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  • Matching up a wine with your style

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    Tell me what you like wearing and I will tell you which wine suits you

    Wine and fashion have more common points than it seems…

     

    • First, the vocabulary. Describing wine is like describing a person’s appearance. How can you tell the difference between wines and looks when you evoke their colour, elegance, roundness, volume, smoothness, structure or character?
      Both involve human senses: sight, touch, smell and taste.

     

    • From “ready-to-wear” to “haute couture” or from a wine “ready to drink” to a Grand Cru, there is a wide price range. Both wine and fashion require quality material: the finest fabrics for clothes and the best grapes for wines.

     

    • There is also regular renewal: twice a year for the new fashion seasons or after every harvest for the wine. On care tags or wine labels you can find instructions to help you wash your clothes or serve your wine at the perfect temperature.

     

    Thus, why not using these similarities to find the ideal wine as you find the perfect look for you?

     

    Step 1: Choose a look

    Imagine someone you meet in the street. You see this woman in a black suit and a fitted shirt; she is wearing a pair of stilettos lengthening her figure. A very elegant, close fitting and slightly masculine look.

    Step 2: Apply the description of the look to the wine

    Imagine now a wine with the same character: a very elegant wine, with a dark, almost black colour, it looks robust but reveals a great delicacy in the mouth.

    Step 3: Find your wine!

    We can imagine a red Côtes-du-Rhône, famous for its dark and deep colour. For the palate we will rather turn to the Septentrionales and their full-bodied red wines which remain particularly delicate and feminine.

     

    So we could suggest to you:

    Domaine Philippe et Vincent Jaboulet
    Crozes Hermitage

     

    You can trust us: we will certainly find the wine which best matches your look among our 600 references.

    So, ready to play the game ?

    -> Click here! <-

     

  • The green side of Wine Palette

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    Everyone is more and more concerned by the environment, so is Wine Palette. Thanks to our partnerships with committed wineries, we are able to offer a selection of more than 100 biodynamic and organic wines and some from sustainable agriculture.

    But what is the difference between them?
    Let’s have a little update on these three main environmental certifications of wine.

    Sustainable agriculture

    First, sustainable agriculture aims to limit the impact of agricultural activity on the environment. It means using a minimum of chemicals, treating the vine only when necessary and ensuring a total transparency of these vine treatments.

    Organic wine

    Then, organic wine is a “wine made from organic viticulture”. That is to say a wine produced from grapes certified in organic farming (no pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers and GMOs). Henceforth, since 2012, in order to obtain the organic certification, it is necessary that the grapes come from organic farming but also that the vinification meets a stricter specification as detailed by Brussels. Thus, the rules of vinification are more “clean”.

    Biodynamic wine

    Finally, biodynamic wine is best for the respect of natural balance. To obtain biodynamic certification, you must first be certified in organic farming. It also signifies that you respect natural cycles and the life of the “agricultural organizations”, that is to say the life of a wine estate thought as a whole.

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    So is everything clear? Would you like to taste the difference?
    Just ask us the list of our biodynamic and organic wines and choose what you would like.
    We will take care of the rest. You will not be disappointed, we promise!

    Cheers!
    The Team Wine Palette

  • Wine Fairs are back!

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    Here we are! Summer holidays are coming to an end and the back-to-school season is starting. If it can be a bad news for a few, the wine lovers should be more enthusiastic because it is also the beginning of the wine fairs. They range from late August to mid-October so do not miss the occasion to taste the novelties and to do good bargains!

    What about Cuvelier Fauvarque’s wine fairs?

    In fact, Cuvelier Fauvarque is organizing 9 wine fairs, from the 1st of September to the 26th of October. They will take place at different places in the North of France. There, the customers will have the possibility to taste a pleasant selection of wines and buy their favorites at lower prices.

    This year, the theme of these different wine fairs is the renewal. On the one hand, the renewal from the products point of view. There are 60 new products, and then 60 new stories to tell. On the other hand, it is a renewal because of the arrival of two exceptional vintages on our stocks. The harvests of years 2015 and 2016 have been very healthy, with beautiful grape berries. These vintages are therefore very homogeneous. We are selling them at very advantageous prices so do not hesitate to invest. It is a big deal!

    We are also glad to our partnership and our exclusive contract with Maison Chanzy which is producing the best of Burgundy. There too, you will enjoy some very good prices…

    Exporting with Wine Palette

    Don’t worry foreigners! Even if the wine fairs are organized in France, you can find some of the wines on our website or ask for more details to buy excellent wines at excellent prices.
    Just click to contact, ask your question and we will do the best to answer to it as quicky and detailed as possible.


    Cheers!
    The Team Wine Palette

  • Summer Wines

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    Summer is here! The sunny days and the rise in temperatures encourage us to spend more quality time in the outdoors with family and/or friends. We may enjoy a little glass of whine in a park or on a terrace, but which ones are best for this time of year?

     

    Red wine is often associated with cold evenings, fireplace, and hearty meal and it surely isn’t our first choice when it’s hot outside!

    Obviously, Rosé is the first wine coming to our mind, because Rosé is everywhere all summer! For the really hot days, it is better to choose Dry Rosé, which will be fresher. Stronger Rosé will taste better on a less hot day, but in any case: remember to put them in the fridge as it is far better when served cold!

    Examples : Fleur d’Eglantine – Nîmes / Gris de Gris – Dune / Ovni – J.Mourat (Loire)

     

    White wines are to be served a little fresher as the best temperature is between 8 and 12°C.

    The most refreshing are from Val de Loire or Corbières for instance.

    Examples : Chenin de Jardin – J.Mourat / Villa Dria – Colombard / Clacson – Frais

    But actually, Red Wine can also be pleasant as long as we know which one to choose and how best to serve it.

    Forget about the room temperature rule as the right temperature to drink them would be between 12 and 14°C.
    The term “room temperature” is almost two centuries old, and at the time the houses were at 15 degrees. Today they are at 20°C which is obviously to hot for a wine which shouldn’t be drunk above 18°C (less fragrance but the same amount of alcohol).
    As for the choice of wine, it is best to select a light and fruity wine such as a Pinot noir or a Gamay, which is juicy and has a savory style. Val de Loire wines can also be suitable for the season.

    Examples : Rouquin de Jardin – J.Mourat / Nicolas de Bourgueil – Mabileau / Clacson – Pays d’Oc (Barbeur)

  • Primeurs Wines

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    What is the en primeur trade system?

    En primeur is a method of purchasing wine early, while it is still in the barrel.

    Originally, en primeur trade was initiated in 18th century. Bordeaux wine merchants went into the castles a few months before the harvest to estimate and buy the crop. The modern system, as we know it today and which includes the famous week of tasting was set up in the 70s.

    En primeur wines made possible for the winemakers to cash in the income of the vintage before starting the new one and for the customer the opportunity to invest before the wine is bottled.

    Payment is made at an early stage of the year or 18 months prior to the official release of a vintage.

    Who’s involved?

    Historically, only the Grands Crus Classés participated in primeur trades, but nowadays, it is most of the high quality domain, Classé or not,

    The benefits of buying en primeur 

    – Be sure to get the lowest price of the market: the reputation of Grands Crus causes an increased price while demand exceeds supply.

    – Anticipate the scarcity: the production of the castles is limited to what the nature has kindly given, some products are often rare, and buying them en primeur is the guarantee that you will have the wanted wine.

    The wine trade :

    To taste the en primeur wines, the properties of Bordeaux produce samples from young barrel from the previous year’s harvest. Samples are then tasted at the wine trade in Bordeaux. The Castles release for sale some of their production at an opening price.

    After a weeklong trade, the press and the great tasters write their report and grade the wines. It’s after this phase that the castles put their wines on the market.

    The wines are only sold to merchants from La Place de Bordeaux then they sell them to importers all over the world.

     

  • What Is a Grand Cru?

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    The term “Grand Cru” is French for “great growth” refers to the biggest and most reputed wine of the Castle. It points out the parcel where grapes grow best.

    This term has different meaning from wine region to another, as there are two categories:
    “Grand Cru Classé” and “AOC Grand Cru”.

    Continue reading What Is a Grand Cru?