Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
Cite des Civilisations du Vin, Bordeaux
"The building does not resemble any known shape because it's an evocation. Not of wine itself, but of the soul of wine," explain architects Anouk Legendre and Nicolas Desmazieres from French firm X-TU.
When fully unveiled in 2016, the eco-building that will be the Cité des Civilisations du Vin nestled on the shores of the Garonne will offer a total surface area of 14,000 m2 including 750 m2 for temporary exhibits and 3500 m2 of permanent exhibit space.
The laying of the first stone was celebrated on June 19, 2013 during Vinexpo Bordeaux. Slideshow Below.
INFO: citedescivilisationsduvin.com
SlideShow HERE
- Inauguration June 19, 2013 Cite des Civilisations du Vin in Bordeaux
- Mayor of Bordeaux Alain Juppe and Anouk Legendre, architect of Cite des Civilisations du Vin
All photos c. Paige Donner
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Saturday, June 8, 2013
Duck Fat Deep Fried Goodness by Edible Canada
June 6th, Vancouver BC. Edible Canada is up to something duckn' good as they get set to launch their themed take-out window for a second season this Tuesday, June 11th.
Following the success of the all-bacon window last year, the Edible team challenged Vancouver to come up with the take out window's theme for 2013. With hundreds of mouth-watering suggestions to choose from, it was Vancouver's Kim Payne whose suggestion of donuts got the team's tastebuds tingling.
Because everything is better with duck fat, the next obvious step was to give the donut bites the same treatment as the Bistro's popular duck fat French fries. So was born "Little Duckers", the small, duck fat fried donut balls of goodness. And if that wasn't enough, there are 4 finger-licking flavours to indulge in, including "When Sticky Pigs Fly", which is loaded with bacon, chocolate and caramel, and the "Nutty Duckers" which is a 100 mile tribute with Fraser Valley honey, honey whipped butter and toasted Agassiz hazelnuts.
"It's a concept that is in line with everything we do here at Edible Canada," says Chef Greg Reid. "The flavours we chose are Canadian inspired, which is a true reflection of our menu. It was fun to take a suggestion from one of our guests and marry it with some of my favorite things here at the bistro. They've been a hit with our taste testers and I'm excited to open the window so everyone has a chance to try them!"
Opening on Tuesday, June 11th at 11:00am, the take-out window will run through to the end of summer daily from 11am to 7pm. It is located adjacent to the Bistro entrance and directly across from the public market and Arts Club Theatre in the centre of Granville Island.
Congratulations for sharing your winning idea, Kim! As the winner, Kim will eat from the take-out window all summer long free of charge and is recognized on the menu with "Bring the Payne" – a spicy maple syrup concoction!
About Edible Canada
Edible Canada is a seven year-old business headquartered on Granville Island, in Vancouver, BC.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Tuscany Food & Wine app by Acqua Panna
Ahhh... summer is at long last nearly here. Dream vacation destinations are beginning to dance through our heads like sugar plum fairies in wispy toutous as the languid summer months of promised sunshine begin to magically reveal themselves before us.
Tuscany. Tuscany, the land of Chianti and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Tuscany, where cold-pressed virgin olive oils beckon as seductively as do its wines and terroir.
Dream vacations, can, however, at times, be more effort than joy, a corelation thoroughly dependent on planning and resources. So if this is your first Tuscan Escape, not to worry. The region's wine producers and local government tourism agencies have gotten together to form a welcoming platform called Tuscan Taste.
Tuscan Taste is a series of outreach events and organized hospitality platforms to make your visit to and exploration of Tuscany as effortless as it is enjoyable. The brand was developed in collaboration with the region's main wine Consorzi to communicate the Tuscan values of quality, beauty, sustainability, taste and tradition.
Why a butterfly: Tuscany springs from the map to become a butterfly. A messenger to the world, heralding the quality of Tuscan wines. Heralding the traditions of a glorious region, and of a culture of winemaking built up
through the centuries. A culture that, right here in Tuscany, has created some of the very best wines in the world. One butterfly, ten, a hundred, even more – as many as there are Tuscan wines. Butterflies fluttering
their wings to take the message of Tuscan wines to the world, and to new and exalted heights.
For the billion and a half of us on the planet right now who are SmartPhone oriented, especially when we travel, we have this fabulous new Tuscany Food & Wine app by Acqua Panna at our fingertips as of this Spring.
The app is offered free for iOS devices and in addition to offering things to do and see - nature, art, history - in the region, it also features mouthwatering pictures and descriptions of local foods, cuisine, dishes, restaurants, and, of course, wines and wonderful wine pairings.
Wines are especially highlighted in the Tuscany Food & Wine app where it features a guide to the many local wineries as well as detailed descriptions of the wines' composition such as alcohol percentage, grapes used and where you can find the wineries for a cellar visit and tasting.
The GPS enabled "Around Me" feature spotlights the restaurants, sites, wineries and other points of interest within a few kilometers of your current location. For those who want to immerse themselves in the languid deliciousness that is the Tuscan Summer, there is even a glossary included on the app that explains the various abbreviations denoting the artisanal Italian local food products and wines which helps you to understand their exact origin and stamp of quality.
OK, then. All set? The app is available for download at:
Long considered the best still mineral water for enhancing all the nuances of wine and food, thanks to its smooth, elegant taste, Acqua Panna represents all the power of nature in the heart of the Tuscan Apennines, with 1300 hectares of natural preserve, a unique aquifer, and a long history of culture, passion and love for the environment.
Acqua Panna
http://www.acquapanna.com
www.facebook.com/acquapanna
About Toscana Promozione
Toscana Promozione is the Economic Promotion Agency of Tuscany, established in 2000 by the local government. Thanks to a network of professional associations, institutions, enterprises, universities and research centers, Toscana Promozione is, today, a concrete platform for overseas enterprises interested in doing business in or with Tuscany.
@♥Chérie Du Vin
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Sunday, December 19, 2010
Bettane & Desseauve Festival of Wine
On a recent weekend in Paris, I found myself underneath the glass pyramid of the Louvre, in the grand marble Agora Exhibit Hall, spitting out champagne. And not just any champagne, the best champagne in the world: Louis Roederer, Bollinger, Veuve Fourny et Fils, Piper Heidsieck, Perrier- Jouët, G. H. Mumm, Nicolas Feuillatte, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Moët et Chandon...When Moët poured me their 1975 Reserve Vintage, that's when I started drinking. It would have been a sacrilege to spit that out. If there is a metaphor for the Festival of Wines that Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve have organized for 5 years now, it is this: Your cup runneth over. At the festival, named Le Grand Tasting, I found myself in an earthly paradise filled with many of the world's best wines, from mythical vintages to ones barely known outside of their own appellations, and most all of them from France. This year, 2010, as an exception, there was a side exhibit of Italian wines also featured. As a local explained to me, Bettane & Desseauve are more than just a couple of France's most celebrated and respected wine journalists, they are even more than simply the authors of Le Grand Guide des Vins de France, they are the "Robert Parkers of France and French wines." This year's event was held over the Friday and Saturday of December 10th and 11th at Paris's Le Carrousel du Louvre, which is the underground shopping center/ exhibit hall that is right underneath the Louvre. For a mere 25 Euros you could taste your way through more than 2000 wines and 350 individual producers from France and a small representation from Italy. "We have Festivals of Film, we have Festivals of Litterature, but until Le Grand Tasting we haven't had a Festival of Wine...Every wine, like a book or a film, tells its own story. It is the story of the winemaker, of the creator, and sometimes, of genius..." said Thierry Desseauve who, with Michel Bettane, is the co-founder of Le Grand Tasting. Desseauve and Bettane, according to Desseauve, have plans to take their show on the road to English-speaking countries. Their highly successful Hong Kong Festival of Wine earlier this year has injected them with enthusiasm and they are starting to eye the U.S. and Canada.Their Grand Guide des Vins de France will be published in English in 2011 by Abrams Books. When asked how was it to take the Festival of Wines to Hong Kong, Desseauve replied that he enjoyed the Chinese habit of embracing fast-paced development and he also noted that as Europeans, they are accustomed to dealing with significantly different cultures and languages. He pointed out that Germany, Italy, Spain are just as different from French culture as is the Chinese culture, in many respects. Both Bettane and Desseauve invested many years as journalist and wine critic at La Revue du Vin de France until it was bought by the Marie Claire publishing group five years ago, which is the same time they founded Le Grand Tasting. According to Bernadette Vizioz, press liaison for the event, 10,000 people attended Le Grand Tasting over the course of two days. It's not hard for them to keep count, the price of admission includes a glass for the wine tastings, supplied by Riedel. The attendees on average were surprisingly young and very much the trendsetting crowd. I've heard mention a few times that the regional wine syndicates are actively promoting their wines particularly among the French whose consumption of their native juice is down significant percentage points in recent decades. Le Grand Tasting does its part to elevate wine drinking to its proper podium among Gen Y in France. And the event is doing so in ways that present the people who make the wine as people who are just like you and me, except they spend their days in grape vineyards and in fermenting cellars. What sold out in advance were the special courses, such as the Master Class, that took place simultaneously in the rooms adjacent to the Hall Agora. The standout of these courses was, according to French site iDealwine « Le Génie du Vin ». The 'Genius of Wine' class, included Cuvée René Lalou by Mumm (1998 Vintage), Chateau Angélus 2000, Chateau Gruaud Larose 2000, Clos de La Roche GC (2004) from Domaine Dujac, Châteauneuf du Pape (1998 Domaine duVieux Télégraphe, château Climens 1989, Ridge Monte Bello represents California and finally riesling Clos Ste Hune 2000 by Trimbach. Another sold out course offering, of which there were 20 separate classes, was l'Ecole des Terroirs. I managed to bump into a few Americans while I roamed the airy, well-lit, elegant and wonderfully climatised hall - underneath the Louvre! - who were thrilled to have just accidentally happened upon the festival last year. This husband and wife marvelled at the feast of wines they were getting to taste, all for a mere 25 Euro entrance fee. They loved last year's event so much that they actually planned their trip around the Festivalthis year. We North Americans couldn't help but compare Napa's $25 average cost per wine tasting flight/ per winery to the 25 Euro entrance fee which put 2000 wines, including the best champagnes in the world, at your fingertips and lips. The only limitation to your wine tasting is the hours in a day and your stamina for how many tastings you can fit in. Le Grand Tasting marked a few firsts this year, notably in the category of positioning themselves more internationally. To that effect their Italian space welcomed 2000 visitors in a relatively small area of 90sq. meters located towards the back of one of the main halls. In addition, this was the first year that they invited notable European wine critics: José Penin (Espagne, Penin), Neil Beckett (Grande-Bretagne, World Of Fine Wine), Armin Diel (Allemagne), Marco Sabellico (Italie, Gambero Rosso), Enzo Vizzari (Italie,L’Espresso)! An elegant, hip, affordable, culturally illuminating wine tasting event, Le Grand Tasting's Festival of Wine is not to be missed. Read More Here: Guy Savoy and Thierry Desseauve discuss holiday food + wine pairings.Bettane & Desseauve's Festival of Wine
WATCH VIDEO HERE
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Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Independent Winemakers’ Salon – France
Rarely do you get such a glimpse of how basic an element wine is to French culture than at something like the Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants. At an event like this one, you really get the feel of how wine is actually a basic food group for the French. It's not a luxury or something that needs to be "mastered" but rather as elementary to daily life and basic needs as is water.
- Salon des Vins des Vignerons Independants Photos copyright Thomas Millet
As a tourist or even as a resident foreigner, this Wine Salon is something I plan trips around and mark on the calendar months in advance. Held this past weekend at the ginormous Expo center that is Porte de Versailles in Paris, I had the chance to sip and taste new and just released vintages from over 250 independent wineries and winemakers from all the regions of France. The question was not a matter of access (entry cost 6 Euro) or accessibility (all the wineries were pouring). The question was whether I had the stamina to last a whole day. If I were a real pro, I would have gone over the course of each of the consecutive five days and prolonged the learning and the enjoyment, the listening and the tasting, stretching it out for every last drop.
- Vigneron-Vigneron
The Salon des Vins des Vignerons Independants is something that everyone even remotely interested in wine must attend at some time. As a window onto wine and French culture, it's unsurpassed. It's also no-frills. And it's held twice a year - in the Fall and in the Spring. The only people I envied as I roamed the alphabetized aisles, were those who were savvy enough to have come with their rolling suitcases which they packed full of bottles and cases of France's most excellent and affordable wines.
Here's a sampling:
- Wine Tastings, France. Photo Copyright Laurent Hardhuin.
Champagne Philippe Martin
They are located right in the heart of Champagne just between Reims and Epernay in Cumieres. They grow their chardonnay and pinot noir grapes on 10 hectares and produce 6 crus.
Cuvée de Réserve Brut - dry, frothy bubbly. At 14.40 Euro per bottle at the Salon it stands up to any of the internationally known brands.
Millésime 2002 - aged and made with pinot noir grapes as well as chardonnay, the richer, fruitier grape is detectable as soon as the elixir hits your tongue. At 22 Euro per bottle, you can see why I wish I'd had my rolling suitcase with me.
Alsace
Domaine Gerard Metz "The power of harmony"
The Salon tipplers tended toward the Alsatian wines, I noticed. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Paris had just seen its first snowfall of the season this weekend. It's easy to think of a spicy Gewurztraminer and heavy spaetzle and sausages when it gets cold outside - all things that come from Alsace.
Gewurztraminer Vielles Vignes 2009 at 9 Euro per bottle this tending toward almost sweet gewurz tasted of the grape. In the sense that I almost felt like I had popped a whole grape into my mouth and was drinking of it, and a splash of alcohol.
Gewurztraminer "Cuvée Mégane" 2009 This guy was just shy of a late harvest wine. Its gold color spoke of its autumn, rich flavors even before it made itself known in the mouth. It sells for 13.50Euro per bottle.
Bourgogne - Chablis
It's just too novel when you come to the realization that these wines you've long loved come from an actual place. In this case, Chablis.
Moreau Naudet at 5, rue des Fosses, Chablis offered Petit Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru and Chablis Grand Cru on offer. He ages his white wine for 24 mos. in barrel.
Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2007 was smooth and classy; its light golden color reminded me of summer in California. 26 Euro
Chablis 1er Cru Montmains 2008 had lively acid playing throughout the mouth. Well-balanced and a white you can keep for a few years and still enjoy. 26 Euro
Domaine Millet "Intensement Chablis"
The winery is in Tonnerre, still within Bourgogne. The Petit Chablis L'Angelusand Petit Chablis were noteworthy, all 2009. They also had their Chablis Vieilles Vignes and Chablis 1er Cru Vaucoupin for sale and to taste. The maturity of the old vines tend to be the wines I gravitate towards. www.chablis-millet.com
Côte du Rhône, St. Joseph
Domaine du Mortier, Saint Joseph by Didier Crouzet. What's a wine tasting if you don't indulge in a bit of the sacred St. Joseph? Part of the geography of Côte Rôtie, a St. Joseph can take good care of you through the Winter. On 10.5 acres Mssr. Crouzet cultivates his vines of character.
Domaine du Mortier, St. Joseph, 2008 A little light. Not often found in this wine or appellation, it can offer a more drinkable alternative to what is usually paired with a good steak or winter roast.
Domaine du Mortier, St. Joseph, 2009 is a considerably more powerful wine. 2009 vintages, like the 2010 harvest, will have legs for years to come. Dark fruit, some wood, wine with a backbone.
Bourgogne, Pouilly-Fuisse
In this cluster were three domains that are run by the same winemakers and which are all independent. The majority they've brought to market this year have won a medal or an award or even a "coup de coeur" from the Guide Hachette des Vins 2011.
Domaine de Fussiacus Pouilly-Vinzelles 2008. These grapes are from 30-40 year old vines. This lovely tinted yellow gold nectar won the Medaille d'Or Paris et Macon 2010. It was selling for a mere 10.30 Euro.
Domaine Chateau de Chaintre Bourgogne Blanc 2008 is the one which you'll find in the Guide Hachettes des Vins 2011 listed as the Coup de Coeur. It is burgundy chardonnay and its well-balanced, proper notes and aromas make it a perfect choice for a dinner with family and friends.
Domaine de Fussiacus Vielles Vignes Pouilly-Fuisse 2008 had a nose of citrus and a delicious mouth of calcaire and mineral hints. Another one of those wines I wish I'd bought a case of. 15.10 Euro per bottle.
Corbières
From this region down near Perpignan which is still part of Languedoc-Roussillon you will find wines that have the garrigue in their molecules.
Abbaye de Fontfroide
A husband and wife winemaking team, Nicolas de Chevron Villette married his wife, Laure d'Andoque de Seriege, whose family has owned the Abbaye de Fontfroide and the vines that surround it for centuries. They have a tasting room, a restaurant and they offer vacation stays. It is also just 15 km. away from the region's only 3 Michelin star restaurant run by France's Best Chef 2010.
Abbaye de Fontfroide Cuvée Deo Gratias 2007 A finessed red wine that speaks of the region and the terroir. The nose is aromatic, the mouth hints of the garrigue.
Abbaye de Fontfroide Cuvée Oculus 2009 Though this is a white, it boasts a nutty mouth and an aromatic nose. At 7.10Euro a bottle, it is an elegant wine to serve at table with roasted poultry and new potatoes for example.
Abbaye de Fontfroide Cuvée Deo Gratias 2009 The grapes are Roussanne, Marsanne predominantly and the juice is new barrel aged. 12.90 per bottle.www.fontfroide.com