France

Barton & Guestier, Food and Wine Academy, Bordeaux

Words: Kirsten Durward   Photos: Monica Tindall It’s hard to express in words how excited I was to be included in The Yum List’s recent visit to the Barton & Guestier Food and Wine Academy in Blanquefort, France this summer. The more I eat, drink and travel, the …

Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux

Saint-Émilion & Chateau Franc-Mayne, Bordeaux

Words: Kirsten Durward  Photos: Monica Tindall One of the most interesting things about visiting chateaux in the Bordeaux region is that each one is distinctly different. But even if you were feeling a little jaded after four or five visits, Chateau Franc Mayne i…

Chateau Magnol, Bordeaux

Chateau Magnol, Barton & Guestier, Bordeaux, France

Words: Kirsten Durward    Photos: Monica Tindall We’ve been surprised by most of the chateaux we’ve stayed in, as to how fresh and modern the reconstructed interiors have been. Chateau Magnol however, the grand chateau of Barton & Guestier in Blanquefort (…

Chateau de Fieuzal

Chateau de Fieuzal, Pessac- Leognan, France

Words: Kirsten Durward    Photos: Monica Tindall It is always good to have friends, but having friends with contacts in the wine business is surely second to none. It is mainly thanks to one of our favourite restauranteurs and wine importers in Kuala Lumpur, Yin-…

Martillac, Chateau Smith Haute Lafite

Pessac- Leognan & Martillac, Bordeaux

Words:  Kirsten Durward    Photos: Monica Tindall During our wonderful weekend residing at the Chateau Fieuzal near Leognan, south of Bordeaux, we were able to snatch a few hours to discover what other delights the surrounding countryside held. It’s hard to mo…

Chateau Marquis d’Alesme, Margaux, Bordeaux

Words: Kirsten Durward Photos: Monica Tindall Visiting Chateaux in Bordeaux has been a revelation and not at all what we expected. Many houses are actually quite young businesses, and both new and established labels are investing heavily in a forward-looking c…

fine wine in Bordeaux

Chateau Cos D’Estournel, Saint-Estephe, Bordeaux

Chateau Cos D’Estournel, Saint-Estephe, Bordeaux Words: Kirsten Durward    Photos: Monica Tindall Chateau Cos D’Estournel is one of the oldest and most respected producers in Bordeaux. Known as one of the ‘super seconds, the premium wine produced at Chateau …

Chateau Lamothe-Bergeron

Chateau Lamothe-Bergeron, Cussac-Fort-Medoc

Words:  Kirsten Durward    Photos:  Monica Tindall Our arrival to the Chateaux Lamothe-Bergeron could not have been better. We are greeted with a simple and charming dejeuner au champetre, with Pyrenees cheeses, saucisson froid, fruits d’ete, baguette, ril…

Tourist Guide, Cognac, France

Two Days in Cognac and the Charente Department, France

Words: Kirsten Durward    Photos: Monica Tindall Monica and I delighted in a petit sejour in Cognac and the surrounding countryside courtesy of H Mounier and Hardy Cognac. Our journey here began one afternoon in Rendez-Vous, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur where we met t…

best restaurants in Cognac

Le Bistro de Claude, Cognac, France

Words: Kirsten Durward   Photos: Monica Tindall Once again we are enjoying the company of two entertaining French gentlemen for dinner. Tonight’s companions are the humorous Jean-Luc Lebault, who has recently joined H. Mounier to lead their travel retail div…