Category: Travel
Wines from south of the mind’s border
The dirt roads will get ya. It had rained the week before and we could still see the deep gashes where the rivulets had cut into the ochre red soil. And there are pot holes, many of them with water from the two days of rain last week. Then the steep climbs that seldom show [...]
PRIORAT
We could spend a whole year just talking about Spanish wines! There are so many diverse regions, several indigenous grapes, grapes that change their names depending on the region and not to mention varied styles of making wines. Today, I am keeping things simple and just talking about one area – Priorat. Quality designations in [...]
10 Things about Beaujolais you wanted to know but were afraid to ask!
1. Beaujolais, is it a grape or a wine or the name of a place? Beaujolais is what the wine from the province of Beaujolais is called. The grape is Gamay Noir. It is also called Gamay Noir a jus blanc, which translates as “black gamay with white juice.” 2. Is Beaujolais a red wine or […]
Why is this dog smiling? Juliénas..thats why!
When you arrive at home of Lilian and Sandrine, the odds are good you will be greeted by Fig. Fig is a yellow lab and he is still a puppy. For a puppy, he does a lot around the place. On our first visit, he kept our children occupied with his boundless energy and his constant [...]
BACKSTREET BOJO – 2
All Beaujolais are not the same. There are different tiers of quality of Beaujolais including Nouveau, Villages and Cru. Starting with: Beaujolais Nouveau: Harvested in September, released in November, this is juice that is barely fermented. Purple in color as young wines tend to be, this is as simple as it gets. What started as [...]
Backstreet Bojo – 1
I have a mission. Few weeks ago, I was told by a friend, “I don’t get Beaujolais” My mission therefore is to demystify Beaujolais. It is an easy mission actually, and we will also talk about Beaujolais Cru. Lets start by going to Paris. Take any bistro in Paris (or Lyon). If you ask for [...]
The Wines of Matanegra
That afternoon we got together for lunch at César and José-Luis’s man cave not too far from the winery of Pagos de Matanegra itself. It was snowing intermittently outside and we were also paid a visit by the resident feline! Our hosts were very not only gracious but also excellent cooks it turns out. We […]
Los Viñedos
We drove to the vineyards and one could not help but marvel at the stark beauty of Ribera del Duero. The hills undulated with vineyards. It was Fall. So, the leaves had changed color and in most cases had fallen off. The first vineyard we went to were at least 80 years old! You could […]
