July 14th, le Quatorze Juillet, marks the date that we know by the name “Bastille Day,” or as known in France as “La Fête Nationale.” In the City Vino's 2019 Facts About Bastille Day Blog, we provided some facts about the events that occurred on that date in 1789, in Paris, and about the celebration itself. Every year, we use this day to provide a tasting of French wines to you, our local customers. While we don’t need an excuse to do this, it’s always fun to associate a tasting with a somewhat, sorta, kinda, and perhaps notable date, right?

Take a trip to Sancerre, which is in the Centre région of the Lorie Valley, the center of France for one of your wines. It is coming to the height of summer, and the weather is finally heating up. A high acid, medium body, food friendly wine, with a little chill on it, would be perfect for June! After all, the farmer’s markets are bringing in those raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, crisp lettuce, and melons. All of which will sit well next to your glass of Pinot Noir. (You thought I was going to say Sauvignon Blanc! Got ya!). Pinot Noir out dates Sauvignon Blanc in Sancerre. Why Sauvignon Blanc is better represented now? Come in and ask, there are more stories to share with you. But on to summer and white wine this weekend!

Did you see what we did there? The terms “variety” and “varietal wine” are often used interchangeably, and City Vino would like to help make somewhat of a distinction between the two terms.

This coming weekend, February 4th and 5th, City Vino presents wines from Château Ksara, in the Bekaa Valley, in Lebanon. On Saturday, Jon Yeager, of International Cellars, will be your guide for the tasting, and will be sharing the story of the renowned winemaking property. The Château was founded in 1857 by the Jesuits, who would discover underground Roman-era cellars in 1898, which continue to be used to age the wines.