I ran to hug my sister, nearly knocking her to the ground. It had been three months since seeing her at Christmas back in the States. This reunion was a little far from home, however. We were in one of my favorite cities in the world – Rome, Italy. Whenever I express my love for…
Going Local in Champagne
An early morning drive to the Champagne countryside was the moment I had been waiting for my entire trip. We were finally getting a chance to see where the famous Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes are actually grown and where the smaller Champagne producers are settled. Guided by a Reims local, Valentin from…
Reims, France: a Travel Dream Fulfilled
As a lover of wine and the finer things in life, my love for Champagne was unavoidable. Having just blown out the candles on my 24th birthday, I couldn’t think of a more fitting place to celebrate than in the region where luxury is bottled. Early on a Saturday morning, my Finnish friend and I…
Bordeaux: a Love Story Told Through Three Châteaux
Until recently, many of the Classified Growth Châteaux of Bordeaux did not open their gates to the public. Luckily for me, things have begun to change in this world-famous wine region. Now more than ever, some of the best wine estates are welcoming guests to their property for a once in a lifetime look into…
The Quick Sip on Porto
The quest to discover the magic of Port wine had brought me to Portugal’s second largest city, home to colorfully splashed buildings, a lively waterfront, and enough wine to make you weak in the knees. The city of course is Porto, located on the northern bank of the Douro River, just a stone’s throw away…
The Best of Douro Valley
Some may be surprised by the fact that Portugal’s most famous wine is not actually produced in the city where it derives its name from. The magic of this precious liquid actually begins about 200 miles east in the Douro Valley. The Douro Valley is 70 miles of hillside-clinging vineyards shaped by the mighty Douro…
Taste of Médoc
Nestled between the Atlantic and the Gironde Estuary, sits the prestigious wine-producing region of the Médoc. Originating just south of the city of Bordeaux, the Médoc wine route weaves through the heart of some of the most fabulous wine appellations in the world: the Haut-Médoc, Margaux, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, and Saint-Estéphe, not forgetting Listrac and Moulis….
Bordeaux’s Right Bank: Saint-Émilion
Finally, after a month of calling Bordeaux my home, I wandered to the Bordelaise Vineyards just outside the city. Choosing the oldest Bordeaux wine region of Saint-Émilion as the preface for my journey was rewarding in many aspects. Although the vineyards are what we came for, the village was equaling amazing. Surrounded by vines in every…
Basque Country: Spain’s Best Kept Secret
The sheer diversity of Spain truly mesmerizes me. In contrast to the dry, warm, and sunny Rioja wine region I visited a couple weeks ago, my recent trip to the Basque Country seemed worlds away. Located on the Bay of Biscay on the Atlantic Coast, País Vasco (Spanish) or Eskuadi (Basque), experiences a mild maritime…
A Postcard from Bordeaux
Today marks one month since moving to the lovable French city of Bordeaux. While I have since settled into a daily rhythm filled with school and work, it still seems impossible to quit the feeling that I am on a holiday. How could I with weekend hiking trips in the countryside, day trips to the…
The Bordeaux of Spain: La Rioja
Spain is a country that will never get old no matter how many times I travel to it. Having lived in its vibrant southern city of Sevilla some years ago, it is a country that I will forever hold dear in my heart. During my recent return, I was led to a rediscovery of what…
Road Trip to Rocamadour
I have just returned from an impromptu weekend retreat in the French countryside. Myself along with 3 foreign girls packed into a coupé early Saturday morning with no plans aside from a hotel reservation at a 17th century manor home. We were bound for the medieval village of Rocamadour, located in Central France’s Dordogne region….
