Every Monday, discover new wines, regions, and ways to understand this fermenting sea.
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Munching Vidal Blanc on Keuka Lake, New York
Tag Archives: Paris
Wine Tour Made Easy: Maison des Vins de Loire de Tours, France: EU Austerity Drinking Tour #49
This Monday’s EU Austerity Drinking Tour takes us on a whirlwind wine tour of the Loire…indoors.
Last Monday’s postcard post saw a sun-drenched bike ride.
But, back in Tours, while enjoying its centuries-old city center…
The clouds open, drench, and, drive us…well…into a bottle shop (surprise!):
Maison des Vins de Loire de Tours. A group of winemakers and negociants wanted to educate visitors about the Loire’s many wines, grapes, and regions. So they set up tasting rooms in Tours, Saumur, Nantes, and Angers.
Yes, it’s for tourists. But mostly locals popped in: partly out of pride, partly because the prices are low.
Overwhelmed by their range, hospitality, and knowledge, we visit it twice. Here are some highlights: Continue reading
Posted in Loire, WINERIES WANDERED
Tagged Aunis, Azay-le-Rideau, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, chenin blanc, European Union, France, Grolleau, Loire, LoireValley, Paris, Prieuré de Saint-Cosme, Ronsard, Saint-Cosme Priory, Tour, Touraine, Vouvray
5 Comments
VELO VOUVRAY 2: CHATEAU MONCONTOUR AND CHENIN BLANC: EU Austerity Drinking Tour #47
Last Monday’s EU AUSTERITY DRINKING TOUR post began our cycle of the Loire with Marc Brédif’s chic winery. Well inebriated, we continue upriver into Vouvray, hunting wine.
As mentioned prior, the green grape Chenin Blanc reigns supreme in Vouvray. Crafty Dutch merchants launched it here four centuries ago. It fits decently in this cold, marginal climate because it ripens earlier than red grapes. Although other whites would work better, the obstinate French stick to tradition. Continue reading
Posted in Chenin Blanc, EMPTIED BOTTLES, Sparkling
Tagged Balzac, Château Moncontour, chenin blanc, France, Les Chapelles, Loire, London, Marc Bredif, Methode Traditionelle, Moncontour, Montfort, Paris, Touraine, tuffeau, Vaugondy, Vouvray
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VELO VOUVRAY: CYCLING THE LOIRE VALLEY TO MARC BREDIF WINERY: EU Austerity Drinking Tour #46
We rent bikes in Tours and head up the Loire River, thirsty for wine.
The Loire river runs like a wrinkly tie below Paris to the Atlantic. The Vouvray AOC is a mere, million case pin-prick of 5,000 vinous acres. It sits next door to Tours.
The chenin blanc grape covers nearly all of Vouvray. But before trying wine, we head to the source: Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Bike tour, chenin blanc, Food, France, Loire, Loire River, Loire Valley, Marc Bredif, Paris, Sparkling wine, Tours, Vouvray, wine
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TOURING TOURS DAY 1: OLGA RAFFAULT CHINON 2006 and 2009: EU Austerity Drinking Tour #45
Day 81 of our EU AUSTERITY DRINKING ADVENTURE, we leave Paris for Tours.
Finally, Wayward Wine can sink its teeth into one of France’s wildest wine regions and Paris’ secret source: the Loire Valley.
Our bags rattle, lost, over streams of cobbled streets. Tram lines, torn up decades ago, are returning (thanks environmentalists) but not yet functional (thanks unions).
With our hostel found, we unload our gypsy-train of luggage and jackets to explore the town. Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Franc, Red
Tagged Cabernet Franc, Chinon, France, les belles caves, Les Peuilles, Loire, Loire Valley, Olga Raffault, Paris, Renaissance, wine
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ENTRÉE PARIS 5: Maison Rouge’s CO HO LA and Jacky Blot’s Brut Tradition: EU Austerity Drinking Tour #44
This Monday’s EU Austerity Drinking Adventure (day 80) finds us winding up our last days in Paris.
We revisit Montmarte and its Sacre Coeur to find both changed. Today, the sun’s glare brings out tourists and pick pockets. Inside, a moment of song and ritual seems lovely, but crowded.
Tumbling down Montmarte towards the city center we halt at Le Repaire de Bacchus: a wine-geek oasis in this urban desert. Continue reading
Posted in Paris, WINERIES WANDERED
Tagged Brut Tradition, Carignan, CO HO LA, Cor Hominis Laetificat, European Union, France, Grenache, Jacky Blot, Jardin du Luxembourg, Le Repaire de Bacchus, Loire, Loire Valley, MAISON ROUGE, Mona Lisa, Montmartre, Mourvèdre, Musée du Louvre, Nicolas, Paris, Syrah, Tours, United States
2 Comments
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