Tag: Clairette

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…

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…

Did you know that ten bottles of Rhone Valley wines are consumed every second?  Recently, Rhone Valley Vineyards‘ winemakers visited Vancouver to remind us that they are more than just Syrah and GSM blends.  They also produce white wines, rose wines, and sparkling wines.  I attended a lively presentation from five Rhone winemakers to cover their wines plus remind us…

I have two interesting finesse wines from Gerard Bertrand from the sunny south of France.  Gerard Bertrand’s Orange Gold 2020 is an organic wine made with a blend of Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne, Mauzac, Muscat, and Clairette with skin contact.  The other wine is the Gerard Bertrand An 806 AOP Corbieres 2017 a Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre red blend.  One…

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 familiar to you when you check on the shelves in the BC Liquor Stores and elsewhere across Canada.  I have…

Many of us are familiar with the wine regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and the Rhone Valley, but there are many sub-regions, which have their own Appellation d’origine Contrôlée (AOC) that produce quality wines at reasonable prices.  Many of the wineries are family-run as well, with the vineyards and wineries being passed down through families.  I would like to present…

This year I had many wines that I tasted this year that almost made my 5-star category; 27 white wines and 45 red wines.  These wines I rated as 4.5-5 stars.  When I check over them again, I can remember how much I enjoyed these wines.  Having a 4.5-5 or a 5-star rating does not mean that you need to…

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…

In my previous article about Maison Ogier and their wines from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, I told you about the four different soil types and their effects on the grapes’ flavours in the wines.  In this article, I take you through tasting some of Maison Ogier’s wines with food paired at Provence Marinaside in Yaletown. Our Pairings Seared scallops with hedgehog mushrooms, roasted…

What do you know about Chateauneuf-du-Pape?  How many grape varieties are permitted in the blend?  How many soil types are there in Chateauneuf-du-Pape?  Raphael Pommier, an Associate Winemaker at Maison Ogier, spoke to us about the history of the winery and about the Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC.  Raphael has his own vineyard but also works with Ogier, joining about 17 years ago.  Ogier’s…