Latest wine news
Champagne and Cheese Champagne and Cheese is a classic combination. You don't normally want to eat a whole meal with Champagne - you want to savor the fine wine and enjoy its texture and flavor. Cheese is a good thing to nibble at while you do so - to complement the flavor. Brie Brie is a soft, creamy French cheese that is best served very fresh. This goes wonderfully with a gentle Champagne, something light and fruity. Mild cheddar Cheddar is an English cheese that most people have tried at some point. The French and the English may not get along all too well, but the cheeses certainly do! Choose a mild, young cheddar; it will go well with some of the sharper, brighter Champagnes. Chevre How appropriate! Chevre is the French word for "goat cheese". Make sure it's fresh, and it will have a mild but tangy flavor to it. Use this with the stronger Champagnes that have a bit of kick to them. Colby Colby is a hard, mild cheese often associated with Port. Colby is originally from Wisconsin, and does go very well with Champagne as well. Try this with a medium-bodied Champagne. Edam Edam is a semi-hard, creamy cheese from Holland. It's slightly nutty, so it's a great pairing with the many Champagnes that have that nutty undertone to them. read full story
Alain Brumont a passionate and driven winemaker
Alain Brumont's achievements have placed him in the top tier of French winemakers. From the famous Alain Brumont comes the premium estates of Chateau Montus, Chateau Bouscasse, La Tyre (super premium single vineyard), the new concept Torus (using grapes from both estates), the wonderful sweet white Pacherenc du Vic Bilh, and the well reviewed VDP Gascogne range. "These are unreal wines that are purely made, remarkably rich, and so complete and promising that they cannot be ignored." Robert Parker "The wines of Alain Brumont are at the same level as Ch?teau Latour and the greatest wines in the world.? "Alain Brumont is, in the world of wines 'A bull fighter'? Steven Spurrier of Decanter "Alain Brumont is simply the best and most forward-thinking vintner in Madiran" Wine Spectator "Five Star Outstanding Estate" The New France read full story
Winemaker and author Monty Waldin talks to Adam Lechmere about his latest book on biodynamics read full story
Burrell School Vineyards on Summit Road
Located at 1600 feet in the Santa Cruz Mountains the views from the stately red schoolhouse winery are unparalleled. In this peaceful sun-drenched paradise, you can relax with a picnic and a bottle of fine estate wine, surrounded by beautiful vineyards and redwood covered mountains that stretch all the way to the sea read full story
Both Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are made in a variety of styles, and both can be made into anything from a crisp, dry white to a sweet late-harvest-style dessert wine. You could find examples of Sauvignon Blanc sweeter than a Chardonnay, and you could find examples of the reverse, too. But overall, I wouldn't describe Sauvignon Blanc as 'sweeter' than Chardonnay. In fact, I would expect the vast majority of Sauvignon Blancs to be leaner, crisper and more herbal than the vast majority of Chardonnays. read full story
30. Hartford 2007 Highwire Vineyard Zinfandel (Russian River Valley) read full story
There are a few things that every respectable man needs to know. One of these things is how to select an appropriate bottle of wine for any occasion. The AskMen.com editors recently attended the Montreal Wine and Spirits Show to investigate some of the more popular wine varietals, and we?ve come back with this primer on five wines you should know. read full story
3rd Annual New York City Winter Wine Festival
n February 4th, NYC's favorite wine tasting takes to the Best Buy Theater (formerly NOKIA) in Times Square once again as we transform this prime venue into a winter wonderland brimming with wine a vineyard of gargantuan proportions, if you will Enjoy wines from all over the world - great Zinfandels from California Super Tuscans from Italy.. full-bodied Bordeaux from France read full story
Hosting Your Own Wine Tasting Party
Looking to have some fun with friends while sharing some wine? You should consider hosting a wine tasting party. It's a really neat way to share your wine favorites and to be introduced to a variety of new and interesting wines. You can also add some spice to your fun by using a wine theme ("All About Reds", "Blindfold Tasting", etc.). Party Size You don't need a lot of guests to have a great party. What I have found works best is to have about four to twelve people, and definitely include yourself as one of the registered guests. Theme Selection Pick a fun theme, and remember the theme also determines what wines will be poured. read full story
How to analyse wine colour colour
How to analyse wine colour colour VIDEO read full story
Winemaker and author Monty Waldin talks to Adam Lechmere about his latest book on biodynamics read full story
Before you attend an auction, determine your objectives. Are you filling in gaps in a pre-existing collection? Are you looking to increase your cellar inventory? Are you buying for investment's sake? If you are starting from scratch, which wine regions do you wish to concentrate on? In the absence of a concrete plan, you may get sidetracked entirely. read full story
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200-Year-Old Shipwreck Champagne Hits the Auction Block
Sometime in the early 1800s a two-masted schooner wrecked in the Baltic sea, near Sweden in A land, an autonomous cluster of islands that belong to Finland. Last year, when divers found the ship remarkably intact, they were surprised to find the cargo hold empty except for 168 champagne bottles, dubbed the world's oldest champagne. As it turns out, 150 feet under the sea is a great place to store wine, where it's safe from light and temperature changes, and 145 of the bottles are drinkable. Sommelier Ella Grussner Cromwell-Morgan described the taste: The champagne was amber coloured and packed with aromas. It had a robust taste of tobacco leaves, dried fruit, and raisins and I could clearly taste the oak barrel ageing. [The taste] was heavy with a lots of flavour, a little bit like when you make home made mead. It was like sitting in a leather chair smoking a cigar. Next week, two of the bottles are going up for auction. They're expected to fetch "record prices," which could mean somewhere between $15,000 and $50,000 each. The government of A*land has promised that any surplus over the costs of excavating the champagne shipwreck will go to marine habitat or environmental charities. read full story
New muselet for the champagne bottle
Will this new invention be accepted by the Champagne producers? It is not easy to introduce new closures in the Champagne region (we recall Champagne Duval-Leroy's attempt a couple years ago, that failed due to regulations). Perhaps Pierre-Eric Jolly will have more luck with his invention. At first sight, it is not a great revolution. He has simply invented a wire cage (muselet) that has three wire legs (shaped like a Y) instead of four. read full story
Duke & duchess of dutcher -Kerry Damskey
When you step foot on it, you know you are home." With these simple words Debra Mathy, proprietor of Sonoma's Dutcher Crossing Winery, describes not only the experience she seeks for visitors to her Dry Creek Valley estate but also the very essence of her role in the wine industry: warmth and hospitality. Together with her talented and accomplished consulting winemaker, Kerry Damskey, Mathy aims to provide in a comfortable and inviting ambiance a truly unique and handcrafted taste of the region's fruit. I sat down with the two to discuss the vision and mission of her recently purchased winery, the focus and direction of his winemaking style, and their collective commitment to expressing the local terroir read full story
wine tours read full story
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