A Snapshot of France: Roussillion

The Languedoc-Roussillon region is France’s largest wine producing region and vineyard area, with roughly one-third of all French wines produced here, including 11% of the world’s rosé wine production. We previously broke down the Languedoc area of this region, now let’s take a brief look at its sister region, Roussillon. Who Culturally and geographically distinct from Languedoc, Roussillon is home to over 2,500 producers, 29 co-ops and 345 private winemakers. It was first planted to vine by the Greeks in [...]

By |2021-02-06T17:31:11-05:00February 6th, 2021|Wine Blog|

WSET Blog Post #5: Big, Bad New World Reds

As I type this, I am 14 days away from sitting for my WSET Level 3 Award in Wines exam. I know, I know - I bring that up with every post, but it’s important because there’s a level of urgency that’s both exciting and daunting. Exciting because I’m very close to crossing the finish line in yet another level of my wine journey. Daunting because well, there’s A LOT of information to remember. During our last class, we traveled [...]

By |2020-09-21T15:09:08-04:00September 21st, 2020|Wine Blog|

WSET Blog Post #4 – All About Aromatics

Alright, so we’re still in France, but preparing to creep into other parts of Europe that are known for their aromatic whites. But first - let’s finish our Tour De France. Two of the most recognized grapes in Bordeaux are Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. We know Sauv Blanc for its fresh, herbaceous zippiness and Semillon is the sweet one. Together, they both achieve balance and can be found in a variety of combinations that result in Bordeaux Blanc. Another grape [...]

By |2020-08-28T14:44:30-04:00August 28th, 2020|Wine Blog|

WSET Blog Post #3 – Parlez-vous Français?

This week, we started our very first deep dive into a wine region - FRANCE! I consider France is the O.G. in this wine game - for it is home to many beloved grape varietals that have found their way around the world. Months before shelter in place was a part of our common life, I had the opportunity to visit Bordeaux for the first time on a press trip and explore both wines of the Left and Right [...]

By |2020-09-21T15:07:45-04:00August 25th, 2020|Wine Blog|

Mother Nature Versus Human Nurture: How Both Greatly Influence The Vineyard

Due to some technical difficulties, I wasn’t able to catch last week’s class in real time – but thank goodness for Voice Thread! Reviewing the session and having the opportunity to pause and take very detailed notes. In this lesson, it was quite fascinating to learn about the specific parts of a vine, ripening and how much of a role that climate plays in the success of a harvest season. What I’m learning thus far about Level 3 is that [...]

By |2020-08-11T14:56:09-04:00August 11th, 2020|Uncategorized, Wine Blog|

Back to (Wine) School: One Woman’s Journey

If there’s anything I’ve learned about wine since starting my journey two years ago, it’s that this learning and absorbing all there is to know about it is a marathon, not a sprint. As a former runner, I’m familiar with the many aspects of training that comes with preparing for a race: sticking to a running schedule with short and long runs, eating a healthy diet in the months and weeks leading up to the big day, and of [...]

By |2020-07-24T11:50:42-04:00July 24th, 2020|Wine Blog|

Flyover: Portugal

Wines from Portugal are making wine lists and magazine covers as of late, but how much do you know about this European nation and its winemaking history? Most of us can likely name some of the top producing regions in neighboring Spain, and certainly in nearby France, but how many regions outside of Porto can you name in Portugal? Let’s take a brief birds’ eye look at this 350-mile long country on the southwestern coast of Europe. Who Throughout much [...]

By |2020-03-25T10:26:47-04:00March 24th, 2020|Wine Blog|

Valentine’s Day Gifts for the Wine Geek in Your Life

  Valentine’s Day is around the corner and if you’re looking for a gift for that favorite wino in your life, here are a few suggestions: WSET Levels I & II and Food & Wine Pairings Classes *Advanced classes also available. Chicago WSET® Level 1 Wine – Binny’s – March 16 & 18th, 2020 at 6pm. Exam on March 23, 2020 WSET® Level 2 Wine – Binny’s - Feb 11, 18, 25th & March 3, 10, 17, 24 at 6pm. [...]

By |2020-02-09T19:24:02-05:00February 9th, 2020|Wine Blog|

The Superiore Side of Prosecco

Let’s chat about Prosecco. Most of us are familiar with the popular Italian sparkling wine. Here in the States it’s synonymous with cocktail parties as an aperitif or as the fizz in those weekend brunch mimosas. However, there is a lot more to understanding the popular sparkler than one might think. From production method to classification, understanding the differences may just shed a new light on Prosecco – and may have you drinking it without the OJ and even with [...]

By |2019-12-13T13:53:14-05:00December 9th, 2019|Wine Blog|

Quick Facts: Languedoc-Roussillon

The Languedoc-Roussillon region is France’s largest wine producing region and vineyard area (300,000 ha), with roughly one-third of all French wines produced here, including 11% of the world’s rosé wine production. To get our arms around this vast region, let’s start by taking a brief look at just the Languedoc wine region. Who The Languedoc AOP is home to more than 2,000 wine producers, 80 co-ops and 450 private winemakers. Arguably, the most notable producer in the region, and the [...]

By |2019-12-03T13:43:11-05:00December 3rd, 2019|Wine Blog|

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