Every Monday, discover new wines, regions, and ways to understand this fermenting sea.
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Munching Vidal Blanc on Keuka Lake, New York
Tag Archives: European Union
Wine Tour Made Easy: Maison des Vins de Loire de Tours, France: EU Austerity Drinking Tour #49
This Monday’s EU Austerity Drinking Tour takes us on a whirlwind wine tour of the Loire…indoors.
Last Monday’s postcard post saw a sun-drenched bike ride.
But, back in Tours, while enjoying its centuries-old city center…
The clouds open, drench, and, drive us…well…into a bottle shop (surprise!):
Maison des Vins de Loire de Tours. A group of winemakers and negociants wanted to educate visitors about the Loire’s many wines, grapes, and regions. So they set up tasting rooms in Tours, Saumur, Nantes, and Angers.
Yes, it’s for tourists. But mostly locals popped in: partly out of pride, partly because the prices are low.
Overwhelmed by their range, hospitality, and knowledge, we visit it twice. Here are some highlights: Continue reading
Posted in Loire, WINERIES WANDERED
Tagged Aunis, Azay-le-Rideau, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, chenin blanc, European Union, France, Grolleau, Loire, LoireValley, Paris, Prieuré de Saint-Cosme, Ronsard, Saint-Cosme Priory, Tour, Touraine, Vouvray
5 Comments
VELO VOUVRAY 3: Maison Darragon: EU Austerity Drinking Tour #48
For this Monday’s EU AUSTERITY DRINKING ADVENTURE, we trade a château for a maison.
Underwhelmed and starving, we leave the lofty Château Moncontour of last week’s post. Our rent-o-bikes take us to lunch of quiches, bread, and fabulous pastries. We eat on a cliff square. Mossy shingles span below us, Vouvray’s crumbling, cream church looms above us.
Full, we follow signs up a tortuous slope. We pass a villa hewn into Vouvray’s famed tuffeau cliffs: Continue reading
Posted in Loire, White, WINERIES WANDERED
Tagged Acid, Château Moncontour, chenin blanc, Darragon, European Union, Florilege, Haut des Ruettes, Loire River, Loire Valley, Maison Darragon, Marc Bredif, Oak (wine), Sweetness of wine, Tour, Vouvray, wine
3 Comments
ENTRÉE PARIS 5: Maison Rouge’s CO HO LA and Jacky Blot’s Brut Tradition: EU Austerity Drinking Tour #44
This Monday’s EU Austerity Drinking Adventure (day 80) finds us winding up our last days in Paris.
We revisit Montmarte and its Sacre Coeur to find both changed. Today, the sun’s glare brings out tourists and pick pockets. Inside, a moment of song and ritual seems lovely, but crowded.
Tumbling down Montmarte towards the city center we halt at Le Repaire de Bacchus: a wine-geek oasis in this urban desert. Continue reading
Posted in Paris, WINERIES WANDERED
Tagged Brut Tradition, Carignan, CO HO LA, Cor Hominis Laetificat, European Union, France, Grenache, Jacky Blot, Jardin du Luxembourg, Le Repaire de Bacchus, Loire, Loire Valley, MAISON ROUGE, Mona Lisa, Montmartre, Mourvèdre, Musée du Louvre, Nicolas, Paris, Syrah, Tours, United States
2 Comments
ENTRÉE PARIS 4: La Fête des Régions: EU Austerity Drinking Tour #43
Our EU Austerity Drinking Adventure continues today in search of a feast. Paris is constantly awash with events. We stumble onto La Fête des Régions: the biggest fair of regional food in France. Terroir-tastic Batman! Since it was right next to Stalingrad Metro, we gave ourselves permission to drink and eat…everything. Continue reading
Posted in Paris, WINERIES WANDERED
Tagged Alsace, Beer, Bière Blonde, Burgundy, Côtes du Couches, chardonnay, Chateau de Couches, Château la Boissière, DURAS, EU Austerity Drinking Adventure, European Union, France, Gallia, La Fête des Régions, La Semaine du Goût, Muscadet, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Muscadet Sur Lie, Oak, Oak (wine), Paris, pinot noir, riesling, Terrior, Théo Meyer, wine
5 Comments
WAYWARD WINE 