All photos by Paige Donner c. 2013 - See FULL SLIDESHOW HERE
It's hard knowing that I'm the envy of all my wine enthusiast friends and colleagues Stateside and in Canada. My only response is, It's a tough job [continually tasting great grower champagnes] but somebody's got to do it... ; )
Area suitable for viticulture decreases 25% to 73% in major wine producing regions by 2050.
... China is not known for its European-style wines, but it
is among the fastest growing wine-producing regions in the
world. It has significant areas suitable for viticulture (Fig. 1), and these areas are in the same mountains that are habitat for the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Future conservation efforts for the giant panda need to incorporate consideration of viticulture as a potential land use and viticultural suitability trends in response to climate change. - PNAS.org April 8, '13 Hannah
by Paige Donner
I want to talk a little bit today about wine labels. In particular, French wine labels.
Now, as an American, we all know that unspeakable little secret that we women wine drinkers in the U.S. buy our wine based primarily on the design of the wine label. It follows the same axiom of truth that all women are bad drivers.
Ok. Yeah.You caught me out. I am being facetious... Exponentially facetious.
All good-humored kidding aside, however, I will admit that one of the more daunting challenges I have faced in learning about French wines is how to read these deliciously complex wine labels. When I first started out, I was convinced I would have to go back to school to get a PhD in French wine-labelology. You know what I mean?
The more time I spend in the country, however, exploring the wine regions - and drinking the wines! - the labels have become increasingly demystified. It helps significantly when you can associate a place - Batard Montrachet, for example, or Puisseguin-St. Emilion or St. Joseph - with people you've met, events you've attended and collegial friendships you've made over shared meals and spitting buckets.
But not many people can take/make the opportunity to delve so deeply into a singular country's terroir and sojourn for copious amounts of time in backcountry vineyard territory.
So when I was presented the other day with the genius label design of the Barons De Rothschild "new" champagne brand, I nearly did an uncharacteristic squeal of delight.
Now here's a label I could understand, no matter what language I speak! "Champagne Barons de Rothschild."
The entire label, printed in silver (for Rosé and Blanc de Blancs cuvées) or gold (for Brut) with royal blue accents on a clear background, is the simple and elegant family crest.
Read Entire Post ON... ♥Chérie Du Vin. You will LOVE my wine picks!
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This title actually began as a chapter heading for my journal entry about my visit to Champagne Louis Roederer in Reims. But I liked it so much that I'm using it here, too. It just works so beautifully. It describes simply what Cristal, the legendary champagne by Roederer, is all about. Or, more precisely, what Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Roederer's Chef de Caves - that's Cellar Master or "winemaker" in French - does with his wines.Cristal is a wine. It is a celebrated champagne. The most celebrated on Earth, in fact. And it is a singularly unique vibratory energy. It's a frequency. It's a vibration. It's the Cristal Vibration.
by Paige Donner
March 7th was a day clearly marked on my calendar. I was invited to participate in my first-ever "Vin Clair" or still wine tasting for champagne. In Champagne this is monumental because these are the newly vinified wines that are used in the blendings, the "assemblages," for the year's batch of champagnes, both Vintage, if the year merits it such as 2012 (by most everyone's estimation), and the Brut NV, or basic champagne...
And be sure to check the Special Events Calendar (like for bASH in St. Helena April 13th!!) to help you plan your trip itinerary....
Cristal is a champagne reputed to age very well.
With biodynamic viticulture, the path we are following is very simple. It’s about getting the best possible expression of terroir while observing viticultural practices that are the most respectful of nature.
The more you respect Nature, the better the fruit she yields. - Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon
The 2013 Michelin guide has awarded one star to La Dame de Pic.
Thank you to all those who support me each day and make me want to go further.
