Category: Rhone

I spent Friday afternoon at the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2026 tasting French red wines.  Here are my favourite French wines from the International Festival Tasting Room.  There is a fairly even distribution of red wines from different regions of France (and therefore different varietals) in my picks below.  Enjoy. My French Red Wine Selections Castel Frères Exclusive Aspirant de…

On a lighter tone, at VanWineFest 2026, I had a chance to attend a walk-about lunch at LaSalle College Vancouver; French bistro fare prepared and served by LaSalle students, while sampling a selection of French wines representing seven French wine regions.  Below is a list of the French wines followed by the menu.  No wine reviews here, just some general…

A Tour de France in Your Glass Food and wine go together, especially in France.  I attended the VanWineFest 2026 seminar, A Tour de France in Your Glass.  With Moderator, Arnica Rowan, we took an oenological journey through seven classic French wine regions, each with their own unique characteristics and history. We crossed the country from Champagne to South West…

Our climate is changing.  That is not up to debate.  Wineries from around the world have been looking into ways to make their vineyards more resilient to these changes.  One of those regions is the AOC Côtes du Rhône within the Rhône Valley in France.  I received three wines from the region, along with information about how the Côtes du…

Today I paired my second dish from Sous Chef by Cardinal™ with a red and a white wine.  The dish was Szechuan Braised Beef with seasoned long grained rice.  The white wine was the Township 7 Vineyards & Winery Interlude Pinot Gris 2024, which I tasted with the Chicken Tikka Masala.  I thought that this wine with its fruit flavour…

Many people think of red Rhône wines, but there are terrific white wines as well.  I received a bottle of Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône 2023 to tell you about.  It is a blend that features Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Clairette, and Roussanne grapes.   Grenache Blanc is a full-bodied white grape with a round mouthfeel, offering ripe pear, green apple, and…

I enjoy working with wine agents.  They gather wines from around the world and offer the wines to us for our enjoyment.  This year is the 10th Anniversary of World Wine Synergy (WWS), and I was fortunate, along with other wine trade people to celebrate this anniversary at La Quercia restaurant.  Over those 10 years I’ve been invited to meet…

I am always excited to try the wines from Famille Perrin who also own the famous Château de Beaucastel in southern France. The vineyards for this wine are located on the slopes of Mont Ventoux. It is a blend of Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah.  This wine comes sealed with screw cap for easy enjoyment. My Wine Tasting Notes Famille…

We are now enjoying nicer summer weather.  It’s time to get out onto the patio and enjoy some rosé and white wines. While you may think of Rhône wines as being Syrah or red blends, this region also produces white and rosé wines.  Here is a press release I received talking about these Rhône wines. ~~~~~~~~~ This summer, treat yourself…

The history of Rhône Valley wines dates back to ancient times, with evidence of winemaking in the region dating back to at least 600 BC. The Romans further developed viticulture in the area; over the centuries, the region’s wines gained renown for their quality.  Rhône Valley wines remain popular due to their diverse range of styles, from bold and spicy…