Marisa

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Posts Tagged ‘ france ’

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My Week in Provence

Rosé wine from Provence has been famous for thousands of years, yet many people do not realize that the whites and reds of Provence are refreshing and delicious, with many of the barrel-aged reds worthy of long-term aging.  Though many people think of glitzy jet-set St. Tropez or touristy Marseilles [...]



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How to Train Yourself to Memorize Varietal Characteristics

White Burgundy Tasting
Imagine yourself at a very elegant restaurant, hosting an important client, or trying to impress a date. You both decide on white fish as an entrée, so you are leaning toward a white wine. And since Chardonnay is such a popular grape, and Burgundy, France, such a respected region, you decide to go [...]



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ABCs of Wine: Tasting “Anything But Chardonnay”

Apremont Appellation in the French Alps
 
As a wine educator, one of the most pleasurable aspects of my profession is choosing a theme for a class and introducing students to exciting wines or wine regions I have discovered. And here in Manhattan, this is a special challenge, because in this jaded city most everyone dabbling in [...]



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ABCs of Wine: Tasting "Anything But Chardonnay"

Apremont Appellation in the French Alps
 
As a wine educator, one of the most pleasurable aspects of my profession is choosing a theme for a class and introducing students to exciting wines or wine regions I have discovered. And here in Manhattan, this is a special challenge, because in this jaded city most everyone dabbling in [...]



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Discovering Malbec: The “Black Wine” of Cahors

Ah, the Malbec grape! In Argentina, Malbec forms the basis of a rich, ripe wine with flavors of sun-warmed plum and a velvety texture. In its hometown of Cahors in southwest France, Malbec can take on hundreds of guises, from…



Know your Cru

Quick! What are the 10 “Cru” wine regions in Beaujolais? Even if you make your living as a sommelier or study wine, the question is daunting. Very possibly, most Americans do not know what, or where, Beaujolais is – and…



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Tasting Chateau du Campuget

“After my visit to Miami, I think I am going to start producing wines in a Magnum,” jokes handsome French wine representative, Francois Pages of Chateau du Campuget. “Everywhere I went, people seemed so oversized and built-up, like superheroes!” Yes,…



Muscadet Wine

by Marisa D’Vari (all rights reserved) Can you remember the first time you had Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine? For me, it was on the chic French island of St. Barts. A friend and I found a room with an outdoor kitchen and…



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Mysteries of the Marsanne Grape

Mysteries of the Marsanne Grape, by Marisa D’Vari (c) 2006 “I find people are shying away from Chardonnay,” says sommelier Linda Gerin, co-owner of the restaurant Jean-Louis in Greenwich, CT, “and asking for more unusual wines, such as viognier.” So…