June 26, 2021

Wine Tasting Bordeaux Style, Part Two

June 26, 2021/ Château de Kirwan/ PJ Adams

Bordeaux Wine tasting in Southwestern France and surrounding areas is plentiful. And you will have your choice of low cost large group bus tours, small group guided tours, or intimate (and relatively expensive) private tours. We like to try several wine tasting venues when visiting an area, but our favorite is one or two personalized tours of high-end estates. These are two of our Bordeaux favorites: Château Kirwan and Château Pontet-Canet.

June 26, 2021

Wine Tasting Bordeaux Style, Part One

June 26, 2021/ PJ Adams

When I first made my way to Bordeaux in Southwestern France, I drove in from Barcelona, Spain. I sped west toward along the fantastic superhighway that stretches across southern France. My little Citroën soon entered the Bordeaux region via small roads cutting through the wine fields of Saint-Émilion.

Grapes!

I was enveloped immediately by ripe grape aromas and an earthy smell that hinted at dark soil, freshly mowed grass, and fermenting juices. As I passed by wine château (estates) and the local rivers that bring a palpable moistness to the area, it felt like ripe molecules were practically seeping into my pores. This is one of the most famous wine regions in the world to visit. And it does not disappoint, especially when you get to sample the liquid delights of a region that produces some of the most famous wines on the planet.

July 14, 2019

In Praise of Fondue

July 14, 2019/ John Birkhead

The Swiss are famous for fondue. While fondue is an apparently simple dish of melted cheese, there is much more to this gooey, chewy, melt-in-your mouth concoction that, when dripping off a bit of crusty bread or a delicate new potato, can bring tears of joy to your eyes—and fireworks to your mouth.

January 05, 2019

California Wine Tasting

January 05, 2019/ John Birkhead

It’s a proven fact—at least according to our taste buds—that wine tasted at the vineyard source seems richer than the same wine consumed at home or in a restaurant. This is probably a situational prejudice that has to do with vineyard eye candy, wine bouquet aromas, and conviviality of the experience. If we admit it, we love to taste most ANY wine at the source because it makes such a delicious memory.