French Wines Part I ~ Burgundy, The Rhône Valley, and Provence

Virtual Wine Tasting ~ A Wine Tour of France – Part 1

        Traversing the Wine Regions of Burgundy, The Rhône Valley, and Provence

                   by Marty Cook

Kevin Ostrowski will return on Sunday, May 2, 2021 at 03:30 p.m. Eastern/New York time to lead us through this first of a two-part series, as we explore France by way of its major rivers.

REGIONS for Part 1   In this session we will float down the Saône and Rhône rivers and broadly look at the wines of Chablis, the Côte d’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais, and Beaujolais, through the Rhône Valley and finally landing on the Mediterranean coast of Provence.

These are the oldest wine regions in France; not to mention producers of some of the BEST wines of France, and old-world styles. One day we might jump on a river boat cruise to explore this region from a warm stateroom veranda.  In the meantime, we can spend a couple Sunday afternoons learning about the area, its history, its wine, and make grand plans for site visits and wines to drink when we get there.

GRAPES   Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah and Grenache are the stars, as other grapes play a complementary role, in the delicious wines of these classic French regions.   To join us in the merriment, simply secure one or more bottles of wine (red, white, or rosé) from any or all of the above-mentioned French wine regions: Burgundy, the Rhône Valley, or Provence.

WINE SHOPPING TIPS   About the shopping – Kevin put together a wine list (because we asked) but readers should appreciate that it’s VERY difficult to go shopping on-line for everyone; given the variables of local availability, price point, personal preference, and 100’s of choices – so PLEASE note these are just some thoughts about possible wines.  This PDF holds some of Kevin’s suggestions, BUT please note that his bigger message is to “shop the REGION” and find something in your desired price range that interests you.  As we all know, one need not mortgage the house to find a nice bottle of wine.

So, over the next week, grab a wine or three, plan some tasty bites to pair with the wine, and tune into a great French tour via the Zoom link below.  It’s Sunday, May 2, 2021 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern/New York time. We look forward to seeing you then!

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