There are many great Château d’Yquem food pairings

What Is the Best Chateau d’Yquem Food Pairing?

Bordeaux, Enjoying Wine, France, Sauternes, Serving

Finding the right Château d’Yquem food pairing can be a challenge–although Yquem is an intense and powerful wine, some foods will overpower its complex flavors. I know a wine enthusiast who served a bottle of 1947 Château d’Yquem alongside a platter of very strong cheese (including blue cheese and aged asiago). The bold flavors of the blue cheese completely overwhelmed his palate and he could no longer taste the Yquem properly. Frustrated after this experience, he decided to only drink Yquem on its own in the future or to pair it with very delicate, mild foods like lobster or fresh pear. He’s now afraid to serve the wine with anything too bold or savory.

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Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Richebourg label

Your Guide to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg

Burgundy, France, Producers, Producers and Wineries

In his book The Pearl of the Côte, Allen Meadows reflects on his history with Burgundy, and specifically with Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC). Meadows says that his love of Burgundy began in 1978, when he tried his first bottle of 1967 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg. At the time, it was the best bottle of Burgundy that Meadows had ever had–in fact, the wine was so elegant and delicious that he decided to pay a visit to Burgundy to discover more of these beautiful wines.

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Left bank vs. right bank Bordeaux bottles and crates

Left Bank vs. Right Bank Bordeaux: Which Should You Invest In?

Bordeaux, Collecting, France, Investing, Wine Regions

Before you invest in Left Bank or Right Bank wines, you’ll want to understand their key differences. For example, while both banks make age-worthy, collectible wines, the Left Bank tends to make wines with better aging potential overall compared to most wines from the Right Bank. This is why many collectors perceive the Left Bank to be more collectible; the Left Bank is also home to all five of Bordeaux’s First Growth producers. However, when it comes to Left Bank vs. Right Bank Bordeaux, the differences go beyond collectibility.

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La Turque is a highly-rated Northern Rhone wine

A Guide to Northern Rhône Wine

Collecting, France, Investing, Rhone

My love of wine from the Northern Rhône began with a bottle of Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage la Chapelle. The level of complexity in the wine was astounding, and I felt as though I could actually taste the region’s crushed granite soil. It was a perfect expression of terroir, and to this day, that wine remains one of the best Syrahs I’ve ever had. After this experience, I wanted to learn more about the Northern Rhône wine region. I perused guides to Northern Rhône wine to better understand the region’s diverse appellations and I tasted as many different wine styles from this area as I could to gain insight into the classic characteristics of the region’s Syrah, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier.

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The Loire Vintage Report for 2017 bodes well for collectors.

Your 2017 Loire Vintage Report: How the Harvest Shaped This Vintage

Buying Wine, France, Wine Regions

Calling the 2017 Loire Valley vintage “difficult” is a serious understatement. Winemakers had to navigate worrisome spring frosts shortly after bud break, which threatened to destroy most of the crop before it even had a chance to grow. However, now that the harvest is over and the wine is aging in vats across the region, Loire winemakers can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Early Loire vintage reports show that both red and white wines are developing beautifully in spite of the difficulties that winemakers faced early in the season, and these may be among the most drinkable (and potentially collectible) Loire wines of the past few years. While it’s still too early to say exactly how these wines will compare to past vintages like the 2016 and 2015, winemakers are very optimistic about the investment potential of the 2017 vintage.

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buying the best champagne

When It Comes to Buying the Best Champagne, Bigger Bubbles Might Be Better After All

Buying Wine, Champagne, Collecting, France, Investing

My wine-loving uncle always told me that big Champagne bubbles were a bad sign. He’d say, “You might as well drink a bottle of cheap club soda.” However, researchers are now finding that when it comes to buying the best Champagne, bigger bubbles could be an important factor to consider. Physicist Gerard Liger-Belair recently discovered…

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2017 wine trend

2017 Wine Trend Report: Burgundy Lovers Look to Loire Reds and Whites to Tide Them Over

Burgundy, France, Investing, News, Wine Regions

One of my acquaintances invests in white Burgundy every year, even in times of hardship for the region. I recently asked what he thought of Burgundy’s low 2016 yields, and he said, “I have a feeling my favorites will be hard to find…I’m thinking about buying more Loire instead.” He isn’t alone; Loire Valley is…

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2016 montrachet

Burgundy Grand Cru Producers Team Up for 2016 Montrachet: How to Invest in This Hotly-Anticipated Wine

Burgundy, Collecting, France, Investing, News, Wine Regions

Having gone through a devastating spring frost and continued problems with premox, Burgundy needed some good news for a change, and it looks like it got it. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Burgundy’s low grape yields might actually produce one of the most legendary wines of this decade, which is excellent news for…

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2010 Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape

Hidden Gem of the Month: 2010 Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee da Capo Is Ready for a Popularity Boom

Buying Wine, Collecting, France, Producers and Wineries, Rhone

I often take for granted the fact that I am a relatively young collector. When I see that a wine will last 30 or more years in a cellar, I’m giddy with excitement; I know I’ll get to see that wine evolve completely and reach peak maturity. However, older collectors view these long-lived wines differently.…

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1991 gentaz-dervieux

Unicorn Wines: 1991 Gentaz-Dervieux Is So Rare, It’s Practically Extinct

Collecting, France, Producers and Wineries, Rhone

You might have better luck finding a real unicorn than you will locating an authentic bottle of 1991 Gentaz-Dervieux. With high ratings and an extremely limited number of bottles left worldwide, this is one of the most sought-after Rhone Cote-Rotie bottles on the market. Its rarity alone is enough to make any serious collector take…

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