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Wine Retreats In The Alps
Some friends ask why Americans ski in Europe, and a large reason is the “après culture”. I mean, who doesn’t love a nice glass of wine after a day of skiing? I know I do, and if you’re here I guess you do too! Imagine combining the crisp, fresh air of the Alps with the refined taste of a locally-produced…
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Unique characteristics of Grüner Veltliner wine from Wachau
If you’ve been following this blog for a while, the main grape varieties in Austria that come to mind are Grüner Veltliner and Riesling for the whites and Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch and Saint-Laurent for the reds. Indeed, Austria is best known for its wines made from indigenous grape varieties, Grüner Veltliner being the most widely planted. Even though Grüner Veltliner can…
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Is Riesling German or Austrian?
Riesling is a white grape with high acidity and susceptible to Botrytis (noble rot). It is very aromatic and the fruit characteristics vary according to ripeness : green fruit and citrus aromas to stone fruit, tropical fruit and dried fruits. It can be harvested and vinified in many ways. Sweet Rieslings can be achieved by interrupting the fermentation or by…
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Grauburgunder vs Weissburgunder
Grauburgunder translates as Pinot Gris and Weissburgunder as Pinot Blanc. These are two different grape varieties. As we will see, they have different flavor profiles and it’s best to know how each one tastes in order to choose your wines accordingly to your taste. These flavor profiles impacts food pairing of course. Last, understanding these differences will provide insight into…
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Does soil have an impact on wine?
The vine roots itself in stone-turned time, there is always something magical in the air when the first shoots stretch towards the sky in spring. Life sprouts forth, energy flows, and time becomes visible. The time of rocks, the time of youth and coming of age, the time of harvest, and the time of ripening. Ancient rocks solidify or crumble,…
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How do you harvest and preserve grapes in France?
In August 2022, I was lucky enough to take part in a HARVEST workshop organized by Domaine de la Courtade! How do you harvest and preserve grapes in France? Well, it is usually the same method, but every winemaker has his little SECRETS! So let me tell you about my day when we followed the grape from the vine to…
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Best wineries in Bandol to have lunch with a view
Wine is NICE, visiting wineries is even NICER because you understand why the nice wine you tasted is made like that. However : the NICEST is to have a great meal after the wine-tasting! And in PROVENCE, especially in summer, you want to be able to enjoy the SUPERB landscape. We, locals, sometimes take it for granted but the following…
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Why is French wine cheaper in France?
This is a question I have been asked MANY times : is french wine cheaper in France? Well, the answer is quite EASY on this one: of course, french wine is cheaper in France. But the more interesting question : why is french wine cheaper in France? For example, California produces a LOT of wine, they have variety such as…
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Best Beaujolais wine
Only a half-hour drive from Lyon, the Beaujolais region will take you back in time with its HISTORICAL monuments and architecture. Most of the buildings are built with a yellow ocher rock (“pierres dorées”) which gives the picturesque villages WARMTH and LIGHT, reminding me of Tuscany! On the “wine” side, it is, of course, famous for its Beaujolais Nouveau which…
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Hi and welcome to Wine by Mademoiselle
Hey, I’m Diane. My journey into wine began with my family living all over the globe, and I understand how tricky it can be to find the perfect bottles. I’m here to share my tips and stories to help you explore unique, off-the-beaten-path wine regions.
