Michelin's Green Guide- Inniskillin's Valentine Red Icewine Edited by Darryl Beeson Michelin recently launched a new Green Guide to The Wine Regions of France (21.95 paperback). The bright green book is easy to spot. Small enough to slide into an overcoat's pocket, the 384 pages don't miss any details. To make the most of these tours through the vineyards, the guide also has a selection of over 500 restaurants and guesthouses as well as 400 wine merchants, co-operatives and estates in its ‘Directory’ and ‘Shopping Guide’. Divided into three chapters, this practical and user-friendly tourist guide contains all the information you need, not only to learn about wine and understand the unique qualities of specific vineyards, but also to organise pleasant walks in the great wine regions of France. For ease of reference there is a map of France and a table of ‘Vineyards at a glance’ on the inside covers. This first chapter gives practical and simple advice on choosing your wine, buying, storing, talking about wine, fairs and markets and the ‘Fêtes du vin.’ The second chapter reveals the secrets of wine with useful information on the natural features of the vineyard, wine-makers’ methods and expert advice on serving and tasting. Important factors such as soil, climate, all details from the vine to the bottle, varieties and appellations, wine tasting, a short history of wine, serving wine and more. The third chapter takes you on a tour of the 14 main wine regions of France including their landscape, heritage and wines. It also features a wide variety of activities and places of interest to enjoy along the way. The Michelin Green Guide to The Wine Regions of France is the ideal companion for anyone wishing to combine the pleasures of discovering wine, with a leisurely exploration of the French countryside. Catering for all travellers, from novice wine lovers to wine-making enthusiasts, this guide not only reveals the secrets of wine, but also takes you on a journey through the most important wine regions of France, and includes numerous wine orientated activities and places of interest, including walks through the vineyards, regional markets, wine festivals and wine museums. Each of the following 14 chapters focuses on a prticular wine region. There is an introduction to the region, natural features of the vineyards, grape varieties and regional wines, a directory listing restaurants, charming hotels and guesthouses in all price categories as well as a list of specialist shops on or just off the route, a comprehensive shopping guide with details on regional wines (addresses of wine associations or ‘bureaux interprofessionnels des vins’), local wine characteristics, prices and tips on storage, buying wines (addresses of wine merchants, cooperatives and estates), festivals (dates of local wine related ‘fêtes’), a variety of activities (recreational, cultural, sporting, cookery courses, etc.) to enjoy whilst discovering the region, plus a detailed color coded map of the region showing the vineyards and the suggested route. More details are at www.michelin.co.uk. Visit www.amazon.com where both new and used Michelin Green Guides are available for as low as $15. Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Icewine perfect for Valentines Love is red, seductive and to be shared. Love can go from sweet to sticky. Love can be hard to find. So is the Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Icewine. A perfect pairing with today’s popular single-origin varietal and high cacao content chocolates such as Guittard, Valrohna, Cluizel, Vosges, La Maison du Chocolate, and Scharffen Berger. Intensely aromatic and varietally distinct aromas of herbs, eucalyptus, strawberry, baked rhubarb and spiced apple. Rich, echoing flavors of cranberry, apple and strawberry are crispened by the refreshing acidity. Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Icewine is only found in better wine shops ($100 the bottle).   For more great wine suggestions, click here Do you have any questions, comments or suggestions? Email: jwdineline@aol.com Copyright © 1998 Inter Active Media Solutions. All Rights Reserved. The interactive components of this site require that you use a current browser version of Explorer; be sure to maximize your window out so you can see the entire page. This page was created by Inter Active Media Solutions.