Wanna be Wine Tourist? If Spain on your mind, Catavino helps

The next best thing to owning a winery and working the soil might be to discover the land where it all came from.Call it embracing the terroir, wine tourism, eco-tourism even if your favorite wines and winemakers are of the organic type.After writing first about Spanish wines...

European Wine Quintet, Tuscany to Burgenland and Alentejano

Even though I have not participated in Wine Blogging Wednesday in awhile, one thing I enjoyed doing it was being challenged to get out of my comfort zone and explore wine regions or styles I tend to neglect.Gleaning through recent purchases, I thought I would give a tip of...

Gone South! 'Sud de France' US Launch, Wine Tasting, New York

Attending the Sud de France tasting (November 12, 2008) at Fig and Olive (Fifth Avenue) brought back memories of harvesting grapes near Rivesaltes some 30 years ago.What does the Sud de France label (below) stands for?The region UK site Sunfrance gives 2006 as the birth year...

Jewel in the Crown of Southwest France? Domaine du Moulie Madiran

Jewel in the Crown of Southwest France Appellations is what Wine Online Ireland calls the Domaine du Moulie Madiran 2003. I bought the 2004 Vintage?Where is Madiran you might ask?Nearby Armagnac in the Gers.The grape is Tannat which has now become popular in Uruguay.It is...

What is Natural Wine I ask myself before 'Jenny & Francois' Fall Tasting

Way before I was invited to attend their 'Fall Portfolio Tasting' (on Monday, September 8) what put Jenny Lefcourt and François Ecot of 'Jenny & Francois Selections' on my radar was Wine's Odd Couple 'Urban Vintage' an intriguing portrait by Peter Hellman (NY Sun,...

Straight from Labastida, Montebuena Rioja 2004, a Steal

Now that the weather heats up, I will have to come up with some lighter reds and maybe some whites and rosé wines.In the meantime I do have to recommend this Montebuena, Rioja (2004) straight from Labastida.It is a medium red. Various reviews find traces of everything from...

Off the Beaten Path Wine: Marcillac by Mr Matha

Monks introduced vines to this northwest corner of Aveyron at the foot of the Causses as far back as the 8th century.It is only natural then that after studying to become a priest and a stint as a clown Jean-Luc Matha became one of those  bringing new life to the...

Bandol, les Garrigues, a great red wine, 'Restanques de Pibarnon' (2005)

The Cote d'Azur is not all about Starlettes. The Bandol area in Provence has great wines to offer.In the summer it is a good spot to find a real Rosé.Today I want to share the shear satisfaction I had sharing a bottle of Restanques de Pibarnon (2005) with friends last Monday.

Deep Down South, In Sicily, Nero D'Avola is the Wine that Rules

As I mentioned yesterday, for Wine Blogging Wednesday #37, Dr.Vino suggested that We Go Native.  By that he suggested we pick (not literally) grapes that belong to a specific region.  My first thought was to write about the Urban Oak from Ribera Del Duero which is...

Back to the Roots...'Going Native' for Wine Blogging Wednesday #37...Septembe...

You might just be a casual wine drinker rather than a wine snob or a hard core fan. You are content with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet, Merlot and maybe (post Sideways) Pinot Noir. For Wine Blogging Wednesday #37, Dr. Vino puts wine aficionados to the test with his...

Acustic, Wine Unplugged, Theses Old Vines still Sing!

I rarely buy wines based on their label. The stylized guitar and strings label did catch my eye. This 'Acustic' Old Vines (2005) from Montsant (Catalonia, Spain) might start a new trend named 'unplugged' in the same way that you find 'naked' (oak free)...

Under the Tuscan Sky: Red Wines: The Blend of Poggiotondo

I had this Tuscan Red Blend of Poggiotondo a while back and for whatever reason failed to mention it. The recipe is 40% Sangiovese and equal parts Merlot and Syrah for the balance. The vintage I bought was 2004 which actually marked the first offering.

Going back to Madiran (France) thanks to a little Uruguayan wine that could!

Even though I lived close to Gascony while in France, I have to admit my ignorance of Madiran wines. It took buying a wine from Uruguay to wake me up to their potential.

You can ring my Bell! ma Sonnette...Dancing to a wine tune

No Disco, no dance floor or strobe lights, just grapes and terroir...Anita Ward is not part of the mix! Wine is. 

Red Red Wine...La Friande 'Cotes Du Rhone' and a visit to Vinsobres

Real pleasure can come from simple experiences as this wine and the Rhone terroir where it grows shows us.