Category: Wine and Food Pairings

Rioja to host the 2023 World’s Best Vineyards

“The World’s Best Vineyards” list is back in 2023 and will be hosted by Rioja, Spain.  Showcasing the best of wine tourism across the globe, the annual “World’s Best Vineyards” list will be revealed at a special live event in July.

As well as its celebrated wineries, charming towns and quaint villages, Rioja is home to Mediterranean forests full of wildlife with high mountain areas to explore and stunning lunar landscapes to discover. The region offers a vast range of fun and memorable outdoor activities for all, including mountain horseback riding, 4×4 driving routes and hot-air ballooning across and over the rolling hills. Known as the gastronomic heartland of Spain, Rioja offers guests delicious culinary experiences from pincho tours to haute cuisine, fine dining and everything in between.

Situated in the north of Spain on the banks of the River Ebro, Rioja is surrounded by the majestic Sierra de Cantabria and Sierra de la Demanda Mountain ranges resulting in a breath-taking and picturesque landscape. It is most well-known for its wide variety of grapes, rich soils, climates, and stunning wineries that never cease to amaze visitors. The region spans 65,000 hectares and is home to more than 600 wineries from world-famous, award-winning destinations with avant-garde architecture to small family-run historical establishments. Preserved generation after generation, each one has something unique to offer guests making it the perfect destination to celebrate this year’s World’s Best Vineyards.

The World’s Best Vineyards annual list highlights the top vineyards to visit globally and aims to promote wine tourism around the world. Each year the list showcases unique vineyards with unrivalled visitor experiences, from modern architectural wonders, UNESCO-protected ancient cellars, and Michelin-starred restaurants to family-run wineries with intimate tours. The Voting Academy consists of over 500 leading wine experts, sommeliers and travel experts and they submit their nominations based on the different criteria that make the best destination vineyard, including quality of the overall experience, ambiance, cuisine, activities, views, staff, and value for money. The results are then collated and converted into the annual World’s Best Vineyards list.

Fernando Ezquerro, President of Denominacion de  stats: “It is an honour to host the prestigious World’s Best Vineyards 2023 event and a great opportunity to show the world why Rioja is Spain’s finest wine region. Rioja’s history and traditions have led it to establish itself not only as the leading winemaking region in Spain, but also as the country’s go-to destination for wine tourism, which has had a driving effect on the recovery and diversification of tourism in Spain. Our passion for hospitality and wine making makes Rioja such a special place to visit.”

#WorldsBestVineyards #WorldsBestVineyards2023 #wbv #Riojawine #travelling #wine #vineyards #winelovers #winenews #vino #spanishwine #spanishwinelovers #winetourism #SoakUpTheView #BottleList #VinoVisa #WineTraveller #WineTravel #spainsfinest #RiojaEsElOrigen @WorldsBestVineyards @rioja

Air France announces 17 renowned chefs that will be creating lounge & inflight dining experiences in 2023

To mark Bocuse d’Or 2023, of which Air France is a partner from January 19 – 23,  2023, Air France has unveiled the names the famous chefs they will be working. 17 talented chefs promoting French excellence will take turns to sign exceptional dishes in La Première and Business, and in airport lounges over the next few months. Air France is the only airline to partner with so many distinguished names in the world of cuisine.

Air France is committed to introducing its customers to the quality and diversity of France’s gastronomic heritage, as part of an increasingly responsible approach, by focusing on fresh, seasonal and local produce and a systematic choice of vegetarian dish in all travel cabins.

A high-flying French dining experience

On board long-haul flights from Paris, French Michelin-starred chefs Arnaud Lallement, Régis Marcon, Anne-Sophie Pic, Emmanuel Renaut and Michel Roth will this year take turns to sign exclusive dishes for Air France on the La Première and Business cabin menus. Mauro Colagreco and Thierry Marx will also be contributing their unique skills to this exceptional team of chefs. With vegetarian compositions, red and white meats from France, and fish from sustainable fishing, all the chefs are committed to showcasing the local produce of their regions in France and sharing their culinary heritage and passion.

In the La Première suites, the company’s most exclusive travel cabins, the Meilleur Ouvrier de France pastry chefs Philippe Urraca and for the first time Angelo Musa will bring an elegant and sweet touch to the menus in this cabin worthy of the finest restaurants.

Air France also offer menus signed by top French chefs on long-haul flights departing from airports worldwide and continues to work with the triple Michelin-starred chef Julien Royer in the La Première and Business cabins on departure from Singapore. Originally from Auvergne, Julien Royer is at the helm of the Odette and Claudine restaurants in Singapore. On departure from Reunion Island, in the Business cabin, the menus are signed by chef Jofrane Dailly from Reunion Island, who works at the Diana Dea Lodge in Sainte-Anne. In 2023, Air France will offer menus signed by chef Olivier Perret on flights departing from Air France’s destinations in Canada (Montreal, Toronto, Quebec and Vancouver). He will focus on offering French gastronomy with fresh ingredients for menus in the Business cabin. Originally from Burgundy, the chef also presides at the restaurant Le Renoir at the Sofitel Montréal Le Carré Doré.

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Wine Review: Delaire Graff – Cabernet Franc Rosé 2021

I purchased this wine at Delaire Graff  Wine Estate (South Africa) a few months ago and decided to save it for a special occasion to share with family and friends, and Christmas Day is the day!  I was also told that this is a staff favorite.

This is a wine that feels like a special occasion once I opened it and had the first aromas.  The perfect indulgence was tasting it with Delaire Graff 60% chocolate – heaven!

*2021 Delaire Graff, Cabernet Franc Rosé

Winery:     Delaire Graff

Grapes:    Cabernet Franc

Region:     South Africa / Stellenbosch

Alcohol:    13%

*According to Vivino this wine is top 2% of all wines.

Tasting Notes

Very aromatic pink salmon in colour, with a complex nose of fresh strawberries, red plums and floral notes; this character is maintained on the palate with some cassis and cotton candy through to a spicy finish.

95/100

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Women in Wine Talks with Marie-Laurence Sanfourche, Propriétaire du Château Loupiac-Gaudiet

Château Loupiac-Gaudiet dates to the 15th century and has been owned by the Ducau family since the 1920’s. The wine estate is located in the village of Loupiac, above the Garonne River in Bordeaux, and directly across from the famous appellations of Sauternes and Barsac.

Château Loupiac-Gaudiet benefits from southern exposure and has been in the family for five generations. The wine comes from manual harvest with vines that are over forty years old. Covering an area of ​​​​30 hectares, the wine estate produces both sweet white wine and red Bordeaux.

Marie-Laurence Sanfourche joined her husband Marc Ducau in 1991 by taking over the commercial and administrative roles of the company. In 2014, their son Nicolas joined the family business.

Liz Palmer
Who is Marie-Laurence Sanfourche and tell us a little about your history.

Marie-Laurence Sanfourche
This is an old family business – at the end of the 18th century, the Chateau was built. It has been the property of the Sanfourche and Ducau families since 1920, when the Ducau’s combined Chateau de Loupiac with their own vineyard, Guadiet, to create Chateau Loupiac Gaudiet.

When I met my husband, I married the man, not the chateau. In 1991 I started to work with my husband and my uncle.  My uncle was the soul of the chateau… he passed away at 93.

I now have the commercial role, which is dealing with the export markets as well as the general administration of the business.  Our largest markets are China and USA, I also work with wine merchants in Bordeaux. My son is the fifth generation and he also works in wine sales and exports. My husband (on the other hand) is the winemaker.

Liz Palmer
Who were your mentors in the industry?

Marie-Laurence Sanfourche
My uncle and my father (both) taught me.  I was very often in the vineyard to learn, even when I was a student. They both loved their job and they communicated that love and the hard part of their work….little by little..they taught me. 

Liz Palmer
Do you have a message for other women in wine in your particular role?

Marie-Laurence Sanfourche
When I first started and received clients they (the clients) would say oh it’s a woman ….now it’s different. It’s changed a lot since then and it’s much easier.

I find that women communicate differently, and they are more open.

Liz Palmer
The future is certainly bright for women in the industry, what are your comments?

Marie-Laurence Sanfourche
Women will be more and more important…. Wine is a question of sensitivity, philosophy, and tasting …… wine speaks to us women.

The personality of the wine and the owner are the same (I believe).

Liz Palmer
In your personal wine collection, what would we find?

Marie-Laurence Sanfourche
(I collect) Spanish wines, and wines from California and Australia.

Liz Palmer
What is your favorite food and wine pairing?

Marie-Laurence Sanfourche
For me, I like stronger older Comté or Roquefort cheese paired with and sweet wine.

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Fontanafredda Wine Tasting – Barolo Week (Toronto) by Sergii Daragan

It’s “Barolo Week” I attended, along with a group of industry specialists, a wine and food pairing lunch at Eataly, Toronto to celebrate Barolo.  We tasted six amazing vintage Barolos which paired beautifully with Eataly’s specialty dishes [listed below] while listening all about Fontanafredda’s “King of the Wine” and “Wine of Kings.”

It was a great experience to taste Barolo different styles and vintages, and at the same time compare new-school and old-school styles.

For me, “the wine of the day” became Barolo Proprieta in Fontanafredda 2018 for its fresh, and rich, with notes of licorice and pink pepper on the palate with distinct floral and red fruit notes on the nose.

Wines Tasted:

– Barolo Serralunga Organic, 2018

– Barolo Proprieta in Fontanafredda, 2018

– Barolo Vigna La Rosa, 2018

– Barolo Vigna La Rosa, 2016

– Barolo Vigna La Rosa, 1996

– Barolo Riserva, 2010

Eataly’s Dishes:

Mushroom Arancini
Fresh-made Mozzarella
Gnocchi with Red-wine-braised Ragu
Mushroom Pizza
Chocolate Cannoli

@fontanafreddawines @eatalytoronto

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