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Guy Cuisset at Chateau Grinou in Bergerac is an extraordinary winemaker - for years his wines took pride of place on the Allez Vins! wine list both with his “Tradition” wines for superb everyday drinking and his “Reserve” wines, oaked red and white wines of a premium quality but keenly priced (not to mention his oaked dessert Saussignac which is stunning) So I was keen to taste the latest addition to the range - a pure, unoaked Sauvignon Blanc, which has all the hallmarks of a Grinou wine - intense fruit character, crisp and clean but with surprising depth of flavour.
A visit to Chateau Grinou (Monestier, 24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) south west of Bergerac, always takes longer than planned, and I always learn more than I expect.
On this ocassion it was to discover that Chateau Grinou is going organic! Now, whilst Guy Cuisset has a genuine concern for the well-being of the local environment and takes seriously his responsibilities as the current steward of the land and the flora and fauna of the domaine, he is no “tree-hugger”. His primary passion is to produce excellent wines. He does not compromise that objective, especially as there are so many other obstacles (weather, pest, disease) and constraints (bureaucratic, legal, financial) in the way. He is convinced that this approach, whilst being a good investment in the future health and viability of the vineyard, will produce better wines - wines which are more intense and show more of the real fruit character of the grape. The wines will evolve over the next few years as new techniques and fewer artificial interventions make subtle changes to the resulting wines.
The latest visit also included a walk through the vines, which demonstrate the complexity of the challenge. Every year is different, and every one of the 365 days of the year will be distinctively different from this year to last or next. This Spring was seriously wet with heavy downpours and sodden soil. This was followed by some very hot dry weather which dried the topsoil to an almost impenetrable concrete layer - making life very difficult when trying to get rid of the weeds between the vines - esepcially now that he can no longer apply selective weedkillers to deal with the problem.
Further on, he shows me his latest innovation - an organic water treatment plant - which collects all the waste water from the winery and treats it organically and aerobically before letting it flow into the local water course. It’s impressive with its bubbling air pumping through the water and the reed bed to filter the run-off. It may be a requirement of the EU, but few other vineyards are following his example.
It is easy to forget amongst all the hype, marketing and packaging that wine is an agricultural product, and that the winemaker is a farmer with his roots in the soil and environment of his domaine - he can see the benefits to local wildlife (some welcome, others not so), and recognises that his future and that of future generations is intimately invested in the “terroir” which makes his wines what they are.
Unfortunately the new Sauvingon Blanc (Bergerac Sec AC) is not yet available in the UK, so all the more reason to pay a visit to the domaine. English is spoken, but do not expect a fancy tasting room with award certificates, old barrels or ancient vineyard equipment - a plastic table in the middle of the stainless steel cuves is all you’ll get - plus a chance to taste some excellent wines and a small slice of Guy’s enthusiasm to take away!
For more info on Chateau Grinou and UK stockists - see www.frenchduck.co.uk/grinou.html
Until Tuesday 26th August 2008, First class fares on French trains will be reduced, with prices starting from as little as £12 one way.To take advantage of these reduced fares, you must book before Tuesday 19th August 2008.
Travel from Paris to
You can travel on high speed TGV trains which run at speeds of up to 186 mph across France, including the new Christian Lacroix trains running East of Paris.
Alternatively take a trip on comfortable, well-equipped regional trains, which will take you into the heart of your destination.
Or to wake up in your destination by taking an overnight Corail Lunéa train. Enjoy a comfortable night’s sleep in a flat bed and take advantage of having the whole day ahead of you.
At last some sense has arrived in the classification of Bordeaux wines/ Whilst at one exalted level there are the fine wines of the classic appellations of Margaux, St Emilion, Pomerol, Pauillac, St Estephe, Graves etc but a visit to the region will reveal the sheer extent of the Bordeaux vineyards - a total of 57 appellations!! And I challenge most amateurs to be able to differentiate between these localised appellations.
So it is good news that a few of the “lesser” appellations, which nevertheless produce some excellent wines, have come together to make life a little simpler and their wines more identifiable:-
The National Institute of Appellations of Origin (INAO) has accepted the decision to launch a new appellation “Côtes de Bordeaux”. This will gather under a “common umbrella” four appellations. Côtes de Bordeaux is a union of four appellations - the Premières Côtes de Blaye, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, Côtes de Castillon and Côtes de Francs (formerly Côtes de Bourg) – which represents around 16 % of the total Bordeaux production with a surface of 32,000 acres and a volume of 700,000 hl. The appellation will come into effect from the 2008 vintage.
For more information see the website
| August 2, 2008 |
The beautiful lake of Annecy (74 Haute-Savoie, Rhone-Alpes) in the heart of alpine Savoy, is well worth a visit at any time. The town of Annecy has all the attractions of a modern city, but also has its medieval centre, and being lakeside it offers great views over this most picturesque of lakes - and you can take a boat trip or hire a self-drive boat to explore the lake. For the adventurous it makes an ideal stop on the route over the Alps to northern Italy - but is also on the TGV fast train network. A circuit of the lake by road is about 20+ miles, but is well worth it to see the lake in its various aspects - although there are plenty of places to stop off and just relax with the tranquil view.
On 2 August 2008 the Fete du Lac d’Annecy (Festival of the Lake) takes place which includes music, theatre and a market with the highlight being a spectacular firework display over the lake in the evening on the theme of “around the world in 80 minutes”!
For more info see www.annecy.fr
| August 10, 2008 |
It sometimes seems that the French will use any excuse to hold a festival - and why not? Often it celebrates some local traditions or local speciality products, and the French can be very proud (often rightly so) of their produce, history and heritage.
Hence the village of Trie-sur-Baise (65 Hautes-Pyrenees, Midi-Pyrenees) celebrates the Pig (Fete du Cochon - la Pourcailhade) on 10 August 2008. The celebrations include piglet racing, a competition to make the longest boudin (sausage) and bizarrely a competition for the best imitator of a pig squealing! As one of the most important pig producing areas in France, there will also be plenty of pork and charcuterie to sample and buy with music and dancing into the night.
For more info see www.pourcailhade.com
| August 1, 2008 | to | August 3, 2008 |
The town of Grasse (06 Alpes-Maritimes, Provence) is famous for being the heart of the Provencal perfumery industry with evocative names such as Fragonard to entice you. Set up in the hills back from the Mediterranean coast, Grasse celebrates its 3-day Fete du Jasmin from 1-3 August 2008. The festival marks the beginning of the Jasmine harvest and features fireworks, dancing and a Jasmine parade.
Most visitors to Provence head for the spectacular Mediterranean coast and stylish seaside resorts, but you are missing much of the best of Provence if you don’t venture inland, where the scenery is stunning - and you can get great views of the sea.
The Côte d’Azur, the French Riviera: its sun, its beaches… and especially its backcountry, a true haven of well-being, brimming with authentic flavours and fragrances!!! Rising from the hills above the Mediterranean is the city of Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, surrounded by the charming Provencal landscape and villages of the Pays de Grasse, the regional name for this breathtaking and tranquil countryside. Together, they form the French Rivera’s most beautiful balcony.
For more info see www.ville-grasse.fr/jasminade
| July 26, 2008 |
There is such a wealth of fairs (foires) and festivals (fetes) across France on wildly different themes (but often involving food or wine or both) that you could probably visit a different one every day of the year.
In the medieval heart of old Tours (37 Indre-et-Loire, Centre) there is a celebration of local basic and garlic (Foire à l’Ail et du Basilic) on 26 July 2008.
This colourful fair cum market has its roots in the Middle Ages when Tours was a major commercial centre, and now offers an excuse to decorate the streets of Vieux Tours with over 150 producers and exhibitors offering fresh basic and pungent garlic and in many different gastronomic creations, including the traditional Andouillettes Grillées au Vouvray - grilled chitterling sausages in sweet Vouvray wine - a local speciality!
Even if you cannot make that date, Tours is famous for its markets with a traditional style market every day somewhere in the city. I stumbled across the Flower Market (Marché aux Fleurs) running along the middle of Boulevard Béranger one Saturday morning which was so bright. colourful and fragrant that the memory lingers - also on Wednesday mornings.
Then on the first Friday of each month there is a Food market (Marché Gourmand) in the Place de la Resistance.
For more info see www.ligeris.com
| July 19, 2008 | ||
| July 20, 2008 |
Sigoules (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) (see map) south of Bergerac celebrates local wine production on the weekend of 19/20 July 2008 with its Foire aux Vins with all the usual activities including ceremonies, a church mass, banquets, folk music and dancing, concerts - and opportunities to taste the wine and food of the local area which includes the wines of Bergerac AC and the Cotes de Duras AC.
It promises to be fun - plus there are plenty of good winemakers in the area.
For more info see www.pays-de-bergerac.com
| October 25, 2008 | ||
| October 26, 2008 |
The village of Espelette (64 Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Aquitaine) in the Basque country of Southwest France devotes a weekend to celebrate the chilli pepper - Fete du Piment on 25/26 October 2008.
The Peppers of Espelette are recognised with Appellation Controllee status. Needing a lot of sun and heat to ripen, the peppers are traditionally woven into garlands and hund from the roofs of houses throughout the town to dry. So, the town is decorated with garlands of bright red peppers, and there are stands offering a whole range of gastronomic delights based on the fiery pepper - plus music, feasting etc - all with a Basque accent.!
For more info see www.pimentdespelette.com
The trouble with writing about “hidden” corners of France, is that you run the danger of sharing the secret with too many others. Places which I felt were “real France”, quiet, peaceful and unspoilt, have often changed in the last 20 years, becoming commercialised, crowded and bland. But, somehow the location and geography of the upper Lot Valley probably make this less likely.
Although I have made many visits to the lower Lot, especially around the town of Cahors and the Cahors AC vineyards, I had only ventured up-river once - and that was to the picturesque village of St Cirq-la-Popie - perched high on the limestone crags overlooking the valley about 20 miles distant. The valley even here is quite different to the lower Lot where the river, although still pleasingly curvaceous, tends to be wider.
Few vineyards are to be found upriver from Cahors, but the countryside of the Upper Lot and Célé valleys is spectacular - and quieter. The limestone crags and cliffs dominate the landscape offer breathtaking views - and although the roads are often narrow and distinctly bendy, this tends to have the effect of entering a land where time runs more slowly, where nature makes itself felt - and that is miles away from the tourist centres of the Dordogne. And the journey keeps unfolding as you head on up the valley - another 90 miles in our case.
Our objective was to get to meet with Americans Lance and Rain who have 3 cottages to rent near Entraygues-sur-Truyere ( 12 Aveyron, Midi-Pyrenees). Although we had been in contact by email, I was intrigued to discover how and why 2 Californians had settled in one of the lesser-known parts of France.
The journey up the valley provided at least part of the answer - this is a truly beautiful part of France - the valley becomes narrower, but still offers delightful villages, stunning views and plenty of opportunity to enjoy the river - whether just sitting on the bank in the shade or being more energetic with canoes or kayaks. Entraygues-sur-Truyere, which translates as “between the waters” - i.e. the river Lot and its tributary the Truyere - is everything you expect of a small rural French market town - with its bridges over the river and narrow streets - and the essentials - a bank, boulangerie, hotel, bar etc - and the quiet air of a place at peace with itself - especially on a hot summer afternoon.
The other reason for Lance and Rain choosing this spot also became clear when we found the “Sweet French Cottages” up a narrow track above the river a few kilometres out of town. We discovered a haven of tranquility - with delightful hosts and some wonderful holiday cottages - well, appointed, cleverly and carefully restored - but above all secluded and deep in the countryside - yet just a few miles from all the conveniences of the town - and in an area rich with local artisans producing wine, cheese, wine. pottery…… The local wines, Vins d’Entraygues et du Fel VDQS, had to be tasted of course (along with some wonderful goats cheese made by one of the neighbours)! The vineyards are often terraced high on the sides of the valley, and production is small - mostly drunk locally. The white we tasted from Domaine de Mejanassere was a blend of Chenin Blanc and Mauzac grapes - a light, refreshing dry wine with a pleasing floral nose and exotic fruit finish; the red (Gamay, Fer Servadou, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Savignon), whilst being a tad “rustic” was perfect with some local saucisson. Somehow these uncomplicated straightforward wines were a great match for the time and place!
Whilst many might aspire to the Californian lifestyle, these Californians have clearly found their home in the depths of France, and whilst they remain ambitious, they are relaxed and welcoming - a long way from the stereotypical loud American we’ve all met. Indeed, there is something about the place that seems to instill some sense of peace and contentment - the world of autoroutes, big business and conflict seems, and is, a long way away - whilst nature imposes its own sense of order to things - whether it be the landscape, the river or the weather.
It is certainly an area I intend to return to - there is so much to explore, especially guided by two people who know the area well, and are keen to share it with others. Their ambitions include developing artists retreats (with a studio planned) and themed stays based on the local food etc.
For more about Lance and Rain’s SWEET FRENCH COTTAGES - see www.frenchduck.com/latest OR to enquire about availability and rates etc, complete the form below:-
cforms contact form by delicious:days
which provides an entertaining insight into the geography and history of this wonderful region.
