Reviews of wines, producers, restaurants and books
There are six L’Ecluse wine bars in Paris, and that it is a “chain”, albeit small, can by some be seen as a negative. But in this case they are ambitious and focused, without being
Domaine de la Prose is beautifully located on a hilltop with a view both over the Mediterranean, the Pic St Loup mountains and Montpellier. Alexandre de Mortillet and his wife had a “coup de foudre”
Jean-Marie Rimbert is very focused on the soil. The soil where he works is schist and very poor and, in his opinion, it is the key to giving the character to his wines. He created
The most well known producer in Catalonia and probably the whole of Spain. He can as no one else use the different types of micro climates of the Penedes and he is also a fervent
Last December Laurent Vialette opened this wonderful little restaurant in the centre of the old town in Bordeaux in a place where there used to be a Michelin-starred restaurant called Le Plaisir d’Auson. Laurent worked
This is a very nice wine bar/restaurant on the already restaurant dense rue Leopold Belland in the 2nd, just a stone’s throw from the market street rue Montorgueil. In summer time they have a big
The elegant but discrete design makes it obvious you’re in Barcelona. It certainly looks like the jet set resto but lunch guests seem more to be ordinary people from the offices around the corner. Well
One of the better restaurants in Epernay. Classic cuisine with a bit of innovation, but not too much. Menus around 25-37 euro, e.g. a “pear menu” where everything is with pears: salad with smoked duck
A bistro with very well prepared food and an interesting wine list in the centre of Chablis. It is connected with the Hostellerie des Clos which has the one-star in the Michelin guide Guide Rouge
Very pleasant. Exceptional wine list, cool jazz, mix of English club atmosphere and Italian design (owner is ex-interior designer). Outstanding selection of Rhone and southern France. Small things to eat. Also a small shop where
This is Wine Blogging Wednesday and we’ve been asked to write about some interesting wine shop. We’ll actually talk about more than one though. The first to mention is the “incontournable”, that you just cannot
Soil, or terroir, is important for Brocard. To best express the Chablis character Jean-Marc Brocard has chosen not to use any oak for his wines. He thinks that this best enhances the minerality and typical
Vina San Pedro is Chiles biggest wine producer. They make 3 million cases each year most of their “base” wine Gato Cabernet Sauvignon. Their top cuvee is called Cabo Horno and they also have three
The Albet i Noya family has been making wine in Penedes since the early 19-hunderds. Since 1979 the vineyard is run by the two brothers Josep and Antoni Albet i Noya. That year they also
A very impressive chateau just outside Saumur. Very good reds with AC Saumur Champigny and whites with AC Saumur. Has belonged to the same family since the 17th century and is now managed by Edouard
Château Haut-Bertinerie is the leading estate in Premières Côtes de Blaye, just east of Médoc on the other side of the estuary Gironde. The red wines are made from old Merlot (65%) and Cabernet Sauvignon
This is a large property covering some 110 hectares just outside of Rivesaltes. Denis Sarda-Bobo makes a fresh and fruit Muscat de Rivesaltes (100% Muscat Petits Grains) and some very powerful dry red wines, the
Mas Montel makes both Vin de Pays d’Oc and AC Coteaux du Languedoc. It is very nice and good value for money wines, for example the Cuvée Jéricho, a Vin de Pays made from 80%
Château Mourgues du Grès is owned by Anne and François Collard. François is oenologist and has previously worked at Château Lafite-Rothschild. Their sun-drenched 35 hectares property is close to the Rhône river and has deservedly
Valerie and Philippe Riboud bought the beautiful Château Roubine with the adjoining 75 hectares of vineyard in 1994. Neither of them had much experience of wine growing at that time. Valerie had been working in
A short drive away from the river, uphill along winding roads with breathtaking views you will find Domaine Pierre Gaillard. Pierre started his career at Vidal-Fleury (now owned by Guigal) in Ampuis a short distance
A nice wine bar and wine shop in the centre of the Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter). It just opened in February (2005). Nicely decorated with a dominant red that contrasts with the old wooden beams.
Rémi Klein’s father bought Domaine Réméjeanne in 1960. Réméjeanne is in the Côtes-du-Rhône, close to Bagnols-sur-Ceze, on the west side of the river. He started with 5 hectares and it has now grown to 35
Oremus is owned by the same Spanish family that owns Vega Sicilia, the Alvarez. It is a spectacular place. The winery is impressive and brand new, just as new as the ageing cellars are old!
Château Haut-Marbuzet in Saint Estephe is, since quite a few years now, one of the top wines in Médoc. When the new Cru Bourgeois classification was done they were one of nine chateaux to be
Pic-Saint-Loup is a sometimes spectacularly beautiful region some 20 kilometres from Montpellier and is one of the top districts within the Coteaux du Languedoc. There are several very interesting wine producers here and the district
Unpretentious and nice – if you happen to be close to Saint-Sulpice and Bon Marché. Try their crème brûlée au Roquefort for a starter… Lunch menu for 15-18 euro.
Restrained by attractive décor that well matches the food, that is delicious and beautifully presented. Lunch with two courses is 15 euro – very good value – and in the evening a main course will
Domaine des 2 Ânes, Corbières Pech Narbonnais 11440 Peyriac de Mer, tel 04 68 41 67 79 Corbières is the biggest appellation in Languedoc. It is dominated by mountains and can be very remote and
A charming brasserie with an interesting design made by the sculptor Armand Joncker. Well made French-Belgian food and an interesting and good-value wine list. Brasserie Toucan, avenue Louis Lepoutre 1 (corner of chaussée de Waterloo),
There are six L’Ecluse wine bars in Paris, and that it is a “chain”, albeit small, can by some be seen as a negative. But
Domaine de la Prose is beautifully located on a hilltop with a view both over the Mediterranean, the Pic St Loup mountains and Montpellier. Alexandre
Jean-Marie Rimbert is very focused on the soil. The soil where he works is schist and very poor and, in his opinion, it is the
The most well known producer in Catalonia and probably the whole of Spain. He can as no one else use the different types of micro
Last December Laurent Vialette opened this wonderful little restaurant in the centre of the old town in Bordeaux in a place where there used to
This is a very nice wine bar/restaurant on the already restaurant dense rue Leopold Belland in the 2nd, just a stone’s throw from the market
The elegant but discrete design makes it obvious you’re in Barcelona. It certainly looks like the jet set resto but lunch guests seem more to
One of the better restaurants in Epernay. Classic cuisine with a bit of innovation, but not too much. Menus around 25-37 euro, e.g. a “pear
A bistro with very well prepared food and an interesting wine list in the centre of Chablis. It is connected with the Hostellerie des Clos
Very pleasant. Exceptional wine list, cool jazz, mix of English club atmosphere and Italian design (owner is ex-interior designer). Outstanding selection of Rhone and southern
This is Wine Blogging Wednesday and we’ve been asked to write about some interesting wine shop. We’ll actually talk about more than one though. The
Soil, or terroir, is important for Brocard. To best express the Chablis character Jean-Marc Brocard has chosen not to use any oak for his wines.
Vina San Pedro is Chiles biggest wine producer. They make 3 million cases each year most of their “base” wine Gato Cabernet Sauvignon. Their top
The Albet i Noya family has been making wine in Penedes since the early 19-hunderds. Since 1979 the vineyard is run by the two brothers
A very impressive chateau just outside Saumur. Very good reds with AC Saumur Champigny and whites with AC Saumur. Has belonged to the same family
Château Haut-Bertinerie is the leading estate in Premières Côtes de Blaye, just east of Médoc on the other side of the estuary Gironde. The red
This is a large property covering some 110 hectares just outside of Rivesaltes. Denis Sarda-Bobo makes a fresh and fruit Muscat de Rivesaltes (100% Muscat
Mas Montel makes both Vin de Pays d’Oc and AC Coteaux du Languedoc. It is very nice and good value for money wines, for example
Château Mourgues du Grès is owned by Anne and François Collard. François is oenologist and has previously worked at Château Lafite-Rothschild. Their sun-drenched 35 hectares
Valerie and Philippe Riboud bought the beautiful Château Roubine with the adjoining 75 hectares of vineyard in 1994. Neither of them had much experience of
A short drive away from the river, uphill along winding roads with breathtaking views you will find Domaine Pierre Gaillard. Pierre started his career at
A nice wine bar and wine shop in the centre of the Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter). It just opened in February (2005). Nicely decorated with
Rémi Klein’s father bought Domaine Réméjeanne in 1960. Réméjeanne is in the Côtes-du-Rhône, close to Bagnols-sur-Ceze, on the west side of the river. He started
Oremus is owned by the same Spanish family that owns Vega Sicilia, the Alvarez. It is a spectacular place. The winery is impressive and brand
Château Haut-Marbuzet in Saint Estephe is, since quite a few years now, one of the top wines in Médoc. When the new Cru Bourgeois classification
Pic-Saint-Loup is a sometimes spectacularly beautiful region some 20 kilometres from Montpellier and is one of the top districts within the Coteaux du Languedoc. There
Unpretentious and nice – if you happen to be close to Saint-Sulpice and Bon Marché. Try their crème brûlée au Roquefort for a starter… Lunch
Restrained by attractive décor that well matches the food, that is delicious and beautifully presented. Lunch with two courses is 15 euro – very good
Domaine des 2 Ânes, Corbières Pech Narbonnais 11440 Peyriac de Mer, tel 04 68 41 67 79 Corbières is the biggest appellation in Languedoc. It
A charming brasserie with an interesting design made by the sculptor Armand Joncker. Well made French-Belgian food and an interesting and good-value wine list. Brasserie
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