BORDEAUX

Ernesto and Carmen kindly drove us to the train station in Hendaye, France where we got the train to Bordeaux.  I had such a marvelous time in Lesaka with Carmen taking our walks, cooking and chatting.  I will miss both of them but Carmen especially.  Two nicer and more helpful people you could not hope to find.

When we got off the train in Bordeaux we had to find the car rental place to pick up our rental.  As luck would have it, it was at the other end of the rail station so I stayed with the luggage and Patricia picked up the car.  When we "relocate" we have a lot more luggage to schlep and it is not nearly as easy or fun.

We got the car, loaded it and headed to where our reservations were at Villa St. Simon in Blaye. The villa was built in 1860 but has all mod cons and is decorated beautifully.

We checked in and were greeted by Clarissa, the owner.  She escorted us up four flights of stairs to our room.  Her idea was to give us a room with a view and that meant the top floor front unit!  She helped get the luggage upstairs—thank goodness!

Having breakfast at Villa St. Simon in Blaye.

Clarissa suggested we visit St. Emilion and after dropping off the luggage and having a cup of tea we drove to this medieval, walled town.  St. Émilion is the name of both the town and the appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) for wines originating in the surrounding region, which is located about 30 miles west of Bordeaux.  The wines are predominantly made from Merlot grapes as the base with varying proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.  The wineries in this region take great pride in the classifications that are unique to the region and are reevaluated approximately every ten years.  These classifications are the Premiers Grands Crus Classés and the Grands Crus Classés. 

View of medieval, walled town of St. Emilion.

Towns and chateaus in the St. Emilion wine region.

St. Emilion

Very old part of St. Emilion

Some of the St. Emilion streets were very steep

St. Emilion cathedral

Typical cobblestone street.  Doesn't look as steep as it really is!

Cathedral courtyard

St. Emilion house

Scenery around St. Emilion.  Truly beautiful, rolling, filled with vineyards.  My kind of place!

 

We visited Chateau Fonplegade.   This winery was purchased in 2004 by American billionaires Denise and Stephens.  It is currently classified as Grands Crus Classé, but they are trying to achieve the higher classification of Premiers Grands Crus Classé.  The Adamses spent $7 million renovating the facilities and installing state-of-the-art wine making equipment.  They also have switched to organic farming methods.  I really support organic and/or biodynamic farming methods for wine, food and fruit.  Down with GMF (Genetically Modified Foods).

Chateau Fonplegade in St. Emilion--owned by American billionaire.

Gorgeous wine tasting room.  These are powerful and expensive wines.  You had to pay for tasting.

      

We chose to stay in Blaye because it is the heart of the Cotes de Blaye and Cotes de Bourg winelands and a 20-minute ferry trip from the Medoc and its famous 1st growths.

Blaye is also is home to The Citadel which is a UNESCO World Heritage site dating back to the 12th Century and worth a visit.  When we were there, we stopped to have a drink because it was hot and Patricia had her very first bottle of "Desperado" beer that is beer with tequila.  She liked it and we bought more bottles.  I think you can buy it in England too. 

The first night at the B&B, Clarissa's partner, Les, had a wine tasting scheduled.  He is definitely an expert in Bordeaux wines and arguably feels they are the best wines of all of the wine regions in France!  He has a restaurant that also serves wine through the B&B and out the rear entrance.  I enjoyed listening and learning from Les. 

I mentioned to Clarissa that I had tried to get into Chateau Margaux but you have to book six months in advance and they don't care if you're a sommelier.  She said she would make some calls and see what she could do about getting me "private tours" of chateaus.  If you ever find yourself in this region of the world, I would recommend staying here.  It's often times the people you meet that make the difference in enjoying a location.  

We crossed the Gironde River in Blaye to Lamarche in Medoc with the car on the ferry and the cost one way was 33.50€ or $44.00. 

       

She got me appointments at Chateau Kirwan and Chateau Pichon Longueville. 

Chateau Kirwan is in the Margaux appellation and is a Grand Cru Class in the historic Bordeaux Wine Classification of 1855.  There are 40 hectares (99 acres) of vineyards planted to 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot.  It has been owned by the same German family since Napolean.  My guide was Narisse who was Japanese.  She had taught herself French and has moved to the area permanently to pursue her interest in wine and to learn as much as she possibly can.  She does the public relations for the winery.  She was incredibly knowledgeable and a lovely young woman.

Chateau Kirwan

Wine tasting room at Chateau Kirwan.  Beautiful!

Barrel room

Testing the barrels

Jann and Narisse in the tasting room

My next appointment was at Chateau Pichon Longueville in the Medoc.  There are over 1,000 chateaus covering the Medoc landscape.  The town of Pauillac is considered the heart of the Haut-Medoc.  This chateau is a like a castle in a fairy-tale book and has a reflecting pool in front.  Under the reflecting pool is where the wine is made.  Patricia waited in the main tasting room while I had a private tour of the entire facility.  After I had been gone well over an hour, she asked where I was tasting the wine and, because Clarissa told them I was a sommelier, I was invited into the "professional" tasting room.  Luckily, they escorted Patricia over to the right place.  The wines carry power, elegance and longevity.  These were not wimpy wines.  The winery is owned by the French insurance company, AXA.  There are 73 hectares (180 acres) total with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.

Chateau Pichon Longueville

Reflecting pool

If you enjoy wine at all, you have to enjoy the wines from this region.  Until tasting wines from France in my sommelier classes, I did not appreciate the history, significance of "terroir", French cultural attitudes, world respect, weather (no watering of the vines is ever allowed) and so many other aspects of wine making. 

The Bordeaux wine region and others in France are not like other wine regions around the world.  The French are only interested in making superb wines—not seeking tourism or selling wine paraphernalia.  There are also few restaurants and it's difficult to find a place to eat or get a sandwich anywhere in Bordeaux!  You can form your own conclusions about this because I have mine and I think it's fine just the way it is! 

Chateau Margaux

Now that's a bottle of wine !

To be able to drive along route D2 in Bordeaux and see road signs to Margaux, Latour, Lafite and Mouton Rothchild is incredible.  I must go back and spend more time there.  So much wine; so little time; so true!