Blog
-
Wine education – the Touraine appellation
The Touraine AOC is one of the biggest in the Loire. 5,000 ha (15,000 acres) between Chambord & Azay le Rideau passing by Chenonceaux & Chaumont-sur-Loire.
-
Recipes from Le Tasting Room’s kitchen – basmati rice and lentils with raisins, dates, saffron & cumin
Rice and lentils together are a perfect combination. Add in some spices, a slow cooked caramelised onion and a touch of sweetnes and you have deliciousness.
-
What is duty when it comes to wine?
Duty is the tax that we pay on wine and can often account for a large proportion of the shelf price. It literally means ‘what is due’.
-
Technical wine vocabulary demystified – finish
When we taste wine professionally we always talk about the finish of a wine. What is that?
-
Cuvée de L’Artiste 2018 Chateau de Montdomaine
This 2018 Malbec (here called Côt) is a great example of the sunny vintage. It’s just packed with ripe bramble fruit and has lovely freshness.
-
Recipes from Le Tasting Room’s kitchen – Mojo Verde
Mojo verde is a green sauce that comes from the Canary Islands. This recipe comes from Diana Henry’s From the Oven to the Table.
-
Traditions in France – the Galette des Rois
Oh let me tell you. It was the flakiest, most buttery pastry. The filling was moist and squidgy with morcels of soft orange popping in here and there.
-
Le Vilain P’tit Rouge Vincent Ricard
Look out for the wines of Vincent Ricard if you see them across the seas. Not far from us here in Noizay we’ve enjoyed a couple of his wines over the Christmas period.
-
Recipes from Le Tasting Room’s kitchen – quick pickled onions
These quick pickled onions are unbelievely moreish and are satifying my craving for fresher crunchy things after the Christmas excesses.
-
Happy New Year from the Loire valley!
Happy New Year to our friends all over the world. May this year be a happy and healthy one for all of us and may you carry on enjoying Loire valley wines.
-
What’s been going on in the Loire valley vineyards in December 2019?
December is a busy time for growers as they turn to pruning their vines. A most important task as this sets the vines up for the coming year.
-
Recipes from Le Tasting Room’s kitchen – caramelized endive & Maroilles tart
I was introduced to Maroilles cheese by my first French au pair Marie 22 years ago. She came from Tourcoing near Lille and Maroilles was her local cheese.