Category Archives: Wine

Cycling, Germany, Restaurants, Sightseeing, Uncategorized, Wine

Cycling in Germany #4 – Koblenz where the Moselle meets the Rhine

June 25, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 40 Comments

We’re off to a late but chilly start today. After we leave the car a few kilometers out of Koblenz to avoid the usual large town parking problems, we both put on our windcheaters and don’t take them off for the rest of the day. This time I didn’t forget our rain capes …

As we cycle over the bridge over the Moselle and get our first view of Koblenz we remember why we try to avoid cities! It’s big and noisy and full of cars. We also know that the old town was completely destroyed during the war and there isn’t much to see. The name Koblenz means confluence and this is where the Moselle joins the Rhine on its way through Germany so the big attraction is the Deutsches Eck or German Corner.

Along the way we see some amusing facades such as the night club above. Jean Michel who’s fallen a little behind catches me up, “you missed something back there” he says so I ride back. I look up and burst out laughing.

We keep going towards the Eck, passing lots of cruise boats, one of which has walking frames lined up on the quay! “There but for the grace of God” as my mother used to say. The best view of the confluence is from the huge monument to Kaiser Wilhelmina I erected in 1897. The equestrian statue was destroyed in 1945 just before the end of the war and rebuilt in 1993. We think the flags are regional.

We follow the beautiful Rhine Promenades past some lovely late 19th century homes and some surprising modern buildings.

Eventually we find ourselves on the outskirts of Koblenz and are getting hungry. We decide not to eat at a Biergarten obviously set up for World Cup enthusiasts. I bet it’s popular at night.

Our bike path lies between the Rhine and a railway line and takes us past Stolzenfels Castle built in 1250 and destroyed during the Nine Years War in 1689. It was restored in 1838 by Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm which explains why it’s not made of granite like all the other hilltop castles in the area. I accidentally put my new iPhone 5S on black and white so the photo isn’t quite what I expect.

There are no places to eat near the castle so we push onto the next town called Rhens. By the time we arrive it’s 1.30 but in Germany you can get a meal at any time, we have discovered. We see an inviting Biergarten and choose a riverside table. Below is the view from the Ladies!

However it turns out to be too cold so we eat inside the restaurant which is across the road. Note that I’m still in black and white mode.

During lunch where we order the inevitable Wiener schnitzel and chips (it’s that or pizza) with a side salad and trocken riesling, we’re entertained by a little boy on a trike without pedals and his older sister who comes through occasionally playing Jingle Bells on a whistle and softly hitting a drum.

We decide it’s not warm enough to cycle any further down the river and head back towards Koblenz. I finally get a photo of a patriotic car with no owner around. Check out the rear view mirror! Good thing I’ve worked out how to take colour photos again.

We find another Biergarten in Koblenz but are told we have to go inside the restaurant for coffee so we keep going. Good thing we did because we accidentally found a local institution – the Weindorf. Created in 1925 for the Reich German wine exhibition, this “wine village” is the perfect place to have a glass of wine or real cappuccino.

As we haven’t had dessert, jean Michel thinks we should try the cakes. I can definitely recommend the apfel strudel … Not to worry, it’s an intermittent fast day tomorrow.

By the time we get back to the car, we’ve cycled 34 km which is kinder than yesterday’s 49! Tomorrow we leave Kobern-Gondorf for the Elbe and Swiss Saxony, about 570 km east of here. And I’m hoping for a proper wifi connection so I can use my laptop again! See you there.

Cycling in Germany #2 – Rhine from St Goar to Lorch

June 24, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 45 Comments

We’ve cycled along the Rhine on two previous occasions – on our way back from Croatia when we visited the Rhine Falls and Stein am Rhein, both very memorable experiences – and last year after cycling along the Danube, when we spent a few days at Lake Constance and visited the Rhine Falls and Stein again. The Rhine starts in Switzerland, flows through Germany and eventually empties into the North Sea In the Netherlands.

Today we begin in St Goar a 40 minute drive from our flat in Kobern Gondorf. We start with an excellent cappuccino opposite Loreley, a famous rock at the narrowest place on the Rhine. Loreley is also the name of a feminine water spirit, similar to mermaids or Rhine maidens, associated with the rock in popular folklore and in works of music, art and literature.

The bike path takes us along the river alongside a main road – not nearly as attractive as the paths we experienced along the Danube but the scenery is still lovely with vineyards climbing up the hills and little villages and hilltop granite castles along the riverside.

We arrive at the ferry stop that will take us across the river to Kaub, passing in front of the famous Pfalzgrafenstein toll castle erected in 1338. A chain across the river forced ships to pay the toll. If they didn’t cooperate they were thrown into the dungeon!

On the other side on the outskirts of the village we find a local restaurant with a view of the river where the waitress only speaks German. We learn that trocken means dry as in dry white wine and order a viener schnitzel and a cordon bleu because it’s easier than trying to work out what else is on the menu! A mixed salad arrives first and our veal and chips are excellent. We finish with an espresso and pay the bill – 30 euro.

We continue towards Lorch on a bike path which is a little in need of maintenance but more pleasant because there is less traffic. On the other side we see a town With an extravagant number of towers and a gutted gothic church. I study it with my binoculars.

At Lorch we cross the river on another ferry and start cycling back to our starting point. When we get to Bacarach we suddenly find ourselves in a very popular tourist destination. It turns out to be the town with the gutted church and has all sorts of historic buildings and the obligatory craft shops.

We go back across the Rhine at Kaub for free, completely ignored by the ferry man who stays resolutely in his little tower. The bike path on the other side is alongside the road again but in good condition. We see the Rhine gorge and the Loreley rock from the other side and get a closer look at the somewhat surprising 16 foot mermaid statue.

By the time we get to St Goarhausen, I am feeling the effects of the 40 km we’ve spent in the saddle and we’re both ready for an Italian ice-cream. We can see the ferry that will take us back to St Goar and the car and decide to try and catch it. Ice-cream in hand we cross the road and walk our bikes down the ramp and onto the ferry just in time!

I can tell you that I am glad to get back to the car and sit in a more comfortable seat. We drive along the river to Boppard and cross the high plateau between the Rhine and Moselle via a road with very tight hairpin bends. The view of the Moselle is worth the trip.

Tomorrow we’ll be back along the Moselle.

Bread Baking Day in Les Grouets

May 26, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 7 Comments

The sky is overcast and we’re hoping it’s not going to rain because we’re about to attend the 8th annual bread-making day in our neighbourhood, Les Grouets. It’s all happening at a bread-oven I’ve already photographed in the past.

8th annual bread baking day at Les Grouets — 8th annual wood-fired bread baking day at Les Grouets

We didn’t expect to be in Blois this weekend so we’re not sure of the programme. We arrive about 11 am and things are already in full swing. The baker is busy baking, the man who sells Les Grouets biscuits on the market is busy talking, the local caterer is busy selling his wares, the local wine grower is busy pouring glasses of wine and the other female members of the Amis des Grouets association are busy selling loaves of grouetin bread and brioche.

Our neighbours talking to the biscuit baker — Our neighbours talking to the biscuit maker

After talking to the biscuit maker and the wine grower, we make our way to the main tent to buy some bread. We are welcomed by the president of the association who is squeezing an endless succession of limes for the midday apéritif – for all those present, though it’s better if we buy something, he explains.

Some of our neighbours arrive to buy pizzas so we put in an order too. Jean Michel goes off to put the bread and brioche in the car while I continue talking to the neighbours. Then I spy the lilac lady who used to live in our “house of happiness”

The temporary baker discussing his trade

I go over to see her and see exclaims in surprise, “Oh, how lovely ! You said you wouldn’t be here this weekend. Let me introduce you to everyone.” It turns out the baker (who’s not a baker the rest of the time, just the owner of the bread-oven) is her brother.

She then introduces us to her sister-in-law and two nieces who used to live in our little house. She is very generous in her praise of us and tells them all that we are très sympathiques. We recount our lilac story and they soon start reminiscing about the little house and the middle house. We learn that their aunts lived in the house on the other side of ours as well.

Who's for some wine? — Who’s for some wine? And maybe some of that paella?

We all go into the tent for our aperitif and the lilac lady insists that we stay with them. We buy some little freshly-baked bread rolls with rillettes and sardines to go with our lime, sparkling white wine and dash-of-cointreau cocktail. Better not have too many of them!

Somehow the pizza orders have gotten well behind but at 2 pm, we eventually collect ours and take it home to eat in the little house which has taken on a new dimension now that we have met the last people to have lived there!

We’re looking forward to the next event when we’re living full-time in Les Grouets – the end-of-year dinner at the little château at the end of our street. And next year, I’ll be able to take my own bread along to bake as there is little chance of our own bread oven being functional for some time yet!

French customs, Paris, Uncategorized, Weekly Blogger Round-Up, Wine

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Love Locks in Paris – Developing a wine palate – Exercising apparel in France

March 18, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 5 Comments

Already time for my Weekly Blogger Round-Up. I’m sure you know about the love locks on the Pont des Arts in Paris. Lisa Anselmo and Lisa Taylor Huff, guest posting for Out and About in Paris, explain why they are causing a problem. Chrissie from Riviera Grapevine gives us very helpful information on developing our palate in the world of wine, while Bread is Pain reflects on the differences between Anglosaxons and French when it comes to clothing and physical exercise. Enjoy!

Why We Need to Unlock Our Love from the Bridges of Paris (Guest post by Lisa Anselmo and Lisa Taylor Huff of No Love Locks™)

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

You’re in Paris on the Pont des Arts with your sweetheart. Maybe it’s your anniversary. You hang a lock engraved with your initials on the bridge, and toss the key in the Seine. Then you walk away.

It’s a year later and that lock is corroded by rust, buried under thousands of other locks and covered in graffiti. The piece of the parapet where you hung your lock gives way, over-burdened by the tonnage it was never designed to hold, and lands squarely on a sightseeing boat passing below, full of tourists. Read more

Help, I’ve lost my palate!

by Chrissie from Riviera Grapevine, a Sydney girl living in Nice with an insatiable thirst for the wines of the Var, Alpes Maritimes and Liguria. She happily sells, drinks and blogs about wine

Pallet, palette, palate: Three of the English language’s most commonly confused words, which all have a place in our wine vocabulary.

For instance, if you sell wine in Southern France, it’s not inconceivable that you may order a pallet of rosé from the AOC Palette in Provence. Yep, definitely confusing.

Of the three, however, the one which has the most resonance with wine lovers worldwide is palate, or that part of our mouth which receives and defines taste sensations.

And I think mine went AWOL at birth….. Read more

Sweating in Jeans Town

by Bread is Pain, a 30-something American living in the Rhone-Alps, getting her master’s degree, learning French and slowly eating and drinking herself through the country

“Oh. Okay,” I think to myself as I wave at the friend I am meeting. “So THAT is what we are wearing.” I walk across the street, briskly, in my spandex pants, sports bra top, and tennis shoes.

After the obligatory kisses hello, we begin our stroll towards the Bastille.

“Are you going to be able to hike in those,” I ask her, looking at her feet. She is wearing ballet flats, skinny jeans, a fashionable sweater, and a floral scarf whereas I look like I’m about to rip open a protein pack with my teeth while simultaneously checking my heart rate. Read more

Accommodation, Architecture, Cycling, Loire Valley, Uncategorized, Wine

Loire à vélo – Montsoreau to Saumur

March 17, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 4 Comments

We’ve decided to take advantage of the wonderful spring weather and do some more cycling further along the Loire. I’ve been wanting to go back to Fontevraud Abbey for some time so we book a chambre d’hôte in Turquant which is on the Loire about two hours west of Blois.

We have a picnic lunch in nearby Montsoreau which was a thriving port for the transport of tufa stone, wine, timber and grain until the railways took over in the mid 19th century. Today, it’s a sleepy little village with a château that livens up in the summer.

Panorama near Candes overlooking the confluence of the Vienne and Loire Rivers

Then we drive up to one of our favourite panoramas just outside the neighbouring village of Candes overlooking the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire. Not as striking as it is in the summer, but still breathtaking.

Le Balcon Bleu, chambre d'hôte à Turquant — Le Balcon Bleu, chambre d’hôte in Turquant

After checking into our lovely chambre d’hôte, Le Balcon Bleu, we take the bikes off the back of the car and set off for Saumur where Jean Michel lived from the age of 3 to 17. We take the “high” cycle route overlooking the Loire which takes us past an amazing collection of troglodyte dwellings that have been converted into artists’ and artisans’ studios.

Troglodyte dwellings converted into artists studios in Tursquant

We cycle through the vineyards of saumur champigny and up and down an exhausting number of hills with an occasional stunning view of the river such as the vista from the narthex of the little church of Saint Pierre in Parnay built in the 10th century.

Some time later, I spy a picnic table and suggest a pause. I’ve remembered the biscuits and water this time, which is a good thing because there is no other sustenance along the cycle route. Jean Michel says we are very close to his old home and tells me who owns the surrounding vineyards. A little further on, there are a lot of new houses which he’s never seen before.

The back of Jean Michel's house showing the original cavier mill — The back of Jean Michel’s house showing the original cavier mill

We arrive at his old home which was originally a cavier windmill like the one in Bléré and he shows me the roof he used to climb up on to read and look at the panoramic view. I can’t see any sign of a windmill but at the back of the house, he shows me part of the circular wall. Many additions have been made over the years so the house is quite a hotchpotch.

After turning right into the aptly named Rue des Moulins, we see the remains of several similar windmills, before coming out on Jean Michel’s favourite view of Saumur, the Loire and 14th century château. Unfortunately, it’s being renovated so the view is marred by scaffolding.

The bike path leads through a surprising mix of old and new buildings, including the beautifully renovated Maison des Compagnons (guild house) where the apprentice stone cutters are all chipping away in the open courtyard.

We cycle through Place Saint Pierre with its half-timbered houses and down to the Loire then turn right along the river, with the castle towering above us until we reach the imposing 17th century church of Notre Dame des Ardilliers which I remember from a previous visit.

The cycle route takes us up another hill and through a sort of tunnel, then past a series of troglodyte houses, much more sophisticated this time. Signs along the path point out architectural features such as mullion windows, watchtowers and arrow slits.

One of the troglodyte dwellings is actually a feudal castle owned by Marguérite d’Anjou, the French wife of Henri VI of England, in the 15th century!

Just when I think the cycle route is going to join the river again and spare my knees, another hilly path takes us up a tiny winding street and we begin to have doubts. But an amazing sight is awaiting us! Stay tuned.

Art, French customs, IT, Uncategorized, Wine

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Overalls for women now legal in France – Great party trick

January 28, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 2 Comments

This week’s Blogger Round-Up is a spin-off from my post on the disappearance of père de famille. Bellanda from Bellanda in Paris tweeted a post explaining that women are now legally allowed to wear overalls in France, while Tim from Invisible Bordeaux responded with a famous example of an exception to the rule – Rosa Bonheur. On another fun note, Chrissie from The Riviera Grapevine shares a great party trick that involves bubbly. Enjoy!

It’s no longer a joke! My overalls were not only illegal in Paris … they were illegal in all of France!

by Bellanda from Bellandainparis, a New York presently living in Paris, doing what she loves: writing/screenwriting, painting, photography & social media managing.

The last several months, I have been joking that wearing my overalls in Paris might be considered illegal. Little did I know how right I was!

Ever since that very first day I ventured out into the streets of Paris wearing overalls, there has been ongoing banter on Twitter and Facebook about the fact that this could possibly be illegal. There were some of you who gasped with laughter saying, “No, you didn’t?” There were others who said things like, “Good for you! Be yourself and be proud.”

In my defense, and yes, I somehow think wearing overalls… more exactly wearing paint stained overalls in a city where people only wear jogging/sports attire if they are actually running, does indeed need defending. Read more

ROSA BONHEUR: THE WORLD-FAMOUS BORDEAUX-BORN ANIMALIÈRE

by Tim Pike, an Englishman in France who, when not writing Invisible Paris can often be spotted riding a vintage yellow bicycle or strumming a guitar. He has also conceived a set of self-guided walking tours around Bordeaux which are available for iDevices.

One of the most illustrious of Bordeaux’s daughters is Rosa Bonheur who, throughout her life which spanned much of the 19th century, became a world-renowned “animalière” and is regarded by many as the most famous female painter of her time.

Rosa Bonheur was born Marie Rosalie Bonheur on March 16th 1822 at 29, Rue Saint-Jean-Saint-Seurin (now 55, Rue Duranteau) in Bordeaux. Her father, Oscar-Raymond Bonheur, was a landscape and portrait painter and frequented Spanish artist Francisco Goya during the four years the latter spent in Bordeaux up until his death. Read more

The Party Trick I Wish I Had (And a recommendation for a fantastic wine bar in Piedmonte)

by Chrissie from Riviera Grapevine, a Sydney girl living in Nice with an insatiable thirst for the wines of the Var, Alpes Maritimes and Liguria. She happily sells, drinks and blogs about wine.

Recently, whilst indulging in a spot of social media browsing, I came across this gem of a YouTube clip shared via LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook, Twitter or some other format which all us members of the bloggersphere should apparently be mastering for self promotion!

Now, this is one party trick that I think would seriously impress. Opening a bottle of bubbly with the glass that you’ll serve the liquid in! Class. Especially with a certain nonchalance as conveyed by the guy in this clip. Surely this is a more realistic skill to master than learning how to saber a Champagne bottle with a sword?

Yet I know I could never pull it off. I’d shatter the delicate glass on impact, like a magician who fluffs his tricks. Read more

France, Wine

The 2013 Independant Wine Growers’ Fair in Paris

December 2, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 4 Comments

It’s Friday and we’re making our yearly trip to the Independant Wine Growers’ Fair in Paris at Porte de Versailles. We are surprised to find plenty of empty parking spaces in the back street we usually use to avoid the large crowds waiting to take the lift to the underground parking area. For once, there isn’t another fair at the same time.

Inao glass with its holder. In the background is a tapestry based on one in the Cluny mediaeval museum in Paris — Inao glass with its holder. In the background is a tapestry based on a 16th century taspestry in the Cluny mediaeval museum in Paris

We trade our free invitation for two glasses celebrating the 35th anniversary of the fair. We have a very large stock of these INAO glasses now, which is great for parties. We snap them into our nifty glass holders so we have our hands free.

Having checked out our wine list beforehand, we know we need sancerre, a Loire Valley sauvignon, for our spéciales oysters, quincy, another, less well-known Loire Valley sauvignon for fish and corbières from Languedoc-Roussillon in the south of France for lamb grilled on the open fire. We’ve run out of minervois in the Carcassonne area which is also great with lamb but our wine grower seems to have disappeared to our dismay.

We use the list of wines and growers on the wall to work out the order in which we are going to make our purchases because the Fair is enormous.

François and Cherrier from Domaine de la Rossignol — François Cherrier and his wife from Domaine de la Rossignol

François Cherrier is first on the list. We have been buying his sancerre since we first visited his vineyard ten years ago. He and his wife welcome us and we taste their range of whites but settle, as usual, for their delicious Essentiel at 9.60 euro / bottle. We explain we are moving to the Loire and learn that they have close family in Blois so will be able to stock up again very easily. What wonderful news!

We buy our quincy Cuvée Tradition from Domaine Jacques Rouzé at 7.30 euro a bottle and decide it’s time for our traditional foie gras sandwich.

Foie gras sandwiches from Foie Gras Occitanie

Jean Michel parks the trolley near a bench at the far end where other people are eating sandwiches as well and says I can sit on it. How very useful ! It’s just the right height. We notice that our neighbours have a very strange carton so I ask them if it’s a special wine. No, it’s just the box that is unusual.

It turns out that Brian is Irish and that he and his French wife live near the Marne in an area where we have often cycled. We have an enjoyable discussion about children and bilingualism and the different countries they have lived in.

Domaine de l'Arc for corbières — Domaine de l’Arc for corbières

The last wine grower on our list is Domaine du Grand Arc. We buy two types of sun-drenched corbières – Cuvée des Quarante which we bought last time (7.90 euro), a combination of 45% carignan, 35% grenache noir and 20% shiraz and En sol majeur (11.50 euro) which is 60% grenache noir and 40% shiraz. We see it has a “heart” in the 2014 Hachette wine guide.

As we are leaving, I spy a sign for minervois. Shall we try ? Château de l’Amiral turns out to be a lucky stab in the dark. The 7th generation wine grower is a woman whose praises are sung by her husband who is running the stand. She uses a special process he calls macération carbonique for her Cuvée Prestige.

We both look at him in amazement while he explains that the historical grape varieties of minervois, carignan and grenache are vinified together using carbonic maceration. The whole bunches are placed carefully in a closed vat so the grapes don’t burst which means that the juice ferments inside the grape expressing its unique, typical aromas. The air in the tank is replaced with CO2 from the fermentation taking place in other vats to prevent the wine from oxidising. This mini-vintage is limited to 3,400 bottles.

We love the result with its red berry nose, dense, rich tanins and very nice balance. At 18 euro a bottle, it’s excellent value for money!

Domaine de la Rossignole, rue de la Croix Michaud, 18300 Verdigny, Tel 02 48 79 34 93 cherrier@easynet.fr

Domaine Jacques Rouzé, 18120 Quincy. Tel +33 248 513 561 rouze@terre-net.fr, http://www.jacques-rouze.com

Domaine du Grand Arc, Fabienne et Bruno SCHENCK, Le Devez, 11350 CUCUGNAN, Tel/Fax: 0468450103, domaine.grandarc@gmail.com, http://www.grand-arc.fr

Château l’Amiral 14, avenue de l’Amiral Gayde 11800 AIGUES-VIVES 06 83 51 68 88 contact@chateaulamiral.fr http://www.chateaulamiral.fr/

Loire Valley, Wine

Top Tips for Wine Tasting

November 11, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 5 Comments

You may remember a post about Michelin-star restaurants that I included in my last Wednesday’s Blogger Round-up written by The Good Life France, an independent on-line magazine about France and all things French, covering all aspects of daily life including healthcare, finance, utilities, education, property and a whole lot more.

As a result, the editor, Janine Marsh, asked me to write a guest post, and here it is!

Top Tips for Wine Tasting

Just in case you’re wondering about my credentials for giving tips on wine tasting, Jean Michel and I have spent the last 15 years wine tasting and attending numerous beginners’ and advanced wine classes. As members of a cercle oenophile (wine buffs’ club) we have developed an efficient strategy for wine tasting in many of France’s wine-growing regions.

For many people, the wine experience is an integral part of a holiday in France but there are so many varieties that they often don’t know where to start and many visitors hesitate to visit a winery (vignoble) on their own.

The cellar door (chez le propriétaire) in France is usually just that – right on the vineyard – except in larger establishments where there may be a store in the closest town. When wines are bottled by the wine grower, Mise en bouteille à la propriété (or au chateau) will be indicated on the bottle.

If you want personal contact and a more authentic experience, it’s best to aim at the smaller vineyards. Read more

LOIRE VALLEY VINEYARDS

And just to get you started, here are a few addresses:

Blois

Chez Laurent, cellar, wine tasting lessons, 5 rue Saint-Martin, 41000 Blois, 02 34 89 13 23 contact@chezlaurent.fr http://www.chezlaurent.fr/

Vinomania, cellar, restaurant, wine bar, wine tasting lessons, Place ave Maria, 12 rue du Poids du Roi, 41000 Blois, 02 54 90 17 66

Les Forges du Château, tearoom, cellar, 21 Place du Chateau, 41000 Blois

Vouvray

Domaine Freslier, cellar door, 92 rue de la Vallée Coquette 37210 Vouvray, 02 47 52 76 61

Touraine

Domaine du Prieuré, cellar door, 41120 Valaire, 02 54 44 14 62

Chinon

Domaine de La Roche Honneur, cellar door, 1, rue de la Berthelonnière, 37420 SAVIGNY EN VERON , 02 47 58 42 10, roche.honneur@club-internet.fr

Cycling, Loire Valley, Wine

French wine in cans – what is this?

August 15, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 6 Comments

We’ve just cycled from Château de Chaumont to Candé sur Beuvron, a lovely little path through shady woods along the Beuvron River on the Loire à Vélo circuit.

Beuvron River from the cycle path between Chaumont and Candé

We reach the village and discover that renovations on the pedestrian bridge are finished and that it’s decorated with enormous brightly coloured flower pots.

Giant flower pot on the pedestrian bridge at Candé sur Beuvron

We’ve already been here and have only found one bar open. Another cycling couple (French) are already having a beer. Jean Michel goes inside to ask for a Coca Light (Diet Coke) and comes back to say that there only have normal Coke.

We’re in a wine-growing region and Candé is in the AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée) area of Cheverny so I say, “Un verre de vin local“. The lady comes out with a CAN OF WINE. I look at it askance. Winestar, it says.

“You can look like that”, she says, “it’s excellent wine”. Yeah, in a can … It isn’t even local wine but corbières from the south of France. I have never heard of WHITE corbières, what’s more.

Canned wines - photo taken from WineStar website — Canned wines – photo taken from WineStar website

The beer-drinking man at the other table says, “It’s a French invention. It’s just come out. Very popular.” “Eu, they’ve had it in Australia for years”, I reply.

We taste the wine which is drinkable, but that’s about all. The lady returns, “So, what do you think?”. I don’t trust myself to reply but Jean Michel says “c’est buvable mais ce n’est pas un vin local.” “C’est un vin excellent“, she says huffily and walks off. An excellent wine indeed! “Caractérielle“, says Jean Michel when she’s out of earshot. “Elle est caractérielle cette femme” which roughly means that she has personality problems.

We finish our little glasses and cycle back to Chaumont, just in time to see a half a dozen air balloons taking off from the other side of the Loire.

I check out Winestar on the Internet when I get home. You guessed it, Winestar* is a wholly-owned subsidiary of WineStar Pty Ltd. based in Melbourne!

*I’ve since learnt that Winestar in France has nothing to do with WineStar in Melbourne, which is strange considering intellectual property law.

France, Loire Valley, Restaurants, Wine

Vouvray and a Troglodyte Restaurant

April 15, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 10 Comments

Our lovely friends from Sydney, Redfern and Saint Vincent are staying with us in Closerie Falaiseau. They’re spending a couple of months visiting different parts of France and improving their French which is wonderful for Jean Michel because it means they can communicate directly.

Troglodyte houses in Rochecorbon when it wasn’t raining

We’ve been wanting to buy some wine in Vouvray and try out a troglodyte restaurant there. After closing for winter, Les Gueules Noires has just reopened so we book a table then phone Monsieur and Madame Freslier whose wine we first discovered over ten years ago through our trusty independant wine growers’ guide Gilbert & Gaillard.

It’s pelting with rain when we arrive at the cellar door. Mr Freslier senior, 88, shuffles out to meet us. He tells us how he and his uncle dug the wine cellars themselves out of the limestone cliffs. Madame Freslier arrives and takes us to visit the oak tonnes as they call the barrels here. We pass stacks of bottles glued together with drippings from the limestone ceiling.

Mr and Mrs Jean Pierre Freslier and Mr Freslier senior

Mr Freslier Junior joins us and we all sit around a long table tasting different types of white wine made from the local chenin grape. The sweetest of the still wines (vins tranquilles) is the vendanges tardives (last harvest), followed by moelleux, then demi-sec and sec. Then there are two sparking wines : pétillant is a natural sparkling wine with less pressure than the mousseux which is made using the méthode champenoise.

We mainly buy the mousseux because it seems to be the most popular apéritif in the region and at 5.80 euro a bottle, it’s certainly a bargain. I’m disappointed to see the labels have changed. I really like the old ones.

Domaine Freslier - a family affair — Domaine Freslier – a family affair

During the tasting, we mostly talk about dinosaurs and fossils of which the limestone cliffs have preserved an amazing number (not the dinosaurs of course). We also talked about corks. Most corks these days come from Portugal. Mr Freslier is very reticent about using screw tops on his bottles because he says they don’t breathe which means the wine won’t keep while Madame Freslier says she would miss popping the cork!

The rain’s still going strong when we leave but Les Gueules Noires is just around the corner. It turns out that Jean Michel and I came here the first time we went to see the Fresliers, but it changed hands two years ago and the cuisine is more inventive.

The dining room is typical of troglodyte dwellings which, like Monsieur Freslier’s cellars, are made by digging directly into the limestone cliffs. There are only windows on the façade of course. There’s a fireplace but the room is quite chilly, which is not surprising with the awful weather we’ve been having. I don’t imagine they’re the warmest places in winter!

The menu is on a blackboard and the waitress explains the different dishes, which seem to have a both a Belgian and Japanese influence. Among the entrées, we choose sardines rillettes in filo pastry and gravlax salmon with horseradish with some other interesting bits and pieces.

Irish gravlax with beetroot and leek sprouts, horseradish cream and roe

The main dishes include swordfish with mushrooms and maki, waterzooi (a Belgian chicken stew) and cold meat in aspic with French fries (well, probably Belgian).

The desserts we chose are speculoos mousse (speculoos are sort of brown ginger sugar biscuits) and chocolate fondant with banana icecream.

I personally find the entrees the most interesting and the desserts a little heavy. The food is innovative and the ingredients obviously very fresh but the result is a little disappointing. The service is friendly and there is a good selection of local wines (we choose a bourgueil). The prices are reasonable, with the entrees and desserts at less than 10 euros, the main courses less than 15 and the desserts.

Les Gueules Noires, 66 rue de la Vallée Coquette, 37210 Vouvray, 02 47 52 62 18

Domaine Freslier, 92 rue de la Vallée Coquette 37210 Vouvray, 02 47 52 76 61

Aussie in France

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