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The Douro Valley in Portugal is rich in history, romance and stunning scenery, and is home to one of the most distinctive wines in the wine world—Port. This fortified wine is revered for its ability to age as well as having an unequaled range of flavor and style profiles, which makes Port a valuable addition to any well-rounded wine cellar. Every wine tells a story, and the story of Port is quite unique! Continue reading Montesquieu Winery Explores Port and the Douro Valley

Stéphane Derenoncourt and Montesquieu CEO Fonda Hopkins, Ink Grade

Today marked the beginning of the 16th Annual Premiere Napa Valley Auction, which is one of the most exciting events of the year in Napa, where the most influential members of the wine industry from all over the country and the globe—including vintners, retailers, brokers, distributors, media and restaurant owners—gather to experience the very best and most innovative wines from our country’s leading appellation. It is a whirlwind weekend of events, starting with seminars and tastings, and culminating in the grand finale—a barrel tasting and live auction on Saturday February 25 at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena. Continue reading A Tale of Two Terroirs: Montesquieu Winery Debuts Derenoncourt California Lot for Premiere Napa Valley 2012

Anyone who knows much about winemaking knows that the romantic stereotype of life in the vines is just that – a stereotype. Winemaking can be romantic, of course; but it can also be risky and fraught with uncertainty. After all, Mother Nature has a long history of being a fickle master. Continue reading Pierre’s Little Piece of Paradise

Ahhh romance…here at Montesquieu Winery we love to celebrate, and Valentine’s Day is a favorite. Who can resist the classic pairing of love and wine? Not us!

As we celebrate this year, we’d like to share some delicious pairings for some of our favorite Montesquieu Wines—we raise a glass to love, romance and delectable wines! Continue reading Happy Valentine’s Day from Montesquieu Winery

It has been said that there is hardly an inch of Italy that isn’t suitable for growing grapes for wine production. As a result, Italy has the most diverse array of individual wine styles, micro-climates and indigenous grape varieties in the wine world!

Continue reading Amarone della Valpolicella Classico: Crown Jewel of Veneto

It’s always a pleasure to spend time in Napa. But when you’re there to finalize the details of a special project with two people as passionate and impressive as CNN Hero Doc Hendley, founder of Wine to Water, and renowned winemaker Michel Rolland, as we were recently, well it’s all that much more exciting. We are thrilled to announce our joint project—one that pulls together all of our resources and passions to provide permanent sources of clean water for Dale, a community in Ethiopia that is in desperate need (see the press release here).

6 out of every 10 people in Dale lack access to clean water, resulting in death due to waterborne diseases. Lack of clean water is actually the number one killer of children worldwide—more than HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. It is terribly tragic, but the good news is that there is something we can all do about it!

Continue reading Michel Rolland, Doc Hendley and Montesquieu Winery: Turning Wine to Water in Africa

In the wine world this time of year there are plenty of lists featuring resolutions, reflections looking back, predictions looking forward and the like. Join us as we keep an eye on the following trends, which we at Montesquieu Winery feel will be especially interesting to watch in 2012.

China will continue to grow and make headlines. In 2011 China surpassed the UK in becoming the fifth largest consumer of wine in the world by volume. As wine drinkers’ tastes migrate and expand, new markets and opportunities will continue to emerge which will surely result in the popularity of a wider variety of wines and the various regions and countries they hail from. Recent studies show an increase in the number of women wine drinkers in China and that they are drinking more white wines, with white Burgundies reportedly in hot demand. Continue reading Montesquieu Winery Reviews Wine Trends to Watch in 2012

We at Montesquieu Winery wish everyone a most Happy New Year! Reflecting back on 2011, it has been such an eventful year full of unique and wonderful wine adventures including our first Montesquieu Grand Cru Champagne, the release of our coveted 2007 Derenoncourt California wines, our first Juntarse from the Uco Valley co-produced with Michel Rolland, our developing relationship with Doc Hendley and his team at Wine to Water and so much more!

Our journey to make and find truly distinctive wines has taken us around the world and back again, and we’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the relationships old and new that make it all happen! So we raise a glass to you wine lovers everywhere– clients, winemakers, wine brokers and all–we value your part in making our community so vibrant, cheers!

May your enjoyment of wine among friends and family highlight the best of times, soothe the edges of challenges and bring a smile and spring to your step as we look forward to 2012!

Happy New Year to all!

We at Montesquieu Winery believe in equal opportunity at the wine table. We’ll taste — and, if warranted, fall in love with — wine from any region, not just those with centuries of pedigree. Even so, we do have a few favorites, regions that rarely fail to thrill and intrigue, and keep you coming back again and again. Near the top of that list? The Northern Rhone. Continue reading Getting to Know the Northern Rhone With Montesquieu Winery: The Original Syrah

They say that laws are like sausages – you don’t want to see them being made. That old adage seems a simplistic banality. But when you witness firsthand the process that gave birth to the saying, you can’t help being struck by the messy impurities that drive much proposed legislation. Continue reading Montesquieu Update on H.R. 5034: Assault on Direct Wine Shipping Intensifies