Category: wine maker

Jean-Marc, Travel, wine maker

From France to New Zealand: Jean-Marc’s Big News!

From the Mediterranean to Nouvelle Zéalande–Jean-Marc will be a traveling winemaker once again. After making wine in Italy (Sicily), The United States (Oregon), and around France, ce vigneron will now experience a longtime dream of blending grapes in New Zealand! We would like to thank Whitehaven Wines for this amazing opportunity! Read my husband's update, below, for more details.   TODAY'S WORD: LE VIGNERON (LA … Continue reading From France to New Zealand: Jean-Marc’s Big News!

Kristin Espinasse40 Comments
wine maker

Jean-Marc Espinasse: The Journey of a French Winemaker

A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE… by Kristin Espinasse When our alarm rang at 5:45 this morning I mumbled “Good night!“ in French. “Bonjour,”Jean-Marc replied. The creaking of our armoire, a wedding gift from 20-years ago, was a splash of cold water to my face and now my mind was percolating away as my husband pulled on his threadbare jeans and searched for a warm enough … Continue reading Jean-Marc Espinasse: The Journey of a French Winemaker

Kristin Espinasse96 Comments
wine business, wine maker, Wineries

Grele: Solidarity during a devastating hailstorm at winemaker Raimond de Villeneuve’s vineyard

Un vrai bonnard. Don't miss this inspiring story about a winemaker's comeback following a devastating storm. Pictured: Raimond de Villeneuve. Photo montage from Google images. la grêle (grel)     : hail Audio File: Listen to Jean-Marc: Download MP3 or Wav file Un orage de grêle détruit en deux minutes deux années de récolte de raisins. A hail storm destroys in two minutes two years worth of grapes. … Continue reading Grele: Solidarity during a devastating hailstorm at winemaker Raimond de Villeneuve’s vineyard

Kristin Espinasse92 Comments
Dual-language Story, wine maker

littoral

Le littoral, or the coastline, near Agay. If you enjoy these scenes from France, perhaps a friend would too? Forward this post. New friends, sign up to French Word-A-Day by clicking here. Begin growing your vocabulary, illico presto!  Today read about the fascinating process of turning grapes into wine! Jean-Marc takes us through the step-by-step process, from gleaning a nearby grape field, to stomping the fruit with … Continue reading littoral

Kristin Espinasse49 Comments
Smokey, wine maker

chatier

"The Rooster Thief". The French sure have a way with window drama, as seen here (see the full photo, below). Today, read about an American chick in a French autoparts store… or try your luck… with the anecdote on offer in the following story column! Please forward today's post to a dog lover or a wine lover or a France lover! Thanks! Yabla French Video … Continue reading chatier

Kristin Espinasse23 Comments
French Destinations, Travel, wine maker, Wine: Burgundy

Aviner: a French verb having to do with winetasting

I've seen a lot of corks in my day, but have never seen them so displayed… picture taken in the village of Nuits St. Georges, in Burgundy. aviner (ah vee nay)     : to rinse one's wine glass with wine before sampling another wine Example Sentence: Avant de déguster un nouveau vin, il faut aviner le verre.Before tasting a new wine, you must rinse your … Continue reading Aviner: a French verb having to do with winetasting

49 Comments
wine maker

mauvaise herbe

"Chief Grape". Meet Jean-Marc in DC this coming March 8th for a tasting of his wines or later in many other US cities mauvaise herbe (moh vayz airb)     : weed arracher les mauvaises herbes = to pull weeds Audio file: (check back later… will update the site this afternoon!)  A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse The sun is shining, cutting through the haze that … Continue reading mauvaise herbe

36 Comments
wine maker

treille

Trellised vine in the town of Sarrians.  Never miss a word or photo, subscribe to French Word-A-Day la treille (treye) noun, feminine     : trellised, climbing vines, vine arbor le jus de la treille = wine, lit. "the juice of the vine"treillage =lattice work.  Audio File: (the francophones are absent… so you are stuck with my pronunciation of the word of the day… listen at … Continue reading treille

31 Comments
wine maker

échantillon

The walls may need paint but the grapes are now pressed… and in bottles! échantillon (ay-shahn-tee-yon) noun, masculine  : sample, tester (product) In French reference books: the French/French dictionary on my desk. I'm just itching for an updated version like this one.. On our kitchen table I see échantillons,* shiny and black! Row after row of unlabeled bottles behind which a very weary Frenchman stands–there, … Continue reading échantillon

Kristin Espinasse1 Comment