Continuing on my travels through the
Cote D’Azur, I have come to realize many things about the French way of life: Mornings must begin languidly with a croissant and double espresso while taking in the azure waters of the Mediterranean (especially if you have the luxury of seeing the views from
Hotel Martinez). It becomes quickly apparent (after viewing stunning French women at every corner) that owning one
Hermès silk scarf is clearly not enough. Wine should never (ever) be turned down, regardless of day, time or how little you may have slept the night before. In keeping with these new found philosophies, I visited the island of 
Île Saint-Honorat, home to the Cistercian monks of the Abbaye de Lérins to learn the basics of French wine tasting. This tranquil 15th century monastery has been producing its own Pinot Noirs as of late and I had the pleasure of tasting (and tasting) the many varieties of this exceptional grape. Although I consider myself a bit of a
connaisseur, I enjoyed a refresher on training my palette to distinguish the varietals of a
vin rouges.

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