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Top 12 Places to Buy Wine in Metro Atlanta
Champagne & Wine Joelle Gracia Champagne & Wine Joelle Gracia

Top 12 Places to Buy Wine in Metro Atlanta

Have you ever been invited to someone’s home and were asked to bring a bottle of wine and had no idea where to start? Or maybe you’re just learning about wine and wonder where do other enthusiasts and connoisseurs like to go? Here’s a top 12 list to use as a guide (12 inside and 12 outside the perimeter).

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Christmastime in Paris
Paris, Travel Joelle Gracia Paris, Travel Joelle Gracia

Christmastime in Paris

People often ask when is the best time to visit Paris, and as the saying goes , “Paris is always a good idea”. But there’s something about Paris at Christmas that’s magical. The marchés de Noël (Christmas markets), the aromas of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts in the streets, the hot chocolate…

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Champagne & Food Pairings
Joelle Gracia Joelle Gracia

Champagne & Food Pairings

Most of us have heard of food and wine pairings. But did you know that food also goes with Champagne? If you think about it, Champagne is first and foremost a wine. The difference is that while still wines are fermented only once, Champagne goes through a second fermentation process that creates the bubbles that we all know and love. So for your next culinary experiences, how about trying these Champagne (or sparkling wine) and food pairings. 

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Sarlat & Castles of the Dordogne
Travel, France Joelle Gracia Travel, France Joelle Gracia

Sarlat & Castles of the Dordogne

Besides truffles, foie gras, and its beautiful landscape, the Dordogne is also famous for its castles. Several of these castles or chateaux such as Milandes, Beynac, and Castelnaud are located within minutes from one another. On the other hand, keeping in mind that each visit is at least 1.5 to 2 hours with a good walk (hike) to reach the top…

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Spa Day in Bordeaux
Travel, France Joelle Gracia Travel, France Joelle Gracia

Spa Day in Bordeaux

Just twenty-five minutes from Bordeaux’s city center, a unique and unforgettable spa experience awaits you. It’s called Les Sources de Caudalie. It is a spa located at the vineyards of Château Smith Haut-Lafitte, in the famous Pessac-Léognan appellation. The atmosphere is rustic and is surrounded by beauty, luxury fragrances, and…

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Entre-Deux-Mers (Bordeaux)
Travel, France Joelle Gracia Travel, France Joelle Gracia

Entre-Deux-Mers (Bordeaux)

The very first time that I heard of Château Cantelaudette wine was when a friend of mine brought it over one day and we were tasting the 2013 Bordeaux Blanc. Prior to that, I have to admit that white wines from Bordeaux were among my least favorite French whites. Most of the white Bordeaux…

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Day Trip to Cognac
Travel, France Joelle Gracia Travel, France Joelle Gracia

Day Trip to Cognac

During my stay in Bordeaux, I took some time out for a day trip to the Cognac region, a place that I’ve been wanting to visit since Cognac (besides Armagnac) is my favorite digestif. I learned about Borderies, a specific ¨terroir¨ or growth area in the Cognac region while at a Camus Cognac tasting in…

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