Category Archives: Wines & Spirits

The Good Life France Magazine – Spring 2023

The Good Life France Magazine Spring 2023 - The Good Life France

The Good Life France Magazine – Spring 2023:

This issue whisks off to the lovely Loire Valley to discover two historic royal castles – Loches and Chinon as well as – the real Sleeping Beauty castle and gorgeous Villandry which has fairy tale pretty gardens – garden envy guaranteed. Read the extraordinary story of a postman who built a palace from pebbles with his bare hands in a tiny village in the Drôme, southeastern France. Not only that – he did it at night after he finished work – by candle light!

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Follow the history of the Plantagenet English Kings through Anjou and Normandy. Fall in love with exquisite Vaucluse in Provence where nature has a party in the spring. And sigh over chocolate box lid pretty Le Perche in Normandy.

Come with us to the Roman city of Arles, Aigues Mortes – where the sea is pure pink and flamingos roam, and to sunny, festive Sète with its incredible lagoons. Discover delicious Lyon, the gastronomic capital of France, and its surroundings. Explore Brittany and Les Charentes – Charente and Charente-Maritime. Fairy tale pretty Alsace is unmissable – we look at the most picturesque villages and the historic wine route. Plus the magic of sun-kissed Provence captured in photos, will have you dreaming.

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Scotland Films: ‘The Spirit Of 1926’ – Macallan (2022)

The Macallan – Celebrating the extraordinary woman behind the most valuable bottle of spirit ever sold at auction, The Macallan has released a film biopic of former managing director, Janet Harbinson.

Paying homage to her quiet heroism, the film centres on the real-life story of Janet Harbinson, known as Nettie. Following her husband’s sudden death in 1918, Nettie assumed control of his whisky distillery and, through her sheer passion, unwavering commitment, and dedication to craftsmanship, she kept the business afloat and helped to rebuild the local area.

Without setting out to do so, she also crafted The Macallan Fine & Rare 1926, which achieved legendary status after it fetched £1.5m at Sotheby’s 2019. Several years on, it continues to be the world’s most valuable bottle of spirit ever sold at auction. Its very existence is a direct legacy of Janet Harbinson’s commitment to doing the right thing for her family, her community and The Macallan.

The beautiful wardrobe worn by the characters in the film is the work of Scottish fashion designer Christopher Kane, who created a series of 1920s outfits using historic, luxury fabrics from artisan suppliers, including hand-crafted lace and bespoke The Macallan tweed.

Art Of The Drink: History Of High-End ‘Cocktail Ice’

CBS Sunday Morning – Let’s be clear: Ice is more than just frozen cubes of water. Correspondent Serena Altschul checks out how the quality of ice is key to a cocktail.

Hundredweight Ice has been fabricating and delivering crystal-clear ice to bars and restaurants throughout New York City and beyond since 2011. It is a family owned and operated business, and proudly honors the strong pedigree of bartenders from whence it came.  Hundredweight is the first ice company of its kind, dedicated solely to supplying the finest quality of frozen water intended for use in exemplary cocktails–wherever they are sought and enjoyed.  

Previews: Food & Wine Magazine – November 2022

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FOOD & WINEInside Food&Wine Magazine November 2022 Issue:

  • On the cover this month we have Irish chef Trevor Moran who runs Locust in Nashville, which was recently named America’s best restaurant. The restaurant is unique in many ways, but mostly because it only has 36 seats, doesn’t post menus on its website, and opens for just three days a week. 
  • In spirits this month, our expert Oisin Davis chats with Remy Savage, the Franco-Irishman bringing art into cocktail bars. Savage is known for being one of the most creative and dynamic forces in the global cocktail industry and has been behind some of the most celebrated and awarded cocktail bars in the world, all of which are fueled by his intense love of philosophy and art. 
  • Korean-style fried chicken restaurant Chimac has just opened its second outlet in Terenure, Dublin and has shared delicious Sunday lunch recipes to try this month. We also have recipes from Rosheen Kaul and Joanna Hu’s cookbook Chinese-ish and Thai recipes from the new Giggling Squid cookbook. 

Views: Horses Return To Vineyards In France

Horsepower is making a comeback in vineyards across France as wine growers look for more ecological ways to operate. Not only does using horses instead of tractors help reduce CO2 emissions, the animals are also more precise and better for the soil, say converts.

Cover Preview: Decanter Magazine – June 2022 Issue

Inside the June 2022 issue of Decanter Magazine:

FEATURES

  • Finding value in Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits Charles Curtis MW
  • Spätburgunder Caro Maurer MW
  • NZ Pinot Noir: 20 premium wines Selected by Decanter’s Tina Gellie
  • Muscadet: the crus communaux Beverley Blanning MW
  • The language of tasting notes Chris Losh on the good – and bad

Travel & Culture: The Bordeaux Wine Region

The world’s finest wines, sweeping vineyards and fine food couple with a river valley dotted with castles. We sample the best Bordeaux then cruise the lovely Dordogne and Lot rivers with stops at chateaux, ancient watermills, and perched villages.

The wine regions of Bordeaux are a large number of wine growing areas, differing widely in size and sometimes overlapping, which lie within the overarching wine region of Bordeaux, centred on the city of  Bordeaux  and covering the whole area of the  Gironde  department  of  Aquitaine.

The Bordeaux region is naturally divided by the Gironde Estuary into a Left Bank area which includes the Médoc and Graves and a Right Bank area which includes the Libournais, Bourg and Blaye. The Médoc is itself divided into Haut-Médoc (the upstream or southern portion) and Bas-Médoc (the downstream or northern portion, often referred to simply as “Médoc”).

Road Trips: Mortitzburg Castle, Wine & Museums In Saxony, Eastern Germany

Tune in for our new series with reporter Hannah Hummel! In summertime she hit the German road in a special, electric car – the VW Beetle Cabrio! Hannah shows you some highlights of the eastern-German state of Saxony: Moritzburg Castle, a vineyard on the banks of the Elbe river, and the Karl May Museum in the town of Radebeul. The German author liked to imagine tales of the old Wild West, and is one of the most-read writers in the world. Take a romantic trip with Hannah through one of Germany‘s most idyllic regions.

Travel & Culture: The Secrets Of Tuscany, Italy

The first episode of Dream of Italy starts in the heart of Tuscany – Chianti – with a visit to Castello di Ama to learn how true Chianti Classico wine is produced and see the modern art that makes up the estate. The area is also famous for olive oil and we visit Pornanino to take part in the olive harvest. Nearby, host Kathy McCabe meets the very special cashmere goats that Nora Kravis raises at Chianti Cashmere Farm. Then it is off to Panzano for a wild boar hunt with the La Squadra Chiantigiana and a visit with philosophical butcher Dario Cecchini. At Busatti in Anghiari, we watch 100-year-old looms craft fine fabrics. The episode ends on the captivating coast of Tuscany in Maremma with a stunning ride with the butteri (cowboys).

Infographic: America’s Top Drinks & Beverages