Wine ChroniclesLovely La Louvière and Couhins Lurton: tastings in red and white
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com September 15, 2015 Special note: Unless otherwise indicated, all photos published here were taken by the talented Hélène Brun-Puginier, with her authorization. However they cannot be copied from this site and re-used without her authorization. When I first came to France, back in 1996, I recall enjoying a bottle of Château La […]
Bordeaux 2015: Could rains complicate potentially excellent vintage?
14 September 2015 By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com The weather chart looks worrying. Rain, rain … and more rain expected this week. It already rained Friday to Sunday, 11-13 September. This brings back memories of reporting on Bordeaux’s 2006 harvest on location in Pauillac for decanter.com. I was talking with Jean-Rene Matignon, director of the famous second […]
Strasbourg’s first Italian wine bar: Better late than never
4 September 2015 By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com Strasbourg is a significant European city. Its multifaceted architecture reflects Europe’s rich, long history. Styles range from Middle Age bridges to European institutional buildings: some appealingly post-modern, others 1970s-era eyesores. This capital city of the Alsace region in northeastern France hosts the European Parliament. It is located […]
Wine glasses matter, but should not cause tunnel vision
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 2 September 2015 So, you are meeting with fellow wine friends, tasting through different wines. If you and your fellow oenophiles drink from the same type of glass, then you all have the same vantage point, correct? So why the hell would you really need to pay $100 for an ultra […]
Grand cru in all but name? Clos Saint Jacques
30 August 2015 By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com I’ve never had a disappointing Clos Saint Jacques. Then again, I have not tried that many. Why? The 6.7 hectares of vineyards in this highly touted Burgundian appellation are expensive – and with historical significance. Named for a stopping point on the pilgrim’s route to Santiago de Compostela (in French, […]
Yes, Napa reds can age very well (and more tales with Washington D.C. winos)
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 8 August 2015 Back in Washington D.C. I flew in to see my mother who is going to have to undergo surgery. At 85 years of age, a delicate matter. It was great to be able to meet great friends from the Washington D.C. tasting group I have known now for […]
“Sweet” is too simple: Appreciating late harvest wines
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 9 July 2015 “Sweet” wine? Some people shrug. Many who dislike “sweet” wines base their judgment on supermarket shelf stuff, the kind of wine that is merely sticky (and/or sweet), without vivaciousness from balancing acidity and/or intriguingly complex flavors and aromas from botrytis-derived spice. Yet some of the world’s greatest wines are “sweet”. Most readers […]
Haute Couture at Haut Bailly
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 30 June 2015 This is one of a series of articles on some superb lunches and dinners I was lucky enough to attend during the intense Vinexpo week in Bordeaux in June 2015. Keep checking my website for more Vinexpo highlights throughout July 2015! Dinner with Pingus, Le Pin, Bonneau […]
No Greek myth: Assyrtiko can be really great
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 28 June 2015 Wines in bold, I liked in particular. When red and bold, even more. When underlined, too, that means top of the pops! It was great to meet with a dear friend in Frankfurt, who loves Greek wine. Spyros is a #winelover who is half German and half […]
Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg Les Chaignots Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru 2009
By Panos Kakaviatos for wine-chronicles.com 2 June 2015 I have been to Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg on several occasions and the wines from this estate are terrific. Sisters Marie Andrée and Marie-Christine run the estate, which was once run by their father the late Dr. Georges Mugneret. The style is suave yet with structure for aging. Friend […]
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