Author Archives: gillianallen17

Life lessons I learned from the French (part 1)

Has there always been this obsession with the French? Their style, their cuisine, how the heck they stay so thin? Of course the French have taught us many things over the course of time, probably without necessarily trying to (which makes it all the more frustrating). When adopting some of the French savoir-faire we oftenContinueContinue reading “Life lessons I learned from the French (part 1)”

A chef’s table at a private Champagne château

They say that around the world, a bottle of Moët & Chandon is opened every second.  If what they say is true, the 282-year old house has got to be one of the most popular Champagne brands in history. In addition to being the official Champagne of the Golden Globes and partnering with stars suchContinueContinue reading “A chef’s table at a private Champagne château”

Highlights from the Salon Première Coudée in Paris

Two of my favorites from November 6, 2023 I’ve written about my experience visiting a few different wine salons in Paris, but this week I had the opportunity to visit a more intimate wine tasting event with select, artisan producers thanks to the suggestion of a good friend, colleague and fellow Aggie. The salon tookContinueContinue reading “Highlights from the Salon Première Coudée in Paris”

How an underwater treasure developed into a 40-year experiment and a luxury voyage of a lifetime 

In 2010, a Nordic diver discovered a shipwreck off the coast of Finland in the middle of the Baltic Sea. The shipwreck had an incredible treasure: over 100 well-preserved bottles of champagne from the 1840s, and 47 of them were Veuve Clicquot cuvées from the time of Madame Clicquot herself. After several teams of œnologistsContinueContinue reading “How an underwater treasure developed into a 40-year experiment and a luxury voyage of a lifetime “

How to spend a day in the 11th arrondissement of Paris

Every arrondissement, or district, of Paris has its charm. In the 7th you can find the Eiffel Tower and chic shopping streets. In the 18th, the culturally historic Montmartre and its famous Moulin Rouge. And of course, the arrondissements are infamously numbered in a spiral formation, as if to purposefully confuse us. courtesy of https://snippetsofparis.com/eleventh-arrondissement-paris/ContinueContinue reading “How to spend a day in the 11th arrondissement of Paris”

What I’m Drinking – LES LUMIÈRES

How a solo trip to Marseille lead to a serendipitous wine discovery that I will never forget The South of France is a state of mind – the rolling lavender fields, the Cypress trees looming over the villages, and of course the wine. It’s a mindset, an almost mystical ideal. With an unusually rainy andContinueContinue reading “What I’m Drinking – LES LUMIÈRES”

Is Swiss wine a thing?

We all think of the Alps, the cheese, the beautiful rolling hills, the cute little villages within hiking distance of one another, the chocolate and of course the watches. What we don’t often think of is the wine. Does Switzerland make wine? Yes! And it’s quite tasty at that. Grapevines in Switzerland are recorded toContinueContinue reading “Is Swiss wine a thing?”

Let’s go wine tasting on the world’s most active volcano

It’s a widely known fact that Italy is one of the world’s oldest wine growing regions. We often think of Piemonte, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, the list goes on. However, there is a very important part of Italy that has often been overlooked, until recently, and that is Sicily. Wine is grown in many regions of Sicily,ContinueContinue reading “Let’s go wine tasting on the world’s most active volcano”

Wine in France & What I’m Drinking

One of the reasons I’ve long-dreamt of moving to France was the sheer abundance of wine. Wine is truly part of everyday life here and inherent in the culture. Many French people grow up having little tastes of wine here and there at family dinners well before they reach the legal drinking age of 18ContinueContinue reading “Wine in France & What I’m Drinking”

Exclusive Tasting – Bodega Numanthia

One of the perks of getting to work for a large wine group is that if they own other brands, you can discover new wines and new regions that you maybe wouldn’t have the opportunity to otherwise. For me, I’ve been dreaming a lot lately about going to Spain. The sun, the food, the music…ContinueContinue reading “Exclusive Tasting – Bodega Numanthia”

48 Hours in Reims, Champagne

Reims is an ideal home base for a trip to Champagne. Planning a wine trip in one of France’s wine regions can be overwhelming due to the amount of wineries available to visit. Not only is Reims extremely walkable, but many of the major Maisons are there, such as Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart, Taittinger, and Lanson.ContinueContinue reading “48 Hours in Reims, Champagne”

Tasting my way through France

Recapping two French wine events visited in the last month  If you’re looking for a place to gather with like-minded fellow wine geeks, France is the place for you. When I lived in California, we of course had the occasional wine fair or exposition. However, here in Paris and in the surrounding wine regions thereContinueContinue reading “Tasting my way through France”

2 French white wines that refreshed my palate 

In following a dream I’ve had since high school French class, I moved to Paris to get my Master’s degree, immerse myself in the culture, better understand French wines and become fluent in the language. For a while I knew that working at a wine bar would be a great way to expose myself toContinueContinue reading “2 French white wines that refreshed my palate “

Featured Writing

Explore my portfolio Native fermentations may hold the key to maintaining wine quality amidst changing growing conditions Wine Business Monthly, October 2022 article-wine-business-monthlyDownload “First lady of wine”: Heidi Peterson Barrett talks success as pioneer winemaker The California Aggie Yolo Press family farm provides Davis with quality products for over 20 years The California Aggie

3 age-worthy Sauvignon Blancs

When I first moved to Napa, I was not particularly a fan of most Sauvignon Blancs that I came in contact with (unpopular opinion I know). I love the acidity of the grape, but the green and grapefruit flavors were too strong for my taste. However, I think it’s important to try new wines evenContinueContinue reading “3 age-worthy Sauvignon Blancs”

Winemaking techniques – Filtration

Filtration is a winemaking technique that has been used for many years in both Old and New World winemaking. While it has benefits for the aesthetic appeal of a wine, it is also important for the structural integrity and ageability of a wine. There are many methods of filtration (not to be confused with fining*)ContinueContinue reading “Winemaking techniques – Filtration”

Napa’s best-kept secret is…

Nowadays, it’s almost impossible to get a last-minute tasting reservation in Napa. I live here and I even have to make reservations weeks (sometimes months) in advance! It’s a catch 22 – everything is open and people want to go out and have all the experiences they missed out on during covid, but wineries andContinueContinue reading “Napa’s best-kept secret is…”

The case for Chardonnay

Chardonnay is one of the topics about which I am the most passionate. For some reason I feel extremely adamant about getting the word out that Chardonnay is not all movie theater butter and heavy, heavy mouthfeels. It can actually be light and floral and dance on your palate like a crisp Sauvignon Blanc (butContinueContinue reading “The case for Chardonnay”

What it’s like to work a harvest in Napa, continued

I had the idea to write about working a harvest in Napa for a long time but I struggled when it came time to get it all down in words. After you do something enough times, it can become second nature and harder to describe to an outsider. That was my problem with the originalContinueContinue reading “What it’s like to work a harvest in Napa, continued”

Ownroot Collective x Post & Vine

If you’re not a member of Terra Jane’s Ownroot Collective you are missing out. I have attended 3 (virtual) tasting events so far and I’ve already discovered so many new and delicious wines that were living right under my nose for so long and I had no idea. Ownroot is a wine club that featuresContinueContinue reading “Ownroot Collective x Post & Vine”

What it’s like to work a harvest in Napa Valley

When I graduated from the Viticulture & Enology program at UC Davis, my degree had prepared me for what to expect when working a harvest. I also had several friends who had worked in production post-grad so I had a pretty good understanding of what a harvest internship would entail. However, in my 3 yearsContinueContinue reading “What it’s like to work a harvest in Napa Valley”

How to plan the perfect day in Napa

After you’ve decided where to go tasting in Napa, the other half of the battle is planning your itinerary for each day you’re in the valley. With many wineries closing around 4 or 4:30, it can be difficult to fit all of your favorite spots into one day. I often hear of many visitors tryingContinueContinue reading “How to plan the perfect day in Napa”

A Taste of Toscana

West shore Lake Tahoe At just around $10 a bottle at Trader Joe’s, this 2013 Casone “Toscana” IGT from the Poggio Al Casone estate in Tuscany is a steal for an easy-drinking red. This producer has multiple tiers of wines, ranging from IGT to DOCG as well as a magnificent estate in the Tuscan countryside.ContinueContinue reading “A Taste of Toscana”

Where to Taste – Napa

With over 400 wineries and new ones popping up all the time, Napa can be a daunting place to plan a wine getaway if you’re not familiar with producers and the different AVAs. This post is by no means comprehensive, but let it serve as a jumping off point for where to look when bookingContinueContinue reading “Where to Taste – Napa”

At Ease Wine Project: Chenin Blanc

The wine: At Ease Wine Project 2020 Chenin Blanc, Solano County Green Valley The place: https://ateasewine.square.site/, and now on the Goose and Gander Saint Helena wine list The price: $28 This decadent and golden Chenin is made from grapes with a very unique story. Winemaker Derek Baljeu sources this fruit from the Biggs Vineyard inContinueContinue reading “At Ease Wine Project: Chenin Blanc”

Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc

The wine: Lang & Reed 2016 North Coast Cabernet Franc The place: Lang & Reed tasting room in Saint Helena, CA (can also purchase from their website) The price: $29 Lang &Reed is about as “family owned and operated” as you can find in the wine world. Started by husband and wife John and TraceyContinueContinue reading “Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc”

Lady of the Sunshine Pinot Noir

The wine: Lady of the Sunshine Chêne Vineyards 2018 Pinot Noir The place: I purchased mine from Jack’s Filling Station in Sonoma. You can find Lady of the Sunshine wines in local wineshops featuring natural producers or at https://www.ladyofthesunshinewines.com/wineshop The price: $26.99 This producer really does bring the sunshine to a rainy (quarantine) day. ThisContinueContinue reading “Lady of the Sunshine Pinot Noir”

December 2019 in Western Australia

The wine: Stormflower 2017 Shiraz The place: Stormflower Cellar Door, Margaret River, Western Australia The price: ~30 AUD In December of 2019 I visited one of my best friends in Margaret River, the ultimate winter wine paradise. While the vineyards in the Northern Hemisphere are dormant, muddy, and gloomy during the month of December, vinesContinueContinue reading “December 2019 in Western Australia”

November 28, 2019 (Thanksgiving!)

Processed with VSCO with c2 preset The wine: 2014 Juliénas “Vieilles Vignes” by Domaine Lassagne The place: Sunshine Foods – Saint Helena, Napa Valley The price: $32.00 Thanksgiving can be one of the most difficult events to pair with a wine – there are so many different flavors and textures, and the heaping portions leaveContinueContinue reading “November 28, 2019 (Thanksgiving!)”

Honeymoon by Martha Stoumen

The wine: 2018 Honeymoon by Martha Stoumen The place: Martha Stoumen Wines, local Northern California wine shops The price: $34.00 “This wine tasted like honey in a glass – it was perfectly round with the most delicate balance of sweetness.” Every once in a while you find a really special bottle of wine – oneContinueContinue reading “Honeymoon by Martha Stoumen”

October 21, 2019

Processed with VSCO with l5 preset * please excuse my ugly harvest hands/nails. The wine: Foggy Veil Hillside Selection 2017 The place: Trader Joe’s The price: $12.99 This wine is a Rhône-style blend from Santa Barbara County. The 2017 vintage saw a wine with 78% Syrah and 22% Grenache (two quintessential Rhône grapes). This wineContinueContinue reading “October 21, 2019”

October 7, 2019

Processed with VSCO with au5 preset The wine: FREEDA Rosé Trevenezie The place: Trader Joe’s The price: $8.99 A rosé in October? When the weather’s 80°F all week, anything is possible. This rosé from Northeastern Italy is full bodied with huge fruity (peach, strawberry, watermelon) and floral notes. You don’t really find a glass likeContinueContinue reading “October 7, 2019”