Sauternes wine is a relic. For country music fans, think of it as the Hank Williams of the grape world -- once one of the kings, still respected, but not on many peoples' playlists today. Tastes change.
So it goes with…
Read MoreThe colors in Monet's Gardens are ever changing, but due to Monet's careful planning, something beautiful is always making an appearance. Everything from pansies and crocus, to violets and forget-me-nots, daisies and anemones, to tulips, poppies, peonies, gladioli and snapdragons, any could be sprouting up...
Read MoreA tip for anyone visiting wineries in France or anywhere else: The people in the tasting rooms, whether the winemaker or anyone else, don't want to talk exclusively about their wines.
One potential topic of conversation is other wineries you have visited or are planning to visit. People in the wine trade, like anyone else, love to talk about their neighbors!...
Read MoreDriving across France for the last two months, Travis and I have had a lot of time to listen to the local radio and Spotify. What really hooked us was an artist named Louane and her song "On Etait Beau" (so if you listen to nothing else, at least check that out). As a result, we have really enjoyed digging into and listening to French music, both new and old...
Read MoreWine pride.
For me, this usually means mentioning to those we meet in France's tasting rooms that we are in the middle of a two month tour of the country. Two months, they say, where are you visiting? Oh, I never thought you'd ask. The Loire Valley, Burgundy, Alsace, and Bordeaux. All wine areas (?) they remark. Oh, yeah, I guess they are. Then, I proceed with my new habit of subtly (but not so subtle that it isn't noticed) inspecting each wine....
Read MoreNicole and I booked two weeks in Alsace because of its white wine. Thus far, we haven't been disappointed!
But first, upon arriving and discovering that we were staying in what feels like a German village, we realized there could be no way to understand these wines without learning some history and geography. So that's what we...
Read MoreI love a good cheese plate. Can I classify that as a favorite past time? I like to think so :}
Before this trip I had a few cheeses that were my go to at the cheese counter. Something similar to Manchengo please! How about a stinky cheese? Brie? But nothing specific enough that lead to passionate, excitable discussions with the cheese-monger. So I decided since we...
Read More"Do not let your embarrassment lead to bad decision making!" We were making our way out of a drainage ditch as I scolded Nicole with these words.
Google Maps! You will pay for this!
Veuve Ambal is a large sparkling wine, or Cremant de Bourgogne, producer on...
Read More"Such and such is a MUST DO!" is so overused in travel writing. Spend time reading travel blogs and you will have fourteen "must dos" to cram into your next weekend getaway.
But, for anyone spending time in Burgundy, bicycling the Voie des Vignes is a MUST DO! Along with touring Halong Bay and snorkeling in Nha Trang, both in Vietnam, this was the most fun I've....
Read MoreBeaujolais makes some of my favorite French wines. If Burgundy and Bordeaux are aristocratic, Beaujolais is blue collar. The wines are fruity, a little rough, and often floral. Try a few and you will know what I'm talking about.
As a wine making region, Beaujolais is...
Read More"You have eyes, but you fail to see...Ears, but you fail to hear!" Nicole and I sat at a table with two others, a charming pastor and his lovely wife from Brooklyn, NY, for a wine tasting at La Cave de l'Ange Gardien in Burgundy. But the pastor did not preach today. Instead...
Read MoreThe Case For France -- An occasional series by Nicole, the title of which is probably self explanatory! :) Enter Nicole...
If I had a billboard it would say "Travel is a driver of peace. Get going and meet someone new." For now that is a bit too large of a topic to tackle, so instead I'm going to focus on building the case for France. :}
Everyone loves France right? Nope, not nearly enough people! Among friends, it's no secret that I do, but where to begin?...
Read MoreGoogle "rules for travelling with friends" and the top results are from Glamour, Forbes, and the Lonely Planet. Put differently, no publication with the weight and authority of the Meserve Reserve seems to have taken a serious look at this topic.
But as anyone who has traveled with a friend knows, it's an important, and potentially trip-ruining, topic...
Read MoreWhen Nicole and I planned our trip, a major goal was to learn about France and it's wines. These past two weeks we did both, focusing on the Loire Valley wine region where we stayed. We tasted 81 wines, ate incredible food, and had so much fun together. Here's how we did it....
Read MoreArise, children of the Fatherland; The day of glory has arrived! Against us tyranny's bloody banner is raised; Do you hear, in the countryside; The roar of those ferocious soldiers? They're coming right into your arms, to cut the throats of your sons, your women!...
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