Bitten By Colette

A trip to Paris is not complete without a visit to the most bohemian of bookshops on the planet, Shakespeare and Co. Currently owned by 94 year old George Whitman, who still reads a book a day and believes that he is in fact living in a novel himself. The original bookstore was opened (at another location) by Sylvia Beach and soon became the haunt of the literati. T.S. Eliot, Gertrude Stein, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway being amongst some of the visitors in the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. Today it houses an eclectic mix of new and second-hand books, along with a small library of first editions.

Watch out for Colette, (not a ghostly apparition creeping along the creaking corridors) but the bookshop’s dog famed for stealing gloves from unsuspecting browsers. Colette was so keen on the day that she tried twice! “That’s Colette, watch out for your gloves” I was warned as I made my way up the rambling stairs to the 1st floor library feeling a tug on my glove at the same time. I thought little of it but meeting up later with Sue outside she declared “I’ve just been bitten by a bloody dog and it’s stolen my glove too”.” Oh that will be Colette I laughed as the one of the tousled haired bookshop staff came running out of the store to retrieve the kleptomaniac dog. Luckily the bite was more of a nip so no blood was shed.

Wasn’t it Colette who said : “Dogs think they are human. Cats think they are God.”

By the way if you are interested in writing your own novel Faber and Faber run a series of amazing four day workshops every month in the upstairs library of Shakespeare & Co with sessions run by leading authors including Jeanette Winterston, Tobias Hill and Rachel Cusk and also feature guest lecturers. Not to be missed if you can get a ticket!

Wine Quote of the Week from La Grande Maison

"LE VIN, C'EST LE CHANT DE LA TERRE"

KAIKO TAKESHI

"WINE, IS THE SONG OF THE EARTH"

Les Grand Vins et Les Grand Maisons - Bordeaux

You will need at least couple of days if you want to follow this wine route with an overnight stop off in Bordeaux to visit the CIVB which is highly recommended. We took the BAC ferry across the neck of the Gironde river from Royan to Verdon and after 30 minutes or so rather dull drive you will arrive in St Estephe and the vineyards will start to come into view. Cos d’Estournel is perhaps the most famous in this AOC being a Second Cru of the 1855 Classification.

Chateau Latour

Around Pauillac however you will find three of the Premier Grand Cru Classes these being: Chateaux Latour , Chateau Mouton Rothschild (see the tasting notes of the 2005 vintage in Feb 2007 further down this blog ) and Chateau Lafite-Rothschild...

Chateau Pichon Longueville (The Baron)

...along with the Second Crus of Chateau Pichon Longueville (The Baron) aquired in 2007 by AXA Millesimes and Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande.Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

We were particulary interested to see this chateau as the owners daughter is married to one of our local wine making friends in the Anjou appellation at Domaine de Salvert. The estate has recently been sold to the Roederer Champagne Family though and May Eliane de Lencquesaing has emigrated to a beautiful wine estate in South Africa. A bottle of the 2005 Pichon Longueville we have hidden in the depths of our cellars.

A glimpse of a section of the wine cellars at La Grande Maison.

Next AOC up is St Julien with the Seconds Crus properties of :Leoville Barton
Leoville Barton 1997
and Ducru Beaucaillou
Ducru Beaucaillou 2004

If you still have enough energy you could look for Chateaux Margaux (you will then have four of the five Premier Crus ticked off your list!)

CIVB Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin du Bordeaux

Instead we headed into Bordeaux to the CIVB where you have an opportunity to taste a delicious selection of wines with tasting plates of cheeses and charcuterie. We enjoyed 2002 Pontet Canet Rouge and 2004 Vieux Chateau Gaubert Blanc Graves.

Domaine de Grandmaison 2004

One of my favourite Bordeaux reds has always been from the Pessac Leognan region but I never really understood why. A visit to the area and suddenly it all fell into place. Some of the Graves we had tried were 100% Merlot and some of the Bordeaux wines blended with more like 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. It seemed the Pessac’s are more 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot or 50/50. Surprisingly one of the youngest apellations in France this is also where you will find the fifth of the Premier Crus - Chateau Haut Brion - the only vineyard I’ve ever seen in a city suburb (apart from the one on Montmartre Paris). It is with this wine that Samuel Pepys broke his vow to give up drinking in 1663 when he described it as “a sort of French wine, called Ho Bryan”. We are always vowing to give up drinking too.

Les Source de Caudalie

After Pessac what follows is a rather unexciting drive to Leognan but stick with it as once you get beyond Leognan it will all become apparent why you are there. We took the chance to visit the luxurious Caudalie Spa and Hotel which is opposite ....Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte and in front of a roaring fire drank our first glasses of 2004 Smith Haut Lafitte rouge et blanc - all I have time to say here now is sublime!

An exceptional combination of favourable elements make up this terroir. The subsoil is composed of clay and sand so well drained, the sandstone being hardened by a blackish, ferruginous cement. Further on into Graves the combination of gravel deposits, stones and pebbles which include quatrz, agate and flint. The land has been shaped by the movement of the rivers course over many millions of years.

Story To Follow : Further on into Graves and Sauternes to Chateau d'Yquem, the Premieur Cru Superieur of them all.

Wine Quote of the Week from La Grande Maison

" UN REPAS SANS VIN EST COMME UN JOUR SANS SOLEIL"

LOUIS PASTEUR

"A MEAL WITHOUT WINE IS LIKE A DAY WITHOUT SUN"

A Surprise Painting from M. Goussin.

Drove down to the riverside village of Treves today to check all was okay at La Petite Maison. The River Loire has been in flood so we were anxious that the house had not been inundated whilst we had been away in Bordeaux. All was well but whilst we were there we bumped into our neighbour Jacky Goussin who told us he was in the process of painting a poster for next years “fete” in Cunault and would we like to see it? Jacky is an "aquarelliste" of some local repute, his posters being seen all over Saumur advertising the Motor Museum, so of course we jumped at the chance to see inside his “atelier”.

We have long been an admirers of Jacky’s paintings of the Loire and the Tour de Treves but imagine our surprise when he presented us with this little watercolour of Loire Barques. It is just beautiful and once framed will be hung in La Petite Maison for all our visitors to see.

Jacky’s artist studio is just next door to La Petite Maison so if you are staying in Treves just knock on his door as I am sure he will be more than happy to show you round his gallery. In the meantime we’ll keep a look out for next years poster of Cunault. Thank you Jacky we adore it!

A Bottle of Madiran '95

End of the 2008 season, our last guests have gone and we celebrate with a bottle of Bouscassé - Vieilles Vignes Madiran 1995. Okay so it’s not a Loire wine but it’s good for us to explore a little out of the area and we are not disappointed. This is a 100% tannat from vines of over 50 years old. Maceration of 3-6 weeks and malolactic fermentation in new oak and then on the “lies’ for 14-16 months. Wow, black fruit with a fondue of licorice and truffles. What a delicious vintage from cellars of Alain Brumont.

The Last Wine Tour of the Season

As the starlings start to swoop in on the last grapes left on the vines we close another chapter on our 5th year of Wine Tours in the Loire Valley. Our last group left yesterday morning on the high speed TGV train from Angers to London and will leave behind fond memories of the many colourful characters they have met on their visits behind the winery doors.

Jean-Paul generously gave our group an opportunity to taste the Domaine de Mihoudy Anjou Red 2008, still fermenting and straight from tank.
The Coteaux de Layon 2008 was vigorously fermenting away at Domaine de Mihoudy. The strong fermentation odours took our breathe away.
Back in the Saumur appellation in Brossay, Guillaume at Chateau de Fosse Seche filling the oak barrels with the white “Tri de la Chapelle”, their late harvest Chenin Blanc.

We are now taking bookings for our Wine Tours for 2009 - the season starts again in mid-March so click on the link to see the Wine Tour & Stay Packages at La Grande Maison for 2009.

The Mushroom Collectors of Brain

Brain Sur Allones just north of Saumur is the place to be in early November for identifying all things fungi. The yearly Fete de Champignon (Mushroom Exhibition) is held in the Salle de Loisirs (Village Hall) and foragers are asked to bring in all their mushroomal finds from the woods and forests around the area.

The highly skilled mushroom identificaton panel then thumb through their mushroom library to identify whether they might be edible, barely edible, toxic or WILL CAUSE DEATH!

Three forks are awarded to the most edible.
Although these little inky looking fellows don’t really look that tasty.
The Tricolome Sourfe are highly toxic thus warns the exclamation mark!

And you would be best steering well clear of anything a skull and cross bone for fear of poisoning if not indeed death.

Throughout the year you can also visit La Cave Vivante du Champignon close to La Grande Maison in the village of Le Puy Notre Dame. The humourous if not a tad eccentric Jacky Roulleau will guide you around his caves and tunnels whilst explaining the history of mushroom production in the area. The Champignon de Paris used be grown in tunnels around Paris until the Metro moved in and so the production was moved to the Saumur area. For an online visit go to : troglo.champi.free.fr

WARNING DO NOT EAT ANY WILD MUSHROOMS YOU MIGHT FIND UNLESS THEY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS SAFE

Bouvet Ladubay Ar(T) Cheval 2008

At the Contemporary Art Gallery of Bouvet Ladubay (Saumur Sparkling Wine Producers) this week until the 9th Nov you will find a fantastic exhibition of art work related to the equestrian tradition of Saumur and the "Cadre Noir" the National Military Riding School of France. On arrival don't forget to take a look at the hand crafted bridles and the handmade horse shoes. The craftmanship is just so magnificent and the artisans are so proud of their trade.
In a similar horsey mode. The French Dressage Masters was on this weekend at the Ecole and we took some time out to watch some of the events at the immense indoor stadium at the school. A little more low key than the usual "spectacles" that they show here but pretty mesmorising none the less.

Loi Evin - The Wine Makers around Le Puy Make their Point

The wine makers of Le Puy Notre Dame demonstrate their case against the future law banning the advertising of their wine on the internet. They ask what future there is for wine if they are not able to talk about it!

Sign the petition today and protect the right to freedom of speech!
www.findawine.com/soutenirlevin/petitionEN.php

Loire Landscapes and Loire Floods 2nd November 2008

The Loire River from the bridge at Gennes 10:30 am Sunday Morning...

....and that same evening the sunset over La Grande Maison