winememoir (2025)

30/01/2025

Happy Year of the Snake! 🐍🧧 In the spirit of Chinese New Year, my dear friend brought a special bottle—Jade Vineyard Aria Reserve Chardonnay from Ningxia. 🇨🇳 Tasted blind, almost everyone thought it was a Burg! Golden stone fruit, toasty oak, crisp apple, and vanilla on the nose, with a fresh, beautifully concentrated palate.

Maybe the Year of the Snake will be full of hidden gems like this! 蛇年大吉! 🐍

27/01/2025

It’s Pepper’s birthday today! 🐾

Naturally, we had to celebrate in style, so we popped open a bottle of Roulot to mark the occasion. We finished it all ourselves—because, as expected, Pepper hates wine (or alcohol in general, 😂). But don’t worry, he didn’t miss out—we made him a doggie duck Wellington, and he loved it! 🦆🎂

24/01/2025

This winery holds a special place in my heart. ❤️

Since 1988, the husband-and-wife duo of Abel Mendoza and Maite Fernandez has been redefining winemaking in Rioja. They are not only among the true vignerons of Rioja but also of Spain as a whole—truly remarkable individuals.

This was our second visit, the first being three years ago, and it felt just as magical. Despite the chaos of the harvest season, they took time to welcome us with warmth and generosity. Every visit feels like coming home, and their passion, kindness, and genuine hospitality always leave a lasting impression. They don’t have a website, they don’t do marketing, and yet their wines speak for themselves—affordable, approachable, and brimming with authenticity.

I always get asked, “Why do you love wine so much?” Maite’s answer sums it up perfectly: “When we sell a bottle of wine, we sell a part of our life. The biggest thing in this business is the relationships between people.” 🥹

Cheers to people like Abel and Maite, who remind us of the beauty of connection through wine. 🍷

22/01/2025

Two villages, two legends 🍷: Chambolle-Musigny and Gevrey-Chambertin.

These Burgundy gems showcase the magic of Pinot Noir. Generally speaking, Chambolle is celebrated for its silky textures and floral finesse, while Gevrey tends to offer more depth and earthy notes. The best way to truly understand these nuances? A side-by-side tasting! It’s the ultimate way to explore how terroir and winemaking styles shape each wine’s character.

Domaine Alain Burguet and Domaine Frédéric Magnien are great examples (and often available online or at local stores). ✨ Save this for your next wine adventure!

17/01/2025

My Friday essentials. Every week should end with a 1981 Vega Scilia! 😜

Ps: Secretly loving this glass!

15/01/2025

Instead of Dry January, how about Try January? 🍶 Excited to dive into a sake tasting night, especially as we finalize our Japan trip in February! 🇯🇵

Just like wine, sake is classified according to ingredients, production methods, and the degree of rice polishing. A lower polishing ratio typically means more rice is used and more time is spent polishing, resulting in a higher price. Here’s a quick guide - save for your next trip to the liquor store:

✨ Junmai: Brewed using only rice, water, yeast, and koji. Known for its pure, full-bodied, and rich flavor.
✨ Ginjo: Brewed with highly polished rice; light, fruity, and aromatic.
✨ Daiginjo: Ultra-polished rice (50% or more); premium, elegant, and refined.

Time to explore the diverse world of sake—kanpai!

08/01/2025

Save this post for your next Bilbao adventure! 🇪🇸✨

Started the day at the Guggenheim — art and architecture goals! 🖼️ Followed with an unforgettable lunch at Azurmendi (trust me, more to come 🍽️). Then we hit La Ribera Market for all the fresh local goodness and wrapped up with pintxos and drinks in Casco Viejo. Can’t wait to go back! 💫

27/12/2024

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and some quality time with loved ones! 🎄✨ Now, let’s get ready for NYE with bubbles! 🥂 Sharing 6 of my recent favorite champagnes, perfect for any celebration (and budget!):

🍾 Domaine Léon Enchevêtrer (~$70): Crisp and lively—great for any occasion!
🍾 R. Pouillon & Fils Grande Vallée Extra Brut (~$45): Elegant and refreshing with a nice zesty finish.
🍾 Laherte Frères Les 7 Extra Brut (~$120): Complex, rich, and full of character—something to savor.
🍾 2015 La Rogerie ‘Héroïne’ BdB Grand Cru (~$80): Smooth, creamy, and oh-so-elegant.
🍾 2012 Charles Heidsieck (~$110): Rich and luxurious with layers of depth.
🍾 1991 Billecart-Salmon ‘Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon’ (~$300): Pure indulgence—delicate, refined, and unforgettable.

Cheers to ringing in 2025 in style! Which one would you pop first? 🥂✨😜

14/12/2024

Hands down, one of my favorite wines of 2024! 🍷✨

Ordered this incredible 1981 Unico at Rekondo—if you missed my last post, this spot in San Sebastián is a must-visit, with over 100 vintages of Unico in their legendary cellar. The wine? Nearly perfection. Glorious, wonderfully youthful, and expressive despite its age. The palate is rich and juicy, bursting with energy, with clean tannins layered under pomegranate and balsamic notes. An unforgettable experience in every sip!

🍷 Vega Sicilia Unico 1981

12/12/2024

Save this restaurant for your next trip to San Sebastián! 🥳

Rekondo sits on a hill overlooking the city and has been around since 1964, with its wine cellar added in 1970. It’s home to one of the best wine cellars in the world, with around 100,000 bottles. 📖 The wine list is an impressive 340-page book featuring wines from around the globe and a great selection of Spanish wines—including nearly 100 vintages of Unico! 😱🤩 Stay tuned—I’ll share what we got in the next post!

09/12/2024

Guess how long it took us to finish this bottle... lol!😅

Stunningly complex with mellow woody nuances, with hints of baking spices, and a super fine, smooth, and creamy texture. That long, elegant, and supple finish? Absolute perfection - especially paired with sushi! 🍣

02/12/2024

Dining at is a dream come true! Located in a 14th-century castle in Costa Brava, this Michelin-starred gem serves innovative dishes crafted with local Empordà ingredients. 🏯🍽

From the olive oil tasting to the iconic cheese cart and every perfect wine pairing, the experience was truly unforgettable. Swipe to the last pic to see the most insane cheese cart 🧀😍

Have you ever dined in a medieval castle?

29/11/2024

How was everyone’s Thanksgiving? 🍂🦃 Hope it was full of fun, love, and good wine!

After all the indulgence, I’m craving something light—like a fresh salad and a chilled bright white. This Les Vignes de Paradis Chasselas Marin is hitting the spot! Lean and stony with lightly honeyed, creamy vibes, tropical fruit, zingy citrus, and a steely mineral backbone. Perfect post-feast sip! ✨

What’s in your glass today?

26/11/2024

Some unforgettable birthday pours🍷:

✨ 1985 Louis Latour RSV – A timeless classic with elegant dried floral notes and a long, voluptuous finish.
✨ 1992 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Clos de Vougeot – Rich, concentrated, velvety, with broad aromatics and power.
✨ 1997 Andre Ziltener Echezeaux Grand Cru – Layers of depth, silky texture, and a finish that lingers beautifully.
✨ 1985 Domaine Jean Tardy Nuits-St-Georges – Vibrant and powerful, with impressive length and nuanced complexity.

A night with great wines and even better memories 🥰

23/11/2024

Insta me vs. reality me: sometimes elegant, most times… well, you know how it goes! 😜

It’s my birthday! 🎂🎉 This year has been nothing short of magical—filled with incredible travels to breathtaking places, unforgettable moments with amazing friends, endless laughs, the best family time, and, of course, some of the best wines I’ve ever had. 🍷💕✨ So grateful for everything this year has brought my way. Thank you ALL for being part of my wine journey and here’s to becoming my best self in the year ahead!

🍇

11/11/2024

Cold weather calls for hearty dishes… time to make my favorite braised oxtail! 😋🫶

There are so many ways to make oxtail, and this time I braised it with soy sauce, Chinese spices, carrots, and morels. Four hours later, it’s incredibly flavorful and tender—perfect with rice! For wine, I went with a Hospices de Beaune Corton Cuvée Charlotte Dumay Grand Cru. Delicate berry fruits, fresh, floral, and energetic, with a deliciously perfumed aftertaste. Yum!

What’s your go-to comfort food, and your go-to wine to pair with it? 🍴

🍷 Hospices de Beaune Corton Cuvée Charlotte Dumay Grand Cru 2009

07/11/2024

Spain night done right with three of the best Spanish wines—all from old vintages! 🇪🇸🍷

👉 Tondonia 1987—probably the most classic and familiar Spanish wine. The wax seal was tricky, but the reward was worth it. Aromas of dried herbs, spices, aged leather, and old wood—a beautifully traditional, graceful Rioja.
👉 Vega Sicilia needs no introduction. This 2004 showcases the elegance and finesse of Tempranillo, tasting incredibly youthful even at 20 years old. We might regret opening it too soon...but couldn’t resist!
👉 Priorat L‘Ermita by Alvaro Palacios 1998: a true legend in Spanish winemaking, with unmatched depth, complexity, and elegance. Simply breathtaking.

A night to remember! 🤩

04/11/2024

Breakfast in the vineyard! 🌿🍇

Winemaking starts in the vineyard, so that’s how we began our day—enjoying breakfast with an incredible view and tasting wines crafted from the very vines in front of us. 🍷Finca Garbet, nestled in Spain’s Empordà DO, stretches 12 hectares along the Mediterranean coast. What makes it so special? Planted in 1997, it grows Garnatxa, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and more. With organic farming, slate soils, low-yield production, and the Mediterranean’s solar warmth, each grape reaches full ripeness. The powerful Tramontana wind adds stress to the vines, bringing intensity to every sip.

A truly unforgettable experience, capturing the essence of place in every glass. Save this for your next trip there—it’s a must-experience! 💚

winememoir