Vineyards in France – Best Destination to Visit and Taste

December 9, 2014

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Vineyards in France – Best Destination to Visit and Taste

It is the country that produces some of the finest wines in the world and choosing the best French wine is not an easy task, as the selection criteria is very subjective and it all depends on the tastes of each individual.

One reason for the importance of France lies in the extraordinary range of wines produced. The diversity of climates and soils allows you to draw from light white to powerful reds creating rich environments for the vineyards in France.

Each region has its typical vineyards in France and associated wines closely with the local cuisine. If you are in search of good wines, then I propose you next selection of French wines.

Or, even if you’re not in the mood to buy, or can’t like most of us due to their costs, these places are so worth the visit. The land is extraordinarily beautiful, many of the vineyard in France offer tours, and it really makes it worth going to these cool places.

Château Rayas

Year: 1990; 1995; 2005

Price: $800

Occasion: Great day in the market; Expense account

Where virtually all wines of the famed Châteauneuf-du-Pape are blends, Château Rayas goes against the grain and makes a 100 percent Grenache that can be opulent with pronounced flavors of licorice and lavender.

This creates a unique atmosphere for one of the top and most beautiful of vineyards in France.

Domaine Leroy Musigny

Year: 1999; 2003; 2005 (but really any would do)

Price: $4,500

Occasion: You accidentally discovered precious gems in your already highly profitable gold mine while simultaneously curing cancer

Coche-Dury is best known for its white wines, but Domaine Leroy is best known for red of the vineyards in France. The Grand Cru vineyard of Musigny is one of the best plots for Pinot Noir in all of Burgundy, and this wine is liquid power and finesse in a bottle. If you do ever come across one, well…you get the picture.

Domaine Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne

Year: 2004; 2005

Price: $2,700, give or take a few dollars

Occasion: You struck oil!

While I did single out the Corton-Charlemagne, any wine by Domaine Coche-Dury is a pure treat. Best known for its world class Chardonnays, all the wines display a level of purity and honesty that is becoming less and less common today.

Château-Grillet

Year: 1999; 2000; 2005

Price: $100

Occasion: Dinner at Le Bernardin or equivalent foodie destination

Château-Grillet is an appelation unto itself of all the vineyards in France. Producing just one wine from the Viognier grape with notes of honey and apricot, a bottle can be challenging to come by because of its small production.

Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Rouge Génération XIX

Year: 2003; 2009

Price: $85-plus

Occasion: Milestone birthday

Sancerre is probably the most famous Sauvignon Blanc appellation in the world, but the region also produces red wine. Red Sancerre is always 100 percent Pinot Noir, and Génération XIX has all of the depth and complexity you’d expect from world-class Burgundy.

Jacques Selosse Substance

Year: NV

Price: $300

Occasion: Accepted marriage proposal; made partner; just ballin’

Many great Champagnes are on the market, but Jacques Selosse “Substance” is in its own class. Made with a mixture of aged and young wine, the resulting Champagne is fresh yet complex.

Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie “Côte Blonde”

Year: 1988; 1990; 1991; 1999; 2000; 2001

Price: $135-plus

Occasion: Romantic dinner

I love Syrah from the Northern Rhone, and Rostaing’s line finds a way to stay true to tradition while incorporating some modern flair. Accessible yet ageable with dark fruit, herbs, and spices, I’ve never had a bottle that I didn’t enjoy.

Yes, these wines are expensive! Really expensive! But the history, the land, the homes, the area’s, the food, it’s all worth a visit up to see these vineyards in France.

Top Business Hotels in Paris – Making Your Stay Exceptional

December 3, 2014

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Top Business Hotels in Paris – Making Your Stay Exceptional

Ah.. Paris! Food, sites, history, culture, cruises, shops, Eiffel Tower, and luxury!

All of the best business hotels in Paris have a great location, world-class service and modern facilities in addition to their unique personalities. For those that can afford the lap of luxury, here is a handpicked collection of luxury hotels, identified the best business hotels in Paris.

The best business hotels in Paris all strive to ensure that guests are as stress-free as possible while working away from home.

High-speed Internet should be easily available, the business center should be staffed around the clock, conference rooms are accessible, and you’ll find convenient transportation.

La Defense, New Business District of Paris.

Hotel Baltimore Paris | Paris, France

This handsome building was transformed into a luxury hotel in the 1920s, taking on the name of its famous first guest, Lord Baltimore. With distinctly Parisian charm, the Hotel Baltimore Paris invokes the art de vivre a la francaise with a Champagne bar, fine cuisine, library lounge and fitness room.

The attentive and dedicated services offers a personalized and high-quality welcome combining respect, discretion and a constant desire to meet guest expectations.

All of these combines traits ensure this is one of the top business hotels in Paris

Hotel de Crillon | Paris, France

Designated as a unique historical monument, the Hotel de Crillon is an elegant 18th century luxury hotel situated on the world famous Place De La Concorde in the heart of Paris. Only a few steps away from the Champs-Elysees, the Faubourg Saint Honore shopping area and all major museums, the Hotel de Crillon is the place to stay in Paris.

This mythical hotel is rich in history and culture. Decorated in a Louis XV style, the hotel’s 147 guest rooms and suites include Presidential apartments and the exceptional Louis XV and Leonard Bernstein suites.

With 140 square meters of terrace, tall windows allowing abundant light, warm colors and wood-paneling, these renowned suites offer magnificent views of Paris, the Eiffel Tower proudly visible from a luxurious bubble-bath. Offering its guests the highest level of personalized service is the ultimate goal of Hotel de Crillon.

Hotel Le Bristol Paris | Paris, France

Hotel Le Bristol Paris is an exceptional luxury hotel. With a large “a la française” garden, it is ideally located on the rue du Faubourg Saint Honore. 102 rooms and 85 suites filled with sumptuous fabrics and refined woodwork.

The Restaurant offers exceptional and innovative cuisine by 3 Michelin star Chef Eric Frechon. The bar, elegant and spontaneous, welcomes you for an afternoon tea, or less formal lunch or dinner. Exceptional? Absolutely. Best business hotels in Paris? True, too!

Hotel Plaza Athenee | Paris, France

Hotel Plaza Athenee deploys a palette of colors and light in its guest rooms and suites with elegance, charm, and sophistication so that guests can enjoy a unique, refreshing atmosphere. As you move from one window to the next, your eyes follow the line of sweet chestnut trees on avenue Montaigne.

Then sweep across the rooftops of Montmartre to the Eiffel Tower before coming to rest on the Garden Courtyard with its Virginia creeper and geraniums.

Hyatt Regency Madeleine | Paris, France

Hyatt Regency Paris-Madeleine is a fine luxury boutique hotel in Paris, ideally situated in the area of La Madeleine, in the midst of the most fashionable shopping district and close to the historical centre.

Located on the typically Parisian Boulevard Malesherbes, this five-star hotel is few minutes from the haute couture, fashion and jewellery shops of the famous streets Faubourg Saint-Honoré and Rue Royale and the department stores Printemps Haussman and Galeries Lafayette on Haussmann Boulevard.

Given the resources, these hotels are truly amazing. If there is time on your trip, I’d even recommend just walking into them, especially the Hotel de Crillon, truly a remarkable place just to see.

Enjoy!

Romantic Paris Dinner – Top 5 Spots for Pure Enjoyment

November 29, 2014

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Romantic Paris Dinner – Top 5 Spots for Pure Enjoyment

There is nothing like the quiet of sitting on a balcony somewhere and taking in everything around you, the sounds, the people, and the look of your sweetheart, gazing back at you. While this might seem like a dream, it is just a night out on the town in Paris.

There has never been a city more prone to lovers of every kind and people just looking for a pleasant and fun evening.

Romantic Paris Dinner – Passage 53: Is an ideal location for some sushi and sake. In addition to its very French décor, this restaurant also has some of the best chefs in Paris. Straight from Japan and also from Spain the food has been raved about by every critic between those two different countries.

The head chef boasts two Michelin Stars and the cuisine, is to die for. If you are looking for a perfect fusion of French culture and amazing cuisine, this is your location for a savory experience.

If you have been dreaming of traditional French opulence, with its gold and crème splendor, you will want to dine at Benoit. This is a beautiful traditional French restaurant replete with velvet winged back chairs and frescoes ceilings; this is the perfect place to take a someone for an anniversary or a proposal and an ideal place for a romantic Paris Dinner.

As a part of the Hotel de Ville it is one of the most coveted locations in Paris for opulence, luxury and a great location on the periphery of Marais which will allow you to enjoy the swanky district around the restaurant for the perfect champagne after dinner.

Le Train Bleu is a perfect experience for a romantic Paris Dinner.

Le Train Bleu is for anyone who wants the traditional French cuisine as well as an excellent location to allow you to kick back and relax in perfect old world style. The restaurant is designed to make you feel as though you are in a train station waiting on a train.

There is no better way to be able to kick back and enjoy a traditional meal than in this location with this Victorian surrounding. You will marvel at the food as well as to the cuisine you will be able to experience.

Spring is another location which is perfect for a romantic Paris dinner evening out, although it looks rather unassuming on the outside of the restaurant; this is an excellent place for a cozy menu for two.

The food is prepared completely from scratch every day and it is a mid-range price which means that you will be able to enjoy the very best at an affordable price.

Plan on getting ready to settle into one of the best locations for romance and price, run by an American chef, all of the ingredients are local and offer the best prices as well as the best fare in Paris.

Another hidden gem is Le Chardenoux is also an excellent location for having dinner with your sweetheart. All of the creations on the menu are sourced daily and the menu changes every day depending on what the chef can find in the market. This is right in the middle of the arts district and the perfect place for a night out.

With plenty of amazing choices to choose from, you’ll always be able to find some unique place for a perfect romantic Paris Dinner.

Enjoy!

Restaurants mentioned:

Le Chardenoux is one of my personal favorites and every time my wife and I go to France, we make sure to eat there. Service is great, food even better.

Secret Paris – 4 Hidden Events in the City History

November 24, 2014

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Secret Paris – 4 Hidden Events in the City History

Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world! Incredible foods. Incredible sites! Incredible places to discover. An amazing history! And I like to consider myself a bit of a student of history so let me say that I was… intrigued… by these few facts that a friend told me about. So much so I wanted write an article about them.

Paris is a city of many mysteries, one thing that you may not be aware of is the fact that there are many events which have happened that have disappeared somewhere in the history books. Here are the top 4 for your enjoyment.

Secret Paris – Nazi bunkers were created in the Paris Catacombs.
1. The catacombs below Paris are the home to over 6 million Parisians. Of those 6 million most of them are ancient. During the French Revolution many people used to meet in the catacombs and hide to plan their strategies.
2. In addition to that there are people now who meet down there as well to have catacomb parties. The Nazis saw the distinct advantage to ensuring that their men had a place to hide in the most secure area of the city.
3. Nazi Bunkers, courtesy Messy Nessy
Secret Paris – The French-Algerian Massacre of 1961.
1. In 1961 on the tail end of a disagreement with the government. The French government got into a disagreement with Algerians who were seeking and looking for political asylum. The government decided to crack down on the people and a massacre ensued.
Secret Police – Napoleon escaped twice.
Secret Paris – Paris had human zoos.
1. France has always been a country of conquest and while they were working hard to expand the empire they also decided to bring it back to Paris for national display. Over 35,000 people were brought back to the city and were then put into local villages which recreated the lifestyle of the locations where there were very were from.
2. Now there is a location that is available and abandoned in the middle of Paris. It stands in the heart of the city as a testament to all of the things that were wrong with colonization. One thing that is truly amazing as well is the fact that there are many people as well who have gone back to the site and have contemplated tearing it down.
3. That however, is not an option since the site has been a part of the history of the city.

Every city has its secrets and there is nothing different about Paris.

Within the dark streets and the locations which have been populated since Roman times lurks a new kind of secret which is the driving force of history as well as of innovation; Secret Paris. When you head to Paris you will be able to find locations in which you want to stay and have an experience of a lifetime. Make sure you are ready!

Enjoy!