Grenache Gris Grape Varietal
Elizabeth GabayTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Grenache Gris a Versatile Ancient Grape Varietal

I have started to note a pattern emerging in my tasting notes during the past couple of years, which shows just how much I love Grenache Gris white wines. I love their richness, texture and structure. But I also noted how few of these wines, in their purest form, are …

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Chêne Bleu Extreme Wine La Verrière @perfectlyprovence
Guest PostTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Wine Tasting and Determining the Properties of Wines

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 …

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Domaines Ott• Wine Architecture
Carolyne Kauser-AbbottTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Domaines Ott* Wine and Architecture at Château de Selle

Modern Wine and Architecture In 2004, Champagne Louis Roederer acquired a majority share in Les Domaines Ott*.  Cousins and the fourth generation in a family of winemakers Christian et Jean-François Ott remain intimately involved as directors in the operations at the vineyards supported by a team of oenologists. The Champagne …

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Cork Trees Wine Cork Oaks
Jill BarthTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Understanding How a Wine Cork Gets from a Tree to Your Bottle

Contributor blog post by Jill Barth: The cork wine stopper is synonymous with preservation – not only of the wine in the bottle but of a way of life for cork farmers and the natural ecosystem of the forest. The process has been the same for generations because the system is a sustainable …

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Winemaker Chapoutier Braille Wine Labels
Jill BarthTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Pioneering Winemaker Chapoutier puts Braille on their Wine Label

In early 2016, M. Chapoutier purchased Château des Ferrages, located in Provence between Aix-en-Provence and Saint-Maximin near the commune of Pourcieux. Ferrages produces Côtes-de-Provence AOP and Côtes-de-Provence Saint-Victoire AOP wines, including a portfolio of red, white, and rosé wines. …Continue reading here to learn about this winemaker that, according to …

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Vin Cuit Provence
Maison Mirabeau WinesWines and Spirits of Provence

Cooked Wine Provence’s Vin Cuit is Steeped in Tradition

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 …

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Wine Holidays l'Occasion Gift Guide
Jill BarthTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Wine Wrapped Up for the Holidays: The L’Occasion Gift Guide

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 – …

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Ventoux Wines
Cheryl ShufflebothamTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Will Ventoux Wines Become Côtes du Rhône?

The smooth, bold red wines that fall under the Ventoux AOC, formerly known as Côtes du Ventoux, are distinct from the neighbouring Côtes du Rhône wines. I actually prefer them, but again I am no expert on wine or anything for that matter.All I know is that I like the …

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Vineyard View Lirac Loccasion
Jill BarthTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Wine Tasting: Sampling the Good Wines of Lirac

Contributor blog post by Jill Barth: Last fall I spent some time with winemakers in Lirac, a cru located across the Rhône River from Châteauneuf-du-Pape. I covered a significant conversation with Rodolphe de Pins, winemaker at Château de Montfaucon and Co-President of Lirac AOP. …Continue reading here for Jill’s account of …

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Blending roses from Provence at Mirabeau Wines
Maison Mirabeau WinesTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Blending the Mirabeau Wines 2016 Vintage

Contributor blog post by Jeany Cronk @ Mirabeau Wines: I have talked about the crucial importance of blending several times before and good blending makes the difference between an average and a good wine. We take this task very seriously and spend a lot of time driving around selecting the …

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