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The port cities of Bordeaux and Bristol both played a distinguished role in the history of the wine trade, such that even in the 13th century more than 85 per cent of all imported wine came from South West France and as much as 3,000 tons (750,000 gallons) was being landed in Bristol.
The trade with Bordeaux fluctuated, dependent on our relationship with France (war, peace, occupation) but key names in the UK wine trade were established in Bristol, such as Harveys and Averys. Both Bristol and Bordeaux have the advantaghe that navigable rivers reach right into the heart of the city. In Bordeaux the “Quai des Chartrons” on the Garonne river front. In 2007 the cities of Bristol and Bordeaux celebrated the 60th Anniversary of their twinning.
Sadly little there remains little of that trade physically - no cargo ships leave the Chartrons quayside, and in Bristol only Averys of the long-established merchants remains in the city centre.
However, all that could change with a shipping company (CTMV - Compagnie de Transport Maritime a Voile) starting to use sailing ships to transport wine from Bordeaux, initially to Ireland, but later to Bristol. Initial consignments are of Languedoc wines, which are initially transported by barge on the Canal du Midi to Bordeaux and then loaded onto the sailing ship Belem for the 4-5 day crossing to Ireland. This trip with a load of 60,000 bottles will save over 18,000 lbs of carbon emissions - so a veritable eco-friendly wine.
UPDATE
The Telegraph (25 July 2008) has a report on the same company bringing a “Green Energy” wine to Ireland:-
The first commercial cargo of wine shipped from France by sail since the late 1800s arrived in Ireland on Friday aboard a British schooner, with almost zero petrol costs and carbon emissions.
Some 30,000 bottles of “green energy” wine, arrived in Dublin aboard the 108-year old Kathleen and May - the last wooden hull three-masted topsail schooner in existence - after leaving Brest a week ago with a stop at Penzance.Each bottle carried has saved 4.9 oz of carbon dioxide emissions compared with a regular shipment. The wines come with the label: “Carried by sailing ship, a better deal for the planet.”
Furthermore the return trip is planned to be with an equivalent cargo of crushed glass for re-making into wine bottles back in France - sounds clever to me!
Joanna Simon in the Sunday Times (1 June 2008) helpfully provides an explanation of the appellation rules for the Cotes du Rhone, which produces such a wealth of good wines, but where the nomenclature can confuse rather than illuminate. You can find a cheap basic Cotes du Rhone for well under £5.00 but get something really special for £10 and over - but the label will often not enlighten you. Furthermore the region is split into two - North and South, which are quite different in style - the north (which is home to Hermitage, St Joseph etc) is more dominated by Syrah, whereas the south (the larger and better known region) tends to be more dominated by blends of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault.
So, let us begin with Côtes du Rhône. This is the basic AOC and the largest - a status reflected in low prices. The difference comes when the word Villages is added, as in Côtes du Rhône-Villages. It signifies superior land and stricter production rules, and it shows in the quality.
The next step up is to the 20 communes allowed to append their own name, for example, Côtes du Rhône-Villages Séguret, or Cairanne or Rasteau. These can be great value. Finally, over time, four villages - Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes de Venise and Vinsobres - have been promoted to AOC in their own right, and so have dropped the Côtes du Rhône moniker entirely.
In essence the better wines are made on the higher ground on the sides of the valley, which is where the “villages” and individual appellations are located. Here the soil drains better, there is more breeze to mitigate against the blistering heat which the region can experience.
Amongst our recommendations would be
Any of the wines of E Guigal, real Rhone specialist negociants - e.g. Cotes du Rhone AC from Majestic Wines
Domaine du Vieux Chene where the Bouche family contradict my claim that the best wines come from the sides of the valley - these are superb organic wines from Camaret near Orange (84 Vaucluse, Provence). Justerini & Brooks stock their wines in the UK - try the Cuvée des Capucins (A 90% Grenache 10% Syrah cuvée, really lively red and black forest bery fruits, warm generous and juicy with a lovely bitter sweet touch. Delicious.) £7.55 a bottle
Domaine de Mourchon at Seguret, run by Scot Andrew McKinlay, who has established an awesome reputation for himself in the appellation - try the Tradition 2006 from The Big Red Wine Company - “an enticing freshness with good upfront fruit and great texture and length. Lighter than the 2005 and, as such, more approachable in its youth with lovely sweet cherry fruit (more noticeably red fruit in character when tasted alongside the 2005) and good mouthfeel. A decent tannic structure to give the wine a real lift. Very friendly wine.” £8.95
| June 21, 2008 | ||
| June 22, 2008 |
Great Western Wine is sponsoring Bath Boules on 21st and 22nd June 2008
when the sound of clashing metal boules will ring out from Queen Square as the teams from local businesses and restaurants compete for the prestigious trophies. Great Western Wine is a founder sponsor and will be out in full force, entering a team on each day and cheering on the competition - let’s cross our fingers for fine weather!
For information on how you can play, sponsor or attend the Boules please contact Simon Harrison at email address: boules@porticodesigns.com
Great Western Wine has an extensive list of wines from around the world, with some excellent selections from France - such as Cahors AC Chateau de Cedre, Madiran Domaine Capmartin; a good selection from the Languedoc e.g. Mas du Soleilla, Coteaux du Languedoc la Clape AC - carefully selected from small independent growers.
Great Western Wine, The Wine Warehouse, Wells Road, Bath, BA2 3AP Tel: 01225 322810 Email: edm@greatwesternwine.co.uk
We keep coming across gites and Bed & Breakfast (Chambres d’Hote) on vineyards in France, but there are obviously some domaines that also offer camping, whether canvas or motorhome.
One such is Chateau de Pennautier in the Cabardes appellation (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) north west of Carcassonne. (see map). We have mentioned this chateau before, partly because its wines are a crossover between the Mediterranean and Languedoc to the east and the Atlantic and South West to the west and also because unusually for a domaine in one of the lesser known appellations, it has really worked on making a visit to the vineyard an all-round experience - rather more than a dank cellar with old vineyard tools and some stainless steel tanks.
They offer a wine bar/restaurant/shop as well as a cellar (not dank!) and now offer a campsite and mobile homes to let as well.
The wines are pretty good too - Majestic Wine (amongst others) stocks the red Château de Pennautier 2006 Cabardès AC, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah and Grenache - a true south/southwest blend.
“Aromas of fresh raspberries and mulberries follow through to a firm, tannic palate, showing the Cabardès appellation at its best.” £5.99
See our customised map of the Aude département.
Majestic Wine has just introduced a new section on their website entitle “Something Different”.
It’s a frequent frustration that some of our most interesting wines are the hardest to sell, simply because customers don’t instantly recognise them on the stack. For that reason I have instigated a new feature on the site in which we’ll feature interesting or new wines which might struggle to push up through all the well known names also featured on our site.
I applaud the intention, as it always disappointed me that too often customers would choose the wines they knew rather than venture into something new or different. But then I suppose we all do that from time to time, but with such a wealth of wines to choose from in the UK, you may be missing something really good.
Included in the list are some wines which are definitely not as well known as they should be, including Picpoul de Pinet from the Languedoc:“Made on the Mediterranean coast close to the ‘oyster’ town of Sète, Picpoul might have been (probably was) designed as the perfect foil for seafood. It is crisp and fresh, with the same prickle of acidity that characterizes Muscadet, but has an added dimension with just the merest hint of tropical fruit. Always bottled in tall green flutes, it should be served young and cold. Don’t drink it on a wet Wednesday in February, but if the sun shines this is the perfect choice.”
Bourgeuil from the Loire Valley: “Wines made from the Cabernet Franc grape can give rasping, green-flavoured, charmless wines. This however is the reverse – the very warm 2003 has softened any hard edges to give a lovely, balanced wine. Its 12.5% alcohol is low by modern standards, and the tannins have an attractive tealeaf character which is great with food. I would like to cellar this for a few years and watch it evolve.”
And a Rousanne from the Cotes de Thongue also in the Languedoc and made by Domaine Sainte Rose: “The rather bland packaging masks a high quality, interesting wine, which instantly wins over all who taste it. On the nose there is a rich, creamy complexity whilst the palate is buoyed by luxurious, peachy fruit and fresh acidity. Not all wines made by expat winemakers are special, but this is! It would be a great alternative to chardonnay, having the weight and feel of an expensive white burgundy.“
It looks exactly like the Café du Port on the quai Deschamps; it’s uncanny, as if they’ve brought the tiles and the brass fitments over piece by piece. You look out of the window expecting to see the Garonne, and instead you’re on Park Lane
The Telegraph (11 April 08) recommends some places to eat authentic French cuisine in the UK - the above description is about a new eatery in London’s Park Lane called Bord’eaux (which translates as “waterside”)
A meal at a decent French restaurant in the UK might just provide a cheaper alternative to a trip to France this year, bearing in mind the disastrous Euro exchange rate (currently £1=€1.20 at the Post Office).
The Cafe du Port in Bordeaux is on the right bank of the river and overlooks the port area with impressive views of the sweeping curve of the Garonne and Napoleon’s stone bridge (Pont de Pierre). Fish is their speciality.
Another option in Bordeaux is la Tupina “authentic southwest” in rue porte de la Monnaie (see map) which was recommended by Rick Stein in his Rick Stein’s French Odyssey series
See our customised Google Map of Bordeaux
Other recommendations from the Telegraph article for eating French in the UK:-
The Great House, Market Place, Lavenham in Suffolk - an attractive small medieval village in the middlle of East Anglia- “A striking medieval English building houses a romantic room serving classic Gallic cuisine. Try the hearty pavé of beef in a rich red-wine sauce with beef marrow”
French Living in Nottingham, which also featured in our article on where to eat Cassoulet. This endearing rustic bistro is decked out with checked tablecloths and serves onglet à l’échalote, using a typically French cut of beef with a sauce of shallots and veal stock, sautéed potatoes and seasoned vegetables
Restaurant Bosquet in Kenilworth,Warwickshire which focuses on the gastronomy of SW France The chef Bernard Lignier’s south-western French roots add character to this little restaurant in a terrace. Much of the menu has modern touches, but the starter of quail with Puy lentils and foie gras could not be more classically French. Their wine list features a good selection of the wines of Southwest France - Madiran, Cahors and Jurancon.
A surprising concoction from a respected Madiran producer, which challenges the perception of the rich tannic Tannat grape from southwest France. It almost sounds a contradiction in terms, and another of those rather dubious French inventions which I have always suspected were just a way to re-invent unwanted left-over grape juice!
The Birmingham Post (3 April 2008) featured Maydie Tannat
Mention sweet red wine and a lot of people would be fetching their coats, but fortified vins de liqueur, made in a similar way to port, are very popular in France.
And although Maydie may sound a bit ominous translated into English, it certainly has a more than lively personality.
It’s produced by the Laplace family from Tannat grapes at Château d’Aydie in the Madiran region in the south-west of France.
Leave this fascinating wine in a glass for a few moments and the powerful scents begin to waft around the room: blackberry, licorice, menthol, elderberry.
It’s thick, densely dark purple and you might expect a correspondingly muscular flavour, so that the sweetness comes almost as a surprise - damsons and baked plum crumble disarmingly balancing the obvious sturdy tannin structure and high alcohol (17 per cent).
The thick-skinned Tannat grapes are also high in polyphenols, powerful antioxidants which are claimed to be good for your heart.
Maydie is available from The Wine Society for £10.95 per 50cl bottle (see www.thewinesociety.com). A similar idea based on the Malbec grape in Cahors is made by Chateau de Chambert called Rogomme, available from HG Wines in London.
For more info on Chateau d’Aydie and Madiran wines see www.frenchduck.com
Waitrose (online and in its stores) launches its French Wine Showcase on 26 March 08 - running through to 27 April 2008 this will feature a total of 48 wines.
As well as our usual French favourites, the showcase will also see the launch of four new wines to the range, including the delightful Taittinger Rose NV and the excellent value Domaine des Eyssards Bergerac Rouge.
Unusually for a major supermarket (and greatly to be welcomed) Waitrose will be featuring 13 specially sourced small parcel wines from a wide range of less well-known appellations such as:
Quincy (crisp Sauvignon Blancs from the Loire), Provence and Lirac (Southern Rhone) and the wonderfully unusual Pierre Boniface Domaine des Rocailles Apremont de Savoie 2007 and La Bastide Blanche Bandol (rich Mourvedre red from east of Marseille).
There are a number of special offers around which may be of interest in the runup to Easter, only a few weeks away.
There’s 15% off bookings for any of the “Sweet French Cottages” in the Aveyron (Midi Pyrenees) if you book by 15 April 08 - see www.frenchduck.co.uk
Brittany Ferries has a number of offers including 10% off 2008 Self-catering holidays booked by 15th March 08 - see www.brittany-ferries.co.uk
SpeedFerries is offering 20% off all 2008 bookings for a limited period - including their already low price multi-trip tickets - see www.speedferries.com
Waitrose has £10 off and free delivery on selected mixed cases of Classic French wines until 5 March 08 - see www.frenchduck.com
Watirose online is currently running a special offer of £10 off a mixed case of classic French wines (and free delivery) until 5 March 2008.
This offer is available to French Duck readers by quoting code WINE77 at the checkout.
Whilst I tend to prefer to support small independent wine merchants, Waitrose’ selections are often excellent, always reliable and generally good value.
This is a good selection of wines from all the main classic wine regions of France including reds from Beaujolais, Cahors, Fitou, Bordeaux, Cotes du Rhone (Chapoutier) and a red Burgundy.
For the whites there is a Macon Lugny, Saumur, Bordeaux, Touraine Sauvignon and Chablis.
The offer means that a case of 12 bottles is just £55.00 including free UK delivery - i.e under £5.00 a bottle. And if you prefer only reds or only whites, you can have that for the same price (2 bottles of each). But this offer is only available with thediscount voucher code above and until 5 March 2008!
See Watirose online
