Vino-contentment..........
Thursday, January 31, 2008
perfection at latour
1- at the enterance
2 - tasting room staring over the vineyards
3 - tasting room
4 - the vinoteque
5 - what i bought to take home
tripppppin in france
1 - Chateau Mouton Rothschild
2 - Tasting at Chateau Lynch-Bages
3 - Manuella tasting at Chateau Lynch-Bages
4 - Entrance at Chateau Lynch-Bages
5 - Nuno at the spitting fountain at Chateau Leoville Barton
roadtrippin...continues
1 - Chateau Ausone (most expensive wine in the world at 3000Euros a bottle)
2 - Manuella in St. Emilion wineshop (close to heaven)
3 - In the cellar at Cheval blanc
4 - Tasting Cheval blanc 2005 (their best vintage in 50 years - 1200Euros a bottle)
5 - Chateau Petrus (the second most expensive wine in the world at 2500Euros a bottle)
more roadtrip pics
1 - St Emilion
2 - On our way to the "maison du vins"
3 - At the "maison du vins"
4 - Chateau Cheval blanc
5 - Chateau Petrus
roadtrip pics
1 - Chateau de Cedre (Cahors)
2 - Chateau Lagrazette (Cahors)
3 - En route to Cahors
4 - Chateau Lagrazette (Cahors)
5 - Bordeaux
roadtrip - day 5
Day 5
After visiting some big names in the first two days in Bordeaux I was never expecting it to end this way. Today was simply sublime! Why? Because we visited two more first growths. Probably two of the better ones too…LaTour and Margaux.
Our first visit was to the ultra-modern-newly build LaTour on the outskirts of Pauillac. I was sold out to this chateau even after we watched the introduction video. The harmony and excellence that this estate emanates was contagious. The warmth of the small simple room transformed into a whirlpool of ideas and thoughts even before we set a foot in the chai. All I needed at that stage was to hold a glass of velvety opal red nectar. But it was not to be yet. To the cellar first… The stone courtyard with the p-trees was the perfect tranquil setting. The architecture was just as smooth and silky as the wines we tasted. The interior of the cellar was all stainless steel tanks, black walls and white wood finishing. Even the barrel cellar had glass stairs and glass panels in the floor.
The wines – extraordinary! Nothing like anything that I have tasted before. And in the ultra chic tasting room with its big window and view of the surrounding vineyards and villages it was a fairytale experience. Or something of a James Bond movie setting??? We tasted the 2006 Pauillac, the 2003 La Forte (their second wine) and the LaTour 2001. All completely different but perfect in its own style. My favourite was funny enough the second wine. It was elegant, full of primary fruit, toasty and balanced. The mouth was supple and round, with velvety tannins and a lengthy finish (but nothing compared to Cheval blanc). The LaTour 2001 was equally astonishing. The elegance and balance of this wine made me think of a supermodel with beautiful long legs and walking perfectly with her stilettos down some cobbled street in Paris.
The cherry on the cake of our visit to Bordeaux and the Medoc was our final stop at Chateau Margaux. A childhood dream realised! Yet another. The authenticity of this magnificent chateau will echo perpetually in my memory. The strong structure of the cellar and chateau itself; the cathedral-like underground barrel cellar with the stench of history and decades of dedication and hard work was beautiful, enchanting and even emotional. I could not help but smile as I walked among the barrels and wooden tanks. The feeling of contentment was overpowering. And as we progressed to the tasting, that feeling just climaxed as I sat down on the couch, enjoying the Margaux 2004. By this time the rain had started to come down outside and as their voices echoed in the background, I stared out over the rain drenched courtyard through the window, soaking up the moment. Absorbing. The wine was deep. It was balanced. It had length. It had fruit. Dark chocolate and café notes. Creamy yet light in texture and soft velvety tannins that was surprising for such a young vintage. As the rain continued, so did the taste in my mouth long after we left the estate direction back to Bordeaux. The memory of this day will forever resonate in our wine-filled imaginations. Some of us had been converted to enjoying and appreciating Cabernet-based wines. Some of us, if not all, had been converted to loving this Bordeaux-crap!
After visiting some big names in the first two days in Bordeaux I was never expecting it to end this way. Today was simply sublime! Why? Because we visited two more first growths. Probably two of the better ones too…LaTour and Margaux.
Our first visit was to the ultra-modern-newly build LaTour on the outskirts of Pauillac. I was sold out to this chateau even after we watched the introduction video. The harmony and excellence that this estate emanates was contagious. The warmth of the small simple room transformed into a whirlpool of ideas and thoughts even before we set a foot in the chai. All I needed at that stage was to hold a glass of velvety opal red nectar. But it was not to be yet. To the cellar first… The stone courtyard with the p-trees was the perfect tranquil setting. The architecture was just as smooth and silky as the wines we tasted. The interior of the cellar was all stainless steel tanks, black walls and white wood finishing. Even the barrel cellar had glass stairs and glass panels in the floor.
The wines – extraordinary! Nothing like anything that I have tasted before. And in the ultra chic tasting room with its big window and view of the surrounding vineyards and villages it was a fairytale experience. Or something of a James Bond movie setting??? We tasted the 2006 Pauillac, the 2003 La Forte (their second wine) and the LaTour 2001. All completely different but perfect in its own style. My favourite was funny enough the second wine. It was elegant, full of primary fruit, toasty and balanced. The mouth was supple and round, with velvety tannins and a lengthy finish (but nothing compared to Cheval blanc). The LaTour 2001 was equally astonishing. The elegance and balance of this wine made me think of a supermodel with beautiful long legs and walking perfectly with her stilettos down some cobbled street in Paris.
The cherry on the cake of our visit to Bordeaux and the Medoc was our final stop at Chateau Margaux. A childhood dream realised! Yet another. The authenticity of this magnificent chateau will echo perpetually in my memory. The strong structure of the cellar and chateau itself; the cathedral-like underground barrel cellar with the stench of history and decades of dedication and hard work was beautiful, enchanting and even emotional. I could not help but smile as I walked among the barrels and wooden tanks. The feeling of contentment was overpowering. And as we progressed to the tasting, that feeling just climaxed as I sat down on the couch, enjoying the Margaux 2004. By this time the rain had started to come down outside and as their voices echoed in the background, I stared out over the rain drenched courtyard through the window, soaking up the moment. Absorbing. The wine was deep. It was balanced. It had length. It had fruit. Dark chocolate and café notes. Creamy yet light in texture and soft velvety tannins that was surprising for such a young vintage. As the rain continued, so did the taste in my mouth long after we left the estate direction back to Bordeaux. The memory of this day will forever resonate in our wine-filled imaginations. Some of us had been converted to enjoying and appreciating Cabernet-based wines. Some of us, if not all, had been converted to loving this Bordeaux-crap!
roadtrip - day4
Day 4
The rush was on to get to Mouton Rothschild on time for our nine thirty meeting with Muriel. Chasing through the Bordeaux early hour traffic was a nightmare and Muriel was friendly enough not to be bothered by the fifteen minutes that we were late.
The visit to Mouton was any wine geek’s dream. A tour through the pressing cellar with its old wooden tanks; visiting the various barrel cellars – old and new; starring at the Baroness’s hundred thousand bottle private collection and only imagining the jewels that were hidden behind those iron bars; the spectacular arts museum with the seventeenth century tapestry on the wall with the Japanese guys eyes following you; as does the table. Crazy! The rest of the collection was seriously old glasses with emeralds, rubies and diamond set in them. The whole experience was stunning. The history and pride that you sense as you walk the estate makes you shiver inside. And to have the knowing of the people that has been there before you. Priceless experience! Lastly – the wine. We tasted the 2006 vintage. To be honest, I expected a bit more. But also to be fair, I did not know what to expect either. So it is probably a combination of a preconceived idea and a failed expectation. But I would love to taste the same wine in 20 years from now. My opinion does not do honour to the passion and care that goes into every bottle produced at Mouton. So, I will chance my mind and say that the wine was a beauty and like any beautiful woman – will reach near perfection over time.
Our second visit in the Medoc was at a lesser known growth called Chateau Lynch-Bages, situated just outside of Pauillac. We were received by a very charismatic oenologue that was full of fun and full of jokes. The old man told fables and stories and was very entertaining. But more impressive than his comedian skills were the layout and workability of the cellar. Nothing flashy, but simple and practical. We got to view the old pressing cellar. This to my mind was revolutionary for its time - must have been. The thought process of it all was timeless. The same sort of thing you expect to see in a modern cellar. The only difference is that it was all wooden implements. From the press to the tanks - I have picture to prove….the wine was just a good as the oenologue’s jokes. We tasted the 2001 and 2006 vintage. I preferred the 2006 vintage above the 2001. Why? Probably because I recognised; from experience gained at Mouton in the morning; that this wine will become a winner in a couple of years time. Also to compare the price of this “lesser” growth to some of the bigger boys, Lynch-Bages is a definite winner. On leaving we bumped into some chubby middle aged man that turned out to be the owner. Asking to see our “Grand Guide des Vins de France” he was half disgusted to learn that they only had three stars in the guide. We put his mind to rest and he left us - smiling with contentment.
Our last stop of this fantastic day was at Chateau Leoville Barton, just outside the village of St. Julien. The mist took a lot longer than yesterday to clear and it was only by this time in the late afternoon that the landscape of the Medoc was becoming visible. With its dwarf-like vineyards and ash-white alluvial soils, the majestic voyage continued through this coveted landscape yielding its nectar that can cost you up to as much as 3000Euros a bottle. Around the villages of Pauillac and St. Julien are some of the most famous and also breathtaking chateaus of the Medoc. The three Leoville chateaus; Pichon-Longueville Baron and Pichon-Longueville-Comtesse-de-Lalande plus the two Rothschilds – Lafite and Mouton.
At Leoville Barton we were treated graciously once again and by now we were well into this Bordeaux thing. Again the cellar was simplistic, clean and something any one of us would die to have or own. The chateau itself with the garden and the small river that runs through the garden was like something from a movie or painting. The cobble stone courtyard and the ancient out-buildings surrounding the chateau just added to a near perfect setting – the sort of place I will one day come a retire….
…and thinking once again about the future, as the taste of the silky, smooth and elegant taste of Leoville Barton lingered in my mouth, I could not help to dream about living here, owning a “petit chateau” a stone’s through away form the mighty Gironde and living of the fat of the land.
The rush was on to get to Mouton Rothschild on time for our nine thirty meeting with Muriel. Chasing through the Bordeaux early hour traffic was a nightmare and Muriel was friendly enough not to be bothered by the fifteen minutes that we were late.
The visit to Mouton was any wine geek’s dream. A tour through the pressing cellar with its old wooden tanks; visiting the various barrel cellars – old and new; starring at the Baroness’s hundred thousand bottle private collection and only imagining the jewels that were hidden behind those iron bars; the spectacular arts museum with the seventeenth century tapestry on the wall with the Japanese guys eyes following you; as does the table. Crazy! The rest of the collection was seriously old glasses with emeralds, rubies and diamond set in them. The whole experience was stunning. The history and pride that you sense as you walk the estate makes you shiver inside. And to have the knowing of the people that has been there before you. Priceless experience! Lastly – the wine. We tasted the 2006 vintage. To be honest, I expected a bit more. But also to be fair, I did not know what to expect either. So it is probably a combination of a preconceived idea and a failed expectation. But I would love to taste the same wine in 20 years from now. My opinion does not do honour to the passion and care that goes into every bottle produced at Mouton. So, I will chance my mind and say that the wine was a beauty and like any beautiful woman – will reach near perfection over time.
Our second visit in the Medoc was at a lesser known growth called Chateau Lynch-Bages, situated just outside of Pauillac. We were received by a very charismatic oenologue that was full of fun and full of jokes. The old man told fables and stories and was very entertaining. But more impressive than his comedian skills were the layout and workability of the cellar. Nothing flashy, but simple and practical. We got to view the old pressing cellar. This to my mind was revolutionary for its time - must have been. The thought process of it all was timeless. The same sort of thing you expect to see in a modern cellar. The only difference is that it was all wooden implements. From the press to the tanks - I have picture to prove….the wine was just a good as the oenologue’s jokes. We tasted the 2001 and 2006 vintage. I preferred the 2006 vintage above the 2001. Why? Probably because I recognised; from experience gained at Mouton in the morning; that this wine will become a winner in a couple of years time. Also to compare the price of this “lesser” growth to some of the bigger boys, Lynch-Bages is a definite winner. On leaving we bumped into some chubby middle aged man that turned out to be the owner. Asking to see our “Grand Guide des Vins de France” he was half disgusted to learn that they only had three stars in the guide. We put his mind to rest and he left us - smiling with contentment.
Our last stop of this fantastic day was at Chateau Leoville Barton, just outside the village of St. Julien. The mist took a lot longer than yesterday to clear and it was only by this time in the late afternoon that the landscape of the Medoc was becoming visible. With its dwarf-like vineyards and ash-white alluvial soils, the majestic voyage continued through this coveted landscape yielding its nectar that can cost you up to as much as 3000Euros a bottle. Around the villages of Pauillac and St. Julien are some of the most famous and also breathtaking chateaus of the Medoc. The three Leoville chateaus; Pichon-Longueville Baron and Pichon-Longueville-Comtesse-de-Lalande plus the two Rothschilds – Lafite and Mouton.
At Leoville Barton we were treated graciously once again and by now we were well into this Bordeaux thing. Again the cellar was simplistic, clean and something any one of us would die to have or own. The chateau itself with the garden and the small river that runs through the garden was like something from a movie or painting. The cobble stone courtyard and the ancient out-buildings surrounding the chateau just added to a near perfect setting – the sort of place I will one day come a retire….
…and thinking once again about the future, as the taste of the silky, smooth and elegant taste of Leoville Barton lingered in my mouth, I could not help to dream about living here, owning a “petit chateau” a stone’s through away form the mighty Gironde and living of the fat of the land.
roadtrip - day 3
Day 3
The early mist of St. Emilion arrived way before we did. The mist rises from the river and stays in the air till the power of the sun is strong enough prevail over the mist. For us, the misty start did not however put a cloud over our excitement for what was to be a day of exploration and euphoria…
…so we hung around the village of St. Emilion and did a tasting in a Wine bar where Thomas shared many valuable bits of information with us. We tasted five reasonably priced wines but not the big guns (not that you get to in this neck of the woods in any way). But to give Thomas credit for his persuasive skills – we ended up buying three of the five wines we tasted – BASTARD. But it was worth the experience. He did take us to the cellar down below the ground to show us the ’47 vintages and the other beauties of the ’56 and ’82. WOWWEEEE….
From here we set off to our rendez-vous at the fabulous “White Horse” a.k.a Chateau Cheval blanc. This Chateau is known to refuse all visits, but we have contacts…hehehe. But first we drove around to see Pomerol and surroundings. Marvellous!
So on arriving at Cheval blanc we were greeted very friendly by our host whose name nobody got unfortunately. He explained to us the history; the vineyards with the three different soils; their policy with regards to the use of Cab franc and Merlot – not very typical to the appellation; their practices in the vineyard and how hat can be traced into the cellar. So from there we were taken to the chai. As our host explained – they were “super traditionalists”; still using a one ton basket press for example and the circular layout of the cement tanks; the peristaltic hose pumps and a squeaky clean and hygienic cellar. Marvellous!
The highlight was the surprise tasting that we got. It was something that we were hoping to experience and when the host said – “ok, now for the tasting” – everybody’s eyes lit up and the electricity was pulsating. But that’s not all. We were supposed to taste the 2003 vintage – one of the worst vintages in many years due to the heat of the vintage. But even to our hosts surprise the table was set with two bottles of Cheval blanc and Petite Cheval vintage 2005! A vintage that the Bordelaises people claim was the best vintage in 50 years…the wine was simply exquisite!
Even though these wines should not be drunk for at least two hands full of years, it already showed some unimaginable flair, elegance and sophistication. Everything that makes Cheval blanc - Cheval blanc! The notes and nuances of red fruits, delicate black fruits, liquorice and violets. Well extracted wine, round, supple, soft tannins. The real treat was the length and depth of the wine. It just kept on and on and on in the mouth. That, combined with the balance of the wine was a life changing experience - as it should be for any aspiring wine geek – tasting probably one of the most prestigious vintages of all times from Cheval blanc.
The early mist of St. Emilion arrived way before we did. The mist rises from the river and stays in the air till the power of the sun is strong enough prevail over the mist. For us, the misty start did not however put a cloud over our excitement for what was to be a day of exploration and euphoria…
…so we hung around the village of St. Emilion and did a tasting in a Wine bar where Thomas shared many valuable bits of information with us. We tasted five reasonably priced wines but not the big guns (not that you get to in this neck of the woods in any way). But to give Thomas credit for his persuasive skills – we ended up buying three of the five wines we tasted – BASTARD. But it was worth the experience. He did take us to the cellar down below the ground to show us the ’47 vintages and the other beauties of the ’56 and ’82. WOWWEEEE….
From here we set off to our rendez-vous at the fabulous “White Horse” a.k.a Chateau Cheval blanc. This Chateau is known to refuse all visits, but we have contacts…hehehe. But first we drove around to see Pomerol and surroundings. Marvellous!
So on arriving at Cheval blanc we were greeted very friendly by our host whose name nobody got unfortunately. He explained to us the history; the vineyards with the three different soils; their policy with regards to the use of Cab franc and Merlot – not very typical to the appellation; their practices in the vineyard and how hat can be traced into the cellar. So from there we were taken to the chai. As our host explained – they were “super traditionalists”; still using a one ton basket press for example and the circular layout of the cement tanks; the peristaltic hose pumps and a squeaky clean and hygienic cellar. Marvellous!
The highlight was the surprise tasting that we got. It was something that we were hoping to experience and when the host said – “ok, now for the tasting” – everybody’s eyes lit up and the electricity was pulsating. But that’s not all. We were supposed to taste the 2003 vintage – one of the worst vintages in many years due to the heat of the vintage. But even to our hosts surprise the table was set with two bottles of Cheval blanc and Petite Cheval vintage 2005! A vintage that the Bordelaises people claim was the best vintage in 50 years…the wine was simply exquisite!
Even though these wines should not be drunk for at least two hands full of years, it already showed some unimaginable flair, elegance and sophistication. Everything that makes Cheval blanc - Cheval blanc! The notes and nuances of red fruits, delicate black fruits, liquorice and violets. Well extracted wine, round, supple, soft tannins. The real treat was the length and depth of the wine. It just kept on and on and on in the mouth. That, combined with the balance of the wine was a life changing experience - as it should be for any aspiring wine geek – tasting probably one of the most prestigious vintages of all times from Cheval blanc.
Oh, and for those that are interested in the price of one of these bottles - it will cost you 12ooEuros per bottle.
roadtrip - day 2
Day 2
After spending a cosy night in a road side motel sharing a room with Nuno and JP, we settled for heavy breakfast – according to French standards. The girls were late as always. But form Bergerac to Bordeaux was only a short trip of about an hour or so. We had to drop Clara at the Gare because she was rushing back to Spain for a few days before she would be joining us again in Tours (Val de Loire). Finding the Auberge in the crazy French city lay-out was a treat as always and after passing about a hundred rond-point we found it. A comfortable sleep that would house this vino-group for the rest of our stay in Bordeaux.
We set out to explore the city of Bordeaux. It being a Sunday, we did not expect to find too many open wine shops or similar establishments. We got the tram and walk down the side of the river all the way to the old part of the city. The Gironde slips as it reaches Bordeaux and then becomes the Dordogne to the east and Garonne to the south – the one that flows through the city in the end. It was a beautiful sunny winter’s day yet again and the whole town was out to enjoy it. People everywhere to enjoying the sunshine; rollerblading, running or cycling down the promenade that stretches all along the side of the river bank. The Sunday market was in full flow and while we snooped around to find a bite to eat, people were in high spirits with music and a warm atmosphere fighting the cool air. We got our different munchies and of course a bottle of wine – drunk from plastic cups I have to add. After soaking up as much of the jovial atmosphere as possible, we walked back in the direction of the old city to search some wine bars to enjoy the local nectar (which apparently is suppose to be well-known?).
We struck gold at the Place de Parlement. At an incredibly small but sociable shop on the corner we stumble in and was greeted by Greg – a Yank that got lost somewhere between his surfing habits at Malibu beach and the luscious wines of Bordeaux. Can you blame him? After all the some of the best surf in Europe is a stones through away. While peeping through the window we saw some tasting going on and that obviously lured us into the web of Cousins & Compagnie. He introduced us to their weekly wine competition of Sundays – “le Defi de Dimanche”. The object was to identify three wines from there stock of over 250 international wines. Each week had a theme and this week it was – “wines illustrating the balance between sugar and acid”. You got given a short brief explaining the rules (all very serious). And then the three wines were poured. You had to identify seven different categories (and this is where I loose half of you reading this). 1 – Country. 2 – Region. 3 – Appellation. 4 – Cultivars. 5 – Vintage. 6 – Price. 7 – Producer. We spent more than two hours hunting and running through the store in search of the wines. Stopping every now and then just to sniff and spit again so that we don’t forget what we were searching for. It felt like an impossible task. We realised that combining knowledge was the only way we were taking home the prize. So team-INTERNATIONAL pooled all resources to see if one of the four individuals can bag the prize – a bottle of wine and a branded cork screw! Score were calculated and the results were read. CHEF (with the help of JP, Nuno and Manu) takes the crown! I received my prize with cheers and jubilation from my team of experts (only because that meant they had wine to go with the pizza). And do not forget my branded cork screw….
But the best of all is the knowledge that my name will be posted in the window of a Bordeaux wine shop for a whole week, plus my hometown and home country. According to Greg it is a very prestigious honour and everybody stops during the week to see who the week’s winner is. So tonight I will go to bed with sound contentment that I am indeed a bit of a wine geek.
After spending a cosy night in a road side motel sharing a room with Nuno and JP, we settled for heavy breakfast – according to French standards. The girls were late as always. But form Bergerac to Bordeaux was only a short trip of about an hour or so. We had to drop Clara at the Gare because she was rushing back to Spain for a few days before she would be joining us again in Tours (Val de Loire). Finding the Auberge in the crazy French city lay-out was a treat as always and after passing about a hundred rond-point we found it. A comfortable sleep that would house this vino-group for the rest of our stay in Bordeaux.
We set out to explore the city of Bordeaux. It being a Sunday, we did not expect to find too many open wine shops or similar establishments. We got the tram and walk down the side of the river all the way to the old part of the city. The Gironde slips as it reaches Bordeaux and then becomes the Dordogne to the east and Garonne to the south – the one that flows through the city in the end. It was a beautiful sunny winter’s day yet again and the whole town was out to enjoy it. People everywhere to enjoying the sunshine; rollerblading, running or cycling down the promenade that stretches all along the side of the river bank. The Sunday market was in full flow and while we snooped around to find a bite to eat, people were in high spirits with music and a warm atmosphere fighting the cool air. We got our different munchies and of course a bottle of wine – drunk from plastic cups I have to add. After soaking up as much of the jovial atmosphere as possible, we walked back in the direction of the old city to search some wine bars to enjoy the local nectar (which apparently is suppose to be well-known?).
We struck gold at the Place de Parlement. At an incredibly small but sociable shop on the corner we stumble in and was greeted by Greg – a Yank that got lost somewhere between his surfing habits at Malibu beach and the luscious wines of Bordeaux. Can you blame him? After all the some of the best surf in Europe is a stones through away. While peeping through the window we saw some tasting going on and that obviously lured us into the web of Cousins & Compagnie. He introduced us to their weekly wine competition of Sundays – “le Defi de Dimanche”. The object was to identify three wines from there stock of over 250 international wines. Each week had a theme and this week it was – “wines illustrating the balance between sugar and acid”. You got given a short brief explaining the rules (all very serious). And then the three wines were poured. You had to identify seven different categories (and this is where I loose half of you reading this). 1 – Country. 2 – Region. 3 – Appellation. 4 – Cultivars. 5 – Vintage. 6 – Price. 7 – Producer. We spent more than two hours hunting and running through the store in search of the wines. Stopping every now and then just to sniff and spit again so that we don’t forget what we were searching for. It felt like an impossible task. We realised that combining knowledge was the only way we were taking home the prize. So team-INTERNATIONAL pooled all resources to see if one of the four individuals can bag the prize – a bottle of wine and a branded cork screw! Score were calculated and the results were read. CHEF (with the help of JP, Nuno and Manu) takes the crown! I received my prize with cheers and jubilation from my team of experts (only because that meant they had wine to go with the pizza). And do not forget my branded cork screw….
But the best of all is the knowledge that my name will be posted in the window of a Bordeaux wine shop for a whole week, plus my hometown and home country. According to Greg it is a very prestigious honour and everybody stops during the week to see who the week’s winner is. So tonight I will go to bed with sound contentment that I am indeed a bit of a wine geek.
roadtrip - day 1
Road-trippppppin through France
Day 1
The trip started with a bang, stacking all the overnight bags into the little Peugot 206 just after six o’clock. It was a tight squeeze and everybody but the driver had to sit with bags under their legs or on there laps. But luckily the first day was not that far to drive. First destination = Cahors, the home of the “black wines” of the south east…
…and what a discovery it proved to be. What should have been a fairly simple en route stop over turned into an enchanting experience and left us all stunned. The Vallee du Lot was simply marvellous. We had some visits lined up. And the first stop was a bad start. Closed. Chateau Lagrazette was mysteriously hidden behind some forests and also behind an even bigger lock. A second hit and miss in the same village stirred some feathers in the flock and the decision was made to consult the Office de Tourism. We strolled into Cahors centre ville like cavaliers ready to take over. We got the necessary info and the plan was put in place…
We woke some old lady from her Saturday afternoon knitting session. It all looked much closed but she popped her head out of the window and greeted us as if we were family. The little daschhund was just as eager to sniff and lick each one of us. The wines were very cold; close to being frozen. So it was hard to taste past the tenacious tannins of the Malbec and Tannat. But her friendliness soon warmed the wine and after she took us for a short glance of the vineyards, the experience transformed into a little family reunion with Nuno laughing and chatting in his best French.
Second stop was one of those “lets just go and see – perhaps they are open”! Our reception was even more jovial than the first. We were taken around the small chateau and we were showed everything. The most spectacular was the old wood oven for the baking of bread. Very cosy it was. From there to the vineyards; the house and finally the cellar and the tasting. Quite different from your normal cellar visit. They receive you as family here. The wines were also a bit too clod on what was an 18degree winters day. And to be honest the wines did not blow my hair back like the hospitality did – unfortunately.
The cruise down the D8 on the south side of the Lot River was probably the highlight of the day. With the afternoon sun long gone and the shadows of the hills cast over the valley the scene was set for our last visit of the day – Chateau de Cedre…
…WOW. Powerful wines. Strong but superbly integrated wood. Velvety, round, chaleur, spicey notes with hints of white chocolate and white pepper. Deep colour and elegantly balanced wines that could last a lifetime with tannins like that. All in all – a must if ever again in the Vallee du Lot.
The trip started with a bang, stacking all the overnight bags into the little Peugot 206 just after six o’clock. It was a tight squeeze and everybody but the driver had to sit with bags under their legs or on there laps. But luckily the first day was not that far to drive. First destination = Cahors, the home of the “black wines” of the south east…
…and what a discovery it proved to be. What should have been a fairly simple en route stop over turned into an enchanting experience and left us all stunned. The Vallee du Lot was simply marvellous. We had some visits lined up. And the first stop was a bad start. Closed. Chateau Lagrazette was mysteriously hidden behind some forests and also behind an even bigger lock. A second hit and miss in the same village stirred some feathers in the flock and the decision was made to consult the Office de Tourism. We strolled into Cahors centre ville like cavaliers ready to take over. We got the necessary info and the plan was put in place…
We woke some old lady from her Saturday afternoon knitting session. It all looked much closed but she popped her head out of the window and greeted us as if we were family. The little daschhund was just as eager to sniff and lick each one of us. The wines were very cold; close to being frozen. So it was hard to taste past the tenacious tannins of the Malbec and Tannat. But her friendliness soon warmed the wine and after she took us for a short glance of the vineyards, the experience transformed into a little family reunion with Nuno laughing and chatting in his best French.
Second stop was one of those “lets just go and see – perhaps they are open”! Our reception was even more jovial than the first. We were taken around the small chateau and we were showed everything. The most spectacular was the old wood oven for the baking of bread. Very cosy it was. From there to the vineyards; the house and finally the cellar and the tasting. Quite different from your normal cellar visit. They receive you as family here. The wines were also a bit too clod on what was an 18degree winters day. And to be honest the wines did not blow my hair back like the hospitality did – unfortunately.
The cruise down the D8 on the south side of the Lot River was probably the highlight of the day. With the afternoon sun long gone and the shadows of the hills cast over the valley the scene was set for our last visit of the day – Chateau de Cedre…
…WOW. Powerful wines. Strong but superbly integrated wood. Velvety, round, chaleur, spicey notes with hints of white chocolate and white pepper. Deep colour and elegantly balanced wines that could last a lifetime with tannins like that. All in all – a must if ever again in the Vallee du Lot.
roadtrip - the start
this is the beginning of the roadtrip diary. you will see that the writing style and puntuation of the diary is different than the normal blog. note that it is an exception...enjoy and bon voyage!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
work hard play harder
this is serious lab work. no second chances. deadly chemical training for all those tannic bordeaux wines and acidic alsacian long neck bottles. one drop and you are dead. thus the need for the protective gear. no mess. no fuss.
in order of appearance....
look at all those poisonous chemical.
the vinificator...
our super cool prof. the one and only didier olle.
lab bunnies.the death squad.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
battle of backgammon
me and jp are locked in a battle of backgammon...i have never lost so many times to one person. he is the luckiest bugger i know. some sound advise. do not play against him. i have put him under fraud investigation for ungentlemanly conduct and portraying a bad image to the sport in general with his on and off the pitch antics.
in order of appearance...
jp preparing another rampage. look at that determination in his eyes.
the jp grin after another victory
looser has to pack the table
struck down but not destroyed. yet. i hate loosing. but i will be back to take revenge.
friends like none other
here are some of the crazy and diverse people i surround myself with. they are unique each in his/her own way. like i said before. friends makes the world go round.....salut mes amis.
again in order of appearance....
joe (lebanon), jp (holland) and marco (italy)
maria (greece), angelique (france)
nuno (portugal)....you have got to love the burns....
king fatih (all the way from turkey)
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