After such a fantastic Pinot Gris, it should not come as a surprise that Luxemburg can also excel in Riesling. Yet I was blown away by this wine. Continue reading
Pinot Gris greatness – from Luxembourg
I bet that Luxembourg makes some of the finest Pinot Gris in the World. Here is just another bottle to prove that – it’s not your usual, dilute white wine for sure. Continue reading
A charming and cheap Bandol – Cellier de Cathedra 2016
Drinking in Avignon, supermarket wine #6. Grenache is one of my absolute favorite grape varieties, I love it, and I drink more of it than anything else – but Mourvedre fascinates me even more. The issue with it is availability: while well priced and excellent Spanish versions (the gold standard is Castano’s Hecula for me) are in abundance, it’s not that easy to find French versions. Bandol is probably the most well-known example, but it’s mostly expensive, and only a few big names are available outside France. So to find a Bandol for merely 6 Euros in a local supermarket… I had to try it. And it did not disappoint, in fact, turned out to be better than the majority of supermarket Rhone reds I tasted. Continue reading
A lovely little Rhone red: Domaine Corpet Louvet 2018, Séguret AOP
Drinking in Avignon, supermarket wine #5. After yesterday’s Beaumes-de-Venise, here is another lesser-known Southern Rhone appellation, Séguret. I admit I have never heard the name – but after trying this wine, it’s definitely on my list. Continue reading
Chapelle Notre Dame d’Aubune Beaumes-de-Venise 2017, Rhone Valley
Drinking in Avignon, supermarket wine #4. This is something I really miss at home, in my beloved Budapest: access to lesser known Rhone crus, like Beaumes-de-Venise. It might be just an ordinary, entry level wine for locals, but I’m excited to taste it.
A taste of cheap Chateuneuf du Pape – Domaine Lucien Barrot et Fils 2015
Drinking in Avignon, supermarket wine #3. I can’t exactly remember the price but it falls into the cheap Chateauneuf du Pape territory, which is danger zone – almost always a disappointment. When it’s not, like in this case, it’s a bad value: you better buy wines from less famous appellations, they offer more enjoyment for less money.
Good rosé does exist in the Southern Rhone – Famille Gonnet, Le vin du Pape Rose 2018
When tasting through the wines of Famille Gonnet in their pretty shop in the heart of Chateauneuf-du-Pape (the town itself), their rosé really impressed me. More so, than some of the reds… I had to buy a bottle and try it back in my apartment in Avignon. Those fun nights…
Drinking in Avignon – Domaine de Montfaucon Viognier 2018, IGP Gard, France
Spending a week in a wine region and trying local wines you don’t have access to at home is such a fun. Even if they are far from being top wines – I greatly enjoyed tasting a few from supermarkets in Avignon at the end of May.
Vineyard visit: Gereg, one of Mátra’s best spots
An abandoned vineyard or the new way of grape cultivation? It’s the latter – this is intentional. Some brave producers in the Mátra experiments with “no treat” grape growing, and this literally means nothing sprayed, and hardly any soil work, if anything at all. I was told it works somehow – no disease affected the grapes. No need to thin the crop anymore, yields go down drastically, bunches and berries become small. I have not tasted the wines made from this plot, all I can tell is that it’s a pleasure to walk into these rows. While other vineyards nearby have a typical chemical smell, here the air is filled with the smell of summer flowers.
Fine pizza in Budapest – Manu+ at Astoria
It’s not difficult to get good pizza in Budapest these days. Manu+ makes Neapolitan style pizzas, all the ingredients sourced from there. I cannot judge if it’s truly authentic, but it’s top quality, I loved it. Do not miss the place, if you are in town and looking for pizza. Here is a more detailed post about them: Budapest’s beloved Manu+ pizza place gains more space.