Winemaker Profiles

June 6, 2015 7

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
Casual Elegance

I love arriving at a dinner party knowing that it isn’t going to be a “state affair.” I want to relax – from the apéros to the dessert – and none of it need be fancy, especially the food and wine. (N.B. I still want crystal, silver, and linen…) Today, I made a Crumble au Poulet – simple, elegant, and very tasty fare. To serve, I wanted something that would match the simplicity of the meal, and yet be sophisticated and complex. I also needed something to go with a bit of spice, as the crumble topping is laced with a sweet curry. I chose a 2013 Domaines les Fouques Cuvée de l’Aubigue, and was not disappointed. On the nose, I was greeted by honeysuckle and a dish of cinnamon. [...]

May 31, 2015 49

Musings of a Wine Maven
ON THE PASSING OF JOSEPH PHELPS (1927-2015)

In April of this year, the California wine industry lost Joseph Phelps. Vineyards bearing his name line the famed Silverado Trail that winds its way past many well regarded Napa Valley vineyards that, for the most part, did not exist when he opened in 1973. He leaves behind his son Bill to continue the family commitment to the creation of outstanding [...]

April 26, 2015 5

THE 2014 VINTAGE OF PROVENCE ROSÉ IS ON THE SHELVES…AND IN OUR GLASSES

I drink rosé all year ’round. I encourage others to do the same. Pourquoi pas? As regular readers know, I take every opportunity to bemoan the predictable purge of rosés from the shelves of wine stores come the day after Labor Day. [...]

April 12, 2015 3

A BARREL TASTING AT THE TARDIEU – LAURENT CELLARS

Tardieu–Laurent is one of the premiere négociants in the Rhône Valley, and their cellars happen to be located in our favorite village Lourmarin. I began to hear about them soon after we discovered Lourmarin in the late-1990s, a few years after Michel Tardieu and Dominique Laurent [...]

February 15, 2015 19

DOMAINE DES TERRES BLANCHES IN THE PREDOMINANTLY ORGANIC APPELLATION OF LES BAUX-DE-PROVENCE

A bottle of Domaine des Terres Blanches wine was among the well-chosen bevy of refreshments my husband and I found in our lovely room at the gorgeous five-star hotel, Château des Alpilles, located on the outskirts of St. Rémy-de-Provence. This early 19th-century property, set [...]

February 1, 2015 3

IN THE DEPTH OF WINTER, I UNCORK A BOTTLE OF ROSÉ

The snow is over three-feet deep in some places around our home in coastal New England. The wind is howling, shaking the loose window panes of this 18th-century house and causing a shrill whistling noise. A “Winter Storm Watch” is in effect for tonight, when an additional twelve inches of snow may begin to fall. Even parts of Provence may see a dusting of snow by the end of the week [...]

January 18, 2015 14

YOU KNOW MIRABEAU ROSÉS, BUT HAVE YOU MET THE RED WINE?

Have you ever had a dream that you really wanted to follow? One that tugged so hard at your heartstrings that you resorted to cold showers to quell those feelings? Stephen Cronk did. And, now, after harboring this dream for some 25 years, this handsome man with [...]

November 16, 2014 9

LE CLOS DE CAVEAU: PIONEER IN ORGANIC VITICULTURE IN SOUTHERN RHONE VALLEY

“Is there alcohol in that [wine]?” was a common question when Gérard Bungener, Henri’s father, first adopted organic practices in his Vacqueyras vineyard. Now, twenty-five years later, it is hard to fathom such a question. [...]

November 2, 2014 22

MY DINNER WITH SACHA LICHINE

When the invitation for dinner with Sacha Lichine popped up on my screen, I couldn’t help but think of my grandfather.

Just above my desk, wedged into the middle of a crowded shelf, stands a faded purple book entitled “Wines of France.” The book belonged to my grandfather and the author was Alexis Lichine, Sacha’s father, otherwise known as “the Pope of Wine.” [...]

October 20, 2014 3

CHÂTEAU LA VERRERIE: THE HOUSE OF RED

Set in the southern-most tip of the Rhone Valley Region, in the Luberon Appellation—where rosé is now the dominant color—Château La Verrerie is renowned for its fresh, dark fruit-forward, peppery red wines. On this property, 70% of production is devoted to red wine [...]

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