Book Launch Dinner!
For The Winemakers' Cooking Companion cookbook
When: Wednesday, September 16th, 7:00 p.m., 2026.
Where: Cantine du Curé, Caunes Minervois, Languedoc, France.
What: Amuse-bouche and three courses, prepared by the Cantine du Curé team, as well as by Marcel and Petra van Baalen—owners of L'Atelier Restaurant in Caunes, and by Lucas Moline and Marie Mauger—owners of Le Cédrat Restaurant in Caunes.
Also four wines, from Domaine Benjamin Taillandier of Caunes, as well as from Jean-Baptiste and Charlotte Sénat of Domaine Jean-Baptise Sénat, from Trausse-Minervois.
What Else: Brief talks by the cooks, winemakers and myself about the magic and importance of combining food, wine and companionship. Also, you can buy a copy of The Winemakers' Cooking Companion at a discounted price at the event.
Cost: €50.00. A deal!
Booking: Message myself or contact Marcel van Balen from L'Atelier or Benjamin Taillandier from Cantine du Curé.
Navigating French Open Air Markets
Almost a decade ago I published a Forbes article titled 25 Tips for Visiting A French Market.
On a recent Saturday morning I drove across the adjacent Black Mountains (Montagne Noir) to the town of Mazamet, which has a thriving weekly open air market. The weekly market includes not only food, but household goods and clothes for sale.
Most large villages and towns in France hold open air markets once or twice a week, usually from 8:00 A.M. until midday. They are held year round and offer seasonal foods, fresh produce, vibrant atmospheres and the chance to ask producers about their produce. These markets are cornerstones of respect in France for good quality food and community.
Market day in Mazamet, followed by lunch in Cabrespine
The distillation of the key points for visiting a French market include:
- Bring cash, including coins and notes less than €50.
- Bring a bag (or basket or trolley).
- The stalls with the longest lines? They usually serve the most desired and best quality produce.
- Look at the fingers of vendors. Are they rough and weathered? That usually indicates that these farmers grow their own food, are not middlemen, and pay strict attention to the quality of their produce.
- Be patient. Market days are social events.
- Early is best, unless you plan on transforming your shopping excursion into lunch. Mazamet, for example, is flooded with cafe's where shoppers are downing their morning portions of coffee, wine and beer.
Wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Sardinia Reviewed—
Some are highlighted as being of Good, Excellent or Superlative Value using my proprietary Vino Value algorithm.
Tasting Notes—Wines from Bordeaux, France
When in the village of Saint-Émilion I will often stop off at Maison Galhaud, which has excellent cellars where you can taste wines.
14.5% alcohol in this dark plum colored Bordeaux blend. Brewing, feisty, crackling aromas of German chocolate cake, black cherries, rum raisin and menthol. This is a layered, complex, rich mouthful of Christmas cake, chocolate chips, red cherries and dorp licorice with allspice on the finish. Classical rich Saint-Émilion bonanza from a stellar vintage. Mouth tingling acidity, elegant tannins—a powerful but adroit wine. Pair with grilled peppered beef or a truffle risotto.
Aromas of cola, leather, peat, granite, smoke, bitter chocolate and red plums in this 95/5 Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend from the right bank. Slightly herbaceous from the Cabernet Franc. In the mouth flavors include red cherries and red licorice, with a meaty mid palate that includes figs and chocolate/cherry flavors and slight menthol and black licorice on a soft finish. Silky tannins. Layered, chewy, complex. Statured and will age well. Pair with hummus and mezze platter.
95/5 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc. Dark and statured aromas that resemble those of a well-aged Bordeaux with maple syrup, tobacco, leather and pencil lead. Beautifully well-balanced mid palate with a strong but supple tannic backbone, crisp acidity and mouth melting flavors of dark chocolate, black cherries, dark licorice and slight menthol on the finish. Sleek tannins. Classic, strong, powerful, elegant.
85/15 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Buckets of generous fruit aromas, including dark red plums, red and black cherries as well as maple syrup, teak and menthol. Lovely soft flavors that include figs, cherries, balsamic. Generous flavors, deft tannins, bright embracing acidity from a marvelous vintage. Pair with roasted red peppers drizzled in olive oil and provence herbs, or a cheese and mushroom omelet.
Generous and buoyant aromas that include earth, ground nuts, truffles, pencil lead and black cherries in this 85/15 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Bright acidity in this gorgeous mouthful bursting with black and red fruit. Supple tannins, suave acidity—balanced, complex and luscious. Mildly acidic finish. Pair with cherry parfait dessert or hard cheeses with jam.
Tasting Notes—Wines from Burgundy, France
Last year I visited multiple regions of Burgundy (Bourgogne) and wrote about multiple wines for Forbes, which included from Maison Louis Latour. Below are tasting notes made this summer for more of their wines.
Maison Louis Latour. AOC Pouilly-Fuisse. 2024. 93 points.
13% alcohol in this Burgundian Chardonnay, with citrus aromas of that include mandarin, melon and lemon rind as well as slight butter and salinity. In the mouth, creamy texture and flavors of peaches, gooseberries mid palate, with brittle acidity and a tongue tinglnig finish. Pair with brown scallops, brown bread and butter.
Maison Louis Latour. AOC Meursault—Blagny Premier Cru. 2024. 92—93 points.
12.5% alcohol in this Chardonnay with gorgeous aromas of spring florals, grapefruit, honeydew melon and slight menthol. Light and creamy flavors that include green apples. Bristling acidity and slight lime on the finish. Pair with herring, sun dried tomatoes and rye crackers.
Maison Louis Latour. AOC Santenay. 2024. 92+ points.
13% alcohol in this Pinot Noir with a delicate light plum color. Assertive, elegant aromas with a meld of light raspberries and overly ripe dark plums as well as slight spice and pine. Light attack from this easy drinking Pinot that is layered and textured with crunchy flavors of chocolate and strudel and an engaging caramel/dark licorice finish. Excellent length. Firm, but not loud acidity. Pair with fondue, roasted lamb or tabouleh salad.
Tasting Notes—Wines from Sardinia, Italy
Tenuta La Scogliera. Rüzò. Carignano del Sulcis DOC. 2025. 92 points.
From Calasetta on Sant’Antioco island in the southwests of Sardinia, this Carignan rosé has a pink/salmon color and aromas of lemon grass and wet minerality. Voluptuous oily mouth feel that is delicious, with flavors that include raspberries, strawberries and slight menthol. (My art dealing neighbor Nadia, on tasting it, declared: “Like a strong woman, with a lot of character, gracefulness and elegance.” Agreed!) Consider pairing with honeydew melon or hard, aged cheeses.
Tenuta La Scogliera. Raije. Carignano del Sulcis DOC. 2025. 93+ points.
From a five generation family of vine growers, including Roboamo Stefano Verona and his daughter Erica (I wrote about them for Forbes two years ago) this 100% Carignan wine is made from pre-phylloxera vines on the island of Sant’Antioco in southwest Sardinia. Bright and shiny and cheerful aromas of raspberries as well as dark fruit, nuttiness, cola and cocoa. Rich and pulsing mid palate with deep and layered flavors that include black and red cherries, dorp licorice, chocolate and cranberry juice, with a full and engaging chunk of mocha on a textured finish. Tension between supple acidity and bright fruit, with low key but firm tannins. This has the silky lightness of a Beaujolais, the versatile heft of a Syrah and the earthiness of a Sangiovese. Seductively drinkable. Pair, of course, with bluefin tuna in season, or with tagliatelle and mushrooms.
Free Recipe from The Winemakers' Cooking Companion Cookbook—
The Winemakers' Cooking Companion cookbook includes 108 recipes from 18 countries—contributed by winemakers, winery chefs and winery owners. Units are both metric and American, and several recipes are marked as vegetarian or vegan.
Available now in hardback and paperback editions.
Recipe—
The free recipe below, from The Winemakers' Cooking Companion, is one that pairs with hearty Bordeaux or Carignan wines (the meat is lean and gamey, and Carignan has bright acidity that cuts through this; the red and black fruits of these wines complement the spices in the dish).
The recipe is for Dukkah Crusted Kangaroo. For those unable to obtain kangaroo, substitute venison or ostrich, or alternatively lamb. This recipe comes from a winery that began growing grapes in 1837 in South Australia—Hugh Hamilton Wines in McLaren Vale. It was contributed by sixth generation owner/CEO, Mary Hamilton.
Dukkah Crusted Kangaroo
From Mary Hamilton, CEO of Hugh Hamilton Wines
in McLaren Vale, South Australia
Cookbook In Use!
Below are images about the cookbook. This one is from author, wine consultant and French TV personality Gabrielle Vizzavona, who lives in Paris.
More Free Chapters From The Book Vino Voices: Wine, Work, Travel, Life—
I'm continuing to provide all chapters from my book Vino Voices: Wine, Work, Travel, Life for free here during the coming months. Originally written over a decade ago, this book has been revised and is available as an e-book. It is 230 pages long and includes interviews with more than 45 professionals in a dozen countries who work in the world of wine, and explain why they love their work. It includes more than 100 photographs.
Click below to download chapters nine and ten—about a woman who risked selling international wines in Sonoma, California, and about a British chemical researcher who switched her life to work with wine in South Africa.
Final Video—Did You Know?
After the phylloxera louse decimated grapevines around the world, the French government established what is now known as Domaine de Vassal in the year 1876, located about 40 kilometers southwest of the city of Montpellier in southern France. The vineyards are a 'library' for all types of grapevines, including those now considered 'lost' or forgotten.
This holds about 4,200 grape varieties from over 55 countries, including at least 300 varieties that are found nowhere else in France.
France once cultivated over 400 grape varieties, but today cultivates about 40 difference types.
I wrote about rare grape varieties twice for Forbes, once about a €36,000 bottle of wine produced near Bordeaux, and also about Clos Centeilles, run by a mother/daughter team in the La Livinière appellation of southern France who produce wines from 15 'rare or forgotten' grapes.
I visited Clos Centeilles again a few days ago for their open tasting weekend, and spent time speaking with Cécile. The video below is of co-owner Cécile Delucchi describing one of their unique wines, called 'Le C.'
Cécile Delucchi of Clos Centeilles, La Livinière appellation, Languedoc, southern France
What's Next In Vino Voices—
I'll soon feature:
- Recipe for Barili Chardonnay Chicken from Spokane, Washington, USA.
- Dinner at an Italian restaurant in France with homemade mozzarella, charcuterie meat, bread, ice cream and wine. Stunning.
- More Catalonia travels and wine.
Thanks for tuning in!
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Available now in hardback and paperback editions.
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