We, understandably, don't have a lot of Christmas in Turkey. I try to go somewhere in Europe every year for a Christmas market and had planned a trip for Colmar
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Camilla from Culinary Cam has invited the Italian Food Wine Travel writing group to explore the vast world of indigenous Italian grapes this March. You can read her invitation here. Of all the major wine players in the world, Italy has almost* more indigenous varieties than anyone else with over 500 officially identified grapes so there's a lot to explore! [easy-image-collage id=20064] Join us for a live Threads chat on March 9 at 11 am EST/8 am PST where participating bloggers and others interested in the subject will connect and chat. You can definitely still join the blog event if you're not available for the chat. Despite my love of Italian
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The Budapest airport forever confuses me, regardless of how many times I've been through. Duty free is before immigration which I continuously forget meaning I'm always almost going to miss my flight by the time I've browsed the couple shops I like then get in the loooong, slow line for immigration. It was on one of these "I forgot passport control was yet to come" trips that I found this Oremus Tokaji Aszú in Duty Free. Selling me a Tokaji Aszú is probably the easiest thing anyone could do. I did hesitate over the price, it was I think the single most expensive bottle of wine I'd ever bought.
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I had my first encounter with Sideritis at the Athens wine expo Oenorama a couple years ago. Only two or three examples were available to try at the time, but I've since been able to hunt down a few more. Never heard of Sideritis? Not surprising. While it seems to be moving on from 'rare' and into 'emerging', it's still not something you'll find on everyone's list/shelves. A pink-skinned grape, Sideritis (Σιδερίτης) can be found in a few different locations around Greece, namely Patras on the Peloponnese peninsula, Central Greece, and in northern Greek in Macedonia. It takes its name from the Greek word ‘sidero’ (iron), referring to the
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This month, Camilla from Culinary Cam has invited us all to share our love for rosé wines - which are not just for summer! - and, since it's February, to put a little romantic spin on things. You can read her invitation here and follow along the discussion on Saturday, February 10 at 8am EST / 11am CST on Threads. I'm not much of a rosé girl myself; but bubbles are a completely different story! So, since I couldn't think of any particularly romantic food options (the dessert I did being the exception perhaps), I decided to go romantic with my wines! Hello, Greek traditional method bubbles. PDO Amyndeon (ΠΟΠ
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For years I'd wanted to visit Santorini. All the beautiful pictures you see, the wine
Read MoreOver the last two years, I've really enjoyed exploring some of the wines of Cephalonia (or Kefalonia, as you like). I've yet to make it there though although it's one of two Greek islands I'd really love to get to sometime soon. The other being Paros, if you were wondering. Until then, I shall just have to content myself with the Robola and other interesting wines from the islands that I can source in Athens. And while Robola may be the most prominent grape from Cephalonia, that's not what today's wine is. Advent day 22 Sclavos Tsaousi, 2019 Sclavos Wines is one of the island's more prominent wineries. With possibly the
Read MoreToday's wine is one I've had a fair few times. Two of my best friends live in Athens but her family is from Kalavryta in the Peloponnese. Tetramythos is one of the few wineries there and they've taken to buying a half case every time they drive to the village. The winery produces quite a few wines, but they tend to buy mostly the Mavro Kalavrytino, the local black grape. Eva laughs at me every time I have to talk about it because, while I can say 'Kalavryta' no problem, for some reason, putting the 'mavro' before it completely trips up my tongue. Advent day 18 Tetramythos Mavro Kalavrytino, 2020 Deep and
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Time for more bubbles! This one post a day challenge I set myself is going swimmingly. Or maybe all the wine just makes it seem like it is! Riesling is possibly my favorite grape. Riesling bubbles?! Forget about it. Advent day 16 Von Winning Riesling Extra Brut Sekt From the Deidesheim area of the Pfalz, the organic grapes for this non-vintage wine came from chalky, loess-clay soils and red sandstone. The wine, a traditional method, rested for some 24-28 months on the lees before disgorging. Lightly golden with excited bubbles bursting with aromas of warm citrus, golden apple, brioche, and crushed gravel. Bone dry with a creamy mousse and searing acidity. Gotta love
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Of all the wines I'm talking about this Advent, this one is perhaps the most appropriate. How can a wine be appropriate for Advent? No, there's no such thing as Advent wine. But
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