Ever wonder what you are getting when you come across a French bottle that touts itself as a Grand Cru? Most casual consumers can pretty much gather that such a bottle is going to be a nice wine even if they do not know exactly why. But let’s find out exactly what the big deal [...]

It’s not Primitivo. It’s not Crljenak KaÅ¡telanski. It’s Zinfandel - Paso’s Wine. Paso Robles in Central California is rapidly earning a name for itself. It’s the next big wine region in California, or maybe it already is. Check out this hilarious video promoting the 2010 Zinfandel Festival in March. For anyone nearby, don’t miss the chance to sample [...]

2011 is going to be a big year! We are very excited to announce that WineInProvence has been featured in Rick Steves’Â Provence and the French Rivera 2011 guidebook! This is the second year that we’ve been mentioned in the popular guidebook. Here is the review as you will find it in the book: “Wine Tasting [...]

Welcome to Chateau Changjiu Global Beijing! This is spot for a spectacular wine tasting experience in China’s capital that is becoming all the rage. Completed in 2009, Chateau Changiju is like a Disneyland Burgundy-style and showcases all things wine, including a working vineyard. Located just outside the city, this faux French estate is complete with turrets, arched windows, a [...]

Ever noticed the statement “Contains Sulfites” on wine labels? These two words often cause so much confusion and misunderstanding. So, what’s the deal with sulfites in wine? Sulfites, or SO2, is a naturally occurring compound produced during fermentation. It has also been used as a preservative and widely used most food industries. For centuries, sulfites [...]

You may or may not have heard of these three more obscure French varietals. Yet, they are the rising stars of the wine world and they’re becoming increasingly more produced and readily available in the US. Picpoul Literally meaning “lip-stinger” in French, this grape is a native of the Languedoc Roussillon region. The varietal produces wines [...]

As of the late 1990′s, Chilean vineyards had never been victims of the lethal aphid phylloxera, which devastated most of the world’s vineyards in the mid- and late nineteenth century. Although Chile’s physical isolation, dry soil, and use of flood irrigation may have all helped to protect the country, phylloxera’s absence is not fully understood. [...]

I find that there is nothing better than giving a bottle of wine as a gift during the holidays! It’s important to remember, as with all gift giving, that everyone who loves wine appreciates a thoughtful choice. Here’s a few tips on how to pick out the perfect wine as a gift: Consider the Receipient [...]

There’s a lot of 3-letter abbreviations in the wine world. In France, they have AOC. In Italy, it’s called DOC. In American, we have AVA. What does AVA stand for and what does it mean? AVA= American Viticultural Area An AVA is defined as “a delimited grape growing region, distinguished by geographical features, the boundaries [...]

Here are some quick facts about the often unnoticed white wines of Spain: -Airén is the most widely planted grape and also the #1 most planted grape per hectares in the world! -The native Spanish white varieties are: Albariño, Verdejo, Palomino, Godello, Loureira, and Airén. -The northwest region of Galicia that is known for its white wines made from Albariño. -Blends [...]