Can you name the native grapes of the Rhone Valley? There are the north and south ends of the valley and different varieties. The main varieties of the north end are Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne. The northern Rhone is…
In 2021 we stayed at home mostly, with little travel, usually local, due to COVID. I’ve read that sales of wine, beer and spirits had increased in 2021. I wondered a bit more about the wines we were drinking across…
Today I have another lesser-known AOC in the southern Rhone Valley – AOC Ventoux. You may be very familiar with one of the wineries from AOC Ventoux, Château Pesquié. Their wine labels in solid blocks of colour should be very…
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%…
Today I am pleased to open and taste a bottle of Château Pesquié Terrasses Red 2019 from the Ventoux AOC. A wine made with 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. I will be interviewing one of the owners, Frédéric Chaudière, about…
With France being the theme country for the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2020, there were many more French wineries in attendance than in other years. And with that many more wines to taste. Which made me very happy. France has…
I enjoy meeting winery principals and having a short chat with them at their table as they are pouring their wines during the Festival Tasting at the Vancouver International Wine Festival. Here are a few of my recorded video chats…
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…
Andrew Jefford is an English journalist, radio presenter, poet, magazine editor, a wine writer for Decanter magazine and much more. He lives near Montpellier in France. Why am I telling you this? Andrew lead our French Terroir Talk during this…
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…