Worse fates there have been!
As an ominous easterly wind howled across the Atlantic ocean two intrepid ship captains in the service of the illustrious Portuguese explorer Henrique o Navigador, vessels battered by the unforgiving waters of the open sea, were blown off course making landfall on a small island that they would christen Porto Santo. The following year, in […]
Each time I have crossed the majestic Loire river in north-central France I have been silenced by its magnitude and power. Gushing from the earth at the base of the 5,000 ft. peak, the Mont Gerbier du Jonc in the southeastern departement of the Ardeche, the last major wild river in Europe that defines the […]
Slave to the grape – worse fates there have been! Paris, the city of lights, seduction, mirth and madness – just when you think you’ve understood her sultry pout she changes visages and saunters off, cloaked in the balmy summer night’s air, turning for one, final, lusty stare that drives you mad! The year is […]
For many Americans, Normandy elicits memories of both pain and pride. Vast swaths of deserted beaches with names like Omaha, Juno and Sword resonate with a special historic and emotional intensity. On a pivotal day in June 1944 while French resistance cells sabotaged Nazi supply routes and troop movements (enduring summary executions and torture), their Anglo-American […]
On the northwestern rim of the Mediterranean Sea lies the beating heart of all things Catalan – the ancient port city of Barcelona. For centuries this powerhouse of maritime commerce has bustled with a vibrant mix of cultures from southern Europe to the Middle East to Africa and beyond. And, if you have ever had […]
Tucked away in the southwest corner of France 250 kilometers north of the Spanish border and with the great and historic wine-trading port of Bordeaux to the west is the stunning city of Albi (recently added to the UNESCO register of world heritage sites), the cradle of the heretical Cathars and one of the oldest wine-producing […]
I recently attended Sonoma in the City, the largest gathering of Sonoma wineries ever assembled under one roof (outside of Sonoma itself). With 100+ domains representing all 13 of the county’s AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) the range of styles, blends and winemaking philosophies was vast – not that this was unexpected but when you fill the ornate, Grand ballroom […]
Sometimes the most amazing pearls of innocent reflection are offered up by the least-jaded to walk among us – the children! Often their curiosity is prefaced by nothing more than, “hey, you know what?” or, “did you ever wonder if ..?” My 11-year old son recently advanced a wonderfully-simple and deeply thought-provoking query of his […]
Dusting off the propane lamps and heading for the great outdoors is a time-honored ritual of summer for many Americans. The draw of our cherished state and national parks is primal and the camping tradition touches us in a visceral way. Pitch a tent, stoke a roaring fire and you’re reminded of how critical it is […]
As a matter of state, it is an undisputed fact that King Juan Carlos 1st (baptized Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Siciliasis) is the crowned head of Spain. As a matter of the vine, the undisputed king of Spain is Garnacha! Spreading far and wide across the Iberian peninsula and pushing […]
Hubert Keller, a native of France's breathtaking, eastern-Alsace region, caught the attention of some of the country's finest chefs at just sixteen. Towering, innovative culinary artisans like Paul Haeberlin, Gaston Lenôtre, Paul Bocuse and Roger Vergé recognized his promise early on, training him in their kitchens and nurturing his talent. When chef Keller and wife Chantal moved to San Francisco … [Read More...]
Slave To The Grape 