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: Vouvray
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 3: Maison Darragon: EU Austerity Drinking Tour #48
For this Monday’s EU AUSTERITY DRINKING ADVENTURE, we trade a château for a maison.
Underwhelmed and starving, we leave the lofty Château Moncontour of last week’s post. Our rent-o-bikes take us to lunch of quiches, bread, and fabulous pastries. We eat on a cliff square. Mossy shingles span below us, Vouvray’s crumbling, cream church looms above us.
Full, we follow signs up a tortuous slope. We pass a villa hewn into Vouvray’s famed tuffeau cliffs: Continue reading
Posted in Loire, White, WINERIES WANDERED
Tagged Acid, Château Moncontour, chenin blanc, Darragon, European Union, Florilege, Haut des Ruettes, Loire River, Loire Valley, Maison Darragon, Marc Bredif, Oak (wine), Sweetness of wine, Tour, Vouvray, wine
3 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
6 Comments
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
5 Comments
