Everyone knows that French wines are considered to be amongst some of the world's best. But, today, we turn the spotlight on several French brands from the realm of spirits.

Every once in awhile someone comes up with a really great concept and I tip my hat to Fred Pouillot for his creation of Le Foodist. An evening with Fred will open doors to french culture through food and wine by offering unique taste experiences accompanied by entertaining stories on history, culture, food and wine. Sharing Fred’s passion for food and his knowledge will bring you to a new level of dining appreciation.

One of the perks of living in Paris is to have the opportunity to go to “dégustations.” These are events sponsored by small producers of wine and specialty food products to sample their wares.

The heart of Gascony produces the oldest brandies in France.  Its vineyards, inherited from the Romans, have been in steady production since the middle ages. In the past, Armagnac was consumed for its therapeutic properties.  In the 14th century, a cardinal named Prior Vital du Four proclaimed its many virtues.

Wine is delicious. Wine is amazing. Wine is the best thing ever made… especially when it’s paired with a delicious meal.

You’d struggle to go wrong with food pairing, but – like fresh baked bread – there are varying degrees of excellence. In this article we’ll cover popular French wines (called varietals) and which foods pair best with them.

What do Marie-Antoinette, Napoléon I, Marilyn Monroe, stars of the Festival de Cannes, and more than a few BonjourParis readers all have in common? A taste for Piper-Heidsieck Champagne! Christian Holthausen of Piper-Heidsieck reveals the House's legendary origins and shares food and Champagne pairing suggestions for le Réveillon de Saint-Sylvestre.

The quest to create the ideal food and wine pairings can intimidate any host, but Cathy Henton of Le Tasting Room in the Loire has simple guidelines and sample menus to ensure success for novice or expert during the holidays or any celebration. Bonnes fêtes!

Last week the Clos de Trias vineyards had two exciting developments: the 2011 harvest began on Friday...and on Sunday over three inches of rain fell in a day. So it goes in vineyards near Mont Ventoux, where writer Madeleine Vedel spent time with Even Bakke during the 2010 harvest at his organic winery by the southern Rhône village of Le Barroux.

All cognacs around the world are brandies made from fermented and distilled fruit pulp and skin, but only about 200 producers in France can market Cognac with a capital C. It's an acquired taste enjoyed by kings and commoners alike for centuries. Today you can visit the greatest Cognac houses in the world when you're in France, as Adam Weiner recommends.