As one of Italy’s most famous wines Sassicaia was first available on the commercial market in 1968. Since the very first bottle was sold back then today almost forty years later the wine stands today as Italy’s testament to the world of its ability to produce fine wine.

To understand what that means, it’s worth heading back to the Italian wine scene in 1968, the inaugural vintage of what was to become the first, and is still arguably the best known, Super Tuscan. Most Italian wine at that time was either consumed locally or shipped off in bulk to the rest of Europe where it was blended with weedier examples that needed some beefing up.

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It is the only brewery in Japan to adopt the most luxurious and meticulous brewing method.
Producing only one tank per week and only the highest class of sake.

The name Katsuyama literally means “Mt. Victoria.” The word katsu means victory, or outstanding excellence, while yama (mountain) indicates greatness, or a large immovable presence, making it a highly auspicious name.

Established in 1688, Katsuyama is a sake brewery with a tradition of well over three centuries. It was created to brew the top-class sake enjoyed exclusively by the feudal lords of the Sendai Domain, founded by Japan’s most famous military commander and respected samurai, Date Masamune, and one of the three major fiefdoms of the era.
To this day, Katsuyama carries on the reputation and tradition of its origins as a brewery for the lords. Brewing only junmai-shu,the true mainstream sake, it is also the pioneer in creating sake with clean umami that goes well with any cuisine, a trend that is starting to take hold in the world of sake.

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Valandraud is the home property of Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud.
Château Valandraud is the achievement reached by a wine obsessed couple, Jean Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud.

Once having succeeded in establishing a wine merchant company in Saint Emilion( still up and running), their wish was to own a vineyard and make their own wine. Before they became Bordeaux winemakers, Jean-Luc was a successful Bordeaux wine merchant. That was the year when he and Murielle bought a small, 0.6 hectare plot of vines situated close to Chateau Pavie Macquin and Chateau La Clotte in St. Emilion. This was soon followed by another purchase further east, in St. Suplice, where they obtained 1.2 additional hectares of vines.

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Merlot is a red wine variety, indigenous to the Bordeaux region.
It is the predominant variety in most wines from Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, the area in which the variety originated. The variety is now widely planted in wine regions across the world.

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If you’re new to the world of Scotch, here’s what you need to know in order to start enjoying the most manly of spirits.

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Elusive, elegant and expensive, there is no better time to indulge in great white burgundy than during the summer.

Chardonnay is originally from France’s Burgundy region, where the best white Burgundies are powerful and rich, with complex fruit flavors and notes of earth and minerals. More affordable Chardonnays from Burgundy-for instance, those simply labeled Bourgogne Blanc-are crisp and lively, with apple and lemon flavors.

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Understanding of the difference between the old world & new world wine varieties is essential in maximizing the wine-tasting experience.

The most basic difference between Old World and New World wines is geographic: “Old World” refers to the traditional wine growing regions of Europe, while “New World” refers to everything else.

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The Left Bank of Bordeaux. Defined as the land around the city of Bordeaux that is south or west of the river Gironne. Although the Left Bank is not necessarily a better place to find wine than the competing Right Bank, the classification system is more logical and organized. More, if not necessarily better, famed wine villages exist, and the region has a longer and more established history.

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Some of Italy’s Top Wine Regions namely Piedmont, Super Tuscans, Alto Adige.

Piedmont: Known for the big, burly wines of Barolo and Barbaresco, Piedmont sits high and tight in Italy’s northwest corner. Home to some heavy duty red wines and the ever popular, light-hearted bubbles of Moscato, this particular Italian wine region is dominated by three key grapes: Barbera, Nebbiolo, and Dolcetto. The highly concentrated, ultra dry red wines of Barolo and Barbaresco are both built on the late-ripening grape of Nebbiolo.

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There is no question that 2010 will take its rightful place as a great Bordeaux vintage. It comes at the end of a golden decade with 2000, 2005 and 2009 all outstanding. Before that, one returns to 1982, 1961 and 1945 for such unqualified praise.

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