Mousseux

French for sparkling. Some VIN MOUSSEUX are made by the MÉTHODE CHAMPENOISE (with SECONDARY FERMENTATION taking place in the bottle); other less expensive mousseux are made in large tanks.

What do the following numbers have in common: 19, 29, 33, 74?

A. They were all legendary years in the 20th century when vintage Port was made

B. They were the capacities, in milliliters, of original wine bottles from the 18th century

C. They are the leading cabernet clones used in the First and Second Growth vineyards of Bordeaux

D. They are the route or highway numbers associated with some of the world's famous wine regions

They are the route or highway numbers associated with some of the world’s famous wine regions. B19 (aka Barossa Valley Way) is the main road linking most of the major towns of the Barossa Valley in South Australia. 29 is the highway running north to south through the Napa Valley in California. A33 is a key highway connecting the two wine regions Asti and Alba in the Langhe area of Piedmont. And the wine road N74 (also called the Route des Grands Crus) is the main route in Burgundy’s Côte d’Or.

Syrah or Shiraz?

In Australia (and sometimes in South Africa), the grape syrah is known as shiraz. Why so? In the 17th century, French Huguenots (many of whom were religious refugees) brought syrah from France to South Africa,… Continue reading

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