wine & words Blog

Happy Announcement #2: My Second Book Is Out!

Just under three years since my first book, Wijnboek voor foodies (= Wine Book for Foodies) was published, I am thrilled to announce my second book, called Kookboek voor wijnliefhebbers (= Cookbook for Wine...

Gavi DOCG food and wine event

Hidden Highlights: Gavi DOCG, Piemonte, Italy

Post #1 of Hidden Highlights – Exploring Europe’s Under-the-Radar Wines. One of the many attractions for me in the wider world of wine is that it never seems to get boring. In my younger...

Wijnboek voor Foodies - Kristel Balcaen - 3D cover

Happy Announcement: My First Book, Wijnboek Voor Foodies, Is Out!

It’s been a long time in the making, but after many years of drafting, rethinking, learning, writing, editing and more, my very first book has been published. It is written in Dutch, called Wijnboek...

So I Finished WSET4 Diploma. Now What’s Up Next?

I did not come into wine from a wine family or with an extensive technical or business background. My amazing Mum – now retired – was a primary school teacher, and my Dad –...

Wijnbar ONA Belfort

There’s a Brand New Wine Bar in Town! – Ona Belfort

Tomorrow, Friday April 14th, is the much-anticipated opening of the second ONA wine bar in Ghent, Belgium. ONA Belfort is located right in the city centre, close to city hall and the belfry, and...

The Fellowship of the Rhône Wine Aromas…

To celebrate spring – and the wines of the Côtes du Rhône (& Villages) – I had the pleasure of inviting a small group of sommelier friends for a Wine Walk & Talk in...

Vibrant and Food-Friendly Red Wines From Languedoc: Terrasses du Larzac

Many years ago, in our Sommelier-Conseil class, we were lucky to be among wine lovers with all kinds of backgrounds and interests, a few of which introduced us to several unique and qualitative appellations...

Nine Photos, Nine Heartfelt Wishes for the New Year

How time flies… 2023 is already upon us. And as a timely reminder, I want to share my new year’s wishes for us all here… illustrated with some of my favourite photos of an...

Season’s Joy in a Glass: Retsina & Tonic Cocktail Recipe

For several years now, during my Greek wine classes or workshops, I have been recommending Retsina as a scrumptious lower-alcohol alternative to gin, for a G&T-style cocktail. So I figured, just in time for...

Sustainability in Wine: D6 Research Paper for WSET4 Diploma

It is official: I have completed WSET4 Diploma and can now add ‘DipWSET’ to my name. Yesterday I received the results for the D6 research paper I submitted before the summer, and I passed...

Follow Wine & Words

Get the latest posts delivered to your mailbox: