The Journal
The Sense of Smell: Essential to Memory, Taste and Pleasure, Says Perfume Historian Annick Le Guérer
Why does a smell bring back a memory? Perfume historian Annick Le Guérer explains the link between smell and wine, and what anosmia reveals.
Château-Chalon AOC Turns 90: Jura Vin Jaune, from the Veil to the Clavelin
Six years under a veil, then a 62cl clavelin: Jura vin jaune is served and chosen like no other white. Château-Chalon, its birthplace, turns ninety.
Abandoned Vineyards in the Languedoc: Between Heritage, Climate and Economic Reality
Abandoned vineyards of Languedoc: heritage grape varieties, Muscat à Petits Grains, climate change and the economics of vineyard restoration, with Florence Monferran, historian and former winemaker.
Regenerative Agriculture in Burgundy: How Soil Health Could Transform Viticulture, According to Armand Heitz
In Burgundy, winegrower Armand Heitz is turning to regenerative agriculture to restore soil health and help his vineyards adapt to climate change.
Does Beaujolais Have a Premier Cru? Fleurie’s Bid for Rank
Beaujolais has no premier cru. In 2023, Fleurie applied to the INAO to classify seven lieux-dits, the first bid to give Gamay a rank of its own.
Provence Rosé Wine: From Beach Drink to Cultural Icon
Why is Provence rosé so pale? From Domaines Ott to Saint-Tropez: how it is made, its grapes, food pairings and prices, and what it says about us.
Is Paris Still a Culinary Capital? Food Historian Loïc Bienassis Answers
Is Paris still a culinary capital? From Les Halles to bouillons, French service to world cuisines, food historian Loïc Bienassis answers.
Invest in Burgundy Wines: When Terroir Becomes an Asset
Is investing in Burgundy wines still a good strategy? Selectively, and over the long term: centuries of terroir, a 34% market correction and climate risks that prices may be overlooking.
French Wine Diplomacy: The Bottle as Soft Power
What is French wine diplomacy? From Louis XIV to the 2026 tariff threats, how France uses wine as soft power, and why a bottle can carry political weight.
French Business Culture: Etiquette, Hierarchy and the Codes of Professional Life
French business culture decoded: hierarchy, tu vs vous, email etiquette, meetings, trust and the cultural differences that shape doing business in France.
The Social Code of Giving Wine: What Your Bottle Says About You
Choosing a wine as a gift is never neutral: it reveals taste, knowledge and intent. From a wine’s gift potential to the subtleties of selecting the right bottle, discover what makes a French wine an appropriate gift in both professional and private settings — and what it communicates beyond the bottle.
“Bon Appétit”: What It Really Means in France — And What It Says About Your Rank
“Bon appétit” means more than “enjoy your meal” in France. Who says it, when, and why. A cultural intelligence analysis of the codes that decide rank at the French table — for those who need more than good manners.
How to Read a French Wine Label — And What It Really Tells You
French wine labels are legal documents — if you know how to read them. A practical audit framework that separates informed buyers from those who pay for reputation alone.
“Bon Vin”: The Art of Raising a Glass, Between Tribute and Caricature
“Bon Vin” or (Good Wine): behind its cheerful surface, this Épinal print reveals the pleasures, excesses and social codes of working-class France in the 1800s.
Pouilly-Fumé vs Pouilly-Fuissé: Two French White Wines, Two Different Worlds
Pouilly-Fumé or Pouilly-Fuissé? One is a Loire Sauvignon Blanc, the other a Burgundy Chardonnay. Terroir, taste and food pairings to help you choose.
The French Paradox, Revisited: When the World's Wine Country Stops Drinking
French wine consumption has fallen over 60% since 1960. This is not merely a public health story — it is a geopolitical and economic signal whose implications extend far beyond France.
Taste Makes Value, Value Makes Taste: What Makes a Wine Great?
Why does one wine cost €1,000 and another €10? Does price affect taste? Bourdieu, Parker, 1855 Classification: how taste, chemistry and prestige make value.
French Table Manners: The Social Codes Behind Every Gesture
From Louis XIV to the business lunch: how French table manners and dining etiquette still encode power, status and belonging — and what every gesture really signals.
French Wine Regions: How France Turned Terroir into a Global Advantage
How the AOC system turned France’s wine regions into a luxury advantage, and why climate change now tests Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne.
Can AI Replace the Sommelier, Winemaker or Oenologist?
Can AI replace the sommelier, winemaker or oenologist? Explore how artificial intelligence is transforming wine expertise, from vineyard to glass.