Learn to drink beyond Bordeaux
From Austria’s celebrated Grüner Veltliner to Japan’s intriguing varieties, you’ll find detailed guides, insider tips, and my top picks for each country. It’s all about broadening your wine horizons and finding those special bottles that are off the beaten path.
Curious about what’s next? Stay tuned as I add more exciting wine regions and discoveries. Whether you’re planning your next wine journey or just looking to try wine beyond Bordeaux, this is your one-stop shop for exploring the world of wine!
Cheers to new discoveries and expanding your wine world!
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How long can you keep Sauternes wine?
Sauternes is a sweet white wine from the eponym wine region in the Bordeaux area. They are made from noble rot on Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The best are fermented and aged for up to three years in new barrels. These wines have distinctive notes of honey, apricot, citrus zest and dried fruit. Unfortunately, these are also expensive wines….…
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Why is Sauternes so expensive?
Let’s start by what are the parameters in the pricing of a wine? First, there is the production cost (in the vineyard and in the cellar), then, transport costs, storing costs and taxes… If you want more details on this subject, check out this article. So, back to Sauternes! Sauternes is a sweet white wine from Bordeaux. Bordeaux wines are…
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What food goes with a Médoc wine?
First let’s not forget that each of us has a different sensitivity to flavors and aromatic components. The same level of bitterness, for example, can be perceived much more strongly by one person than by another. This is not just a personal preference, because some like strong reactions and others don’t. These sensitivity thresholds are all different, as are individual…
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What cheese goes with Margaux?
I usually like to pair my cheese with white wines, mostly dry. I’ll pair blue cheese with sweet white wines. But, wine and food pairing is very subjective. And some like to pair red wine with cheese. Now let’s see what cheese goes best with Margaux wine. What kind of wine is Margaux? Margaux is the southernmost AOC, covered by…
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Can Bordeaux be a 100% Merlot?
Bordeaux wines are usually blends. Indeed, the weather can be rather unpredictable and above all changes is a lot from one year to another. This is called the vintage effect. Thus, relying on one grape variety to make the wine is often seen as a risky move. Merlot is the fourth most widely planted grape variety. It is believed to…
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What are the 5 Grand Cru of Bordeaux?
Bordeaux is known throughout the world for its prestigious wines. And this is not today’s news. This has been the case for centuries. Whether you like Bordeaux or not, this wine region has been on a pedestal since the Middle Ages now. Its influence can be seen worldwide : Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are the most common blends. How did…
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What does Médoc taste like?
For those who’ve been following me for a while, you would know what kind of wine is a Médoc wine. If you’re new don’t worry, I’ll start by reminding you of the key points. First, let’s a clear up one thing : do not mix up the AOC Médoc and the geographical area. Indeed, the French have made it confusing…
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What kind of grape is Haut-Médoc?
Haut-Médoc is an appellation that belongs to the Bordeaux wine region. Its vineyards lie on the Left Bank of the Garonne river and is located south of the Médoc appellation. It lies north of Bordeaux. Bordeaux wines are usually a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot mostly, but the quantities vary depending on the Bank you’re in. The Left Bank…
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When should I drink Haut-Médoc?
Haut-Médoc wines are from the Bordeaux region. These wines are known to age well, for sometimes three decades! So, if you have a Haut-Médoc wine in your cellar : when should you drink it? When should I drink a Haut-Médoc wine? A Haut-Médoc wine is made from Cabernet Sauvignon mostly which represents three quarters of the blend. These wines can…
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Is Médoc or Saint-Emilion better?
Médoc and Saint-Emilion are two appellations that belong to Bordeaux. However, the former lies on the Left Bank of the Garonne river, whereas the latter lies on the Right Bank. Bordeaux wines are a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, mostly. But the proportions depend on the Bank you are in, due to the terroir. Indeed, Bordeaux are known to…
