Dégustation means tasting, not disgusting!
A while ago, I was in Paris at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre. The event was the annual Salon des Vignerons Indépendants de la France or the Independant French winegrowers exhibition.
This has to be a date for the diary for next year!
For a ridiculously small entrance fee - for me €2.50 because tickets were being sold at half-price - you are presented with an engraved official INAO tasting glass and entrance to a huge hall containing at least 500 independant wine growers whose sole objective over 5 days is to have you taste, and buy, their wine.
What is particularly brilliant about this event is that it gives wine a face. It is rare to be able to see and talk with the person who actually made the wine that you are tasting. I found it a little intimidating. After all, no-one can possibly know better than he all the conditions under which the wine was made and how it has evolved since. If he says it tastes minerally or vegetal...then it does and no argument!
In the hall are about 500 little stands, each one classified by the region the wine comes from. Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace etc., each with its corresponding colour. This means that you are tasting by geographic region i.e. Burgundy, rather than by grape i.e. Pinot Noir. Not, perhaps, the most user friendly organisation.
I set out with the intention of moving away from the ubiquitous Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon styles and wanted to try some fresher Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir but not necessarily Sancerre and red Burgundy. In the event, the organisation drove me to the Loire for Sauvignon Blanc - Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé and I stayed in Burgundy but tried some Beaujolais. Not the Nouvelle but some older and rather more elegant Crus or single villages. Excellent they were.
In the hall you could buy sandwiches and stuffed baguettes, foie gras and superb dried ham. You could also purchase little trolleys or "chariots" on which to pile your purchases and wheel them home. One note of caution - car parking is dire so think about transport before you buy too much.
In conclusion, if you are within range of Eurostar or Dover this is a "Must visit" weekend for the price, the variety and the sheer buzz of being in such a huge hall with such focus on the demon drink.
Do try French Sauvignon Blanc - Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé for example. More subtle than Chile or New Zealand.
Do try a Beaujolais Cru/Village such as Moulin à Vent or Juliénas with a couple of years ageing under its belt. You will be pleasantly surprised.
I bought:
Pouilly Fumé, Domaine du Bouchot 2003, Kerbiquet Père et Fils, Saint-Andelain, 58150 Pouilly-sur-Loire.
Beaujolais, Chateau du Moulin à Vent 1999, cuvée exceptionnelle, Famille Bloud at Romanèche Thorins.
Beaujolais, Juliénas, Côte de Bessay 2003, Domaine de la cave Lamartine, Paul Spay at Saint-Amours-Bellevue.
As this is not intended to be a wine anorak site if you would like to know more then please contact me.
Cheers.
A while ago, I was in Paris at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre. The event was the annual Salon des Vignerons Indépendants de la France or the Independant French winegrowers exhibition.
This has to be a date for the diary for next year!
For a ridiculously small entrance fee - for me €2.50 because tickets were being sold at half-price - you are presented with an engraved official INAO tasting glass and entrance to a huge hall containing at least 500 independant wine growers whose sole objective over 5 days is to have you taste, and buy, their wine.
What is particularly brilliant about this event is that it gives wine a face. It is rare to be able to see and talk with the person who actually made the wine that you are tasting. I found it a little intimidating. After all, no-one can possibly know better than he all the conditions under which the wine was made and how it has evolved since. If he says it tastes minerally or vegetal...then it does and no argument!
In the hall are about 500 little stands, each one classified by the region the wine comes from. Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace etc., each with its corresponding colour. This means that you are tasting by geographic region i.e. Burgundy, rather than by grape i.e. Pinot Noir. Not, perhaps, the most user friendly organisation.
I set out with the intention of moving away from the ubiquitous Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon styles and wanted to try some fresher Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir but not necessarily Sancerre and red Burgundy. In the event, the organisation drove me to the Loire for Sauvignon Blanc - Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé and I stayed in Burgundy but tried some Beaujolais. Not the Nouvelle but some older and rather more elegant Crus or single villages. Excellent they were.
In the hall you could buy sandwiches and stuffed baguettes, foie gras and superb dried ham. You could also purchase little trolleys or "chariots" on which to pile your purchases and wheel them home. One note of caution - car parking is dire so think about transport before you buy too much.
In conclusion, if you are within range of Eurostar or Dover this is a "Must visit" weekend for the price, the variety and the sheer buzz of being in such a huge hall with such focus on the demon drink.
Do try French Sauvignon Blanc - Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé for example. More subtle than Chile or New Zealand.
Do try a Beaujolais Cru/Village such as Moulin à Vent or Juliénas with a couple of years ageing under its belt. You will be pleasantly surprised.
I bought:
Pouilly Fumé, Domaine du Bouchot 2003, Kerbiquet Père et Fils, Saint-Andelain, 58150 Pouilly-sur-Loire.
Beaujolais, Chateau du Moulin à Vent 1999, cuvée exceptionnelle, Famille Bloud at Romanèche Thorins.
Beaujolais, Juliénas, Côte de Bessay 2003, Domaine de la cave Lamartine, Paul Spay at Saint-Amours-Bellevue.
As this is not intended to be a wine anorak site if you would like to know more then please contact me.
Cheers.
posted by James at 11:23 pm
2 comments
