Guest Blog - Memories for a Lifetime & Education in Loire Valley Wine

We have been back in Chicago for more than a week now, and still have vivid memories about our stay with you at La Grande Maison. From the minute you met us at the train and assured Andy that "yes, there's a lot of old here," we felt relaxed, welcome, and right at home. We loved so many aspects of our visit, but there are some we want to mention specifically. Our bedroom, with the fireplace, built-in sink, and giant wooden beams took us back to another era. The food, from our amazing and welcoming wine-paired dinner, to the fresh croissants, hand-squeezed orange juice and yogurt each morning, to the variety of a daily picnic spreads, and the restful, rejuvenating pleasure of afternoon tea, was all perfect for us. We enjoyed the company of each of you on our long jaunts each day, and we also appreciated the lively distraction of the dogs!

The little touches in your décor, the thoughtful aspects of showing us the "special" places for picnics or the unique clos with the walls that the vines grew through, to showing us the "Sleeping Beauty" chateau on an extra bit of our trip, all made this a wonderful vacation for us, one that we will always remember. We had fun wandering around in the nearby vineyards and woods near your home, and also meeting your neighbor with his beautiful prairie planting.

All of this would have been enough for a refreshing and restful vacation for us, but then if you add the value of our education about wine, and the opportunity to meet your favorite local producers, and their generosity in showing us caves, vineyards, and lots of wines, we feel especially grateful. Our two favorite places were Chateau du Petit Thouars with Michel, and Franck and Catherine's Domaine de Pied Flond. All the wineries we visited were special, but these hold a special place for us.

At Michel's, the character of his wine came through and matched his passion for the craft of wine making. The way he shared his knowledge of making wine with us really communicated his desire to have people understand what goes into making good wine. From the age of the barrels, to the different tanks he was using for fermentation, to the storage of wine in his cave, he shared his knowledge in an especially personable way. And indeed, his wines were amazing. We particularly liked that 2005 Touraine AOC Rouge. When we drank it in the pigeonerrie overlooking the vineyards surrounding La Grande Maison, with that lovely dinner that you so graciously provided, it was one of the romantic highlights of our stay. Michel's wine provided a perfect accompaniment to that lovely evening.

A rare opportunity to see the chai at Chateau du Petit Thouars

Franck and Catherine, from Domaine de Pied Flond, were perhaps the most charming and enthusiastic winemakers that we had the opportunity to meet. Franck's candid conversation about the reason he was making wine in a different way from his father, but within the traditions of the seventh generation family business, were so interesting to hear. His passion for making excellent wine, even if in (relatively!) small quantities, could be seen both in the way he operated, and in the taste of the wine itself. After this wonderful tour, where he showed us everything about his business and took his time to explain answers to our many questions (and seemed to delight in understanding the English word "fill"), we were then in the company of Catherine, who shared his interest and his passion for their wine. She was a knowledgeable and gracious hostess in leading us through tasting their exceptional wines. She was very good at explaining what food would work well with what wine, and imagining the pairing helped Diane understand more about the subtle differences in some of the wines. Catherine even brought out a lovely plate of ham, sausage, and bread to accompany the wines.

Franck Gourdon of Domaine de Pied Flond

On our return to Paris, we had our first opportunity to enjoy and appreciate Franck's fine work as we drank a chilled bottle of his Rose de Loire on our hotel balcony. The afternoon was hot, and the wine was a perfect accompaniment for our last afternoon in Paris, and we drank it with joy overlooking the dome of the Hotel Invalides and the Eiffel Tower. We are looking forward to drinking his other 2 bottles in the near future (or keeping them as long as we can stand it!), as we share the wine and our stories with our friends.

Gardens at La Grande Maison

We have been telling our friends about our trip and sharing our pictures. All are envious, and we hope some may come and enjoy your exceptional hospitality. We also would love to return to La Grande Maison ourselves; if that doesn't happen, we will have memories for a lifetime to recall our stay and our education in Loire Valley wines.