FRENCH HOUSE BACCHUS PAGE
WHEN DREAMING OF LIVING IN FRANCE WINE IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE THINGS UPPERMOST IN OUR THOUGHTS. OF COURSE THE SUNSHINE AND FOOD ARE IMPORTANT, IT`S JUST A QUESTION OF OUR OWN PERSONAL PREFERENCES.
THE QUALITY OF FRENCH WINE HAS INCREASED NOTICEABLY SINCE I BOUGHT THE FRENCH HOUSE IN 2002 THANKS TO THE EFFORTS OF THE AUSTRALIAN EXPERTS THAT THE FRENCH CHATEAUX EMPLOY.
PERHAPS A FEW WORDS ABOUT MY SEARCHES FOR GOOD WINE WHEN I STARTED LIVING IN FRANCE, WOULD NOT GO AMISS HERE.
THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE ALREADY READ MY ARTICLE "BY BENTLEY TO BORDEAUX" WILL ALREADY HAVE AN IDEA OF MY ATTITUDE TO FOOD AND WINE.
THE QUALITY OF FRENCH WINE HAS INCREASED NOTICEABLY SINCE I BOUGHT THE FRENCH HOUSE IN 2002 THANKS TO THE EFFORTS OF THE AUSTRALIAN EXPERTS THAT THE FRENCH CHATEAUX EMPLOY.
PERHAPS A FEW WORDS ABOUT MY SEARCHES FOR GOOD WINE WHEN I STARTED LIVING IN FRANCE, WOULD NOT GO AMISS HERE.
THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE ALREADY READ MY ARTICLE "BY BENTLEY TO BORDEAUX" WILL ALREADY HAVE AN IDEA OF MY ATTITUDE TO FOOD AND WINE.
I DECIDED TO GROW MY OWN VINES AND INITIALLY PLANTED TWO, ONE RUNNING UP EACH VERTICAL POST OF THE ABRI. ABOVE ARE BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS.
WE NORMALLY ONLY SEE WELL PRUNED VINES GROWING IN ROWS IN VINEYARDS BUT IF LEFT TO THEIR OWN DEVICES, THOSE WELL MANICURED PLANTS WILL TURN INTO MONSTERS, VERITABLE TRIFFIDS THAT GROW WILDLY DURING THE SPRING SPREADING THEIR TENTACLES, CLIMBING UP WALLS OR JUST SPREADING OVER THE GROUND!
BELOW IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS, THE TWO PHOTOS SHOW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I HAD TO LEAVE IN A HURRY IN 2012 AND DID NOT RETURN FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. I WAS ABLE TO CUT BACK THIS SPECTACULAR GROWTH AND THE PLASTIC FURNITURE SCRUBBED UP WELL AS USUAL
VINES NEED A LOT OF ATTENTION AND CAN CATCH ALL SORTS OF AILMENTS ONCE THE SPRING GROWTH STARTS. ABOVE RIGHT YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE LEAVES STARTING TO DISCOLOUR INDICATING THAT A FUNGICIDE NEEDS TO BE USED. I JUST LEAVE THEM TO THEIR OWN DEVICES, SINK OR SWIM, AS I RUN AN ORGANIC GARDEN OR SHOULD I SAY IT RUNS ME.
WE NORMALLY ONLY SEE WELL PRUNED VINES GROWING IN ROWS IN VINEYARDS BUT IF LEFT TO THEIR OWN DEVICES, THOSE WELL MANICURED PLANTS WILL TURN INTO MONSTERS, VERITABLE TRIFFIDS THAT GROW WILDLY DURING THE SPRING SPREADING THEIR TENTACLES, CLIMBING UP WALLS OR JUST SPREADING OVER THE GROUND!
BELOW IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS, THE TWO PHOTOS SHOW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I HAD TO LEAVE IN A HURRY IN 2012 AND DID NOT RETURN FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. I WAS ABLE TO CUT BACK THIS SPECTACULAR GROWTH AND THE PLASTIC FURNITURE SCRUBBED UP WELL AS USUAL
VINES NEED A LOT OF ATTENTION AND CAN CATCH ALL SORTS OF AILMENTS ONCE THE SPRING GROWTH STARTS. ABOVE RIGHT YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE LEAVES STARTING TO DISCOLOUR INDICATING THAT A FUNGICIDE NEEDS TO BE USED. I JUST LEAVE THEM TO THEIR OWN DEVICES, SINK OR SWIM, AS I RUN AN ORGANIC GARDEN OR SHOULD I SAY IT RUNS ME.
WHEN I STARTED THE RESTORATION THERE WERE TIMES THAT I COULD NOT PROGRESS WITH WORK SO, AS USUAL, I WOULD FIND SOMETHING TO FILL THE VOID AND AS I`D ALWAYS BEEN A WINE LOVER THIS WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CONCENTRATED ON.
I HELD SOLO WINE TASTINGS IN ORDER TO FIND THAT WINE OF WINES AND HERE IS A PHOTO OF ONE OF THEM. I DON`T BELIEVE IN SPITTING WINE OUT SO THAT IT WOULD TAKE A FEW DAYS BEFORE I COULD COMPLETE EACH TASTING.
ON THE LEFT THERE ARE TEN DIFFERENT BOTTLES OF WINE ONLY ONE OF WHICH COMES FROM THE SUPERMARKET. IN THE WATER BOTTLES THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT RED WINES AND THREE DIFFERENT WHITE WINES, ALL FROM A "CAVE" IN SEICQ IN THE CHARENTE MARITIME AND FILLED FROM THEIR VATS IN THE SALES AREA. THE TWO BOTTLES OF MERLOT ARE FROM Mr VILNEAU NEAR AIGRE, HIS 2005 VINTAGE MERLOT WAS OUTSTANDING! |
IN 2002 FRENCH WINE PRODUCERS HARDLY USED WINE BOXES BUT JUST CHURNED OUT EVERYTHING IN GLASS BOTTLES WITH CORKS. OF COURSE, NOW IT HAS ALL CHANGED AND YOU CAN BUY TEN LITRE BOXES OF WINE WHICH USED TO BE PLASTIC "BIDON" TERRITORY WHICH UNFORTUNATELY, ONCE OPENED, HAD TO BE CONSUMED QUICKLY BEFORE IT BECAME OXIDIZED.
THE FRENCH NAME FOR A WINE BOX IS "BAG-IN-BOX" WHICH JUST SHOWS US THAT THE FRENCH DIDN`T INVENT IT, I THINK THAT WE HAVE THE AUSTRALIANS TO THANK FOR THAT.
BACK IN 2003 I DECIDED TO TRACK DOWN THE PRODUCERS OF THESE BAG-IN-BOXES AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS AN OUTLET IN THE GIRONDE NEAR PUGNAC THAT SUPPLIED THEM.
ON ONE OF MY VISITS TO THE AREA I CALLED IN ON THIS ESTABLISHMENT AND WAS THRILLED TO SEE ALL THE PRODUCTS THAT WERE AVAILABLE, SUCH AS, WOODEN WINE CASES AND WINE BOTTLE LABELS THAT YOU COULD HAVE WITH YOUR OWN LOGO PRINTED ON THEM. IT WAS THE SAME FOR THE BOXES FOR BAG-IN-BOX AND I HAD TO WRENCH MYSELF AWAY FROM HAVING A HUNDRED PERSONALISED WITH "ALAN`S PLONK".
THE VIRGIN WINE BOXES CAME IN 3, 5 AND 10 LITRE DENOMINATIONS SO I BOUGHT TEN OF EACH. EACH BOX KIT CAME WITH A FOLDED BOX, A PLASTIC BAG AND A NOZZLE.
THE FRENCH NAME FOR A WINE BOX IS "BAG-IN-BOX" WHICH JUST SHOWS US THAT THE FRENCH DIDN`T INVENT IT, I THINK THAT WE HAVE THE AUSTRALIANS TO THANK FOR THAT.
BACK IN 2003 I DECIDED TO TRACK DOWN THE PRODUCERS OF THESE BAG-IN-BOXES AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS AN OUTLET IN THE GIRONDE NEAR PUGNAC THAT SUPPLIED THEM.
ON ONE OF MY VISITS TO THE AREA I CALLED IN ON THIS ESTABLISHMENT AND WAS THRILLED TO SEE ALL THE PRODUCTS THAT WERE AVAILABLE, SUCH AS, WOODEN WINE CASES AND WINE BOTTLE LABELS THAT YOU COULD HAVE WITH YOUR OWN LOGO PRINTED ON THEM. IT WAS THE SAME FOR THE BOXES FOR BAG-IN-BOX AND I HAD TO WRENCH MYSELF AWAY FROM HAVING A HUNDRED PERSONALISED WITH "ALAN`S PLONK".
THE VIRGIN WINE BOXES CAME IN 3, 5 AND 10 LITRE DENOMINATIONS SO I BOUGHT TEN OF EACH. EACH BOX KIT CAME WITH A FOLDED BOX, A PLASTIC BAG AND A NOZZLE.
MY DILEMMA AT THE BEGINNING OF MY SEARCH FOR THAT WINE OF WINES WAS THAT HAVING A VINTAGE BENTLEY HABIT AND ALSO POURING MONEY INTO THE FRENCH HOUSE RESTORATION THERE WAS PRECIOUS LITTLE CASH LEFT OVER TO BUY A "NAMED" WINE, SO THAT I HAD TO MAKE DO WITH THE CHEAPER BRANDS.
MY OPINION THEN WAS THAT THE WINES THAT I BOUGHT AT THE CAVE IN SEICQ WERE BETTER THAN THE CHEAPER BOTTLES OF WINE AVAILABLE IN THE SUPERMARKET BUT AS SEICQ WAS OVER 25 KILOMETERS FROM RUFFEC I COULDN'T DRIVE THERE EVERY OTHER DAY TO BUY WINE SO HAD TO FIND A WAY OF BUYING IN BULK AND KEEPING IT FROM OXIDISING. THAT`S WHERE THE BAG IN BOX KITS CAME INTO PLAY.
MY OPINION THEN WAS THAT THE WINES THAT I BOUGHT AT THE CAVE IN SEICQ WERE BETTER THAN THE CHEAPER BOTTLES OF WINE AVAILABLE IN THE SUPERMARKET BUT AS SEICQ WAS OVER 25 KILOMETERS FROM RUFFEC I COULDN'T DRIVE THERE EVERY OTHER DAY TO BUY WINE SO HAD TO FIND A WAY OF BUYING IN BULK AND KEEPING IT FROM OXIDISING. THAT`S WHERE THE BAG IN BOX KITS CAME INTO PLAY.
UPDATE 10.08.20
THE ABOVE WAS WRITTEN IN AROUND 2007 BUT DID I EVER GET AROUND TO FILLING THE BAG IN BOXES?
THE ANSWER IS NO, EXCEPT FOR A TRIAL RUN OF FILLING TWO THREE LITRE ONES. I HAD TO MAKE A SPECIAL HOLDER TO GRIP THE NECK OF THE BLADDER IN ORDER TO FILL THEM. NOWADAYS THE NAME BAG IN BOX HAS BEEN DROPPED AND NOW ARE CALLED RATHER MORE ATTRACTIVELY "FONTAINES DU VIN" WINE FOUNTAINS.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO BUY SOME UNUSED BAG IN BOXES?
THE ANSWER IS NO, EXCEPT FOR A TRIAL RUN OF FILLING TWO THREE LITRE ONES. I HAD TO MAKE A SPECIAL HOLDER TO GRIP THE NECK OF THE BLADDER IN ORDER TO FILL THEM. NOWADAYS THE NAME BAG IN BOX HAS BEEN DROPPED AND NOW ARE CALLED RATHER MORE ATTRACTIVELY "FONTAINES DU VIN" WINE FOUNTAINS.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO BUY SOME UNUSED BAG IN BOXES?
TRICKS OF THE WINE TRADE
THE WINE TRADE HAS TO BE ONE OF THE TRICKIEST EVER! THINK ABOUT THOSE GRANDE VINS FROM BORDEAUX AND BURGUNDY BEING AUCTIONED EVERY YEAR AND PROBABLY NEVER EVER POPPING THEIR CORKS, LANGUISHING IN CELLARS ALL OVER THE WORLD CHERISHED BY COLLECTORS THAT ENJOY SHOWING OFF THEIR INCREDIBLE COLLECTIONS OF FINE WINES. WELL COLLECTORS ARE COLLECTORS ARE`NT WE ALL.!
AT LEAST, IF COLLECTING VINTAGE BENTLEYS FOR EXAMPLE, ONE CAN USE THEM TO DAZZLE THE SPECTATORS AT THE SHOWS, OR USE THEM TO PICK UP A PINT OF MILK AT THE CONVENIENCE STORE. WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH WINE COLLECTIONS? IT`S JUST THERE, NEVER DRUNK, OCCUPYING VALUABLE SPACE THAT COULD BE USED TO STORE MORE INTERESTING ARTIFACTS.
AT LEAST, IF COLLECTING VINTAGE BENTLEYS FOR EXAMPLE, ONE CAN USE THEM TO DAZZLE THE SPECTATORS AT THE SHOWS, OR USE THEM TO PICK UP A PINT OF MILK AT THE CONVENIENCE STORE. WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH WINE COLLECTIONS? IT`S JUST THERE, NEVER DRUNK, OCCUPYING VALUABLE SPACE THAT COULD BE USED TO STORE MORE INTERESTING ARTIFACTS.
IN FRANCE, EVERY SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, ALL THE SUPERMARKETS, LARGE OR SMALL, SET OUT SPACE FOR A WINE FAIR WHERE VINES FROM ALL OVER FRANCE AND MAYBE A TOKEN SELECTION FROM OTHER COUNTRIES SUCH AS ALGERIA AND MOROCCO ARE DISPLAYED. ALL THOSE WONDERFUL WINES FROM OTHER FOREIGN PRODUCERS ARE IGNORED, IT`S AS THOUGH THEY NEVER EXISTED! YOU HAVE TO BE QUICK TO GET A CATALOGUE AS USUALLY THEY ARE OUT OF STOCK DURING THE DURATION OF THE FAIR.
THE PUNTERS CAN POSE QUESTIONS TO THE LEATHER APRONED STAFF WHO PRETEND TO KNOW ALL ABOUT THE HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT WINES ON DISPLAY. THERE ARE SPECIAL OFFERS BEING TOUTED, EXTRA BOTTLES ADDED TO THE CRATES OF WINE THAT ARE ORDERED. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR WINE PRODUCERS TO GET RID OF WINES THAT DON`T COME UP TO SCRATCH AND SOME DON`T! SAD TO SAY THAT I`VE FALLEN FOR IT MYSELF, BOUGHT WINE THAT WILL NEVER BE DRINKABLE. I WILL TELL YOU THE STORY BUT BEFORE DOING SO I SHOULD MENTION THE FOLLOWING:
THE PUNTERS CAN POSE QUESTIONS TO THE LEATHER APRONED STAFF WHO PRETEND TO KNOW ALL ABOUT THE HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT WINES ON DISPLAY. THERE ARE SPECIAL OFFERS BEING TOUTED, EXTRA BOTTLES ADDED TO THE CRATES OF WINE THAT ARE ORDERED. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR WINE PRODUCERS TO GET RID OF WINES THAT DON`T COME UP TO SCRATCH AND SOME DON`T! SAD TO SAY THAT I`VE FALLEN FOR IT MYSELF, BOUGHT WINE THAT WILL NEVER BE DRINKABLE. I WILL TELL YOU THE STORY BUT BEFORE DOING SO I SHOULD MENTION THE FOLLOWING:
SOMETIMES, WHEN VISITING A BROCANTE AT THE WEEKEND THERE WILL BE A STALL THAT HAS OLD WINES FOR SALE. THESE CAN BE FROM A CELLAR CLEARANCE OR EVEN FROM A KNOWN CHATEAU THAT WILL NOT HAVE THE LABELS ATTACHED BUT THE NAME OF THE CHATEAU CAN BE SEEN ON THE CORK. SOME VINTAGES CAN BE A DISASTER AND UNSALEABLE BUT ARE KNOCKED OUT TO THE TRADE AND END UP ON THESE STALLS.
IT CAN BE FUN TO BUY A 20 OR 30 YEAR OLD BOTTLE FOR A COUPLE OF EUROS BUT INVARIABLY THE CONTENTS CAN BE DISAPPOINTINGLY DIFFICULT TO SWALLOW..
IT CAN BE FUN TO BUY A 20 OR 30 YEAR OLD BOTTLE FOR A COUPLE OF EUROS BUT INVARIABLY THE CONTENTS CAN BE DISAPPOINTINGLY DIFFICULT TO SWALLOW..
ABOVE LEFT THE FRONT PAGE FROM THE LECLERC SUPERMARKET CATALOGUE FROM THE 2008 WINE FAIR. IN THE MIDDLE IMAGE THE LOWER WINE, CHATEAU DE PUISSEGUIN CURAT 2006 IS FEATURED. I BOUGHT A CASE OF THIS, THE DESCRIPTION IS GLOWING, DESCRIBED AS "INCREDIBLE" AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATE UNDER THE SMALL BOTTLE IT SAYS 2008. THIS IS THE ESTIMATED DATE THAT IT WILL BE DRINKABLE. WELL IT WASN`T! I COULD ALMOST CHEW ON THE TANNIN, NOT THAT NICE MELLOW TASTE THAT I WAS EXPECTING. ON THE RIGHT HAND IMAGE. THE TOP CENTRE BOTTLE DISPLAYED IS THE CHATEAU LAGRAVE-CISSAN. WHAT A WONDERFUL NAME! THE DRINKABLE DATE IS SHOWN AS 2011/2013. I BOUGHT A CASE OF THIS WINE AS WELL, AGAIN THE TANNIN WAS ALMOST SOLID! THIS IS NECESSARY FOR A WINE TO AGE BUT CAN BE TOO OVERPOWERING IF DRUNK TOO EARLY.
OVER THE YEARS I OCCASIONALLY OPENED A BOTTLE TO TRY IT BUT IT WAS ALWAYS ALMOST UNDRINKABLE THEN IN 2018 THERE WAS ONLY ONE EACH OF THE BOTTLES LEFT IN THE CELLAR. SO I OPENED BOTH OF THEM, (SEE EXTREME RIGHT PHOTO) THIS WAS TWELVE YEARS AFTER THEY WERE BOTTLED. THERE WAS NO CHANGE THE TANNINS HAD NOT MATURED AS THEY WERE EXPECTED TO DO, WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT AND A LESSON LEARNED. THE "EXPERTS" THAT WRITE THESE CATALOGUES ARE JUST GUESSING AND PROBABLY EXAGGERATING WHAT THE WINE WILL BE LIKE IN SEVERAL YEARS TIME AND IF THEY DON`T AGE AS EXPECTED THEN IT`S JUST TOO BAD! AS I SAID, THE WINE TRADE IS JUST FULL OF HYPE
IF YOU ARE NOT A COLLECTOR, IT`S BEST TO CHOOSE A NICE WINE THAT CAN BE DRUNK IMMEDIATELY. MOST TABLE WINES WILL ONLY BE DRINKABLE FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS AFTER BOTTLING. I TEND TO HAVE A CHUCKLE WHEN i THINK ABOUT THOSE MILLIONS OF BOTTLES OF WINE IN COLLECTORS CELLARS, SOLD ON TO OTHERS FOR A FORTUNE AND NEVER OPENED. PERHAPS THAT`S THE BEST WAY TO BUY WINE, A NICE NAME AND LABEL, IF YOU NEVER OPEN IT. YOU WILL NEVER BE DISAPPOINTED!
OVER THE YEARS I OCCASIONALLY OPENED A BOTTLE TO TRY IT BUT IT WAS ALWAYS ALMOST UNDRINKABLE THEN IN 2018 THERE WAS ONLY ONE EACH OF THE BOTTLES LEFT IN THE CELLAR. SO I OPENED BOTH OF THEM, (SEE EXTREME RIGHT PHOTO) THIS WAS TWELVE YEARS AFTER THEY WERE BOTTLED. THERE WAS NO CHANGE THE TANNINS HAD NOT MATURED AS THEY WERE EXPECTED TO DO, WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT AND A LESSON LEARNED. THE "EXPERTS" THAT WRITE THESE CATALOGUES ARE JUST GUESSING AND PROBABLY EXAGGERATING WHAT THE WINE WILL BE LIKE IN SEVERAL YEARS TIME AND IF THEY DON`T AGE AS EXPECTED THEN IT`S JUST TOO BAD! AS I SAID, THE WINE TRADE IS JUST FULL OF HYPE
IF YOU ARE NOT A COLLECTOR, IT`S BEST TO CHOOSE A NICE WINE THAT CAN BE DRUNK IMMEDIATELY. MOST TABLE WINES WILL ONLY BE DRINKABLE FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS AFTER BOTTLING. I TEND TO HAVE A CHUCKLE WHEN i THINK ABOUT THOSE MILLIONS OF BOTTLES OF WINE IN COLLECTORS CELLARS, SOLD ON TO OTHERS FOR A FORTUNE AND NEVER OPENED. PERHAPS THAT`S THE BEST WAY TO BUY WINE, A NICE NAME AND LABEL, IF YOU NEVER OPEN IT. YOU WILL NEVER BE DISAPPOINTED!
IN PROGRESS