Daily 
Photo
Date: Sep 03, 2010
Burgundy's Grapes
What I found so interesting about wine production in France is the relatively limited areas in which the finest grapes are produced. The names by which we know French wines are the names of the areas that are most suitable for wine growing. Bordeaux, Burgundy and Cote du Rhone are just a few of the names on any French wine list found across the world.
Why are these areas so limited and why is France so well suited for the best wine production? The answer is a combination of many factors that are next to perfect in these particular areas of France.
- Climate (France has a moderate climate located in the 20-50 degrees latitude)
- Composition and Fertility of the Soil (France's soil is rich in nitrogen and limestone)
- Slope of the Soil (France is full of hills and slopes)
- 'Terroir' or the sum of the effects that the local environment has had on the wine (France has grown grapes for centuries and there is a precise knowledge about their location and how it affects the grapes grown there. In other words, centuries of experience and knowledge offers reliable predictions that wine from a certain physical place will have predictable characteristics. This is the heart of the Appellation d'Origine Controllee [AOC] system.)
Locations:
Burgundy , France
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Categories:
Daytime,
Field,
Wine
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France, Burgundy, Premier and Grand Cru Areas
The Crus
I was shocked to find out the best location to grow wine is on the slope of a hill. It's a bit counterintuitive but it is here where the soil is of the lowest quality and many of the nutrients and much of the top soil have washed out to the lower areas. Why is this better? The steep incline and rocky soil encourages the kind of drainage that prevents mold and fungus. The full sun exposure, wind and the extremes in temperature all foster a condition in which the vines root very deeply and are left to struggle to survive. Thus, in a Darwinian way, the grapes produced have superior seeds and are juicy and full bodied.
Pictured here is a shot of the flat vineyard area which gradually slopes up the hill where the best grapes are produced. I sampled the two wines that were produced here while staring out onto the two areas and you really can tell the difference between the two qualities of wines. In Burgundy, the French label the difference between these two areas (which is only meters apart in some instances) Grand Cru and Premier Cru. Premier Cru are the lower, more flat areas and Grand Cru are the sloped, steeper terrain areas. Naturally the Grand Cru will be much more expensive than the Premier. Next time you're at the wine store check the bottle and you'll see the difference between the two prices.
I outlined in red on the map where the photo was taken. You can see the Grand Cru in light green (the higher areas) and the Premier Cru (the lower areas) in purple.
Locations:
Burgundy , France
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Categories:
Culture,
Wine
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Daily Photo
Date: Sep 02, 2010
The Secret Stash
My next stop in France was the Burgundy wine region, sometimes referred to as the Cote d'Or (English; Golden Hills) region. Having lived in the New York for the last few years I've had to learn my wine basics but never really expanded the depth of my wine knowledge. I normally ask for a cabernet sauvignon, knowing I liked that particular wine and I knew how to pronounce it without sounding silly.
Visiting Burgundy's wineries and the beautiful fields that surround them might be one of the best experiences I've had on my trip. The knowledge and experience that I gained from my few days in the wine drinking region of Burgundy is something I can reflect upon and appreciate for the rest of my life. I now know the difference between a good and an excellent wine. I know where wine is now grown and where it should not be grown. I've learned how to properly drink a wine and what types of foods go with the various types of wines. It's a knowledge that everyone should have in order to fully appreciate this bounty of life. Before visiting this region, wine in my mind was but a sweetened alcoholic drink. Now it's a delicacy to be enjoyed and appreciated with a good meal and great company. I'll never look at a wine menu the same way. I'll post some of my experiences in the wine region over the next few days.
Above is the Michel Lafarge winery in Volnay, Burgundy. Shown here is his family's wine reserve. Some of it has been down there for decades as you can tell by the mold and dust that has accumulated on the bottles in these damp cellars. I had an excellent personal tour (which I'll post the information about later) that took me through a small premiere winery and a tasting there, another wine tasting in the wine fields and to top it off, a French picinic lunch on top of the golden hills of Burgundy.
Locations:
Burgundy , France
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Categories:
Interior,
Culture,
Wine
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France, Burgundy, Volnay, Domaine Michel Lafarge, Winery
A true Frenchman
Michel Lafarge is pictured above, standing in front of some of the many barrels of wine he produces and the bottles we were lucky to taste. I was fortunate enough to take a personalized tour of his winery with the small group I was traveling with. To own a plot of land (or called a domaine in the wine world) is a family -honored tradition that has been handed down for centuries. To my surprise, much of the prime wine producing area is a very small percentage of France (see the map below) and having a plot on this coveted land is a true and extremely valuable (or expensive if you are a recent buyer) privilege.
One cannot just plant vines, grow grapes and bottle them under the Burgundy name. The French have a system of rules and laws whereby calling your wine a "Burgundy "or naming it after some other location like "Cabernet Sauvignon" is tightly controlled. This system is called the Appellation d'Origine Controlee [regulated designation of origin] or the AOC. Being able to truly call your wine Burgundy requires that it be from there, thus keeping the wine in France some of the highest quality in the world. Most places in the world do not have this standard. When you look at your next bottle of French wine, the label will say, for example, "Appellation Bourgogne [Burgundy] Controlee " or "Appellation Volnay Controlee" meaning that the name Burgundy or Volnay on that bottle complies with French law and that the wine is actually from the region (or domaine) mentioned on that label.
Michel brought us down deep into his cellar where his family keeps their reserve of wine shown above. Michel is a quintessential Frenchman who is over 80 years of age. He and his extended family in the business, many of whom we met, are planning this year's harvest to commence on September 18 and lasting for three weeks. He told our group that during the Nazi invasion of France, the SS had ordered complete access by its soldiers to some of the best family reserves. He remembers as a kid watching his father's disgust and feeling helpless as the Nazis looted their personal family reserves, becoming drunk off of their wine. After twelve days and numerous complaints from Michel's father, the soldiers kept away from the wine reserves on orders of their superiors but that did not stop them from going after the less celebrated bottles.
I am indebted to Kim Gagne for her instruction and for her guidance. She can be reached at kim@journeysinwine.com. An American who commutes between Portland, Oregon and Beaune, she runs wine tours and is the very best guide you can find.
Categories:
Interior,
Culture,
Wine
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Wine Producing Regions
I had originally envisioned France to be one big wine producing region but it turns out there are actually very select regions where the premiere wine can actually be grown. I visited the Rhone Valley and the Burgundy regions on my trip. I'll explain later why these regions are perfect for wine production. It really is fascinating to understand why you cannot simply plant a vineyard in your backyard and expect the highest quality of grapes. Hint: the sandiest, rockiest and least nutritious soil yields the best wine.
Categories:
Map
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Daily Photo
Date: Sep 01, 2010
Rugged Beauty
My travels in the south of France were primarily in the Provence region. I included a map below. Most people neglect the fact that the south of France's climate is similar to Italy's northern Mediterranean coast. Drier and much hotter, this vacation hot spot is a confluence of the northern, cooler wine regions of northern France and the southern olive producing, antiquity influenced northern regions of Italy.
Gordes, pictured here, is on the list of "most beautiful towns" of France. It has become the retreat of a number of famous French entertainment personalities and bigwigs. Note the swimming pool at the lower part of the photo, not exactly a medieval feature.
Perched on a steep hill where construction is a nightmare, Gordes, along with similarly situated towns in France and Italy, raises the question of why these villages are situated on such difficult terrain. I think I know the answer: safety. It was just a lot easier to hold off marauders if you were on top of the hill and they were trying to make their way up. We marvel at the views. The founders enjoyed the safety.
Locations:
Gordes, France
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Categories:
Daytime,
City
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Provence
Here is a more in-depth map of Provence, the area in the southern region of France where I visited. I was based out of Avignon, one of the region's larger cities located in the center of Provence. From there I made my way around the countryside visiting St. Remy, Apt, Les Beaux de Provence (and its famed chateau), Roussilon (with lots of red clay) and Arles to name a few of the towns and small cities. The area is only a few hours' drive to Italy and its southern Mediterranean influence is certainly felt and seen throughout Provence. Marseilles, on the coast, was Julius Caesar's invasion point against the Gauls deep within France during the height of the Roman Empire.
Categories:
Map
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France, Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Vincent Van Gogh
Starry Night
Yesterday, my posts were of a few alley shots of the artistically aesthetic streets of St. Remy-de-Provence. I can now understand why so many artists are drawn to this city. As I mentioned before, St. Remy-de-Provence has been home to a number of artists including Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh is an interesting character who struggled with a mental illness throughout his life. He only managed to sell one painting throughout his career as an artist. His survival as an artist was made possible only with the support of his brother who was a wealthy and well connected art merchant in France. Life as an artist is never easy and like Van Gogh, often success comes after death.
Van Gogh's most well known painting was created during one of his mental breakdowns in which he was placed in St. Remy's sanatorium for a number of months. It was during this time that he looked out onto the city of St. Remy from his small window in the sanatorium and composed one of his greatest works known as 'The Starry Night'. You can see the iconic cypress trees of southern France on the left of the painting (which were added later) and the small quiet town of St. Remy in the background. The hills are of the Alpilles Range which can be seen in the distance from the town.
I added a small candid photo that is not of southern France, but of Italy. Again, the climate and terrain is quite similar. I find the similarities between these two photos extremely interesting.
Categories:
Culture
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Daily Photo
Date: Aug 30, 2010
An Artist Factory
Saint-Remy-de-Provence, located in the south of France, is a city no bigger than a small rural town in any country, but what distinguishes this town from the rest is its century old alleyways, rich culture and its ability to attract artist and scholars throughout the ages. Van Gogh and Nostradamus are just two of the notable individuals who were a product of this small town. The small streets are mesmerizing. The town has a charm that most cities would love to have and can never attain.
I walked through Saint-Remy-de-Provence (it's called 'de-Provence', its location, due to the multiple cities in France named Saint-Remy) and found the small alleyways a source of photographic inspiration. Many artists' works are also present on the buildings, on the sidewalks and throughout the small shops in Saint Remy.
Locations:
Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France
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Categories:
Nighttime
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Date: Aug 30, 2010
Politics
While on my wine tour yesterday, the group I'm traveling with had the privilege of taking a private winery tour with one of the more notable wineries in the Burgundy region. The owner, an 80 year old man, could speak very little English and was delighted to engage the few people with whom I'm traveling who could speak perfect French. I was surprised to find politics was the first topic on this Frenchman's mind and it seems that most French are acutely aware of not only their own country's politics but also of that of the world's.
Nicolas Sarkozy, their current president, is usually a hot topic with every French person. Good, bad or physically too short everyone in the country has an opinion on this man. Personality driven and not camera shy, this president not only tested the traditional role of the president with his divorce and subsequent seduction of an Italian multimillionaire/singer/former model but in a headstrong fashion he's attempting to take the vacation- loving, 35 -hour -work -week, traditional French society into a quickly evolving society where the European Union debt collectors continue to knock louder and louder on the French door.
As an American, President Obama is always a hot topic when conversing with people from other countries. After a while I feel like a broken record so naturally, I welcomed the topic of Sarkozy and listening to the French, always full of pride, naturally open-minded and forward thinking, comment upon and critique their leader at the helm.
Locations:
Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France
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Categories:
Nighttime ,
Culture
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Daily Photo
Date: Aug 29, 2010
Slowly Crumbling
One of the my favorite parts of traveling is coming across old relics in the countryside. On this particular evening I split from my group and did some off road driving in the French countryside. I soon came up to a hill with some old ruins on top of it and decided to do some exploring. Parking my car, I climbed up the backside of a hill and found myself above a small village called Eygalieres. I have no idea when this old church and monastery was abandoned but it makes for some great photography. The Alpilles Mountain range, which eventually leads up to the foothills of the European Alps, can be seen in the background.
Locations:
Eygalieres, France
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Categories:
Sunset,
Beautiful Sky,
Mountains,
Haze
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Date: Aug 29, 2010
Thriller
It should be no surprise that after every corner I turn in Europe there is a beautiful and ornate cemetery. This resting place happened to be closed at the time of this photo and getting over the 7 foot high stone wall wasn't going to be an option. I steadied my tripod and guessed at what would be a good composition before snapping away. I only had to do a small cropping job. The locals passing all stared at me and wonder what on earth I was doing. I'm fully used to it by now.
Locations:
Villeneuve-les-Avignon, France
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Categories:
Beautiful Sky,
Cemetary
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