Articles

There was never only one nouveau

by  |  16-12-2022

Hot on the heals of the Catalan vi novell wines, I received another nouveau sample. Yes, this one is from France and yes, it’s very much nouveau being a young, 2022 wine. But it’s not... more »

A book review of “Wines of the Rhône”

by  |  22-04-2021

If you’ve been around the wine blogging scene for any amount of time, you’ll know that “success stories” are far and few between which is why Matt Walls’s new book from publisher Infinite Ideas, Wines... more »

The wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in 2019

by  |  17-10-2019

For any lover of Grenache-based wines, and especially those found in the Southern Rhône, the appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape offers up many delicious pleasures which is why I’m very excited to share the 2019 report today.... more »

Everyone’s a winemaker in wine country, Domaine Christiane Chambeyron-Manin Côte Rôtie 2013

by  |  29-03-2018

The butcher I frequent in the next village over has a small quantity of wine that they make and sell directly in the shop, certified under DO Montsant. Distracted by cuts of meat and wondering... more »

Cairanne’s cru bump & Brunel de la Gardine

by  |  14-05-2016

When at Vinisud back in February, the happy rumbling around town was that Cairanne had just gone from being Côtes du Rhône Villages to a full cru meaning that from 2016 onward, those studying all... more »

The rest of 2016

by  |  05-01-2016

Continued from yesterday, a few more observations about what’s to come in 2016 in general and outside of Catalonia. Southern France I just received an email from Michel Blanc in Châteauneuf going on at length... more »

To somm or not to somm

by  |  11-08-2014

At the end of last week I was having a meal with friends in the Priorat village of Porrera at La Cooperativa. The friends in question happened to be Albert and Roger of Vall Llach... more »