Category: Reviews

Press Release: Canadian Author selected finalist in the prestigious Gourmand Wine and Drinks Awards

TORONTO – The Gourmand Awards jury has announced that “The Ultimate Guide to Champagne” by Liz Palmer is a finalist in the category “Best French Wine Book”. The book was published by Liz Palmer Media Group Inc., Toronto.

The Gourmand World Cookbook and Wine Book Awards, often noted as the “Oscars” of the food and wine world, were founded in 1995 by Edouard Cointreau, of the liqueur and cognacs family, and take place in prominent cities each year. Celebrating global cookbook and wine book publishing, the awards feature many world-renowned chefs, photographers, wine writers and food writers each year.

This year there were over 10,000 submissions from over 209 countries competing for the awards. The list of finalists can be found here: http://www.cookbookfair.com/

“Being announced a 2017 finalist in the Gourmand World Cookbook and Wine Book Awards was a surreal feeling,” says Liz. “I was sitting on the tarmac at the João Paulo II Airport (Azores) going through my emails and found the press release … I wanted to jump up and down—I was so excited!!” “It’s truly a real honour to be nominated!”

The Ultimate Guide To Champagne will now compete in its category against winners from other countries for the Best in the World. The results will be announced on May 27 & 28, 2017 at the Gourmand Awards Ceremony in Yantai, China.

ABOUT THE BOOK
There is much more to champagne than the drink – Champagne is named after the region where it is grown, fermented and bottled. This essential guide takes you to this region, explores its culture and honours its history.

Unlike any other book about Champagne, The Ultimate Guide To Champagne is the most comprehensive and visually stunning guide you’ll ever come across – in these pages you’ll discover:

Over 220 Engaging Photos, Maps, Detailed Charts, and Historical Anecdotes
How to Explore the Region
Grape Varieties and Styles
Grand Marques / Growers and Cooperatives, The Annual Viticulture Cycle, Harvest and Production, Champagne and Food Pairing Guides
How to Cook with Champagne
Recipes from Champagne Families
How to Taste and Identify Flavors
How to describe and Rate Champagne
How to Shop, Store and Serve
Champagne Etiquette & Style
Tips for Weddings
International Champagne Bars
The Economics of Champagne
Health Benefits
Science Facts
Extensive Glossaries
and much more…

The Ultimate Guide To Champagne is highly recommended for everyone, from beginners to experts. It’s a remarkable point of reference into which any wine lover or professional can dip in and browse.

The Champagne Bible for ALL wine lovers.

Amazon and Kindle Site https://goo.gl/a7JH9j

ABOUT THE GOURMAND AWARDS

• The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards were founded in 1995 by Edouard Cointreau. Every year, they honour the best food and wine books, printed or digital.
• Books from 209 countries participate in these prestigious awards, the only international competition of the sector.
• Every year, Gourmand gives the awards in a very special location for gastronomy. The awards ceremony is an opportunity to meet top people in the world of food wine and books: hundreds of international publishers, authors, chefs and journalists participate.

Canadian Press Contact
liz@liz-palmer.com
phone +1 (416) 616-0999

Liz Palmer is available for interviews and live appearances.

The Ultimate Guide to Champagne Book Review by Zis Parras Ph.D.

This book is an excellent resource for the wine enthusiast and novice alike. Liz Palmer has truly written the ultimate guide to Champagne. This book covers all the key points about Champagne from the history, business, gastronomy, tourism, and many references to Champagne in popular culture. Palmer describes the region of Champagne with a level of familiarity and intimacy that the reader will truly appreciate. What I especially liked about this book was the inclusion of addresses of wineries, places to stay, other places of interest and a calendar of annual events. This helps give the reader a detailed overview of the region of Champagne. Palmer includes many practical hints and tips, that will make visiting the region of Champagne easy, enjoyable and stress free. The timeline in Chapter 3 “History of Champagne” is a very useful tool for anyone with an interest in knowing the key events about Champagne. Chapter 4 which describes the many parties involved in the growing, making, marketing and branding of Champagne. This chapter is very instructive on demystifying the historical and traditional ways in which Champagne is sold around the world. Chapter 8, which describes on the economics and the business side of Champagne help to explain why the wine commands the premium prices it does. Chapters 9 througho 12 covers shopping, tasting and the etiquette of Champagne all addnd but describes the also having the reader appreciate the special nature of Champagnethe wine. Chapters 13 to through 20 describe outline where to enjoy Champagne, the gastronomy and cocktails all and help to illustrate how and where to enjoy drinking Champagne. As a person who loves glossaries,, for seeking technical definitions, I found this glossary to be very thorough. Most people (unlike myself) probably never read appendices and but the ones in this book are just very as useful and informative as the rest of the book. The book ends with Appendix Appendices A through C that lists quotes, vintage years summaries and Champagne knowledge and was a great way to end the book. The size of the text, the quality of the printing and the many photographs all combine to create an inviting and easy to follow book. The overall impression is was not lost on me as to the special nature of Champagne for France and for the world. Champagne is the world’s premium wine that never falls out of fashion. Champagne appears to be gaining momentum as the one wine people everywhere associate with style, quality and celebration. This book is an excellent resource that is also enjoyable to read and it will be part of my sources on wine for many years to come.

Zis Parras Ph.D., WSET L3, French Wine Scholar
Wine Agent
Toronto, Canada

The Ultimate Guide to Champagne is available on Amazon and Kindle at http://amzn.to/2lF8ZFX

Book Review: Anna Thompson, Sommelier

The Ultimate Guide to Champagne by Liz Palmer confirms its title as the best achievable book on Champagne of its kind. It sparkles with details in both facts and visuals and is easily browsed through or read in depth. Her creative approach in the layout reveals that Champagne is about much more than the region where it is grown, fermented, and bottled.

Amazon Review: http://amzn.to/2kbMgRF

Anna Thompson, Sommelier

Another Five Star Review – The Ultimate Guide to Champagne

“What a grand accomplishment, Liz.  There is so much practical information in your book that I do not find in other books about Champagne.  So much so that I cannot think of any aspect of Champagne you do not cover.  Not only do you give the reader the basics of Champagne, its history and buying and serving tips but you remember the traveler to the region with information about what Champagne houses to visit and what else there is to see and do.

I send you every good wish that your book will be a smashing success, and I hope we have the opportunity to raise a glass of bubbly to that!”

Eunice Fried
Director of the Annual International Airline Wine Competition
GLOBAL TRAVELER Magazine

The Cités des Vins de Bourgogne Has Been Approved

The Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) has recently voted and approved the Cités des Vins de Bourgogne.  This new wine tourism, cultural and education facility will be built on three sites located in Mâcon, Beaune, and Chablis.

According to Louis-Fabrice Latour, President of the BIVB, it will be “a project that will affect an entire generation”.  Partners include the Association for the Climats of Bourgogne, the tourism industry, and local and regional authorities.

The main site of the Cités des Vins will be located just outside the town of Beaune, which will also include a five-star hotel.

From the Cité des Vins de Bourgogne –“Each Cité des Vins de Bourgogne is a place where people can find out about Bourgogne wines, with shared content and communication tools, each site also acting as a local showcase. The Climats of the Bourgogne winegrowing region, included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and a real differentiator for Bourgogne wines, will be presented in each site, in Chablis, Beaune, and Mâcon.”

This project has won  € 17.1 from BIVB and local authorities.

Next steps:

– To define the economic and legal model for each of the Cité des Vins de Bourgogne;

– To select the architects and exhibition designers for the Cités des Vins in Mâcon and Chablis;

– To work with the city of Beaune on integrating the Cité des Vins into the urban project; and

– To design the museographical model of the whole.