bordeaux: the festival
Monday, July 21, 2008 at 08:41PM 
Nestled in between 117,000 hectares of vineyards, the city of Bordeaux has the kind of sophistication you might expect from one of the great wine capitals of the world. It streams opera music in its public parking lots, its cafes bustle with students from 22 colleges, and it boasts a modern public tram that transports its million-plus inhabitants.
But when it comes to its annual wine festival, the city unveils an old-fashioned, country charm with rustic breads and cheeses, folk dance, and barrel racing.
When Paul and I arrived, we pulled our wine glasses from our red "Fete le Vin" cases and nestled up to our first booth for a taste.
The breeze from the Garonne river swept up and cooled our faces from the hot sun. Around us, young boys bounced soccer balls on their heads, and Quebec country dancers sporting black cowboy hats prepared for an afternoon show.
A young woman with blond curly hair appeared and welcomed us with a smile. She offered to extend our coupons -- instead of two tastes per coupon, she would give us four at half the amount.
We happily agreed. She placed our wine glasses on a color-coded paper map of the region and started pouring a Chateau Barrabaque 2002 Fronsac.
We rolled the strong but mellow red over our tongues while staring at the paper map of the Fronsac region, thrilled that we were drinking a wine made so close by.
After more tastings and a lot of people watching, we stopped midday to snack on the Bordeaux version of street food: salami and cheese out of paper cones. The freshly-sliced salami was rustic and fatty, providing a perfect flavor balance to the tannic reds we were drinking.
We slurped our way through several of the 57 appellations of the region, knowing that, with the 9,000 wine-producing châteaux the region had to offer, we couldn't possibly taste them all.
Still, trying just a fraction was an extraordinary experience; and we couldn't wait to tell our friends all about it. We were staying with a group in a rented Dordogne house. We knew we better bring back some good wine so we strolled into the city center and found a small wine shop.
We told the owner that we wanted several bottles and could pay about 15 - 20 euros per bottle. He moved quickly through the store, grabbing bottle after bottle. At one point he paused. "Are you sure you don't mind another Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe?"
"Please, not at all." He loaded us up with six Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classes and another six bottles from other appellations.
We drove back to our rented house, picked out a Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe from Domaine de Peyrelongue winery, and poured a round of glasses. The wine was so complex, deep in flavor, and yet mellow that it seemed to have its own presence in the room. When we finished the bottle, our friend, Karl, placed it on the kitchen shelf and said that this was the wine to beat for the week.
Our group drank some terrific wines that week, but we never did find another bottle as tasty as that one. However, later that week, Karl and his wife, Valerie, phoned the winery on a whim and got a 45-minute tour with the affable owner Olivier Cassat, giving them the great story of the day.
We all had memorable experiences that week, but it was our little side trip to Bordeaux and that breezy afternoon festival that stuck with me most. The country charm we experienced that day and the great wines we tasted made me fall in love France all over again.
Grand Conseil du Vin de Bordeaux invited the international Commanderies of Bordeaux and other wine brotherhoods to be part of the ceremonies.
Organized by the Lussac Saint Emilion Club, this barrel-rolling contest blended sport with fun.
Reader Comments (3)
Angela,
It looks like you are having a wonderful time. I have always wanted to be in Bordeaux during this period and your photos really take me there, thank you. BTW, I love simple tartines with freshly baked bread and french ham, that looks so good!!!
Au Revoir,
Marc (note the French spelling :)
http://chefectomy.blogspot.com
Thanks, Marc! I know, I love those ham and cheese tartines too. Such a simple treat! Late June was indeed a perfect time to go. The weather was perfect and the vineyards were bursting with green grapes. If you do go, Saint Emilion is a must. A lovers' paradise!
The Tour's English weekend has settled one issue at least: the old, vexed question of why the Tour de France doesn't stay at home but nips out over the border every now and then to visit one of France's neighbours.It's pretty promiscuous as an event: every year there is at least one excursion, even if it is only a mountain-top stage finish in Spain, and the organisers reckon on two Grands Departs outside France every five years.
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Mobin
http://www.drivenwide.com" REL="nofollow">Promoter