My First Night in Bordeaux, Chateau de Bel

Continued from: Catching My Breath in Bordeaux

Once the crew was suitably refreshed and rejuvenated, we piled back into the Mercedes van and sped off in the lazy afternoon light to Chateau de Bel, another old house located right on the banks of the river. We were met by Anne and Olivier Cazenave, owners of the Chateau. Also, we met Aurelie Dainieras of Chateau Penin. If those Chateaux sound familiar, it's because I've written about their wines before, from Planet Bordeaux virtual tastings.

The tidal bore races up the river, but not in this shot!

More snacks, both sweet and savory, and wine were had on a little dock perched upon the river. Olivier and I discussed surfing the tidal bore as it raced upriver each evening. One day I will return to Bordeaux and do just that. If they let me back in, that is.

Anyways. The dinner was prepped and served inside the house, so we all made our way inside, through doorways that seemed to have been designed for shorter people than modern-sized humans. That really gives you a sense the age of a place.

During the conversation, amid the laughter and smiles, the skies were beginning a slow churn. Eventually this would culminate in a blustery storm overnight. I'm getting ahead of myself though. We return to the house, at night, crowded into a dimly let room full of warmth and the smell of food. Bloggers and vignerons sitting side by side, discussing food and wine. The setting should sound just about perfect because it was. I recall a little of the food, it was beef, salad, and bread. The wines were red, white, and pink. Everything was delicious.

Suddenly my French started improving and my glass seemed to empty itself. Coincidence? Looking back, here's to hoping I didn't make too much of an ass of myself.

Various accounts of the French as arrogant and intolerant jerks seem to mainly stem from people who don't make an attempt at speaking the language. I felt our hosts were delighted that I even tried, and while my accent was solid, my lack of vocabulary was a glaring issue, at least in my mind.

One particularly memorable bottle was Oliviers non-vintage cabernet franc. He blends a few years together and if I recall, sells it around Bordeaux. Unfortunately we do not see it here in the United States. It was an incredibly good bottle of wine. This wine paired quite beautifully with the steaks we were enjoying.

Fast forward back out to that Mercedes van and the trip to our hotel for the night. By now the wind was whipping around like crazy, and every so often a few seconds of rain would beat down from the skies. We tired, jet-lagged bloggers quickly retrieved room keys and retired for what was hoped would be a cozy, restful night. I'm proud of myself for hydrating before bed, as the wakeup call came around 7am. Something about these blogger trips and early mornings. I don't get it!

Beau Carufel

Catching My Breath In Bordeaux

The recuperative properties of a glass of white Bordeaux and the sun are amazing. Upon arriving at Chateau Sainte Barbe, I embraced the simple act of sitting outside and gazing at the river.  As if in a trance, I was able to lounge on the front steps of an 18th century chateau and absorb every moment of existence. This was, of course, accompanied by a glass of wine. I felt there was a certain poetry to it all.

Antoine took Jameson and me on a quick walk through the vineyards, a chance to see where his wines come from. The limestone and clay crunched underfoot and the vines were weighed down by clusters of nearly-ripe grapes. He explained that he would be harvesting very soon, perhaps the week after we left. I wanted to stay and help.

Mike and Joe were on their way so there wasn't much to do at the house, except fuss with the WiFi, as it seemed to dislike all the American devices attempting to connect. A bowl of tiny white shrimp materialized on the counter top in front of us. Lucy correctly assumed we were hungry. Jameson and I dove in, devouring the tiny, crunchy morsels. Again, accompanied by a glass of wine. Or was it glasses? White and rosé ruled the warm, humid afternoon.

Attempts at serious conversation were kept to a minimum, mostly a meet-and-greet atmosphere over those languid hours. To feel completely immersed in France, I did want a cigarette at times, but with the foreknowledge of multiple wines to be tasted later that evening, I abstained.

A Mercedes van crunching its way along the driveway announced Mike and Joe had arrived, hands shaken and smiles all around. We met Jana too, finally. We already met her husband Luc at the Chateau upon our arrival. Two people I am now proud to call my friends.

Small pastries, conversation, and Bordeaux flowed within that sanctuary. We learned about each other, or got reacquainted in some cases. Joe and I discussed blogging and audiences, I wish I had a recording of what we said. This time, spent in the kitchen of an old Chateau, was the calmest of the entire trip. Each subsequent day brought a fast-paced series of visits to wineries and vineyards, the city of Bordeaux, the coast, and several other cool spots.

More to follow...

Beau Carufel

Weekend Des Grands Crus - May 12-13 in Bordeaux, France

Are you going to be in Europe this May? If so, you might be interested in the Weekend des Grands Crus, taking place in Bordeaux on May 12th &13th. It's billed as a tasting of the 2009 vintage, and there will be more than 100 Chateaux pouring their wines during the weekend-long festivities.

Last month I got a press release for this event, and although I probably can't make it (unless someone else foots the bill), I figured I'd share the details for anyone planning a trip to France/Bordeaux in the spring.

"The Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux would like to invite lovers of Fine Wine to an exclusive weekend in Bordeaux tasting top wines from key appellations. This is a rare opportunity to taste more than a hundred great wines, including the 2009 vintage, under one roof presented by the winemakers of these great chateaux. And after the tasting, we suggest you prolong your stay to attend one of the prestigious dinners taking place in some of these châteaux and join one of our vineyard tours."

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GRANDS CRUS TASTING
Over one hundred owners will be pouring two vintages of their great wines, including the 2009 vintage, in the heart of the city of Bordeaux, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
10.30-17.00 - Hangar 14, quai des Chartrons, Bordeaux
60€ (30 € for students and wine professionals)

DINNERS AT GRANDS CRUS CHATEAUX
Enjoy the hospitality of chateau owners at their estates over a prestigious dinnervand learn more about Grands Crus wines.
20.00 - Dinner at wine estates
140 €

SOIRÉE DES GRANDS CRUS
Join the new generation of chateaux owners at a chic wine bar accompanied by music from a leading DJ with a delicious buffet and great wines.
20.00-02.00 - Bordeaux (adults aged 18-40)
60 €
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On Sunday, May 13th the program will be as such:
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VINEYARDS TOURS
Full day
90 € (tastings,tours and lunch included)
Those who prefer bespoke tastings at wine estates can choose from three bus tours, departing from Bordeaux: (1) Médoc (2) Saint-Emilion and Pomerol (3) Pessac-Léognan, Graves and Sauternes.

or

OPEN DAY
Full day
Free
Visits to participating UGCB chateaux in Saint-Julien, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe.

UNION DES GRANDS CRUS TROPHY
A tournament will be arranged for golfing enthusiasts and estate owners. Green fee and lunch included.
Golf du Médoc
85 €
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If you are able to go or even interested in going and need more information, here are the contact details for the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux: www.ugcb.net or  grands.crus@ugcb.net

Beau Carufel

Day One, On The Way To Navarra.

The airlines tell us to arrive two hours early for international flights, and I rarely any attention to that advice. Over the past 10 years of traveling as an adult, I've never had issues arriving an hour or so before my long distance flights. For some reason I felt a sense of urgency today though, despite having packed everything the night before, checked in online, and had my travel clothes laid out ahead of time.

Was my gut trying to tell me to listen to the advice, for once? Probably. I'm happy I did listen, because the security lines at Terminal 2 were about 35 minutes long this morning, another aspect of travel I'm not used to. Granted, my past travel has been in First and Business classes, I am very fortunate to typically avoid the long lines at the check-in and security areas. Already, after experiencing both long lines while checking my bag and going through security, I feel so fortunate to have avoided that in the past. Also I now understand the frustrations of many travelers and the frequent complaints. It all makes sense, and as this trip progresses and I continue to travel in Economy class, my understanding will only grow. A great sense of perspective, even a learning experience.

Does this have anything to do with wine? No, not really. The wine selection here at the San Diego Admiral's Club is nondescript and very "safe". Since it's only about 9:15am, having a glass of wine seems a bit sloppy and I have settled for a very good Bloody Mary. Settled might not be the best word, since this one is quite good and better than what I usually get at United Red Carpet Clubs.

Musing on the wine list here for a moment, I think Southern Wines and Spirits stocks this place, or at least, whomever distributes Kenwood does. While not a bad wine at all, a person like me has no reason to have a glass of wine. Perhaps that's not bad though because people like me (and maybe even you, reader) aren't the target here. Stocking the wines we want would be cost prohibitive, imagine a scenario where I order a Condrieu and that bottle is opened, then sits open, with 6 oz. emptied, for days. Cost prohibitive indeed, so once again I return to my Bloody Mary.

Time to schlep it to the gate and board, in Group 2, my flight to Dallas. I'll pick this up in a few hours.

On the ground in Dallas, roughly two hours until my flight to Madrid. I'm sitting at the D Gate Admiral's Club and it's swanky! But I can tell why American Airlines has to charge for booze here, this place must have cost a fortune to build and operate, so to recoup their investment they charge $6 for a Shiner Bock. It's not all gloom and doom though, free WiFi is awesome and at least the beer is cold.

I started to think about what I should expect in Navarra and in Pamplona specifically. At the top of the list is my expectation to learn about the wines of Navarra. What drove the vine choices? What are the goals of the producers in the region? Do they want to be known as a premium wine area or as a value-oriented region? I'd love to also learn about the relationship between food and wine there too, which is a greater influence?

Tomorrow I'll start getting answers to these questions and more that I'll think of on the long flight over. Now, I'm going to hydrate and get as much time on my feet as I can before the flight over the Atlantic. Bon Voyage!

Beau Carufel

It's #Wine Time In Navarra!

(img src:http://www.jpmoser.com/hotelelperegrino-d.html) 

Tomorrow morning at 10am, my journey to Navarra begins. Along the way, I stop for a few hours in Dallas and Madrid. Upon arriving in Navarra, I'll meet up with my fellow wine bloggers drXeNo, cuvee_corner, wineissrsbiz, and WineHarlots. For the next six days and seven nights, we'll be sipping (and spitting), eating, thinking, and writing our way through Navarra to gain a better understanding of the wines in the Kingdom. It is my hope that along the way, I'll find out where these wines fit into the American palate and how to best open this nation's eyes to what is still a relatively undiscovered region.

Frequent readers to this blog will know that over the past year I've participated in multiple "live" Twitter Tastings of Navarran wines. Here's a list of previous blog posts to look at, should you be interested in what I've tasted and reviewed so far:
Tasting Wine From Navarra, Spain.
A Winner From Navarra: 2006 Bodegas Ochoa Tempranillo
Back to Navarra!
Bodega de Sarria Senorio de Sarria Vinedo no. 5...A Rosé By Any Other Name.

Also, a superb moscatel from Bodegas Ochoa made it into my dessert wine tasting earlier this year and proved to be a smash hit.

Needless to say, when I first started wine blogging back in late 2009, I never expected to be going on a wine blogger media trip. This past May, I was asked if I was interested in going on a trip, naturally I jumped at the chance. Of course, I'd seen reports from famous bloggers like Joe Roberts and Alder Yarrow of the awesome trips they took, and those guys set the bar very high for the rest of us in terms of reporting and educating our readers. I will attempt to reach that high with my own blog posts.

Mike Wangbickler of Balzac Communications & Marketing will be there with us too, because Balzac is working directly with the Wines of Navarra people to promote and inform the American audience. Mike will be the bloggers liason with the wineries, as far as I understand it. That and he'll of course try to keep up with us bloggers as we "taste" and "learn" about all the wine we possibly can! (Just kidding, Mike!)

Stay tuned to my Facebook page to see pictures as I journey through Navarra, I'll be uploading pictures every night, time permitting. Also keep your blog reader tuned here to follow along as I attempt a series of micro-blogs throughout the week. Will they succeed or fail? I'll know in two weeks!

I'm all packed, checked in on American Airlines (anyone wanna upgrade me to Business Class to Madrid??), and my batteries are charged for this trip. Who'd have thought, me, a 28 year old wine geek from San Diego would get to go to Spain to taste and learn about wine? Cheers!

Beau Carufel