My friend Ian is smitten with “natural” wine. He is convinced and happy to tell the world that he knows a better way to drink. “Imagine” he says “drinking a living, breathing wine made without chemical additions or artificial manipulations, that expresses its true sense of place, all the while knowing that the soil is […]
Wine with Dinner: Randomly Chosen in December
Pinot Blanc 2013, Domaine Dugerdil, Dardagny-Geneva (Pinot Blanc): Very pale straw colored. Nose is clean but reticent with small nods to cereal grain and muscat grapes (linalool?). Watery palate with clean but barely discernible fruit flavors. Clipped finish with almost no lingering flavor. Undistinguished. Perhaps a decent summer wine when one is bored. L’Enigme, St.-Saphorin […]
Profile: Domaine Denis Mercier (Sierre, Valais)
The train ride from Geneva to Sierre is a must do for every train lover and wine enthusiast. In an amazingly short two hours some of the world’s most jaw-dropping vistas are at hand. First up, the spectacular vineyards of the Canton Vaud and the UNESCO World Heritage Site vineyards of Lavaux. As a backdrop, […]
Wine with Dinner: Randomly Chosen in October
It’s the end of another month so here is a rundown of the bottles popped and enjoyed. I am beginning to recognize that Switzerland is a treasure trove of unique wines, places and people. There is passion and dedication here and we are beginning to see lots of experimentation to boot. There is a natural […]
The Hamburgers of Geneva
America is in the midst of a hamburger arms race. Bacon, avocado, heirloom tomato, farmstead cheeses—hell, even chilies and wild mushrooms are positively so-mid-last-century. The new arsenal includes outré offerings like foie gras, duck egg, white truffles, boletes, kimchi and many other gourmet products never intended to be eaten within a bun, buttered or not. […]
Wine with Dinner: Randomly Chosen in September
Aligote, Lully 2014, Domaine des Curiades, Geneva: Pale, shimmery, white gold color. Brisk, fresh nose of stone and citrus. Lacks the body and sheer nerve of Bourgogne but also the sometimes unappetizing and overwhelming acidity. Along the lines of an Alto Adige pinot bianco. An interesting example of this variety from a well-thought-of property. Chardonnay, […]
Kräftskiva: Crayfish the Swedish Way
Geneva is the quintessential international city, so when my new wife, Veronica, suggested we get around to hosting her annual Swedish crayfish party (Kräftskiva) I asked about the guests and where they come from. Among the potential invitees were Swedes of course, but also Brits, French, Germans, Americans and Swiss. I thought to myself “what […]
Mémoire & Friends: The Swiss Wine Event
The Memoire des Vins Suisse grand tasting debuted in 2005. It was created by a group of four Swiss wine journalists and enthusiasts to showcase the produce of 25 of the top names in Swiss wine. The earliest events focused on current releases with a retrospective tasting of mature wines the following day. The avowed […]
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