Côte-Rôtie, Premium Rhone Valley Wine

Côte-Rôtie is a Rhone Valley wine and is one of the smallest major French Appellations for the reds. Located in the Northern Rhône, it produces red wines with the syrah grape and Côte-Rôtie is considered as one of the best syrah reds in France and beyond. The vineyard lies on rocky steep slopes and Côte-Rôtie means “roasted slope” in French. The Appellation rules also […]

When Decanting Wine

Wines showing important deposit are better served after being decanted. The deposit is formed during the ageing process of many red wines, especially those with high tannins : Bordeaux best Cabernet Sauvignons for instance. Some young wines also benefit from the aeration that occurs by being decanted, though this can be done easily by swirling the […]

Tricks for ageing wine

« Time will kill a wine but is also necessary to make it great ! » Therefore, what is happening inside a bottle of wine during a long stay in the darkness of a wine cellar? Interaction between oxygen and wine is key to understand wine ageing. As Benjamin Wallace says in his great book « Billionnaire’s vinegar » : « Simple […]

In most French restaurants, the wine list is categorised by French wine regions : the Loire valley, Burgundy, the Rhône valley, Bordeaux etc… Depending on the kind and style of wine you are looking for, knowing the basics of these different regions would be a great help. You will find below a few situations you might come […]

The French don’t drink a lot of dessert wines. Some people like them as an « apéritif » before starting Lunch or dinner, or for special occasions : a great way to pair the traditional foie gras, for Christmas or New Year’s eve. Therefore, the word « dessert » is maybe not the most appropriate […]