Tannat is a big, bold red wine that has become the national grape of Uruguay, thought its origins are in the Basque region of France. Read on to find out more about this up-and-coming varietal.
Biodynamic Agriculture
Biodynamic agriculture has been one of the biggest trends in wine in recent years. Big name winemakers like Château Latour in Bordeaux, Domaine Leflaive in Burgundy, and Tablas Creek in Paso Robles have jumped on the Biodynamic train. Read on to learn more about this …
The Winophiles Unlock the Mystery of Biodynamic Wines
This month’s Winophiles theme is biodynamic wines of France. The full practice and rationale behind biodynamic is complex and worthy of a full post on its own. The quick version is that it is one of the oldest forms of sustainable organic agriculture. It was …
Wine Pairing Weekend Exploring Argentina: Warm Wines for Cold Nights

Winter weather always has me craving rich red wines. Usually we reach for Southern French or Italian wines this time of year, so it was awesome to push outside our usual range and head for Argentina for this month’s Wine Pairing Weekend. The instinctive pairing …
Noël en Provence #winophiles

When my friends and fellow French Winophiles settled on “A French-Style Season” for December’s theme, my mind automatically wandered back to the fantastic holidays Dan and I have spent in Provence. From wandering through the old Papal palace in Avignon on Christmas Day (yes, it’s …
A German Holiday Celebration #winePW
I was really excited that this month’s Wine Pairing Weekend theme was Riesling. It’s a grape I really enjoy, but that I don’t drink often enough. It’s a great wine to pair with food because it is made in so many different styles, so don’t …
Charmat Method
The Charmat Method is a method of making sparkling wines. In Italy, it is called the Metodo Martinotti, and on New World wines it may be described as the “tank method”. This method was developed by Eugene Charmat in Western France, but its most famous …
Italian Sparklers to Light Up Your Holidays #ItalianFWT

I can’t believe that it’s December already. But the tree is up and the holiday parties have already started. There’s no better time to take a look at Italian sparkling wines. Italy makes some really awesome sparkling wines which, like Crémant are generally available at …
Gavi
Gavi is a white wine appellation in the Piedmont region of Italy. Gavi is made 100% from Cortese grapes and is sometimes called Cortese di Gavi. It is named after the commune of Gavi in the center of the appellation, and wines from the commune …
Crémant #Winophiles Blog Roll
I want to thank everyone who participated this month. There are some fantastic posts up about Crémant and some recipe ideas that I’ve added to the list to try. Enjoy: Liz Barrett: Affordalicious Crémant d’Alsace: Best Bubbles for the Buck #Winophiles Jill Barth: A Festival of …