Latest updates on France, French Wine, Food, Travel, Holidays and Events
FrenchDuck UK - Latest
We have commented on the problems of too much poor quality Bordeaux wine over the year, but at last there may be some movement which could help both consumers and producers.
In many regions of France the “Vin de Pays” (country wine) appellation has proved very successful - e.g. Vin de Pays d’Oc from the Languedoc, and Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne from Gascony.
But in Bordeaux there has never been a lower classification than full AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controllee) - probably because the Bordelais were too proud to have their wine classed as anything less. As a consequence, poor or excess vintages either had to be sold off cheap (but still under the Bordeaux AC), sent for distillation or blended into a very humble Vin de Table.
But with this new category becoming available “Vin de Pays de l’Atlantique” there is the prospect of some good, interesting and great value wine coming from the region.
For the Vin de Pays tag does not necessarily imply sub-standard wine that does not qualify for full AOC status.It allows winemakers to make a wine with fewer restrictions on grape variety and blend, on pruning and yield etc - so it is perfectly possible to make a much better wine if the vigneron is not straightjacketed into trying to produce the traditional Bordeaux using traditional standards. Certainly in the Languedoc and elsewhere this has led to experimentation and some excellent wines, which in some cases fetch a higher price than the traditional AC wines.
The new classification does not just include Bordeaux, but also the departements of Gironde, Dordogne, Charente, Charente-Maritime and part of the Lot-et-Garonne. Although the blends will be predominantly the traditional Bordeaux grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot for reds, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc for the whites, other varieties are being allowed in some areas - e.g. Syrah (seldom seen in South West France), Cinsault, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc.
There are a couple of existing Vin de Pays appellations in the area - e.g. Vin de Pays de la Dordogne and Vin de Pays Charentais, and presumably these will be retained - although I suspect they will effectively disappear if the new Atlantique label is successful and is marketed well.
So from the 2006 vintage you should start seeing some interesting new wines and labels - although I suspect it may be a few years until the really successful experimentation is evident.
One of the features of the South West of France is the predominance of bastide towns - fortified villages which huddle together often at the top of a hill, and which prove quite effective at repelling unwanted invaders - historically mainly the English or the French, depending on which part of the country you were in and when. Bastide towns are characterised by a grid of narrow streets, closely packed houses and usually an impressive open square (place) with arcades round 4 sides and will often include a covered market hall. Over 300 were built over 150 years from the beginning of the 13th century. 
Monflanquin (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees) is one of the best preserved - although it is a living village not a museum or tourist attraction. And it does have its market day (Thursdays) and during the summer months there is also an evening market (marche nocturne) in the Place des Arcades.
Also in Monflanquin is the Musee des Bastides - see www.cc-monflanquinois.fr/musee_bastides.htm, an interesting little museum explaining the development and philosophy of the bastides - visit the museum and then see the real thing!
Monflanquin is recognised as one of the “Plus Beaux Villages de France” (most beautiful French villages)
The Hot Air Balloon European Cup and Ladies World Cup is to be held at Mainfonds (16 Charente, Poitou-Charentes) from Thursday 3 - Sunday 6 August 2006. Southeast of Cognac (see map)
Depending on the wind conditions you might catch sight of the balloons anywhere between Cognac and Angouleme in the north to Jonzac and Saintes in the south - although do remember that the best time for balloons tends to be early morning or evening.
There is also a competition for “aerostatic” flying - a real test of the pilot’s skills in holding the balloon steady at a fixed point, The French equivalent of the Red Arrows - la Patrouille de France will also be there.
For more info see www.hotairballooneuropeancup.com
NB The french for Hot Air Balloon is “montgolfier”, so named after the inventors (brothers) who perfected the idea towards the end of the 18th Century.
Unless you are lucky enough to live within an hour or so of the English Channel ports, the annual trip to and from France can be a bit of an ordeal. Dover crossings may be short, but tend to leave you with longer to drive on both sides of the Channel. The western Channel crossings are longer, but can be expensive, especially if you reserve a cabin for an overnight crossing.
And, whilst parts of northern France don’t always tempt you to pause, the routes through Brittany and Normandy offer a host of places which would be worth a linger!
Michael has recommended what looks to be an ideal stop-over to break the journey - just 90 minutes or so (135km) south of the Caen ferry terminal) at Ouistreham.
Le Basse Cour is run by Phil and Jude Graham at Ancinnes (72 Sarthe, Pays de Loire) near Alencon (61 Orne, Normandie), just 10 minutes from the new A28 autoroute, and right on the border between Normandy and the Loire Valley (Sarthe).
“Choose from three comfortable en-suite guest rooms with a three star Gites de France rating. The house is in a peaceful, quiet setting surrounded by wooded and planted gardens on the fringes of the magnificent Forest of Perseigne. You’re welcome to make yourself at home on the terrace with a glass of wine (or try the local Normandy cider) or enjoy a game of boules on the lawn.”
As Michael said ” it was so good that we stopped over for two more days on the way back to the port at Caen. Genial hosts, wonderful setting, super rooms.”
For more details see www.normandie-chambres.co.uk/
For more on the region including our searchable customised map see www.frenchduck.co.uk/wp
Looking at a map you would not normally assume that the area around Chateau Ricardelle, between Narbonne (11 Aude, Languedoc) and the Mediterranean would be suitable for fine wine production - along the coast the soils get sandier, it tends to be flat and the salt-laden winds off the sea can seriously damage the vine leaves.
But the sub-appellation of la Clape in the Coteaux du Languedoc is a major exception to this wisdom, primarily due to a massive outcrop of limestone rock - Montagne la Clape! (la Clape apparently means “the rock”!)(see map)
This mountain both shelters the vineyards from the sea and provides the neighbouring slopes with plenty of mineral richness to impart to the grapes.
The Cuvee Closablieres 2004 from Chateau Ricardelle was featured on a recent tasting of the Languedoc wines stocked by Pic Wines. This is a blend of Grenache (40%), Syrah (30%), Carignan (30%), all of which are vinified separately in French oak, producing a glorious red which the chateau describes as its “seducteur” - and rightly so. Languedoc wines tend to be quite beefy, sometimes even a bit tough - but this wine had a wonderful balance of lush red fruits and spicy tannins all carefully blended to provide a smooth, elegant and delightful mouthful. I think what surprised me was its elegance, not something I generally associate with big Languedoc reds. And at £7.60 a bottle well worth it!
This is one of several examples of really good wines available from Pic Wines - see also
Minervois la Laviniere
Wine & Food Walks
Pic Wines - a different approach
Website for Chateau Ricardelle
The Chateau also has accommodation available in the midst of the vineyards!
It can be difficult to decide what to do on holiday especially when there’s more than 2 of you - different interests can cause a touch of friction. But in Cahors (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees) there is a multiple-interest tour which will help you discover the best of the town and the surrounding area.
In town there is a series of “Secret” Gardens, 29 in total, waymarked throughout the town, including an arab garden, a lavender garden, an apple tree garden, a garden of spices, a monastery garden etc. Furthermore, through these gardens you will also discover the history and architecture of this fine medieval town, set in the loop of the Lot river, with its iconic Pont Valentre (fortified bridge).
For more info on the Jardins Secret trail see www.mairie-cahors.fr
The first (or last) of the gardens on the “Secret Garden” trail is the Jardin de l’Ivresse - the Garden of Intoxication beside the Pont Valentre. The Lot River’s sinuous path (mainly downstream from the town) is a prime reason for the quality of the local Cahors wines. With many fine chateaux (mainly south of the river) the area is a delight to travel through - even more so if you want to combine wine, castles and gardens. Although the distances involved are not walkable (unless you are really keen, the route “Vignoble Jardin Cahors” (Vineyard Gardens of Cahors) is a great way to see the wine region. As the publicity rightly states: “behind every great vineyard is a garden” - certainly borne out by many of the vineyards I have visited.
There is a leaflet (available from the tourist office in Cahors and at participating vineyards) which will show you the route. With this you can discover some great gardens, splendid vistas, pretty villages, vineyards and chateaux - and taste and learn something of the history and character of the landscape and its wines. (see http://effeuillage.cahors.free.fr)
Amongst the vineyards featured are Chateau Eugenie (try their Reserve de l’Aieul); Chateau de Chambert (an impressive position); Chateau Latuc and Chateau de Mercues - for more info on Cahors wines and these chateaux see www.frenchduck.co.uk
Book Recommendation: Hot Sun, Cool Shadow by Angela Murrills
Whilst we are enjoying mediterranean temperatures in the UK, this book may not be so attractive - but come a cooler autumn or colder winter this could be the book to enjoy and indulge in learning more about the Languedoc, its wines and food.
“An unabashed celebration of the joys of food and cooking, Hot Sun, Cool Shadow follows the story of award-winning food-writer Angela Murrills and the artist Peter Matthews, who travel together to the southerly French region of Languedoc. The Languedoc is famed for its landscape, legendary gastronomical pleasures and rich culture, stretching from the Rhone to the Pyrennees, it is one of Europe’s oldest provinces and one of it’s most fertile regions. Hot Sun, Cool Shadow, is a vivid account of their quest for the finest wines, cuisine and characters. Along the way they discover ancient houses, take in the scenery that inspired great artists like Henry Matisse, retrace the steps of Toulouse-Lautrec, and recreate typical dishes of the region; finally settling themselves in this staunchly independent agricultural region, where life moves at a steady pace under the mellow sun. Hot Sun, Cool Shadow includes over eighty illustrations by renowned artist Peter Matthews. “
| July 23, 2006 |
Yet another wine festival - this time at Cairanne (84 Vaucluse, Provence) one of the southern Cotes du Rhone Villages on Sunday 23 July 2006 - northwest of Orange - see map
Wine Festivals are abundant between mid July and early September for several reasons - firstly there tend to be lots of tourists around to imbibe and hopefully buy some wine; secondly it is an opportunity to get rid of the previous year’s wine before the new vintage arrives in a month or so; and it is not a busy time for the vigneron - no pruning to do, the cellar should be quiet with last year’s wines settled, and the vats clean and empty for the new vintage - maybe a bit of spraying to do, or leaf cutting to let the sun ripen the berries. It is indeed often the time when winemakers grab a week or so holiday before the hard work of harvesting and wine fermentation begin.
In Cairanne the wines are predominantly red in the Rhone style using Grenache (50% minimum), with Syrah or Mourvèdre making up at least a further 20%. Rosé and white wines are also produced. The reds are generally of good quality, Cairanne being above the valley floor on the higher land, so better drainage and more mineral character.
The Co-operative de Cairanne tends to dominate production, but does produce some very good wines.
Leon Stolarski Fine Wines has a good selection including one of my old favourites from Domaine Rabasse-Charavin: “Rich, baked fruit aromas, with hugely concentrated flavours of blackcurrants, damsons, fruitcake and spice, gentle tannins and a note of liquorice on the finish. World class. “17/20 points. Drink 2005-12. Mellow, lively, racier than many 2001s with even a hint of spritz but pretty strapping.” (Jancis Robinson, December 2005). ”
For more info see www.vignerons-cairanne.com
Red and White will be the colours which will dominate the Basque city of Bayonne (64 Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Aquitaine) from 2- 5 August 2006. On the river Adour just a few miles from the Atlantic coast and forming a small conurbation with Biarritz and Anglet (referred to as B-A-B) this is the heart of Basque country. This feels a quite different part of France - the language and accent and road signs all take on a different feel, and the local architecture is quite distinctive - influenced I suspect by the proximity of the Pyrenees which dominate both sides of the border.
We found it delightful - especially St Jean-de-Luz.
However, the Bayonne festival provides a wide range of attractions, from concerts, dancing parades and cow racing!! in addition to its other main attractions such as Bayonne Ham, Chocolate and Honey!
For more info see www.bayonne-tourisme.com/
The Aniane Wine Festival (34 Herault, Languedoc) (Salon des Vins d’Aniane en coeur du Languedoc) in the heart of the Languedoc takes place 22-23 July 2006.
Aniane is best known for two things - the home of Mas de Daumas Gassac (Aimé Guibert), and for a famous battle to keep out the US multinational Robert Mondavi who wanted to make wines in the village - mind you not just the usual run of Languedoc wines, but wines which could sell for £40+ per bottle- a battle won by an unlikely coalition of local farmers, ecologists, hunters, and communists who succeeded in killing the ambitious $7.5 million plan to acquire 120 acres of prime grape-growing land on an untamed Mediterranean hillside.
Mas de Daumas Gassac “produces an internationally renowned red. The 76-year-old Aimé Guibert eschews pesticides, harvests his grapes by hand, and traces the origins of his vines back to Palestine at the time of Jesus Christ. “The Mondavis will end up destroying our traditional artisans who make wine, just like McDonald’s is destroying French gastronomy,” Guibert thunders.”
It is a tough call, especially when you consider the plight of much of the French wine industry - good growers such as Guibert will always succeed, but the bulk growers who sell into the co-operatives are struggling to find a market for their “vins ordinaires”. Mondavi may have overturned traditions and dominated the local economy, but would probably have brought prosperity and employment.
However, this would be a good opportunity to taste the wines of the region - 30 or so producers will be showing their wines (including Mas de Daumas Gassac, Chateau Capion - and there is also an introduction to wine tasting for the uninitiated.
For more info see www.ville-aniane.com
