Author Archives

What are the best Bordeaux wine and cheese pairings?  This is a question often asked, and we wanted to offer you an easy guide to help you when hosting a dinner party or luncheon. Easy wine & cheese combinations: Brie with red St. Emilion wine  Soft ripened Saint Albray cheese with red Bordeaux   Blue […]

Read More »

Comments ( 1 )

Perfect Champagne Pairings For New Years Eve Menus So you have decided to host a festive New Years’ Eve champagne supper. First, choose from a few New Years Eve menus and make sure to pair the food thoughtfully. Then there are still many choices to make, depending on your preference for sweet or dry champagne. […]

Read More »

Comments ( 0 )

Vouvray Pairings for the Main Course: Baked Ham, Chinese or Indian food, Gingered Pork, Butternut squash soup, Peking duck Wine Pairings for Dessert: Goat Cheese, Lemon Meringue Pie, Mince Tarts, Pumpkin Pie It was some years ago–as a member of a group of teenagers bicycling through the Loire Valley–that I discovered ...

Read More »

Comments ( 0 )

There are 48 kinds of cheese in France with the protected AOC status – and six of them are in the Loire Valley. They go quite well with local wines, and all of them are goat cheeses. Valençay cheese with red Sancerre Crottin de Chavignol with a crisp white Quincy wine Chabichou du Poitou Try […]

Read More »

Comments ( 2 )

What is Cognac?  When someone asks you “What is cognac?”  What is the easiest way to differentiate Cognac from brandy or Armagnac, or another spirit? Here is your essential guide to Cognac. Cognac is a brandy, a spirit produced by distilling wine from grapes. Cognac comes from a delimited region of western France, in the ...

Read More »

Comments ( 2 )

Northern Rhone Wines That Will Make You Happy I’ve noted to students in my wine tasting courses, many wine regions have produced finer wines over recent years; thus, transforming what is available on the market. That particularly holds true in France. Quality conscious producers are making better wines in many regions. This allows ...

Read More »

Comments ( 0 )

What Are The Best Thanksgiving Wines? The traditional Thanksgiving turkey is not an easy fit with wine. The upside of that dilemma is that there are no “right” Thanksgiving wines to serve. Turkey is not one of those meats that is automatically associated with any particular wine. And since our American family Thanksgiving ...

Read More »

Comments ( 0 )

When I was in college, I was often responsible for refreshments when visiting dignitaries came to talk to our budding diplomats club. The talks were interesting, but the wine was pedestrian. The very worst of those was a sweet, unbalanced Chablis from California. I promised I would never touch the stuff again. It was years […]

Read More »

Comments ( 0 )

Vosne Romanee Wine: Tasting Notes From Our Expert The wines of the Vosne Romanee region of Burgundy are rare, full-bodied and pricey.  The region lies between the picturesque Clos de Vougeot and the succulent Nuits St. Georges, many wine tasters’ favorite region in the Cote d’Or of Burgundy. To make a comparison with the Medoc […]

Read More »

Comments ( 0 )

The Perfect Guest Brings Armagnac! You have been invited to a pleasant dinner party. And since you know a thing or two about wines, you might please your host and hostess with a fine bottle of wine. Why not try something different? A well-chosen spirit, Armagnac or Cognac, will last longer, and your host and […]

Read More »

Comments ( 0 )

The value of your wine cellar is now well established. You buy young wines, often at their best price and greatest availability. Your wine cellar features the wines that you like best, both as to vintage and region of origin. With both young and mature wines, you enjoy fine wines now, and in the future […]

Read More »

Comments ( 0 )

When is the Best Time to Open Your Special Wine? Many wine lovers have a good supply of wines that they enjoy drinking on a regular basis. One thinks of Chablis, for example, or Chateauneuf du Pape. Some fine Sauvignon Blanc wines from the Loire Valley, and some half bottles of Sauternes, give pleasure in […]

Read More »

Comments ( 0 )

What are the Best Easter Wine Pairings? There are a range of options for Easter wine pairings-so where do you start? You have enjoyed Easter dinners featuring the classic lamb and Bordeaux wine combination. This year, why not enjoy an Easter or late spring dinner featuring Burgundy wines?  You will have an enjoyable treat, with […]

Read More »

Comments ( 0 )

The Best French Wine and Comfort Food Pairings With Menus Most of us have favorite recipes we gravitate to during the chilly months of winter. Here are three examples of recipes for wine and comfort food pairings for cold weather dining. Remember, just because the dinner is modest, doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a […]

Read More »

Comments ( 0 )

Cote de Beaune Wines: Perfect for a Fall Picnic Summer is virtually a memory. Although not entirely a pleasant one for those who have experienced record heat. But after Labor Day, we look forward to–and have been enjoying–more temperate weather. And wines with more heft than we enjoyed during the summer months. The ...

Read More »

Comments ( 0 )

Perfect Loire Valley Wine Pairings: A 5 Course Menu Loire Valley wine pairings are perfect during the summer.  Informal entertaining is the preference of many hosts. You want your guests to have a memorable occasion. But it is just not the season for breaking out the best china and serving vintage Bordeaux wines. Many people prefer ...

Read More »

Comments ( 0 )