now being grown successfully throughout the wine world. While Syrah, Grenache, Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne have unique varietal expressions, they also partner well in a blend. This seminar takes you from Australia to North America’s West Coast…