Romancing the Label

Until I met Martin I was a simple woman.  I was just sophisticated enough about wine that I didn't drink the stuff from boxes.  I was proud that I was able to tell the difference between a Pinot Noir and a Cabernet. Any finer level of discernment, not on your life.

My wine consumption consisted of easily available, mass produced California or Australian plonk.  If I was feeling adventurous I'd buy some Malbec from Chile.  I solved the price, volume quality equation with a clear bias towards low price / high volume alternatives. 

Aside from price, there was also the small problem that I found the prospect of decoding the French appellation system far too intimidating to even try.  It's hard enough to keep track of what grape(s) are in a particular wine if it's not on the label, how could I possibly keep track of the differences between regions, much less the variations between towns and farms within a region? Vintages?  No, far too much information for my fiber obsessed brain to filter.

I've solved the problem by letting Martin do it.  He knows what kinds of wines I like; he is knowledgeable and has great taste. When we get to the wine store, Moore Brothers, I let him deal with the selection issues.  I chime in when I want more of something I've already drunk, or something in a particular style.  Neither he nor the staff there have ever steered me wrong.

Luckily, these guys stock really nice European wines from small vineyards, at reasonable prices.  Much nicer than the state store stuff I was buying.  Even I can taste the difference.  I don't always fully comprehend what I'm drinking, I just know it doesn't taste like chemicals, or some marketing managers idea of what a wine should taste like.  The wines are interesting and varied, but not expensive.  All around a better deal.

Now that I actually drink French wines, I was excited that I was going to spend roughly 24 hours in the wine region of Bordeaux.  I wasn't disappointed.

There were actual grapes on growing on the grounds of the Chateau where I stayed.  I took these shots in the hour I had between arriving from Philly and going out to dinner with the general managers of my company's western European businesses.

Pretty, n'est pas?

After a few photos and a quick shower, into the tour bus I went.  Large buses navigating country lanes are pretty awkward, but in the end we arrived at a vineyard in the St. Emillion appellation for a tour.

This estate has done double duty over the centuries.  Grapes were first cultivated on the grounds in the third century.  A post house and a roman road show that the product was good from the get go.

Then, in the 8th century someone cleverly figured out how to quarry limestone from underneath the vineyards, while continuing to grow grapes overhead.  Now the chateau uses the resulting caves to age their wine.

The stones?  Used to build the chateaus, churches and villages of the region.

Am I better educated about wines and wine making?  No, but now when I splurge on a bottle of Pomerol, I can say I've seen its namesake village!

Comments

[Shelby Bidwell]

Wow! It sounds like you had an amazing time. I'd love to get to Bordeaux some day, it looks beautiful! And the wine...yummy. I was in France once, but it was before I started to appreciate wine so we skipped the wine region. Some day!

[Tracy]

I had a bottle from the very same region a couple of weekends ago. Our local supermarket has a brilliant selection to which I have become quite attached. I've never visited an actual vineyard before, it must have been wonderful. Did you get to have some tastings?

[Bonnie]

Gorgeous! I raise a glass of my $3 Cab to ya'! My hubby is obesessed with the Trader Joe's $3 wine.....maybe I should have him read your blog to snap him out of it!

[Rebekah]

OH so loved the pictures today. Gorgeous. I'm a bit jealous though, I'd love to spend some time in wine country. Not that I'm an expert, but I do enjoy a nice wine, even if they pretty much all make my face turn bright red.

[Stasia]

Oh, how fun! What beautiful pictures.

[Stephanie VW]

Oh - so pretty! vineyards are lovely...