Learning about wine
A wine lover in the Basque Country
The txakoli production area is located on the Basque coast, roughly between Bilbao and San Sebastián. At Walsjérôt, we have the txakoli of Zudugarai on tap. I was in Bilbao for a few days, so I wanted to take a look. Txa-what?...
A wine fan in Epernay (and Champagne)
A few weeks ago, when I was sitting on a terrace in Bloemendaal, I got a call from @sommeljj. “Shall we go to Champagne?” I didn't need to be asked twice. Let's go! I mean: on y va! With a PCR test...
Valladolid, the city you've never heard of, yet it really should be on your bucket list. It's just a stone's throw from the vineyards of Rueda, Toro, and Ribera del Duero (and two lesser-known regions) and is a champion of...
A wine fan in Rome: La Fiaschetta, Il Goccetto and Verso Sera
Hey, are you coming along for my intro to Rome? Oh, of course! My former Hallmark colleague, Denise, texted me asking if she wants to come along on the staff trip. A year ago, I was still on the party...
A Wine Fan in London: Noble Rot, Nopi & BobBobRichard
The Noble Rot Bar, the wine bar from the eponymous magazine, had been high on my wish list for a while. I really wanted to go there. Luckily, my friend and wine enthusiast Hanneke agreed to come along. Once back...
A wine fan in Rheingau and Rheinhessen
At half past eight I get coffee at the Starbucks at The Hague Central Station and less than five hours later we are already in front of the first winery. “Just getting a few bottles of Sekt,” says Jérôme, the owner...
A wine lover in Rhône & Languedoc
In October, I went on a wine tour to the South of France. Over four days, we visited seven wineries in the Rhône and Languedoc regions, including La Pèira, Château de Beaucastel, Domaine de Trevallon, and Domaine d'Aupilhac. Below, I'll...
Great wine trips less than 4 hours away
Whenever I'm stuck, I throw a question sticker in my stories: what would you like to read more about on Le Club des Vins? So far, it's always been a success. I've received some great topics for future articles. One...
Friday, March 1, 2018. It's Friday, and just after noon, I drive into the town of Ay. If you didn't know better, you'd probably drive right past it. It's not exactly bustling, but excitement courses through me. It started on...
A wine lover at Ecorkhotel, Ecoresort in Alentejo – this is where you want to go!
Ecorkhotel in Alentejo . Waking up in a hotel made of cork among hundreds of thousands of cork trees – isn't that every wine lover's dream? I think yes. Ecorkhotel: Peace, cleanliness and regularity. Peace, cleanliness, and regularity. At the Ecorkhotel,...
A Wine Fan in Paris (2018): It's Chablis o'clock
Where everyone instantly in love Paris, it wasn't a piece of cake for me. I didn't understand those endearing words. A tough city, that's what I thought. The city of love? Paris, je t'aime? Nope. Okay, admittedly: I've never even walked hand...
A look inside Henri Giraud Champagne
Henri Giraud Champagne was founded in 1625—back when champagne was still a still wine and Dom Pérignon was furious about bubbles. Oh well, things change. I'm embarrassed to admit I hadn't heard of this winery before. It turned out to...