Please The Palate |

Slightly Sweet and Effervescent – Very Delicious – Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG Italy

This post originally appeared in Wine Tourist Magazine It is red, slightly sweet and slightly effervescent, that is how I would describe Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG, a wine I fell in love with when I was living in Piedmont, Italy several decades ago. I was not a wine drinker at the time and did not have the foresight to know that I would be a student of wine and a professional in the business these many years later. But, this was the wine that started it for me. I was living in Vercelli, a town of 50,000 in Piedmont in northern Italy. The rice capital of Italy, Vercelli is less than an hour drive to famous wine areas such as Asti, Barolo and Barbaresco. Every afternoon during aperitivi time, I would head to a local bar to meet my new Italian friends. I did not speak Italian at the time and would let them order what they wanted for me. And every day I was presented with a refreshing glass of this slightly sweet, slightly sparkling red wine, Brachetto d’Acqui.

WHAT IS BRACHETTO?

21 December, 2016

Bubbles! Bubbles! Bubbles!

This story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register. The holidays are approaching which means it is the perfect time for bubbles. OK, let me be clear. Every day and any day is a good day for bubbles but with the pending holidays, ‘tis the busiest season for purchasing Champagne. From gift giving to holiday parties, there is no shortage of reasons to drink bubbles. So, what are you going to drink this year?

There are wonderful sparkling wines from around the world but Champagne is the king. And with the increasing popularity of Grower Champagne in the market, there are so many brands and styles to choose from. Want to please your palates or impress your friends with your selections? Hopefully I can help you find some new wines to try this year!

Champagne is a wine region that for last half of 20th century has been consistent is self-identity, messaging and marketing. But according to Peter Liem, Champagne expert and author of ChampagneGuide.net, an award-winning and highly acclaimed online guide to the wines and wine producers of Champagne, today Champagne is in flux. Wines are more diverse than ever before. Medium-standard quality is higher than formerly. The land itself, the idea of vineyards and place, is being explored more today than previously.

“Like all great wines of the world,” Liem explained, “Champagne is about terroir.” The wines are from a specific place and express their origins.

09 November, 2016

Get To Know Champagne Jacquart and Cellar Master Floriane Eznack

While most Champagne houses date back to the 1800s and early 1900s and are steeped in tradition, Champagne Jacquart is a young Champagne house. Started in 1964, they are celebrating their 50th anniversary. And, with that youth, they are not focused on the past but rather the future, making rules and setting tradition as they go. Champagne Jacquart is like a cooperative and is owned by 1800 grape growers. With vineyards that cover 2400 hectares, they own 7% of the vineyards in Champagne.

Overseeing the direction of Champagne Jacquart is Cellar Master/Head Winemaker Floriane Eznack. With less than half a dozen female Cellar Masters in Champagne, at only 35 years old, Floriane is also the youngest Cellar Master in Champagne. Born in the Cognac area and after studying enology in Reims, Floriane spent four years at Veuve Clicquot before coming to Champagne Jacquart in 2011.

03 June, 2015