French pleasure in a glass

The south of France offers some of the world’s most resplendent colors, aromas and tastes. Lush fields of lavender, wild herbs and flowers cover the rolling hills. Perhaps most amazing is that you can also experience many of these sensations in a glass. Just buy a glass or bottle of rose from one of the wine regions in the south of France.

The French style of rose is more subtle than most new world versions. The color is usually lighter and the aromas less overtly fruity and more floral and there’s always a pleasingly fresh acidity. These qualities make rose wines from the south of France the perfect foils for the heat of summer. Read more

味蕾漫遊蘇格蘭

蘇格蘭威士忌是人類在飲品上最重大的成就之一。蘇格蘭威士忌相較於葡萄酒，儘管釀酒歷史較短，釀酒地區也不夠廣，然而它的由來卻同樣地扣人心弦。依我看來，風格特殊且多樣的單一麥芽威士忌堪稱威士忌的頂級之作。蘇格蘭的城鎮、島嶼、山谷以及其歷史、氣候條件賦予當地威士忌萬種風情，也美化並豐富你多采多姿的人生。請試著想像一個有著不同世代、不同人格的奇異大家族，每個成員之間都如此與眾不同，卻全部傳承自同一血脈。依然運作中的蒸餾廠有許多值得驕傲之處，但是每間蒸餾廠都有某種特質，能使它脫穎而出成為你的最愛。在單一麥芽威士忌這個多樣的家族中，以下是我最喜愛、有點特立獨行卻也出類拔萃的四名「親屬」。  Read more

Rioja reds delightful with lamb

In the world of wine and food, Spain has so much to offer. The world’s best ham, Iberico, most popular bubbles, Cava, delectable tapas and the unique experience of Sherry are all quintessential Spanish delicacies. I could go on and on about the gourmet treasures of Spain but in this week’s column I’ll focus on two of my favorites, Rioja red wine and lamb. Fantastic by themselves, when enjoyed together they create a deliciously synergistic experience that’s hard to match anywhere. Read more