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australia, canberra, collines rhoadiennes, france, rhône, shiraz, syrah -

syrah & shiraz

Up until the 1980s, it was commonly believed that Syrah came from Iran/Persia, near the city of Shiraz. There were many myths and legends about the origin story of the variety, none of them true. Syrah did not originate from Iran—it's a natural crossing of Mondeuse Blanche from Savoie and Dureza from Ardèche—but the myth gave the name Shiraz to the variety, which it's still called in Australia. Syrah/Shiraz takes on many forms. In the southern Rhône and Languedoc, it's usually part of a blend with Grenache, Mourvèdre, and other varieties like Cinsault and Counoise. In the northern Rhône, it's...

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rhône, syrah -

so bad, it's good: wine labels

When I first entered the wine industry, I worked at a wine shop in Manchester which taught me so much about selling wine to customers. Selling wine is fundamental to the business, but there are so many elements: understanding the needs of each customer, being able to explain a wine passionately in an informed manner, not trying to sell a wine to a customer that clearly doesn't want it but selling them a wine they didn't know they wanted, introducing a new wine to the customer, always on your toes, and always making it personal. Or just pointing at a...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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