David Scott Allen for Provence WineZine: Spice and wine are not always fast friends. Admittedly I like both, so my culinary goal is to find the right combination that will showcase both the food and the wine. Hence, the recipe for Spiced Duck with Blackberry-Balsamic Reduction was a challenge to …

PANDAS Awareness It took more than a village to bring the À Table! concept together – Susan and Towny Manfull needed a vineyard. In August 2018, Alexandra Manfull passed away, shortly after self-diagnosing her condition as an auto-immune disease that she had coped with for several years. The couple’s grief …

This article was originally published (in French) in Fine Bouches Magazine, a magazine for lovers of high-quality foods and wines. Seaside Cassis Wines Cassis is the most beautiful AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée) in France: the vineyards cling to the slopes of a magical amphitheatre that plunges towards the shimmering Mediterranean. …

Standing guard with a fabulous view looking south over the Rhône Valley is the magnificent hill of Hermitage, crowned by the famous chapel of St Christopher. Geologically, the hill was part of the right bank Massif Central until the Rhône River burrowed its way to the west, ensuring Hermitage as …

What’s the difference between France’s Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône Valleys? The difference is latitude. There. My work is done. Of course, I’m just kidding, but let’s start there. The Rhône River runs in a relatively straight, north-south path by the time it wedges into France from Switzerland near Lyon. …

American rapper Post Malone has just become the latest celebrity to introduce a rosé wine from Provence. Rosé + Provence + Celebrity seems to be a thing these days. As Malone puts it, “Rosé is for when you want to get a little fancy.” Let’s take a look at some …

Northern Rhône Wines Along with vintage, cépage (grapes), producer, a geographic tag is attached to Rhône Valley wines. The northern section stretches 65 kilometres (40 miles) running from Vienne to Valence. Wines from the Southern Rhône are part of the production in Provence. When it comes to wine, there is …

Wine and food pairing is always an art and rarely a science. Hot spice, acid (citrus, vinegar) and alcohol content are strange tablemates. I decided to pair grilled lamb kebabs with a Domaine de la Jaufrette red wine blend from Gigondas. The meal was a success, the recipe is easy, …

Wine tasting has been around for a long time. Throughout the years, experts developed a methodology to have a more systematized process of wine tasting. You will use most of your senses to evaluate and examine wine. Wine tasting is a joy for both amateur and professional wine tasters. Professional …

Wine seems to have become a topic that easily provokes insecurity, doubt and confusion. Sommeliers of all persuasions wax poetical, wine critics keep inventing more and more convoluted wine rating schemes. And the more these well-meaning professionals offer advice, the more wine lovers (not wine collectors with sophisticated cellars and …