Tag Archives: french wine

Good Stuff #86



Good stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip, savour and more – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. Continue reading

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Win a Three-Bottle BAFTA Bundle from Champagne Taittinger and Villa Maria Wines



How would you like to drink and celebrate in the same way as your favourite stars of film and TV? Here’s a chance to win a BAFTA bundle of wine, including a special BAFTA-labelled bottle of Champagne Taittinger Brut Réserve NV, a bottle of Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Grigio and a bottle of Villa Maria Private Bin Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon. 

 Continue reading

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Good Stuff #83

Good stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip, savour and more – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. Continue reading

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Covent Garden Smells of Roses

London’s Covent Garden is synonymous with many things. The traffic-free piazza, luxury boutiques, restaurants and bars are amongst those which make it a must see for anyone visiting town. There’s always a good reason to go but here’s one more. Fleurs de Ville’s  floral-dressed mannequin installations are now on display in Covent Garden’s Central Avenue. They will remain there as part of Frieze Festival until Sunday 7th October. Continue reading

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Dinner at Benares with Les Vignobles Foncalieu

An invitation to indulge in an intriguing assortment of Les Vignobles Foncalieu wines at one of London’s haut-est Indian restaurants turned out to be a memorably delicious dining (and drinking) experience. Continue reading

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Summer Food and Wine Q&A | #AskBordeauxWines

Save the date! From 1 to 3pm on Monday 12 June, I’ll be on Twitter engaging in an afternoon Q&A about summer food and wine pairings with the folks from Bordeaux Wines UK. Continue reading

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Win a Three Month Wine Subscription from Le Petit Ballon

Le Petit Ballon, the top wine subscription service in France, is now in the UK. Ready to find the wine you love? I’ve teamed up with Le Petit Ballon to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a three-month subscription (two bottles per month and more). Continue reading

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Two Champagnes, One Chef | GH Mumm | Perrier-Jouët

Invited by two Champagne houses – GH Mumm and Perrier-Jouët – for an overnight visit to the Champagne region for a meet with their Chefs de Caves (Didier Mariotti of Mumm and Hervé Deschamps of Perrier-Jouët), I enjoyed a behind the peek of what goes into blending two of the world’s most celebrated quaffs and how distinctive each is. A bubbly affair to be sure, the occasion served as an excellent opportunity to discover how these wines differ, while enjoying two showcase dining experiences (one for each wine) crafted by in-house chef for both Mumm and Perrier-Jouët – Josephine Jonot. Continue reading

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Good Stuff #47

Good stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip or savour – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. Tacopedia: The Taco Encyclopedia Published … Continue reading

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Afternoon Tea with a Difference with Bird of Smithfield and Veuve Clicquot

In celebration of Afternoon Tea Week – Monday the 10th to Saturday the 15th of August – Bird will be offering guests sandwiches with a twist, classic scones and yummy cakes – all served alongside “The Earl of Veuve” cocktails (Veuve Clicquot Rich infused with delicate Earl Grey leaves). Continue reading

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Review of Moët Academy

Last week Maddie Salters embarked upon an adventure in London’s Southbank that would take her into the heart of France’s Champagne region. Celebrated brand Moët & Chandon re-created the vineyards and wine cellars of its lush estate at OXO along the … Continue reading

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Moët & Chandon: The Champagne Region Comes to Londontown

Moët & Chandon is perhaps the most recognisable name in Champagne. Its impressive estate, nestled into the heart of the Champagne Region of France, produces full-bodied sips, often with bold fruity notes and a gentle finish. As of 13 April, Moët & Chandon will bring the magic of its Épernay vineyards to Southbank in London, to delight the palates and imaginations of visitors. Continue reading

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Copas Turkeys and the Art of Christmas

I’ve been a fan of Copas Turkeys for a few years. So when an invitation from the family run farm landed in my inbox to attend “The Art of Christmas” masterclass on preparing and presenting their delicious free range, plucked by hand and game hung turkeys, I RSVPed ASAP. Continue reading

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Limited Edition Truffle Lusciousness at Coq d’Argent, EC2

An invitation to try a seasonal truffle menu led to me discovering what a crème brûlée is really supposed to taste like and where for an impeccable wine and dine in the City. Continue reading

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Wine of the Month by @willbedwards: Le Petit Roy 12eme année, Domaine Jean Royer

Here’s a new wine review from tikichris contributor Will Edwards, a “wine and food enthusiast who has fled the idyllic hills of Devon for the golden streets of London. A “relative newbie” to the world of wine, Will works in the Chelsea shop of independent wine merchants Lea & Sandeman where he loves “to hear what our customers are enjoying to drink”. These days – and just in time for nippy autumn – a good many of these Chelsea shoppers seem keen on Le Petit Roy 12eme année, Domaine Jean Royer. Continue reading

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Wine of the Month: Apres Le Pluie, Rosé, 2013 Domaine Jones, Languedoc

Okay, so it’s been a few months since my last WOTM write up. What can I say? I’ve been busy. Too busy to drink good wine? Of course not – just too slammed working on other stuff to blog about any of the commendable wines I’ve been sipping. Sorry. Anyway, I have a bit time on my hands today as well as a glass of a rather delicious quaff actually in hand. So, without further ado, here’s my Wine of the Season review of the very enjoyable Apres Le Pluie, Rosé, 2013 Domaine Jones, Languedoc, France. Continue reading

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The Bristol Hotel (CDCLifestyle)

Right on the harbour and just a block over from picturesque Queen Square, The Bristol is an ideally situated hotel whatever might bring you to the vibrant and compact city of Bristol. I certainly didn’t have any problems getting around the city centre on foot while keeping this comfortable hotel as my base during a recent visit. Continue reading

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Bubbles, Berries and More – a Brilliant Time in Bristol

Some work-related reasons led me to Bristol for an overnight stay. Kemey was able to join me for the trip, and we found plenty of pleasure to go along with the business during our short time in this small but vibrant town. Maybe it was the gorgeous sunshiny weather? we really didn’t do all that much while there but had an absolute blast. Here are some of the highlights from a chilled out 24 hours in Bristol. Continue reading

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Wine of the Month: Sophie’s Reserve Rouge 2011 – House Red at Sophie’s Steakhouse

One aspect to my lunch at Sophie’s still stands out as exceptional: the house red. Sophie’s Reserve Rouge 2011, IGP d’Oc is a great wine. At £4.75 for a 175ml glass and £16.95 for a bottle it’s great value too. A blend of Syrah and Grenache created by the restaurant’s “own team”, I liked it from the first sip and thought is was an especially smart and easy drinker to go with red meat. Good ‘n’ juicy with a medium body, it’d be a nice one to drink on its own if slipping into Sophie’s for an evening at the comfortable (and I hearing ridiculously popular) bar. Continue reading

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Wine of the Month: Bouchard Aîné & Fils, Crémant de Bourgogne, Brut, 2007

Oh sure, Champagne gets all the credit this festive time of year. But before you pop open another bottle of tried and true champers, consider some of your other fizzy options. Bouchard Aîné & Fils Brut 2007 is December’s Wine … Continue reading

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Edwin’s French Wine Bar Brings Great Gallic Food and Drink to East London (CheapOair)

There’s a new wine bar just opened in East London’s super hip Shoreditch. It’s a good one too, offering up a smartly curated list of French wines and a tasty menu of Lyonnaise dishes. Read my complete post at the CheapOair blog.

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Wine of the Month: Cave du Château de Chénas, Moulin à Vent 2010

I grabbed a bottle of this Cru du Beaujolais after a bout of consternation and staring blankly at a wall o’ wine at Waitrose. I was trying to find something that would go well with turkey; yep, this was the … Continue reading

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Edwin’s French Wine Bar (Blue Tomato)

Owner-manager Edwin Chan thinks he’s come up with a winning concept for a fine yet casual wine-n-dine experience for Londoners. And he reckons he’s got the right connections across la Manche too, priding himself on being able to offer high … Continue reading

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Edwin’s French Wine Bar Brings Lyonnaise Yum to Shoreditch

Alright Shoreditchers, have you tried your new local wine bar yet? It’s a good one, offering up a smartly curated list of French wines and a tasty menu of Lyonnaise dishes. Owner-manager Edwin Chan thinks he’s come up with a … Continue reading

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Wine of the Month: Beaumont des Crayères Grande Réserve Brut NV 

Yeah, crappy photo I know. But when I sat down to write my latest WOTM review, I realized the quaff pictured above was a way more interesting wine than the one I had slated to review and had taken nice pictures … Continue reading

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Wine of the Month: Bouchard Aine & Fils, Beaune, Clos du Roi, Cuvee Signature 2009

Wow. Earthy onion soup bouquet (like you wish your mom used to make for you). Cherry and black currant depth on the tongue, followed by a rich licorice aftertaste. Bouchard Aine & Fils, Beaune, Clos du Roi, Cuvee Signature 2009 … Continue reading

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Wine of the Month: 2006 Domaine Nathalie & Gilles Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses

This month’s WOTM features another fantastic bottle picked up last month in Burgundy. As made deliciously clear during my trip, what makes Bourgogne wine so damn fine is the terroir. And Domaine Nathalie & Gilles Fèvre’s range of Grand Cru … Continue reading

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Best of Burgundy (CheapOair)

Burgundy is a foodie heaven, a wine lover’s paradise and an ideal setting for that French countryside vacation you’ve been dreaming about. Best of Burgundy CheapOair,  14 June 2012

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Where to Eat in Beaune, Capital of Burgundy Wine (OneTravel)

… Burgundy’s delectable regional specialties epitomize what’s great about French cuisine … and demand equally delicious wine. Here’s (a hardly exhaustive) list of some of Beaune’s best places to wine and dine in style … Where to Eat in Beaune, Capital of Burgundy … Continue reading

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The Lucky Duck Does Burgundy (Great British Chefs)

Writing about the yummy things in life, I get a lot of ‘lucky Chris’ this and ‘lucky Chris that’. Maybe. But to quote Ernest Hemingway (somebody who lived a much more interesting life than I probably ever will), ‘You make … Continue reading

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Wine Tasting in Burgundy: Day Four

I spent most of last week as a guest of the Burgundy Wine Board visiting vineyards and wine makers in the region, dining at some of the area’s best restaurants and generally having a fantastic time learning about all things … Continue reading

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Wine Tasting in Burgundy: Day Three

I spent most of last week as a guest of the Burgundy Wine Board visiting vineyards and wine makers in the region, dining at some of the area’s best restaurants and generally having a fantastic time learning about all things … Continue reading

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Wine Tasting in Burgundy: Day Two

I spent most of last week as a guest of the Burgundy Wine Board visiting vineyards and wine makers in the region, dining at some of the area’s best restaurants and generally having a fantastic time learning about all things … Continue reading

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Wine Tasting in Burgundy: Day One

I spent most of last week as a guest of the Burgundy Wine Board visiting vineyards and wine makers in the region, dining at some of the area’s best restaurants and generally having a fantastic time learning about all things … Continue reading

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Wine of the Month: 2010 Sancerre Blanc, André Dezat

Forgive that off colour staining on the label in the above pic, but I was cooking while quaffing and thoroughly enjoying both when a bit of sauce splashed out onto the bottle of this 2010 Sancerre blanc … this crisp, … Continue reading

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