The flavor of spiced pear in wine of French Polynesia

Described by Courvoisier as ‘daring’, ‘visionary’ and ‘a first-of-its-kind collaboration’, Courvoisier Mizunara was created by the house’s recently-retired maître de chai, Patrice Pinet, and Shinji Fukuyo, chief blender of Japanese whisky maker Suntory. The project dates back to 2015, when the president of Suntory visited Courvoisier at Jarnac shortly after Suntory took over Beam Global, the Cognac house’s then owner, in a deal worth US$16bn. Pinet expressed an interest in experimenting with miz ...

Not so long ago, most Hermitage was a blend of different vineyards from across the hill. However, since the 1990s we’ve seen an increasing range of single-vineyard wines being made. Getting a handle on the most important sites will help guide you to a style you enjoy, and even if you prefer blended wines, becoming familiar with the individual Hermitage lieux-dits will enrich your drinking experience. Scroll down to see Matt Walls’ tasting notes and scores for seven wines from Hermitage lie ...

Guests at the state dinner hosted by US president Joe Biden for his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Thursday (1 December) were set to enjoy Roederer Estate Brut Rosé sparkling wine, according to menu details reported by Reuters and other US media. While all three wines on the menu have deep roots in California, there were several nods to France. Roederer Estate was founded in Anderson Valley in 1982 by the Rouzaud family of Champagne Louis Roederer, for instance. The two other California w ...