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Someone told me it's not how many breaths you take in life that counts, but the times that your breath is taken away. Our recent trip to France was full of breath-taking experiences. The romance, the food & wines, the sites and the people were amazing--it's no wonder Paris is the second most popular honeymoon spot in the world (behind Venice).

The first part of our story was heavy on the food; we'll finish up with it's accompaniment--wine. And whenever we speak of fine wines, we must talk about their terroir [teh-RWAHR]. You may gander from the latin TERRE, meaning earth or land, that we're talking about the unique soil within mother France's various grape-growing macroclimates. That is half-right. Terroir is the end-all-be-all of a grape vine's universe, encompassing the total impact of any given specific site--soil, slope, aspect, elevation, plus climatic elements of wind velocity, rainfall, cumulative hours of sunshine, frequency of fog, average temperatures--and thus when winemakers talk of a region/area/vineyard terroir, they are considering all these factors.

Does terroir only pertain to grapes? Let's just say there is a short list of agricultural products whose price is solely tied to their place. Cigar tobacco and oysters also come to mind.

We have some inciteful information to share on the wines and wineries along our stops. You can view the photo-journal here. And if you missed Part I of our adventure, you may find it here.

 

Wine Harvest Weekends
September 10-12th or 24-26th

Harvest is the most exciting time of the year at a winery. We've assembled a wine weekend that capitalizes on this excitement, coupling active-touring and tasting, rustic-elegant accommodations, a wine-maker dinner, and rare signed bottles from the visiting wineries.

View Itinerary and more info here.

 

Tasting Sheets

 
Michael's Winners & Losers Beers Pearson's Picks

 

I've compiled a list of twenty-six wines I've experienced (and remembered to tell you about here) in the last month. Of particular mention would be the Hamilton's "Stonegarden" from Australia, the Cremant d'Alsace from France, and the fun, and very affordable Marc Bredif Vouvray--great summer wine too. List Here
(MS Word Document 26kb)

 

Beer Connoisseurs celebrated July 1st in Georgia as the alcohol limit on beer went to 14%. Check out this list of hand-crafted, High Gravity beers to hit Atlanta. List Here (MS Word Document 28kb)

 

Since December, 2003, I've had the pleasure of working with Walter Eisenberg of Pearson's Wines. His very capable wine consultants have provided their picks for the Summer. A diverse list all under $20. List Here
(MS Word Document 30kb)
June - July Drawing
Framed Vineyard Print from Georgia Artist Susan V. Hage

Sing for Your Dinner (volunteer and attend event for free)

Atlanta's largest festival of wine, food, music and art is gearing up for volunteers. Register here.


Only two weeks left to enter this drawing! Artist Susan V. Hage captures the bursting fruit of Merlot at Harvest on a lithograph print using archival-quality ink and paper. The print is matted and framed, measuring 18" x 24".

Enter the drawing here.

Tips, Tricks & Trivia

  • Was Your B-day a Good Year for Wine?
    A little online game from Decanter Magazine will show if your birth year was fortuitous for wine. Here
  • Some Winemakers say Screwtop or Nothing at All
    Chateau Margaux puts its second label, Pavillion Rouge, under screwcap; Villa Maria winemaker refuses orders from distributors who want him to use cork. More And if this wasn't enough on screwy tops, Hogue Cellars publishes results of 4-year study using screwcaps. Here And if you thought this was a passing fad, note that a new alliance of "alternative packaging" has formed in the US Here
  • The Frogs Are Desperate
    Following record lows in French wine exports, a new campaign encourages the people of France to drink more than they already currently consume! More
  • In Spite of Latitude, Brazil Making Good Wine
    With the help of famed enologist/consultant Michel Rolland, Portuguese grape varieties were planted. More
  • The Little Mouse that Roared
    Wine is so important to me, but I have to remind myself in between aromas of black cherry and notes of cinnamon that as a business, the entire wine industry is half of the annual revenue of many Forbes companies. More
  • One Writer's View on the Direct Shipping Debate
    As December edges closer, so will the PR battles fought in the streets on shipping wine directly to one's home. Here is one writer's viewpoint on what is at stake. More
  • Top 100 Wine Brands in USA Restaurants
    The May/June 2004 issue of Restaurant Wine uncorks the mystery of which wines were tops in 2003. US wines accounted for 68 of the top 100. The Top 100 list available only by email request here: ronn-w@pacbell.net
  • Editor Makes Statement About Wine Value in Restaurants "Customers pay repeat visits to stores that carry “EXTREME VALUE ” wines. Wouldn’t restaurants reap similar benefits if they offered the equivalent?" More
 
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