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Dining at La Ferme de la Ruchotte offers an experience unlike anything else you can encounter in France. Veteran chef, farmer and breeder, Frédéric Ménager, serves as the impresario who does things his own unique way on his organic farm. It is just a short seven mile trip from Bourgogne’s wine capital of Beaune. After […]

This past Spring, on a crisp, uplifting morning in Bourgogne, the glaring sun climbs high in a blue, blue sky as silence prevails in the empty public parking lot in the center of Givry. That’s Givry—not the famed village of Gevrey-Chambertin, a tourist attraction located further north in Bourgogne’s famous Côte D’Or subregion.  Givry lies

On a warm and humid summer evening, there’s nothing quite as refreshing as an icy cold gin and tonic. The cocktail first gained wide popularity during the British Raj in India’s hot, humid climates where mosquitoes spread malaria in tropical environments. Drinking gin and tonics offered a delicious way to consume a daily dose of

Toujours, Paris…. Always Paris. For those who have visited Paris, returning provides another opportunity to see old friends, enjoy familiar restaurants and drink at favorite wine bars. But whether it’s a return trip or a first-time visit, the famed “City of Light” always offers chances to experience new discoveries in food, wine and culture around

Like most Americans, vermouth has never been a big favorite for me. Sure, it’s an essential ingredient in a classic Negroni cocktail. But drink it straight up? No, thanks. Typically, it is either too sweet or too bitter or both at the same time. Part of the great fun with wine, however, is making discoveries

Alto Adige/Südtirol is Italy’s northernmost and smallest wine producing region accounting for less than 1% of Italy’s vast winegrowing areas. Yet despite being a dot on the map nestled in the mountains, Alto Adige/Südtirol is a giant in the wine world. In recent decades, consumer demand worldwide has steadily grown for Alto Adige/Südtirol’s wines,  which

Mention John Wabeck’s name to restaurant professionals working in Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C. and beyond, and they inevitably note two points. First, his extensive wine knowledge and experience are second to none. But he’s also an esteemed mentor known for his dry, self-deprecating humor while taking time to coach, share knowledge, motivate and advise other professionals

The saga of Cantina di Tortona in northwestern Italy’s Piemonte region is a story of tenacity and economic survival, both for winegrowers and a unique grape. Winegrowers collectively own the Cantina di Tortona as a cooperative. The unique grape is Timorasso. In 1931, the farmers and winegrowers of the Tortona hills in southeastern Piemonte faced

Pittsburgh wine enthusiasts finally have the kind of authentic wine bar they have long craved. Since late October 2024, when veteran restaurant professionals and wine sommeliers Tyler Borne (pictured above on the left) and Aaron Gottesman (pictured above on the right) launched Solera Wine Co. in Lawrenceville, the positive response and buzz has continued to