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French Wine Explorers Wine e-Newsletter
www.wine-tours-france.com - January/February 2005

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This month's wine explorations:

Claret - a Special Part of Bordeaux History

Anyone who has ever watched British television or read Decanter Magazine has seen or heard the word "claret".  "Nigel, shall we have a glass of claret before we retire?" is one of those phrases one hears in any number of Masterpiece Theatre programs, as one distinguished gentlemen serves a glass of red wine to another distinguished gentleman in a wood-paneled library.  But what exactly is a claret, anyway?

To find the answer, we need to go back to the 13th century. After the marriage of Alienor of Aquitaine (the region in which Bordeaux is located) with Henry Plantagenet (King of England), the Aquitaine region became part of England, and the British started importing large quantities of Bordeaux wine into their country.  At that time, red wines in Bordeaux were very light in color.  Winemaking techniques were fairly rudimentary, and winemakers made their wine as quickly as possible to avoid spoilage. As soon as the wine was fermented, it was run off into barrels, so the grape skins (which contain the color and tannins) were left only a short time in contact with the juice.  The resulting wine looked like a somewhat dark rosé.  With very light tannins, these wines didn't last long, and were usually drunk very quickly.  They were sent over the English Channel to Great Britain in barrels.  In fact, there was so much wine shipped that the weight of a ship's cargo became measured by the number of wine barrels ("tonneaux") it could hold, giving rise to the English word "ton".

The British particularly liked this light red wine, and imported a lot of it. The French called these wines "clairet" (clahyr-ray), from the word "clair", which means "lightly-colored".  The British mispronounced the word as "claret" (clah-reht), and the word stuck.  Over time, the word came to denote any red wine from Bordeaux, and it is still used with that meaning to this day.

In the 17th century, after the Aquitaine returned to French ownership, the Dutch became the main importers of Bordeaux wines.  The Dutch brought improvements to the winemaking techniques of the region which made longer fermentation and aging possible.  They were therefore able to produce the  "black" (or darkly colored) red wines that better suited their palates.  Almost all Bordeaux red wines are now produced with long fermentations and take on a dark red color.  However, there are rosé wines produced in the region, and clairet is still produced, the traditional Bordeaux wine that has a cherry red color somewhere between a rosé and a red.  These delightful wines, with their aromas of small red fruit and light tannins, make a wonderful accompaniment (served lightly chilled) to charcuterie (sausage and coldcuts), roast chicken and other light dishes.  Perhaps the best example of modern-day clairet is Chateau Penin, which undergoes just 24-60 hours of maceration with the skins, as well as a malolactic fermentation to make it round and easy to drink.  These wines now have their own appellation, Bordeaux Clairet, to ensure that they always retain a very special place in Bordeaux history.

Enjoy the privilege of tasting at the very best chateaux of the Bordeaux region on our Best of Bordeaux tours, June 13-17, 2005 and Sept. 5-10, 2005, or ask us to create a private, customized wine tour for you in Bordeaux including some of the greatest estates of the region.

Wine & War - the Tour:  Last Chance - Don't Miss Out!

Just 4 spaces remain for Wine & War, the extraordinary tour we are offering this April 5-13, based on the best-selling book of the same name.  This is a one-time-only, never to be repeated event, and offers some of the most exciting and unique wine tasting and touring opportunities ever made available to wine enthusiasts. Not only is this a wonderful opportunity for wine lovers, it's also an amazing opportunity to relive World War II history just as the world prepares to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Victory in Europe this May.

Authors Don & Petie Kladstrup (two American journalists) will co-lead the tour with myself and Jean-Pierre, starting in Paris and traveling for 10 days through Champagne, Burgundy, the Loire Valley and Bordeaux.  Along the way, we'll meet many of the most prestigious winemakers in France who are featured in the book, and hear their amazing war stories as we taste their great wines.

For wine lovers, this is a dream tour, a veritable "Tour de France" of the country's greatest vineyards.  For example, you'll have the extremely rare privilege of touring Domaine de la Romanée Conti and tasting its wines, accompanied by owner Aubert de Villaine.  Also on the program are First Growths Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Chateau Haut Brion, a luncheon with May Eliane de Lancquesaing, owner of "Super 2nd" Growth Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, and a meeting, tour and tasting with Claude Taittinger (whose father prevented the Nazis from blowing up Paris) at world-famous Champagnes Taittinger, among others. Along with these exclusive opportunities, you'll enjoy first-class hotels and gourmet dining.  A pre-tour extension is also offered, with 2 nights luxury hotel, a fabulous dinner and cellar visit with the owner of 2-star La Tour d'Argent restaurant, and a day tour of the Normandy D-Day landing beaches with a WWII historian.

Don't miss out on this exceptional opportunity!  Contact us today at info@wine-tours-france.com to receive full information, itinerary and reservation forms.  You can also find full information on our web site at http://www.wine-tours-france.com/wineandwartour.htm. 

Beaune: the Heart of the Côte d'Or

The Côte d'Or, or "golden slope", is the area that produces most of the great wines of Burgundy.  This narrow strip of land is roughly 5 km wide and runs approximately 65 km between Dijon to the north and Santenay to the south. At the heart of this famous wine region is Beaune, a lovely small city of 22,000 inhabitants.  

Beaune has a long and rich history.  Until the 14th century, it was the residence of the powerful Dukes of Burgundy, before they later settled definitively in Dijon .  Most of the buildings one sees today in Beaune, including the city ramparts, were built in the 15th century and are excellent examples of Renaissance architecture.  The ramparts form an almost unbroken circle of nearly two kilometres around the historic district of the city, and include the medieval Chateau de Beaune, now owned by Bouchard Père & Fils (which we visit on our Burgundy tours).  The old walled city of Beaune (Vieille Ville) is quite small – you can walk across it in about 15 minutes.

Beaune is best known for the Hôtel Dieu, also known as the Hospices de Beaune.  It was built in 1443 by Chancellor (to the Dukes of Burgundy) Nicolas Rollin as a charitable hospital for the poor.  The outside is quite plain, attesting to the Hospices’ earnest mission to help the poor, but once inside, the wealth of the patrons who built the Hospices is evident in the elaborate varnished tile work and other decorative elements typical of high Renaissance style.  Each November, the famous Auction of the Hospices de Beaune is held to sell wine from the 58 hectares of vineyard owned by the Hospices.  The vineyards, located between Meursault and Aloxe-Corton (including most of the Côte de Beaune’s most famous “crus”), was donated over the centuries by wealthy patrons.  Two small candles are lit at the beginning of the auction, and the auction ends when those candles burn out.  The proceeds from the auction are used to maintain the Hôtel Dieu, and to fund other hospitals in the area.  The Hospices auction falls on a weekend during which two other famous local events take place, the first in the Côte de Nuits and the second in the Côte de Beaune: a gala dinner meeting called a chapitre given by the Confrèrie du Tastevin at the Clos de Vougeot, and a luncheon called the Paulée de Meursault.  Together, these three events are called Les Trois Glorieuses.  

Beaune has a complex, extensive system of underground galleries dating from the Middle Ages.  Many of these galleries are now used as wine cellars, but during World War II, they also served as a hiding places and passageways for those who fled the Nazi’s.  Among these are the cellars of Maison Drouhin, which we will visit with owner Robert Drouhin on our Wine & War tour this April.  

Among the many interesting sites to visit in Beaune is the Wine Museum (Musée du Vin), housed in an old mansion of the Dukes of Burgundy dating from the 15th century.  Its exhibits explain the history of wine and winemaking in Burgundy , and the museum also contains various works of art depicting the vine and viticulture and a collection of antique winemaking tools.

Beaune is a fascinating and delightful place to visit.  On our Burgundy and Champagne tour, May 30-June 5, or our Best of Burgundy tour, Sept. 5-10, you'll have the opportunity to stay in the very center of Beaune at its most famous hotel, sample its many fine restaurants, and enjoy the charm, history and beauty of this remarkable city. 

Update on the Rhone Valley Tour with Robin Garr

Our Northern and Southern Rhône Valley tour, June 6-12, promises to be even more interesting than we originally anticipated.  We have not only been able to secure some wonderful tastings at particularly exceptional vineyards, we are going to have some very interesting people along with us.  In addition to Robin Garr, our co-host for the tour, another prominent wine journalist will be touring with us, as well as two prominent winegrowers/winemakers from California.  Having wine professionals along always makes for an interesting tour.  It's fun for the other non-professional guests to spend time with those who are steeped daily in the wine business, and to get to hear their impressions of the Rhône estates and wines, as they are growing those varieties themselves.  Not to fear, though - we'll make sure that the discussions stay down-to-earth and light (it is a vacation, after all), and that everyone on the tour gets equal attention, from the estates we visit and from ourselves as your guides.

Remember that this tour includes gorgeous hotels, great sightseeing in and around Avignon (the Pont du Gard is breathtaking!), sumptuous dining and, to cap it all off, the winemaker's dinner dance in the 14th century cellars of the Popes' summer palace in Chateauneuf-du-Pape: all in all, a totally unforgettable trip!  Space is dwindling quickly, so contact us today for more information, or see the Rhône Tour web page.

Upcoming Wine & Food Events in France: Paris Wine & Food Fairs

  • Feb. 26-March 6, 2005: Salon International de l'Agriculture (Agricultural Fair), Porte de Versailles exposition center, Paris 15th arrondisement: France's biggest annual agricultural fair includes hundreds of wine producers and terroir food producers exhibiting their products. For more info: Tel: +33 (0)1 49 09 60 00, www.salon-agriculture.com.
  • March 11-13, 2005: Salon des Grands Vins (Great Wines Exhibition), Carroussel du Louvre, Paris 1st arrondisement, 10:00am to 8:00pm: tastings of some of France's most prestigious wines.  For more info:  www.saint-vincent-beaune.com, Tel : +33 01 45 03 21 26, grandsvins@eventinternational.com.
  • April 1-3, 2005:  Paris Fermier du Printemps (Spring Farm Products in Paris), Parc Floral de Paris, 16, route de la Brasserie, Bois de Vincennes, Paris 12th arrondisement: for lovers of fresh farm products and great food, this fair includes 200exhibitors with some of the best terroir food producers and restaurants from 21 French regions.  For more info: www.parcfloraldeparis.com,  info@parcfloraldeparis.com.

We're always happy to design a customized, private tour for you in the region of your choice, stopping first in Paris to enjoy one of these great wine and food fairs!

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Contact Us!

I'm always available to answer your questions about our wine and culinary programs, our company, and wine in France in general. Please feel free to contact me at lgreene@wine-tours-france.com, or toll free at  1-877-261-1500.

Best regards,

Lauriann Greene-Sollin, Sommelier-Conseil
President/Founder

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FRENCH WINE EXPLORERS
info@wine-tours-france.com
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Tel:  1-877-261-1500
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© 2005 French Wine Explorers. Articles © 2005 Lauriann Greene.  All rights reserved.  WST #601 903 728.