Wine & Fine Food

Parce qu’il n’y a pas que le whisky irlandais, le rhum de la Barbade ou le traditionnel cognac, pourquoi ne pas déguster son cigare avec une boisson sans alcool ? L’Amateur vous propose cinq « softs » qui se marieront très bien avec vos vitoles. Jean-Pascal Grosso, avec la complicité éclairée de Richard Colard   Belvoir Ginger Beer, limonade aromatisée au gingembre Contrairement

The owner of Rayne Vigneau, one of the biggest names in Sauternes production, says Yes ! By Thierry Dussard Derek Smith smokes one cigar a day, after dinner, whether it’s a Ramon Allones or a H. Upmann, his favorites. Being also the number one French foie gras online retailer, with Traditions du Périgord, he notes that « Sauternes wine doesn’t only pair

Here is the champagne that we have selected this year for Christmas ! By Phillippe Hupp Champagne Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2006, 12,5°, 75 cl It is one of the few great champagne houses to have retained its independence. It still belongs to the same family – and in its cellars of Epernay, thirty meters underground, one persists to

By Philippe Hupp Tequila Milagro, 40°, 70 cl Danny Schneeweiss and Moy Guindi were still students – aged just 23 – when they started producing tequila. The Mexican spirit is particularly popular on American campuses. 20 years later, their intelligently marketed creations have accumulated a host of awards. They only use blue agave from the state of Jalisco. The pinãs

by Philippe Hupp Plantation OFTD Overproof Rum, 69°, 70 cl This extraordinary rum saw the light of day in Ferrand’s Bonbonnet château, in Cognac, France. Alexandre Gabriel brought together six celebrated rum lovers from Paris, London, Chicago, San Francisco and New Orleans to create an Old Fashioned Traditional Dark, meaning it is an uncut amber rum worthy of the heydays

Contrary to popular belief, wine and cigars can be paired well together. This is our selection of the best matches. By Jean Cottereau Surprising combinations occur when a cigar is accompanied by wine, as though conviviality transformed perceptions and altered tastes. The results of our tastings are presented below. —-  Which wine goes well with Nicaraguan cigars? The following wines are

The three-star chef, and authentic lover of Cuban cigars, Arnaud Lallement creates dishes on the edge of acidity, which go perfectly with champagne.  By Thierry Dussard  The man who learned to read using the Michelin Guide has become one of the Guide’s most decorated chefs. In comparison with the French Academy, which has forty members, known as immortels, there are

Gin Fishers, 44°, 50 cl A aromatic gin ! Spignel, wild celery, chervil, bog myrtle, wood avens, and rock samphire: these are just some of the wild herbs harvested from marshland that make Fishers gin so unique. Created by John McCarthy and distilled in Southwold, Suffolk, where the cliffs overlook the North Sea, it has an unashamedly coastal feel. The

 By Philippe Hupp Rhum Mezan Trinidad 1996, 40°, 70 cl When Caroni, a State-owned distillery in Trinity-and-Tobago, closed down in 2002, there were still thousands of old American oak casks, full of rum, lying around in its warehouses. It turned out to be a real treasure trove – a bottle of Caroni 1985 Old Legend, for example, can go for

  By Philippe Hupp   Mezcal Meteoro, 45°, 70 cl   The two most emblematic Mexican spirits, mezcal and tequila, are both produced by distilling the juices of an oily plant named the “agave”. What differentiates them is the variety used, their region of origin and, of course, the production method. In this case, the agave espadín hearts are baked in

Philippe Hupp’ selection of the month… Squadron 303 Vodka, 40°, 70 cl A newcomer in the world of premium vodkas, Squadron 303 is produced in Essex and draws inspiration from the adventures of Polish pilots who distinguished themselves in English skies after joining the Royal Air Force following the Nazi invasion of their country. These hotheads famously produced their own