Dinner at Clos Vougeot was the highlight for many at the festivities surrounding Hospices de Beaune, yet every aspect of it was educational and broadening. For me, the day began walking from Beaune to the Palais de Congres in the rain and attending the 11:30 special presentation of 2007 and 2008 Chablis Grand [...]
Extremely honored to be present at the Domaine Lamarche La Grande Rue vertical in Vosne Romanee just before the 2010 Hospices de Beaune auction on November 18. Jeanne-Marie De Champs helped orchestrate this fabulous tasting of top wine writers, critics, and other experts, including Master of Wine and journalist Clive Coastes. [...]
Pernard-Verglesses based producer M. Rapet is a energetic, compact man with dark hair and a curious resemblance to his forefathers whose ancient black and white photograph occupies a wall of the tasting room. This winery has been around since 1765 and a silver Tastvin from the period proudly displayed on the same wall. M. Rapet [...]
jean gilles standing with Jeanne Marie de Champs A friendly wagging dog greets our arrival at the home of vignoble Gilles Lafouge, who now runs this sixth generation Auxey-Duresses winery. Like Sylvani Langoureau, Gilles Lafouge (the son) has his cellar, and a vat room, in his own middle class house located in a typical Burgundy [...]
“Welcome,” says Jean-Baptiste, an energetic dark-haired man, ushering us inside his very modern tasting room of this newly built structure. The family has been making wine for generations and this very clean-lined room is high-ceilinged and airy. Michel has retired (and as we enter the winery, he is rebuilding the 1000 year old wall) [...]
Jeanne-Marie De Champs is the owner of Domaines et Saveurs Collection and works with several Burgundian producers to bring their wines to the United States. Her taste and specifications for those producers in her collection is very high, so I look forward to meeting the four producers she has chosen for our visit. [...]
“Welcome to Domaine De D’Arlot,” says Sylvain Pellegrinelli, technical director at this gorgeous AXA property in Premeaux, located near the south of Nuits St. George. Today Sylvain is giving me a tour of the property and a tasting. He is a very tall, affable, intelligent man with a fun sense of humor and a [...]
Results are just in for the 150th Hospices de Beaune Auction, with 5,132,075 Million Euros raised for Charity and a record 400,000 Euro record price for "La Piece Des Presidents. Sales to Europeans and Asians accounted for 9.7.5% of the sale. Christie’s organized the sale and also tastings of the wines of the Hospices Beaune [...]
Hospices de Beaune is a very exciting event that takes place in Beaune every third weekend of November. Initially created as a charity event to raise funds for the ill in 1450, the tradition continues to this day, with wealthy landowners donating vineyards to benefit the Hospices. Originally, the Hospices was a hospital in the [...]
Do you love Riesling wine? After spending three days in Germany recently on a Master of Wine sponsored trip, I am absolutely amazed at the quality, minerality, and incredible power of these wines. So you can understand that when I received a case of wines from Valckenberg recently, you can imagine my delight – [...]
Cantina di Soave … I’ve had the occasion to taste some interesting whites this week, and all four of them would be perfect for to accompany dishes for a Thanksgiving dinner. Let’s go to Italy for the first. Cantina di Soave produces two "Soave" wines, both with very different taste profiles. If you are [...]
… so when you think of Portugal, you probably think of Port, yes? And it’s true, Port has been the signature drink of the country for decades. Yet in the last twenty years, still (and sparkling) wine from Lisbon has taken center stage. Recently I accompanied several other wine educators to Lisbon to learn [...]
You’ve heard of Franciacorta, yes? It is the high end Italian sparkler people compare to the best French champagne. In fact, give a friend a blind tasting test and that individual would be hard pressed to identify the French champagne. The reason is because Franciacorta is a specific DOCG region in the north of [...]
Visiting Mas Belles Eaux Though Tokaji was the official end to the AXA most generous trip, we had the option of going on to other AXA properties around the world. I love the Languedoc and was very eager to visit the AXA property Mas Belles Eaux. So Monday morning, myself and another MW student [...]
AXA Millesimes has many wine properties around the world – including Disznoko, an ancient property in Tokaji which the French insurance company restored. I and others are to visit as a most generous scholarship offered by AXA for winning an essay in the Masters of Wine educational program. Because of a threat of a [...]
VisitingChateau Suduiraut Today we visited the AXA Chataeu Suduiraut property in Sauternes, escorted by the lively Corinne . We were met by the very affable Pierre Montegut, the technical director, and from that moment it was clear the day would be very enjoyable. The Vineyard of Chateau Suduiraut “Here are shears – now we cut!” [...]
Visiting Pichon Longueville AXA generously hosted the winners of the AXA Millesimes scholarship offered to students of the Master of Wine educational program a week in October 2010. It was an incredible week of excitement, learning, travel, exploration, and a fairy tale few days at this incredible Chateau (see that second floor turret? That [...]
