THE DEUX-SÉVRES MONTHLY
One-armed paleontologist seeks wine trip... by John Sherwin. Let’s face it, the only good thing about February is that it’s not thirty-‐one days long. Twenty-‐eight grim, grey, grizzly days are quite enough to be going on with. But not to worry, it’s hard to keep a wine guy down and I’m here to spread good cheer. This is the time to day-‐dream, to get a little misty-‐eyed, to think of red wine and blue skies, to rustle maps by a log fire, in short, it’s the time for some serious holiday planning! Time was when the idea of a holiday centred on a beach or a pool or a ski slope, but these days there are themed holidays oozing from every pore of the tourist industry. So many possibilities. An over 60, one-‐armed palaeontologist looking for an assisted dig? Certainly madam, we have just the package. Sir is looking for a walking tour of the Alps for unmarried tattoo artists? Come right on in. No, I haven’t googled them, but I bet if I did I’d find something like. Why not make life easy? You’re in France. You’re not more than a couple of hours drive from Bordeaux. You don’t need a calculator to solve that equation – go on a wine trip. I help folks less fortunate than you (ie those who don’t live in France, close to Bordeaux) to visit vineyards throughout our fair land, but as you’re reading this mag, let’s concentrate on what might make sense for a Deux-‐Sèvrian.
Timing is important. (1) Avoid public holidays. When I say this to
my overseas friends they immediately assume that I’m warning them off crowded wineries: au contraire, the winemakers will be sensibly off enjoying themselves like everyone else. (2) Avoid Sundays, reasons as above. (3) Don’t even try to rouse anyone at lunchtime.
How long? Well, I won’t talk about pieces
of string, but it depends on what you’re looking for. Are you wanting to buy some reasonably priced wine from a particular area? Then a day or two might do. Do you want an understanding of a sub-‐region – Médoc, St Emilion etc? Then 2 to 3 days. An overview of the area – Médoc, St Emilion, Sauternes, Entre-‐Deux-‐Mers? Five days to a week. The most important thing is to go at your own pace.
Time of year? For me, a vineyard is a thing of beauty at any time of
year: the starkness of winter; the promise of spring; the bumptiousness of summer; the sighs of autumn. Romanticism aside, August is best avoided as all France, including winemakers, go on holiday. Harvest-‐time also, as all hands will be needed in the fields, not pouring dainty tastings for thee and me. Harvest in Bordeaux is typically mid to end September, but all depends on the year’s weather.
How to make contact? Now we’re getting to the pointy-‐end, the bit
that would put most people off. The obvious answer is to get in touch with me! But if you must go it alone, look at www.bordeaux-‐ tourisme.com to get some idea of what’s around. If you have specific chateaux in mind google them and pick up the phone. The reference book I use is Le Guide Bettane & Dessauve des Vins de France. This gives contact info and when chateaux are open for wine visits, as well as wine reviews. Very nifty.
What to expect? One advantage of visiting Bordeaux chateaux is
that most are medium to large and therefore will probably have staff who can handle visits in English. Other wine regions – Alsace, Languedoc-‐Roussillon, Provence spring to mind – you’d probably have to dust off your French. So let’s assume a largish chateau with whom you’ve booked a visit in English. Groups are rarely more than eight but you might get lucky and be with only a couple of others. There’s no set routine, but the visit will normally include an introduction of the chateau and its history, perhaps a brief look at the vineyard, a walk through the areas where the grapes are received at harvest, the press, the fermenting vessels, the caves full of oak casks where the wine is matured, then the tasting. All this is of course accompanied with explanation of the process, and questions are always welcome. Expect to spend about 45 minutes to an hour for the whole visit. Some visits are free, but these days most charge, typically €10 to €15. Even when the visit is free, don’t feel obliged to buy anything – unless of course you want to. A couple of chateaux which would give you a good entrée into the wonderful world of chateaux visits are Lynch-‐Bages in the Médoc and Figeac in St Emilion. Google them (I’m not doing all your legwork), call, make an appointment, go, enjoy, discover the wonder of wine where it’s made and in the company of those who make it. Or call me…
John Sherwin, French Wine Tours. Tel: 02 51 66 14 85 Email: johnsherwin@orange.fr ~ www.french-wine-tours.com
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