Checkout Tuscanvines.blogspot

Reading tasting reports on Chianti Classico 2009, like:

and Brunello 2008, for example this one:

Food pairing with PorkTenderloins. Wow!

Or with "Pork Roast wrapped in pancetta with mushrooms".

Now this is what you pair a great Brunello with :)

Great Blog articles, we are tempted to taste a lot of those wines ourselves soon.
A highly recommended blog.
More on http://tuscanvines.blogspot.fr/

Looking forward to touring in Tuscany in April.

Looking forward to touring Tuscany in April. Join us and also book a private tour!

Facebook: Brunello - JoliSoleil Italian Wine Tours ‪

#‎jolisoleil‬ ‪#‎chianticlassico‬

Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss - Open House 29-30 March 2014 10:00 am to 7:00 pm

The Domain
Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss is one of the wonderful Alsatian wine makers who has the bragging rights of fine wines made with a true passion for the vine and a family history of wine making going back to the year 1650.

Passing this tradition down for so many generations is something most people can only dream of. In the Alsace region it is a wonderful right of passage for the child to take the craft of his or her parent as his or her own many generations continuing on.

Since 1971
Marc Kreydenweiss took over operations of his vineyard from his father in 1971 at the age of 23. He and his family live in the same house that the generations before him have lived in, and he is passing on his passion to his growing family as it was passed on to him, at his estate in Andlau.

He is a passionate winemaker who believes his wines should bear a signature, are greatly influenced by the terroir, and should extend to the senses beyond those of smell and taste thus painting a picture in the mind.

The Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss nurtures the land of Alsace and the Rhone Valley. Since 1990 Marc has turned all of his production into bio-dynamic farming.

Bio-dynamic farming
Bio-dynamic farming is not well understood to outsiders, it is not merely the avoidance of pesticides and the avoidance of chemical fertilizers, and avoidance of chemicals added during processing. Bio-dynamic farming also includes tapping into the natural batteries of the earth, a process of working with telluric energy of the earth and the cycles of the moon, sun, starts and planets.

Based on the teachings of Rudolph Steiner (1861-1925) bio-dynamics incorporates the spiritual world with the physical world, and is considered to be a holistic approach to agriculture and other disciplines.

The Alsace wine region in total was the first wine region to adopt bio-dynamics into wine making. It has as a whole been a leader in this discipline, and the earliest of adopters. Today world wide there are over 450 bio-dynamic wine makers, with none more zealous than those of Alsace.


Production in Alsace
Currently farming about 12 hectares of land, 80% of their production is exported, the largest market of export being the USA 

Alsace:
Kastelberg Grand Cru "Le Chateau",
Wiebelsberg Grand Cru "La Dame",
Moenchberg Grand Cru "Le Moine",
Clos Rebberg "Aux vignes",
Clos du Val d 'Eleon "Lame de la terre",
Kritt 'Les Alouettes",
Clos Rebgarten "Le Jardin des vignes",
Andlau "Au dessus de la loi",
La Fontaine aux enfants.

The grapes are hand picked, crushed, then fermented with natural yeast in Vosges grown oak barrels, bottled and topped with a natural cork. Production is around 70,000 bottles per year.

We will be attending the Domaine Marc Krydenweiss Open House, with two guest from the U.S. and will have a follow up tasting report soon afterwards.

Kasteelwijnen

Book a room via Kasteelwijnen and book us for a tour or wine tasting!

Jean Baptiste Adam celebrates 400 years of wine making coming May 24 - 2014

It is a special privilege to be able to say your family has been in business for 400 years! Jean Baptiste Adam has this privilege, and will be celebrating this on 24 May 2014 with an open house wine tasting.

Established in 1614 Jean Baptiste Adam has been producing fine wines in Alsace for fourteen continuous generations. Each generation passes down the knowledge and skill of their fine craft to the next, and each new generation improves upon this.

A visit to Jean Baptiste Adam is a wonderful experience. Located in the Alsatian village of Ammerschwihr, as your first enter the building you are greeted by their family tree, tracing the generations of the Adam family from 1614 to the present day. Directly in front of the family tree is a show case of documents surviving two world wars.

Before tasting the wines we will tour the cave. Beautifully hand carved wine barrels line an underground wine cave. Dating back to the 1800's they are large barrels of elegantly aged wood that are still being used today to create the wines we will enjoy.

The old wine press appears to be made only of wood. The heavy wooden grape collecting at harvest time, are made of wood and leather. There are large wooden barrels and a carriage used to carry grapes in for pressing.

There are ceramic vats used for making the wines, and temperature control devices that can measure the temperature of the wine, and add a bit of warmth if needed.

The original sign of J.B. Adam

Carved out of wood and painted to perfection is a beautiful bust of an Alsatian women in full dress; this is the most elegantly decorated wine press screw I have seen anywhere. Every time we visit J.B. Adam, I always pause to look at her again.

The wines are exceptional. Tasting is always a treat. Starting with a Sylvaner we work our way through several samples. Sylvaner, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir.

A specialty ot the village Ammerschwihr is the Grand Cru Kaefferkopf, a blend of Gewurztraminer and Riesling. A lovely combination in which the Riesling adds a touch of life and freshness to the fruity Traminer taste.

Click here to be taken to J.B. Adam's wine list. 

JB Adam produces three styles of Pinot Noir:

• Alsatian style (vinified as a white wine), 
• Pinot Noir "Les Natures", (biological wine)
• and Pinot Noir  "eleve en fut de chene" (Burgundy style)

I love the toasty slightly burnt taste of the oak aged Pinot Noir. The 2009 was a superb year, 2012 was great too and almost sold out.

One wonderful expression of French wines are the purity of the wines. Jean Baptist Adam is progressive in moving further into what is known as organic wines, agriculture biological, also known as "Les Natures". These wines are produced without pesticides or chemicals and earn a special labeling. They are pure, flavorful and healthy.  

Schedule a tour with us from JoliSoleil and share with us some magical moments! We host small groups of two to twenty plus!

Learn the history, experience the wines, make memories that will last a lifetime.
Cheers!
#jolisoleil
          

A wine tasting or tour gift certificate, a great present!

How about a JoliSoleil wine tour/tasting gift certificate?

We will print or write the personnel options of your offered tour or tasting on the back side!

A JoliSoleil wine tasting or tour gift certificate is highly appreciated: a great present! Mail us for more information.

#jolisoleil

Our evening at the Cave Historique des Hospices in Strasbourg

The best Tuscan wines for 2014 according to Gambero Rosso Magazine

Gambero Rosso is a gastronomic magazine that selects every year the best wines of Italy that are classified with ” 3 Bicchieri (glasses) ” 
from each region of Italy.

For Tuscany they were:

       Biserno ’10 Tenuta di Biserno

       Bolgheri Rosso Sup. Grattamacco ’10 Podere Grattamacco
       Bolgheri Sassicaia ’10 Tenuta San Guido       
       Bolgheri Sup. Argentiera ’10 Tenuta Argentiera       
       Bolgheri Sup. Campo al Fico ’10 I Luoghi       
       Bolgheri Sup. Castello di Bolgheri ’10 Castello di Bolgheri       
       Bolgheri Sup. Ornellaia ’10 Tenuta dell’ Ornellaia       
       Bolgheri Sup. Sapaio ’10 Podere Sapaio

       olgheri Sup. Sondraia ’10 Poggio al Tesoro
 
       Brunello di Montalcino ’08 Tenuta Le Potazzine
       Brunello di Montalcino ’08 Uccelliera
       Brunello di Montalcino Bramante Ris. ’07 Podere San Lorenzo
       Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto ’07 Casanova di Neri
       Brunello di Montalcino Fornace ’08 Le Ragnaie

Baffo Nero ’11 Rocca di Frassinello       Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie ’08 Il Marroneto
       Brunello di Montalcino Phenomena Ris. ’07 Sesti – Castello di Argiano
       Brunello di Montalcino Poggio al Vento Ris. ’06 Tenuta Col d’Orcia
       Brunello di Montalcino PS Ris. ’07 Siro Pacenti
       Brunello di Montalcino Ris. ’07 Biondi Santi – Tenuta Il Greppo
       Brunello di Montalcino Ris. ’07 Canalicchio di Sopra
       Brunello di Montalcino Ris. ’07 Le Chiuse
       Brunello di Montalcino Ris. ’07 Poggio di Sotto
       Brunello di Montalcino Schiena d’Asino ’08 Mastrojanni
       Brunello di Montalcino V. delle Raunate ’08 Mocali
 
       Caberlot ’10 Podere Il Carnasciale
 
       Chianti Cl. ’11 Borgo Salcetino
       Chianti Cl. ’09 Castell’in Villa
       Chianti Cl. ’11 Castello di Monsanto
       Chianti Cl. ’10 Fontodi
       Chianti Cl. ’10 Val delle Corti
       Chianti Cl. Baron’Ugo Ris. ’09 Monteraponi
       Chianti Cl. Bugialla Ris. ’09 Poggerino
       Chianti Cl. Colledilà ’10 Barone Ricasoli
       Chianti Cl. Fizzano Ris. ’10 Rocca delle Macìe
       Chianti Cl. Fontalpino ’11 Fattoria Carpineta Fontalpino
       Chianti Cl. Le Corti ’10 Fattoria Le Corti
       Chianti Cl. Ris. ’09 Badia a Coltibuono
       Chianti Cl. Ris. ’10 Brancaia
       Chianti Cl. Ris.’09 Castello d’Albola
       Chianti Cl. Ris. ’10 Castello di Volpaia
       Chianti Cl. Ris. ’10 Le Miccine
       Chianti Cl. Vign. di Campolungo Ris. ’09 Lamole di Lamole
 
       Coevo ’10 Famiglia Cecchi
 
       Colline Lucchesi Tenuta di Valgiano ’10 Tenuta di Valgiano
 
       Cortona Syrah ’10 Stefano Amerighi
       Cortona Syrah Il Castagno ’10 Dionisio
 
       Dofana ’10 Carpineta Fontalpino
 
       Fontalloro ’10 Fattoria di Felsina
 
       I Sodi di S. Niccolò ’09 Castellare di Castellina
 
       Le Pergole Torte ’10 Montevertine
 
       Montecucco Sangiovese Lombrone Ris. ’09 Colle Massari
       Montecucco Sangiovese ’10 Montesalario
 
       Morellino di Scansano Calestaia Ris. ’09 Roccapesta
       Morellino di Scansano Madrechiesa Ris. ’10 Terenzi
 
       Nobile di Montepulciano ’10 Conventino
       Nobile di Montepulciano ’10 Fattoria del Cerro
       Nobile di Montepulciano ’10 Salcheto
       Nobile di Montepulciano Nocio dei Boscarelli ’09 Boscarelli
 
       Oreno ’10 Tenuta Sette Ponti
 
       Orma ’10 Podere Orma
 
       Paleo Rosso ’10 Le Macchiole
 
       Poggio dei Colli ’11 Piaggia
       Poggiassai ’10 Poggio Bonelli
       Poggio ai Chiari ’06 Colle Santa Mustiola
 
       Rocca di Frassinello ’11 Rocca di Frassinello
 
       Siepi ’10 Castello di Fonterutoli
 
       Suisassi ’10 Due Mani
 
       Torrione ’11 Fattoria Petrolo
 
       Veneroso ’10 Tenuta di Ghizzano
 
       Vernaccia di S. Gimignano Campo della Pieve ’11 Il Col di Santa Chiara
       Vernaccia di S. Gimignano Ris. ’10 Fontaleoni
 
       Vigorello ’10 San Felic

Of course we visit many of these wineries and taste many of these wines during our wine tours.
#jolisoleil

Brunello di Montalcino into a series of sub-zones?

A small but growing minority of Brunello di Montalcino producers plan to propose that Montalcino’s governing consorzio takes advantage of government funding to map the wine region’s sub-zones.

Proponents argue that zoning would highlight subtle stylistic differences in the wines and could define around twenty micro-terroirs within Montalcino. Currently, Montalcino’s single vineyard wines, labelled ‘Vigna’, are officially mapped but its various sub-zones are not.

Zoning could also lead to better maps for tourists, who often get lost when visiting the area. Authorities have removed all winery signposts from road junctions in Italy’s Siena province, because of accidents caused by drivers slowing down to read them.

Source: Decanter , read more here

Wine tour March 1st - visiting Hugel.

Wine tour March 1-st. Tasting several Sylvaners, Pinot Noirs and Gewurztraminers.
At Hugel in Riquewihr..

Chianti Gran Selezione - new benchmark label for DOCG’s premium wines

Chianti Classico is the first appellation in Italian viticultural history to apply a new quality tier to it’s wine. As of now, the term ‘Gran Selezione’, which slides in above ‘Riserva’ will be the benchmark label for the DOCG’s premium wines.

The term Gran Selezione will only cover around 10% of the appellation’s wines.
Read more here.