Provencal Pairings: Wine with Food

A bottle of Chateau Barbebelle Hortense pictured next to a photo of the Roasted Salmon with Meyer Lemon-Thyme Beurre Blanc dish

March 7, 2026 5

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
A Birthday Gift

What a birthday gift for Hortense! Her parents, Château Barbebelle winemaker Madeleine Premmereur and her husband Valentin, named their new Blanc de Noirs cuvée for their daughter when she was born. Hortense is the first of the 5th generation at Château Barbebelle. Such a shame she isn’t old enough to enjoy this wine... [...]

Photo of Mas de Cadenet wine and a plate of Braised Pork Ragoût

February 6, 2026 7

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
A Grand Vin

How can it possibly be February and I’m just now writing about the wine we enjoyed for Christmas? Today’s winery is a favorite of Susan & Towny, and it’s easy to see why when you taste their products. We paired this Grande Garde Rouge with a very simple Braised Pork Ragoût, which had been cooking all afternoon, tempting our taste buds every time we turned the corner. We could hardly wait to pop the cork on this wine and get to the table. You can get the recipe, as always, on... [...]

January 3, 2026 6

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
Bubbly Bulles

What a treat it was to have Susan and Towny with us for the Christmas holiday! They brought some wonderful wines that they picked up during their late-autumn trip to Provence; I got to do some really fun wine and food pairings to share with you. The first to come is Les Bulles de Barbebelle, a sparkling white wine from Château Barbebelle with grapes from the... [...]

December 6, 2025 7

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
Taking Chances

Several years ago, at Susan’s suggestion, I started getting Garagiste’s emails and offers. I have found many great wines through their website and I enjoy the process of buying a couple of bottles here, a couple there, and then getting my shipments when the weather is cool enough so as not to damage the wine. It’s like Christmas when the cases arrive — dozens of wonderful surprises and, for the most part, many winemakers with which I was unfamiliar. Sure, I know what wines I generally like but... [...]

November 1, 2025 5

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
The Other Châteauneuf

Just north of Avignon and its famous “pont,” is the viniculturally famous town of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. To the east of Avignon is a much less famous town — though not necessarily less important: Châteauneuf-de-Gadagne. And it is from this “other” Châteauneuf that the grapes for today’s wine come. Wine merchant Kermit Lynch works with growers and producers in the region to bring us some of the best wines showcasing the terroir of the Southern Rhône. While the grapes for the wine come from ... [...]

October 3, 2025 5

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
A Prize in Paraza

If you are going west on the Canal du Midi heading to Castelnaudary for some cassoulet (isn’teverybody?), make sure you stop along the way for a sip of wine at Château de Paraza. They off a variety of reds, whites, and rosés, and (from what I read online) the reviews are quite good. I would second those reviews for their 2024 Cuvée Spéciale rosé. [...]

September 5, 2025 5

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
Putting the X in Excellent

Today’s wine, Mirabeau X Rosé (Maison Mirabeau), is an excellent wine, and 2022 a wonderful vintage. It was a serendipitous purchase at our natural grocer — not a store that carries a lot of rosé. Knowing that Mirabeau makes wonderful wines, I was sure I was in for a treat.

I paired it with my Grilled Halibut with Piquillo Pepper-Almond Sauce. Check out the recipe on Cocoa & Lavender . This sauce, while Spanish in inspiration, is very much Provençal in... [...]

August 1, 2025 5

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
C’est Si Bon!

«C’est si bon!» — French for, “It’s so good!” — is the perfect saying for this homophonous vineyard, Clos Cibonne. The wines they produce are quite wonderful, and today I was tempted by their cuvée, Tentations. (See what I did there?) I was looking for a rosé to pair with my Sweet Potato and Scallop Napoleons, and this particular wine seemed promising. You can get the recipe for the Napoleons on... [...]

July 4, 2025 8

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
Allons Enfants!

While I am one day late for the 4th of July, we have a whole week to prepare for the Fête de la Bastille, which makes much more sense when writing about French wines, n’est-ce pas? Allons enfants! Let’s celebrate!

For the recipe this month, I combined a modern American recipe for “beer can chicken” with some very nice French ingredients, also making it a perfect Bastille Day meal. Please check out my recipe for Champagne Roast Chicken on Cocoa & Lavender. I paired it with a Famille Perrin... [...]

June 6, 2025 5

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
Seeking Simplicity

I make a lot of complicated food; I enjoy the challenge. However, every once in a while, I need to kick back and make something simple. And that is just what I did this week — seared Elk Medallions with Sautéed Mushrooms. Admittedly, I complicated it a bit by adding a red wine sauce. Did I have a choice? In the words of Nathan Lane... [...]

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