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9:59 AM

Thursday 04/24/08 - Wines

Wines For Your Reading Pleasure

HOUSE HUNTING IN WINE COUNTRY - FITOU



Fitou wine is well-established, particularly in the UK - most people know the name, can pronounce it easily, and may even have tried a bottle or two. But ask them where Fitou is and the chances are they'll look at you blankly. So here's your chance to shine at your next dinner party: serve a few bottles of full-bodied, feisty red Fitou and regale your guests with a little background.



First and foremost, a couple of facts. Fitou is the oldest appellation in the Languedoc-Roussillon region (and not a lot people know that). It is divided into two zones that border Corbi?res, with the smaller zone lying around the coastal town of Fitou itself, and the larger zone's vineyards dominating the land between Villeneuve-les-Corbi?res and Tuchan. Although the communes here can produce golden-hued Rivesaltes vins doux naturels, most of the wines are reds, made mainly from the Carignan grape variety blended with Grenache, Mourv?dre and Syrah. Good Fitou vintages tend to be herb-flavoured with a wild, spicy character; think simple, medium- to full-bodied, rustic reds.



Next up, the place itself. Fitou is small but lively winemaking village in the south of France, in the Aude d?partement of the Languedoc region. It's about 10 minutes drive from the beaches of the Mediterranean, an hour and a half from ski resorts in the Pyrenees, and you can even do a day trip to Spain from Fitou. A number of expats (mainly British, Dutch and Germans) have chosen to make their homes here; Fitou appeals to families with young children as it's quiet enough to feel very safe while providing all the necessary services and amenities to make life comfortable year-round, including a primary school, bar, several restaurants, a boulangerie, a supermarket, launderette, a snack bar - and of course, lots of wine (which can be bought direct from the producers). It's a popular village with foreign visitors as it is still largely unspoilt, but it's hardly an expat enclave, and everyone is well integrated; it's a very small, friendly community.



Properties range from small village houses (maison de village) through to modern villas and apartments in the Domaine de Capitelles, a new development situated up on the hills surrounding the village. Cheaper properties tend to change hands quickly, especially if they have an outside area, as gardens are hard to come by. The Fitou area is considered to be a good place to look for older property to renovate; lower-priced village houses invariably need modernization or at least decoration, and by renovating an older property it is possible to create a home that is exactly to your tastes while saving money.



Fans of modern building styles will need to look elsewhere. Occasionally, recently-built villas come onto the market but they are far and few between, and there are very few plots of building land left; you'd need to look a little further afield to be able to build your own home from scratch. House prices in and around Fitou have boomed since the Millennium, but have now become relatively stable. As an example, in the nearby village of Paziols, a two-bedroom village house renovated in a modern style is currently on the market for ?104,500, while a pretty, three-bed village house with original features (wooden beams, open fireplaces and a period staircase) and plenty of charm is selling for ?129,600. For more details of these and other properties, visit www.viboimmobilier.com.





About the Author


Louise has lived in France, in the city of Montpellier in the Languedoc-Roussillon for the past 5 years.


Louise writes for a number of French life magazines and was asked to write a number of articles on life and experiences in France by French real estate agents Vibo Immobilier (http://www.viboimmobilier.com), based in the wine village of Fitou.

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The Riedel Ultra Wine Decanter complements your entire Riedel stemware set. The perfectly balanced base and fluted mouth allow for easy pouring and wine decanting. Combining a sleek modern design with maximum breathing room for wine aeration the Riedel Ultra Wine Decanter is the ultimate in crystal wine decanters. Perfectly designed to fit our large wine decanter glass stopper. 9 1/4'H 70.5 oz. Attention California residents. Proposition 65 WARNING.


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8:33 AM

Thursday April 24, 2008 - Fine Wines

The Best Articles on Fine Wines

Choosing Wine Bottle Stoppers for Wedding Favors


What better wedding favors to give your wedding guests than wine bottle stoppers. Most wine bottle stoppers are presented very elegantly and usually you can purchase a nice matching personalized tag to add a personalized touch to the bottle stopper. Some bottle stoppers are heart shaped, star shaped, shaped like bride and grooms also some have rhinestones. So below I have put together a small list of some of the more popular bottle stoppers that you can give your wedding guests as favors.

Sterling heart bottle stopper

This is a favor that is sure to make a truly sophisticated impact on your reception tables. This is one of the most popular and gorgeous favors available. The bottle stopper will add drama and height to your table decor. Each hefty, chrome-finish bottle stopper is packaged in it's own display box featuring a black floral print base and clear "3-D" display window. The elegantly presented box is topped off with a black cap, and tied with a sheer organza bow. Most retailers will offer matching personalized tags with this item.

Wish upon a star bottle stopper

This wine bottle stopper is loaded with special features like five tiny rhinestones and an engraved "Wish Upon Star" detail. This stopper is nicely package in a clear show case display with black wish upon a star detail. Although this bottle stopper comes with a nice standard tag a personalized matching tag is often available for purchase.

Cheers to a great combination

This little bride and groom bottle stopper is a great way to celebrate the combining of two hearts. These stoppers come in a heart shaped design that creatively celebrates the bride and groom's great combination. These favors are great to give to the couples at your reception.

Bottle stoppers are great to give to your wedding guests as favors. They are functional and will serve as great reminders of the day of your wedding.

Yolanda is the owner of Yolandas wedding favors and wedding planner. She enjoys seeing all the different table decorations and wedding party favors that go along with the reception. She has a very nice line of wedding favors and wedding accessories. She has a very nice line of groomsmen gifts such as personlized cuff links, engraved beer mugs and many more gifts for groomsmen. She also has a good friend who sells bridesmaid gifts such as personalized tote bags, personalized spa slippers and many more gifts for that special lady in your life. So be sure to check out yolandasweddingfavors.com and mybridalfavor.com for all of your wedding needs.



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Drop our foods editor an email Linda Brandt

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8:23 AM

2008 - Wine Appreciation

Wine Appreciation For Your Reading Pleasure

Scientists Say New Wine May be Effective Eczema Treatment


Germans scientists have turned their talents to the world of gastronomy and produced seaweed wine - which, in addition to its epicurean delight, will apparently help improve eczema. While we can't vouch for its success at your next dinner party, we can appreciate its benefits to the skin - although a shielding lotion may be a more appropriate external eczema treatment.

What does seaweed have to offer? It has long been considered a 'super food' - fat-free, low calorie, and full of vital minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, iodine and sodium. In fact, some seaweed contains those minerals in the same ratios and concentrations found in human blood.

In addition to nourishing the body, one of the most important health benefits of seaweed is its ability to remove radioactive strontium and other heavy metals from the body. Whole brown seaweed, such as is used in seaweed wine, contains alginic acid which binds with the toxins in the intestines and carries them out of the system - preventing them from being eliminated through the skin, as is the case with eczema flare-ups.

If you don't fancy the wine, you might try adding seaweed to your diet in other forms. It can be found in most health food stores, or those that sell ingredients for Japanese food. You can add strips of it to soup, use it to make a soup broth, or eat it dried as a snack. The red algae seaweed, such as nori, agar-agar, and Irish moss are also very good for you. Nori is the seaweed used to wrap sushi, but Gaelic people also mix it with flour to make bread. Agar-agar is a gel used as a base in many Japanese desserts, and dried Irish moss is most often used in relishes, breads, soups and fritters.

In addition to shoring up your diet with seaweed and other healthy foods, the skin also requires protection from harsh chemicals and other external toxins if you want to avoid eczema flare-ups. Hundreds of dermatologists are now recommending a good shielding lotion as an effective external eczema treatment, although, who knows, if seaweed wine gets really popular we may soon be shopping for our body care products at the local vineyard.

Author, Gloria MacTaggart, is a freelance writer who contributes articles on skin care for Gloves In A Bottle, Inc. For more information, visit http://www.glovesinabottle.com



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Wine Manners
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Posted by Larry Johnson | 0 comments