Vendages 2021 Wines of Provence
Guest PostTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

2021 Challenges for Winemakers of Provence

The 2021 weather disadvantaged winegrowers in France and Provence. Frost, fire, hail and even turtles made it worse. So how will the wine vintage 2021 be after all these worries? 2021 Provence Vintage After a tough 2020, the new year began in the same way. The Covid-19 restrictions continued, as …

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Buyer’s Guide to the Rosés of Southern France
Provence WineZineTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Buyer’s Guide to the Rosés of Southern France

Some families play board games together or, perhaps, hike together or even cook together.  The Gabay-Bernheim family, in the South of France, taste wine together and, in the case of Elizabeth Gabay’s Buyer’s Guide to the Rosés of Southern France, Gabay and son Ben Bernheim wrote about these rosés together. …

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Brush Fire Devastates Vineyards in the Var 2021
Carolyne Kauser-AbbottTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Brush Fire Devastates Vineyards in the Var

On Monday, August 16th, a fire broke out near a motorway service station close to Gonfaron. Although the exact cause is to be confirmed, human carelessness caused the blaze. The ignition found the fuel needed with dry scrubland in the Var resulting from hot summer temperatures and near-drought conditions. The …

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Estate La Réserve Rosé
Maison Mirabeau WinesWines and Spirits of Provence

Mirabeau Single Estate La Réserve Rosé

Our first single estate rosé of Domaine Mirabeau has launched! This exquisite limited production, single estate rosé from the prestigious Côtes de Provence appellation is a statement of our hopes and dreams. La Réserve is a very special wine from our Domaine. Moving beyond organic practices, this delicate golden-hued rosé …

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1 Domaine 1 Chef
Carolyne Kauser-AbbottTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

1 Domaine 1 Chef Gatherings for Wine and Food Lovers

Since On Thursday evenings, between July 8th and August 19th, food and wine lovers have a chance to explore several vineyards near Aix-en-Provence on Thursday nights. 1 Domaine 1 Chef is a program that combines education, wine tasting, and delicious picnics or gourmet meals prepared by renowned local chefs. 1 …

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Grape Harvest Tour du Bon The Wines of Provence – Tricolour
Books on ProvenceCarolyne Kauser-AbbottInspireWines and Spirits of Provence

Essential Reading The Wines of Provence – Tricolour

Elevated Wine Knowledge Göran Boman, the author of The Wines of Provence – Tricolour, is based in Sweden, far from Provence’s vineyards. His studies at Stockholm’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology led to a career with large international companies. Before retiring, Göran monitored the quality of nuclear fuel transmitted from …

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Understanding Grenache Grapes
Provence WineZineTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

A Primer to Understanding Grenache Grapes

If you are a fan of wines from Provence or the Southern Rhône Valley, you are already intimate with Grenache Noir. You probably don’t sidle up to the bar and order a “Grenache Noir” like you would a glass of Pinot or Cab, but I assure you that, in Provence …

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Grape vines in fall
Guest PostTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Terroir Influences Grapes Provence’s Biodiversity

The United Nations established International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) on December 29, 1993. The date was later changed to May 22nd so that end-of-year celebrations do not impact the participating countries. There is a theme associated with the date each year, such as “Our solutions are in nature” in …

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Springtime Debudding the Vines
Maison Mirabeau WinesTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Springtime Debudding the Vines at Domaine Mirabeau

May is a critical month in the lifecycle of the vines on Domaine Mirabeau. In April, the buds break and begin to swell to show the first leaves and future branches. Then follows the critical process of ‘ebourgeonnage’ or debudding; the viticulturalist and their team select the branches that will …

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Responsible Vineyard Agriculture Provence
Maison Mirabeau WinesTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Responsible Vineyard Agriculture in Provence

With the harvest behind us, our consultant viticulturist Clément and his team have been focusing on continuing our journey to regenerating the Domaine’s soil. Traditionally, vineyards are monocultures that are sprayed and ploughed, providing neatly manicured rows of vines and eliminating all ‘competition.’ However, this process oxidizes the soil leaving …

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