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Albas (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees) holds its annual Fete du Vin de Cahors on Saturday 3 May 2008 - situated in the heart of the Cahors vineyard to the west of Cahors, the day goes under the banner of “open our cellars to the fresh air!” - another celebration of the arrival of Spring and the start of the growth of the vine for another vintage.

The day includes open tastings, music, a banquet and other attractions such as a barrel-maker (tonnelier) - and amongst the wines will be Impernal, Prieuré de Cénac, Château d’Anglars, Château Beauvillain-Monpezat, Château Carrigou, Château Eugénie, Château Leret-Monpezat, Clos Triguedina and Domaine la Borie.

If you can tear yourself away from the festivities in the town, it is worth taking a trip to the “Point-de-Vue” on the hill above the village for a spectacular view of the river Lot and its vineyards. Take the D37 south west from th village and follow the signs.

The Coteaux du Layon - the valley of the River Layon - is known for producing some of the best dessert wines in the Loire Valley. Made from the versatile Chenin Blanc grape affected by noble rot, these can be gloriously complex and aromatic wines.

Since 1994, the village of Rablay-sur-Layon has rallied round to organise a free festival of theatre, music and singing. For 2 days, twenty or so different shows are put on in various areas and squares around the village.

The winegrowers of Rablay play an active part in preparing for the event and organize aperitif concerts and a vintage wine tasting area.

Rablay-sur-Layon (49 Maine-et-Loire, Val de Loire) lies due south of the city of Angers and not far from our favourite Anjou wine producer - Antoine Leduc at Domaine Leduc-Frouin who makes an excellent Coteaux du Layon AC.

Antoine is a very talented and respected winemaker, and also a delightful host if he happens to be around when you visit the cellars. He is ably assisted by his enthusiastic sister Natalie and their mother. We imported their wines for many years and often the wines were truly superb.

For more info on Rablay and its festival see www.rablaysurlayon.com
For more on this area see our customised map

The Vignerons Independents, the body representing independent winemakers, holds a number of wine fairs (Salons) in Spring and Autumn each year, which are open to the public and give you the opportunity to taste from a wide selection of vineyards from every region of France, meet the winemakers and purchase wines at cellar door prices.

For autumn 2008 the dates are as follows:-

30 Oct - 3 Nov 2008 - Lyon (69 Rhone, Rhone-Alpes) - Hall Tony Garnier

7 - 10 Nov 08 - Reims ( 51 Marne, Champagne) - Parc des Expositions

14-17 Nov 08 - Lille (59 Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais) - Grand Palais

27 Nov - 1 Dec 08- Paris (75 Paris, Ile de France) - Porte de Versailles

For more info see www.vigneron-independant.com (in French)

If you are visiting Lille, there is a good B&B on the tram route to the city centre - see Alix’s Garden

Its “Portes Ouvertes” in the Medoc on 12-13 April 2008. In this famous and celebrated wine region numerous chateaux will be holding open house in the prime appellations of Medoc, Haut-Medoc, St Estephe, Pauillac, Moulis-en-Medoc, Listrac-Medoc and Margaux.
This prized area which stretches north from Bordeaux up to the Pointe de Grave between the Atlantic and the mouth of the Gironde is home to some of the best wines in the world, so any opportunity to visit and taste is a great opportunity.
However, you are unlikely to be offered a sip of the finest old vintages, but samples of the latest 2007 vintage will be available in its very young and rather green and tannic state.
Many of the Chateaux are also hosting other events alongside the tastings - music, art or photography exhibitions and food in various forms. Just visiting these chateaux should be an experience, and tastings should be interesting!

For more info see www.pauillac-medoc.com

I have previously been a little cynical about the tendancy of the French to imbue elements of their gastronomic heritage with just a tad too much pomp and often doubtful history and ceremonials. If they had such things, I am sure there would be the equivalent of “The Worshipful Company of the Most Glorious and Authentic Pickled Onion or Shallot”, (oignons conservés au vinaigre?) enriched by elaborate costumes and rituals - and a history dating back to 1992! Having said that I admire their pride in their local produce and agree that it should be celebrated.

However, one august body to which my fond cynicism should not apply is the Jurade de St Emilion, who do have elaborate red robes, a spectacular procession through the town and a banquet which does justice to the fine wines of St Emilion. Every autumn they celebrate their “Ban des Vendanges” to mark the official start of the grape harvest, and many years ago I was lucky enough to accompany members of the Jurade on an extensive itinerary of tastings, a series of lavish meals with grand cru wines and the grand banquet. Although we were often only tasting young wines at the chateaux, some wonderful and mature vintages were brought out for the banquet.

As Timothy Hartley kindly informs me, the Jurade de St Emilion has a rich and important history in the development of the wines of St Emilion:
LA JURADE DE SAINT-ÉMILION

The roots of the Jurade lie deep in both French and English history - as its Arms, Great Seal and banners, which bear both the Lilies of France and the Lions of England, show. Saint-Émilion, together with the rest of Acquitaine, formed part of the dowry of Eleanor of Acquitaine on her marriage to King Henry II. The Jurade goes back at least as far as 1199, when their son, King John, confirmed privileges apparently earlier granted by Richard, Coeur de Lion. Saint-Émilion became effectively a free City under the Crown with the Jurade having control of its legal and economic affairs. The Jurats’ duties included the control of production, and sale of, wine, closely monitoring its quality, branding approved casks and destroying any which were unworthy. Under Edward I, in 1289, the area of the Jurisdiction was enlarged to cover what is still the wine growing area composing the appellations of Saint Émilion. In return for these privileges, the Crown required that regular, and very large consignments, of wine be tasted, judged, its good quality assured, and then be consigned to England in casks quality assured by the Jurade’s seal. After Saint-Émilion reverted to the French Crown, the Jurade’s rights and duties were confirmed by French Royal Charters but, in the French Revolution, Jurats lost both their heads and their privileges.
The Jurade no longer has its extensive former civic and legal powers but its Grand Council still sits once a year, in Spring, to conduct a blind tasting of the wines of Saint-Émilion to assess their merits and pronounce a Jugement du Vin Nouveau. In September, it authorises the start of picking, in a ceremonial Ban des Vendanges from the top of the Tour du Roi, the Jurats wearing the scarlet and white robe of their mediaeval predecessors and calling upon their spirits to witness the continuation of over 800 years of tradition, passion, experience and skill.
The Jurade honours its historic links by giving us the privilege of two Chancelleries, based in the two ancient leading cities of England, York, serving the north of England and Scotland, and London, for the south of England and Wales. They organise tastings for those who would like to know more about the Jurisdiction’s wines, often in combination with charitable fund raising. They also arrange visits to Saint-Emilion for members of the Association de la Jurade in England for the important festivals in Saint-Emilion’s calendar, the Fête de Printemps and the Ban des Vendanges. More information about their activities, and contact details, are on their website - www.jurade.org.uk. They are always happy to welcome new members and to introduce them to Saint-Émilion’s renowned hospitality, its beauty and its enormous range of wines.

St Emilion produces some of the best Bordeaux red wines, wines which in the Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes dominate. The town and vineyards of St Emilion (33, Gironde, Aquitaine) are to my mind the most interesting to visit, the town being on an outcrop and the vineyards stretching down to the Dordogne river. The Spring celebration “Fete de Printemps” takes place on the 3rd Sunday in JUne, whilst the harvest celebration “Ban des Vendanges” takes place on the 3rd Sunday in September.

For more info on St Emilion see www.saint-emilion-tourisme.com