As I mentioned in my earlier post this week: I remember the first time I sipped a Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, a vin doux naturel (VDN, naturally sweet wine) from France’s Southern Rhône Valley. It was with Patrick Soard and his daughter Justine, of Domaine de Fenouillet, on their property – neighbours with …

Pass the Pastis Once you get past its slightly unappealing milky yellow colour and mild anise flavour you are either a pastis fan or vow never to drink the stuff again. However, pastis drinkers don’t care what you think about their beverage of choice. As you sip your glass of …

Sometime in early October, after the harvest, winemakers—mostly located in a small area of Provence at the base of Mont Sainte Victoire, between Aix-en-Provence and Trets—begin the annual tradition of making “vin cuit” or “cooked wine.” They each build a big fire of oak wood and fill a huge cauldron …

Contributor blog post by Jill Barth: This time of year brings forth memories of Christmases that I’ve experienced and also, of Christmases that I’ve created in my imagination, fueled by narratives told and retold – a history of the way things should be. …Continue reading here for Jill’s wine post – …

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and what better way to do that than indulging in some delicious wines. Now, there’s a certain stigma when it comes to rosé that it should only be enjoyed during the summer, but in actual fact, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Just …

Contributor blog post by Jill Barth: Earlier this month, I lined up a set of wine bottles from France. Each one from a unique and stated region, each one bearing a label like a little luggage tag: here is my home. To the French people, their government and producers indication …

This beautiful vineyard at Les Arcs-sur-Argens is a must-visit, not just for its natural beauty and acclaimed wines, but also for the outstanding Chapelle Sainte-Rosaline in the grounds. It not only contains artistic gems (Giacometti and Chagall), but also the 680-year old body of the saint herself, reposing in the nave …

Delicious wines, a gorgeous winery and a privileged location in one of the most beautiful spots in France: Château Romanin has it all. It is also a place where wine, religion and mysticism have intersected for centuries. It began with the Greeks, who built a shrine here to the goddess …

The French Riviera is renowned for its rolling hills and outstanding vineyards. Rosé wines are a home-grown specialty, but the splendid whites and reds deserve some attention too. A trip to the Var is incomplete without sampling the local vignobles, particularly if you are heading to St Tropez and Grimaud, …

It has been almost two decades since Anne-Marie Simons and her husband Oscar decided to uproot their Washington, D.C. lifestyle and spend their retirement years in the South of France. They eliminated other alternatives (continents, countries and cities) and chose Aix-en-Provence for its “quality of life.” The city’s attractive combination …