Château Les Maubats 2015 Bordeaux Superior is a Vegan Wine that Pleases the Palate

Château Les Maubats 2015 Bordeaux Superior

Vegan wines taste as good as regular wines, that’s our proclamation! If you don’t believe us, then try Château Les Maubats 2015 Bordeaux Superior Rouge.

This wine is bright and refreshing, and fully meets our expectations of a pleasantly drinkable French vintage. The fact that it is vegan is an afterthought, at least from a palate perspective. What does surprise us more than anything is that it is French, because the style is so New World in presentation, almost Californian or Australian.

The winemaker describes Château Les Maubats 2015 Bordeaux Superior Rouge as “Deep ruby core with aromas of red cherries, raspberries, thyme, and earthy notes. Full-bodied on the palate with integrated oak flavors, ripe red fruit, coffee, a hint of tobacco, and a touch of licorice

Definitely a great drinking or gift wine, and guaranteed to be a conversation starter… or deal closer.


WHAT IS VEGAN WINE?

We are often asked, “Wait, aren’t all wines vegan?” No, mon frere! They are not , just like honey is not vegan, nor is butter, because they both came from animals.

Wine may be made of grapes, but it has to be cleared up and filtered to make it drinkable, otherwise there are a number of unpleasant floating things you might swallow. An agent added to the wine can absorb this debris and when removed, leaves most of the wine a tasty and clear liquid.

As Vegan Wines describes, “traditional wine fining and filtering may involve many animal products, such as isinglass (from fish bladders), gelatin (from animal hooves and sinews), chitosan (from crustaceans), albumin (from eggs), and casein (from milk).” Vegan wines use non-animal derived methods to clarify the wine, including no slaughterhouse byproducts such as animal blood, bone, feathers, or fish waste are used to enrich and fertilize soil.

Vegan Wines is expanding its offerings and wine club, especially for lovers of reds and lower-priced wines. It’s also the the U.S.’s first all-vegan wine club

ABOUT VEGANWINES.COM

Vegan Wines began in 2018 to make buying vegan wines easier, to give boutique vineyards and wineries more exposure, and to raise awareness about the exploitation of animals in winemaking methods. Founded by Frances Gonzalez, a long-time vegan and wine enthusiast, with an assist from in-house sommelier Sunny Gandara, DWS, CWE, Vegan Wines offers unique wines that are animal-friendly ‘from the vine to the glass.’ Vegan Wines visits wineries across the U.S. and the world, touring vineyards and winemaking facilities, talking with owners and winemakers, and of course, tasting wines, to uncover rare and small-scale wines that are guaranteed vegan. Vegan Wines also offers the first online vegan wine club in the U.S., with hand-selected wines, special discounts, recipes, events, and more. For more information visit http://veganwines.com.

Château Les Maubats 2015 Bordeaux Superior Rouge retails for around $30, find it here.

Top 5 Healthy Eating Options at U.S.’s Busiest Airports

Millions of travelers pass through busy airports every year, and they are inevitably  hungry.  While there are plenty of eat-on-the-go options, more and more travelers want healthy dining selections.

Here are some of the top healthy eating options at the U.S.’s busiest airports:


CHICAGO O’HARE:

Farmer’s Fridge is committed to making fresh, healthy food as accessible as a candy bar. Chef-curated, restaurant-quality meals and snacks are handcrafted in their kitchen and delivered fresh to Fridges.  Automated smart Fridges offer a fresh, revolving menu of over 25 balanced salads, sandwiches, bowls, snacks and beverages. User-friendly touchscreen technology allows customers to explore the menu with ease, pay with a swipe of a credit card and get back to their flight’s gate in a snap.  Terminal 1 Gate B 20, Terminal 2 Gate F8, Terminal 3 Gate K6, Terminal 3 Baggage Claim, Terminal 5 Arrivals

 

DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT:

Mod Market is truly a diamond in the rough among an airport riddled with fast food chains. Fresh and delicious food including creative sandwiches, pizzas, yogurt parfaits, fruit salads, whole fruit, desserts and sweets. Denver International Airport, Concourse C, Near Gate C28

 

LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (LAX):

Real Food Daily  is Southern California’s premier organic plant-based restaurant, serving a quality, authentic, creative and nutritionally balanced menu.  Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Terminal 4

 

DALLAS-FORT WORTH AIRPORT:

Bleu Mediterranean Bar is an upscale environment serving Mediterranean classics, grilled veggie sides, and salads with the finest cocktails, wines and spirits. It also serves a delicious breakfast and dinner menu from their authentic Mediterranean grill. Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) Airport, Gate A9

 

HARTSFIELD-JACKSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ATLANTA:

LottaFrutta serves tropical fruit cups, sandwiches and lighter fare with a Mexican and Latin American twist.  Vegan and vegetarian options are available. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Atlanta, Gate B23

THE BEST: California Olive Oils by Sciabica’s and Wild Groves

Italy produces great olive oils, but some of the best in the World come from California. Two of these, Sciabica’s and Wild Groves, recently won Top Honors in the California State Fair, competing again hundreds of other producers.

NEW RELEASE: The Official Chocolate Journal helps track your Good Taste

Our second publication of the year, THE OFFICIAL CHOCOLATE JOURNAL. Use for tastings, recipes, travels, shops, chocolate salons.

Now available, you’ll be able to keep track of your chocolate tastings, your favorite chocolates, your favorite shops and even recipes with THE OFFICIAL CHOCOLATE JOURNAL (2nd Edition).

Over 140 pages for you to fill.

Find it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TZLokL

Get the Latest Food & Wine Trends in Napa Valley

If you love food and wine, then you know that Napa Valley is an epicenter for both. Between the vast acres of vineyards and the great selections of restaurants, it’s a place where new trends constantly emerge.

We’ve asked experts Chef Barbara Alexander and Karen Rowley what they see as some of the upcoming ones.

Karen and Chef Alexander, what are some of the current culinary trends in Wine Country?

  • Quality products with local ingredients keeps trending from the best restaurants to the food trucks that line Soscal Avenue Here in Napa Valley the trend has become much more inclusive with hyper local ingredients frequently grown at the restaurant’s or chef’s own garden and prepared as it is harvested.
  • Plant forward food that emphasizes fruits and vegetables in traditional and new cuisine. Sneak in those veggies!
  • The big emphasis on food at wineries with new kitchens opening up at a brisk pace and wineries like B Cellar that are completely focused on pairing food and wine
  • A resurgence in quality restaurants in downtown Napa
  • The Oxbow area has become a culinary haven
  • New hotel builds with celebrity chefs like Las Alcobas in Saint Helena with Chris Cosentino’s acclaimed Acacia.

 

When it comes to wine, what do you see as trending in Napa Valley appellations?

  • Preservation of heritage vineyards,
  • 1-2 acre single clone vineyards planted in different appellations by the same estate for blending or single vineyard tastings
  • The emergence of Coombsville as a major appellation because of its micro climates and ability to grow valley, mountain and coastal grapes
  • The way winemakers are letting the terroir of an appellation speak in their wines
  • The influx of billionaires purchasing wineries in all appellations
  • The explosion of labels touting appellations that do not own any vineyards or have a winery in that appellation

 


More about Karen and Barbara of Curated Journeys

Karen Rowley

Karen Rowley owns a travel company completely focused on creating wine and culinary adventures all over the world on land and sea. She works with wineries, culinary experts, and chefs to curate the most amazing experiences imaginable. Travel has been her life for 30 years, and she is part of the prestigious Virtuoso Travel Network of the best luxury travel advisors on the planet.

Chef Barbara Alexander

For over 30 years, Chef B. has worked as a professional executive chef, running pedigree hotel kitchens and Michelin-level restaurants in Vancouver, Canada and Sydney, Australia. She has been a culinary educator with The Dubrulle French Culinary School in Vancouver, Canada, The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, Napa Valley, and had a 16-year stint as Culinary Director at the lauded Napa Valley Cooking School. Currently, Chef B. is a consultant for the Culinary Institute of America.

Curated Journeys

Karen Rowley, the co-founder of Curated Journeys, which provides elevated private experiences, discovering what the locals and insiders love about Napa Valley. Food and wine produced by award-winning chefs and winemakers, served in stunning settings.

Curated Journeys wants their guests to know the secret enclaves that lie behind closed gates, in hidden caves, and private estates. Committed to quality, local food, and small production, outstanding wines in their personal lives, they have created unparalleled, immersive experiences for small groups of people to enjoy.

For more information, please visit https://www.manymoretravels.com/product/napa-valley-curated-journeys

TasteTV Gift Guide: 8 Luxury Selections to Upscale Your Home & Kitchen

When it comes to your home or kitchen, upscaling to luxury can often be found in a few, very well-selected items. TasteTV has scoured the world for some choices that we think will help you level up your environment for living, for cooking, and for relaxing.