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French appellations

A Rosé Renaissance in Provence

Dappled sunshine, joie de vivre holidays, and endless lavender fields are just the tip of Provence's appeal. The other is its world-famous rosé.

Beyond The Textbook: Northern Rhone

Summary We are delighted to welcome Matt Walls, the world’s leading expert on the wines of this region, to host this live member event. Matt will give us an overview of all the major appellations of the Northern Rhône and get us up to speed with all the latest trends and developments, and how these regions are evolving in the 21st century. A great opportunity to develop your knowledge of the region past what you might have studied in wine books and put your questions to
Bourgogne hillside vineyard planted with Aligoté, illustrating the terroir and vineyard conditions shaping this historic white wine grape.
Bourgogne Vineyard

The Renaissance of Aligoté

Over the past 10 years, interest in Aligoté has been rising in Bourgogne–and so have prices. Charlie Geoghegan examines the ascendency of this lesser-known white grape. Poor Aligoté. It’s had a difficult few centuries as Bourgogne’s other white grape. Charges levelled against Aligoté include its excessive acidity, unpleasant tartness and tendency to taste rather dilute. Reference books will tell you how much more palatable it becomes with a dash of crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur). It’s not a flattering depiction. Thankfully, though, it’s no longer an accurate one.