Solutre Rock with vineyards, Burgundy, France

Understanding AOC: Burgundy

Ok, it’s officially the theme for this series.  You’ve heard of Burgundy, so we will skip over that part.  But as with all facets of the Understanding AOC writings, what is in the bottle!? If it is a red wine, it is Pinot Noir.  If it is a…

Thanksgiving turkey on a table with a full setting including holiday-inspired pumpkins and gourds and of course wine

Happy Thanksgiving!

But what to pair with dinner tonight? Here is our handy guide to assist all palates and people. Sparkling Wine: What holiday celebration is complete without some bubbles?  Furthermore, sparkling wines and Champagnes are wonderfully food friendly wines, hence their inclusion on every wine list in every restaurant. …

A chalkboard sign reading Le Beaujolais Nouveau es arrive!

Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day!

The third Thursday in November is a big day in the Beaujolais region south of the Burgundy in France.  On this day there is a mad dash for the first, freshest bottles of the new vintage of Beaujolais that has been sent into the markets to arrive on…

Modern wine production facility with stainless steel fermentation tanks

What is Carbonic Maceration?

Carbonic maceration is a process by which grapes are fermented in their skins in a carbon dioxide rich environment.  The weight of all the grapes crushes the juice from the lower areas of the tank that holds the grapes and gas, and undergoes a somewhat more conventional fermentation…