Golden in color with very fine bubbles. Grapefruit, Meyer lemon and a white nectarine on the nose. Delicate yet vibrant wine with flavors of ripe Meyer lemon, kumquat and tarte tatin. Some vanilla notes in the long finish. Pair with lobster thermidor. WHO: Ayala WHAT: Champagne WHERE: Ay, Champagne, France
Lovely salmon color and fine mousse. Strawberries and ripe raspberries and some brioche on the nose. Crisp with great weight. Flavors of ripe red fruit (strawberries, raspberries) and warm brioche, great minerality in the finish leave the palate very clean. Pair with fresh salmon. WHO: Ayala WHAT: Champagne WHERE: Ay,
Light yellow in color. Meyer lemon and apply nose; elegant champagne, with flavors of quince, red apple and Meyer lemon. A little brioche and great mineral notes in the longish finish. Drink as an aperitif or pair with grilled scallops. WHO: Ayala WHAT: Champagne WHERE: Ay, Champagne, France WHEN: NV
South of downtown Seattle, Washington in the warehouse district, you'll find a new kind of wine bar ... one that literally brings the wineries to you. URBAN enoteca, just celebrating its first anniversary in December, is a 22,000-square-foot "full Washington wine experience and entertainment destination" that features six different boutique
A champagne-style sparkling wine, made in the traditional method in the Cava region of Spain. When first poured, amidst some caramel-toffee there’s a faint pear note in the aroma. Pear flavors deepen on the palate while the wine is very cold, with a mild, round, fruitiness. There’s little apparent acidity
Exorbitant and record-breaking prices seem to define the world of wine auctions these days. While traditional names like London and New York featured prominently in such affairs in the past, Asia’s splurging has been gaining more and more attention. Amongst all this, the charitable auction of Hospices de Beaune presents
Editors' note: To close 2011, Palate Press: The online wine magazine will be featuring some of our top stories from the past year. Our final piece comes from one of our newest contributos, Prateek Arora, who brought us details from India's seemingly obscure, but fast growing, world of wine business.
Franciacorta has the most demanding standards for any sparkling wine region in the world. They're a substitute for tradition, because the Italian region has been in the bubbles business for only 50 years, which is nothing in Europe. As everybody is thinking about bubbly this week, I decided to take