syrah RSS

carignan, cinsault, france, grenache, languedoc, mourvedre, provence, rhône, sardinia, syrah -

south of france

The south of France has always been a favorite place to visit for its beauty, its weather, its diverse geography, its food, and of course its wines. There's such a range of wines made, mostly red, but also plenty of rosé, a little bit of white, some fortified wine, and a small amount of sparkling. You don't have to venture far to try every style of wine—and at many different price points. rosé I've had rosé from the south of France in the club before, including from the famous village of Tavel and from Provence. Provençal rosé has transformed international...

Read more

méthode cap classique, pinotage, south africa, sparkling wine, syrah -

south africa—from old to new

One of the many things I love about teaching WSET classes is the people I meet. A few years ago teaching WSET Diploma, one of my students was Peter Andrews. He's recently set up his own import business called Culture Wine Co., which is all South African wine. I was excited to taste some of the wines he's bringing into the US, and learn about the producers and their stories. South African wine is not always an easy sell in the States, so it's wonderful that the wines' reach is growing. South Africa is a country constantly undergoing a huge...

Read more

corsica, grenache, mourvèdre, niellucciu, sciaccarellu, syrah, vermentino -

Corsica

Visiting France this summer, I was surprised by how many Coriscan wines were on restaurant wine lists, even though I wasn't anywhere near Corsica itself. Maybe it's because many French people visit Corisca during the summer, and return home with an affinity for the wines. Or maybe it's because Coriscan wine is really good, and not that expensive. I've only visited Corsica once, and I would love to return. It's very much its own thing, a little bit French, a little bit Italian, and a lot Coriscan. The island has an ideal Mediterranean climate, mountains rising from the warm, balmy...

Read more

california, carignan, grenache, mediterranean, mourvedre, rhône, syrah -

california & the mediterranean

California is most famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, but the wines I often find most exciting are those made from Mediterranean varieties, such as Carignan, Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Syrah. It makes complete sense that these varieties work, because, after all, California has a Mediterranean climate in common with southern France and eastern Spain. These varieties have been planted since the nineteenth century, but went by the wayside when the trend for Bordeaux and Burgundy varieties made California so successful internationally. Due to the price of land and of varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, producers are returning to...

Read more

Tags