Ah, Bollinger … Established in 1829 in Ay, France, it’s almost impossible to know the magic of this incredible Champagne house until one has experienced a tour led by M. A few minutes later, we see some more experimental vines including Savignan, the grape from the Jura area, and Gamay. Outside Bollinger, we were met by M. dennis m.

As a student in various wine educational programs, yes, I have – and when faced with several wines fitting this description, it can often be choosing between Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Cabernet Franc (assuming it is traditional old world varieties). would not know if they were Gamay, Pinot Noir, or Cabernet Franc.

It is a beautiful area of France and the wines have this wonderful, laid-back character that perfectly matches the bucolic settings and the people that live there. We’re back with Part Deux of our interview with John Gilman, author of the newsletter A View from the Cellar ( part one is here ). German Riesling. just don’t get it.

Anyway, here are a few interesting wines from the past month or so that did not get their own post: BrooklynLady and I learned our lesson, and went to dinner last weekend on our date (no more cooking classes for now). went with a Gamay from the Loire Valley, a glass of 2006 O. We went to Rosewater , a neighborhood favorite. Beaujolais.

One thing I should mention - I did not include red grapes other than Cabernet Franc - no Pinot Noir from Menetou Salon or Sancerre, no Gamay from Anjou.I Not as big as Vouvray, but probably more consistent, with several world class producers. Amazing value in young drinking Cabernet Franc. That's pretty intense. Enjoy

They use Malbec, Gamay, and even Cabernet Sauvignon in Muscadet, Anjou, and Saumur. But the dominant red grape in the Loire Valley, the grape that is used to craft the finest of its red wines is Cabernet Franc, known there as Breton. There are many appellations in the Loire Valley and several grapes are used to make red wine.