France Trip 2011 – Bordeaux, Bergerac & Cahors Archives

Moseying Around Monbazillac – a Mini Sauternes

June 15, 2011 – On Wednesday morning we had a lazy breakfast, then packed and cleaned our apartment before checking out. We headed towards Bergerac and the Monbazillac AOC which was only a 30 minute drive from Le Bugue. On the way we passed an amazing site of over 100 white swans on the Dordogne River. We stopped to take photos and marvel at their beauty. They appeared to be feeding in the river, and were in a section that was covered with the tiny white flowers that grace the river in such an exotic fashion. An artist was sitting [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:47:53-08:00June 29, 2011|

The Wines of Bergerac – A Mini-Bordeaux

During the four delightful days we spent in the Dordogne, the main wine region represented in every restaurant was Bergerac. Each “verre de vin blanc, rouge, or rose” we ordered was always from a Bergerac appellation, but since the 13 AOC’s in the Bergerac region are part of the department of the Dordogne, that makes sense. Before leaving home, I checked my wine atlas to verify the types of grapes allowed in Bergerac wines, and they are identical to Bordeaux – for the most part. Bergerac reds are a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and cabernet franc (Bordeaux is also [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:48:14-08:00June 29, 2011|

Visiting Cahors Malbec Wineries – The Black Wine of the Middle Ages

June 14, 2011 –We took the back roads from Le Bugue to Cahors arriving in the city via D9 through the little towns of Espere and Mercues. On the way out of Le Bugue we were sidetracked for an hour when we ran into the weekly open air market on Tuesday mornings. It was a wonderful market with plenty of food – olives, foie gras, cheeses, truffles, wine, etc – as well as clothes, jewelry and household items. When we finally got back on the road it took us 1 hour and 20 minutes to drive to Cahors, passing through [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:48:36-08:00June 29, 2011|

Delightful Dordogne – Land of Foie Gras, Truffles, Medieval Cities, Castles and Caves

June 12 – 15 – We departed Bordeaux around 10am on Sunday morning taking the toll way to the Montignac exit – one of the entry points to the Dordogne region. We arrived just before noon and were completely enchanted with the charming little town decorated with flower streamers above the streets. We found a quaint restaurant with outdoor tables along the river, and proceeded to order a foie gras salad and a half a carafe of Bergerac Blanc – made primarily of sauvignon blanc and muscadelle. After lunch we wandered around the town and found an ice cream shop [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:48:53-08:00June 29, 2011|

Excellent Time at Bar a Vin and Le Mably Restaurant in Bordeaux

June 11, 2011 – After our field trip in the Medoc, we arrived back in Bordeaux around 6pm and immediately walked to the Bar a Vin for happy hour. This is a great wine bar in downtown Bordeaux which is sponsored by the CIVC. It is a good introduction to the wines of Bordeaux with all regions represented and excellent prices – with many of the wines only $2 euros per glass. Very modern and eclectic décor; it is a great place to hang out. Eventually about 20 wine business professors congregated at Bar a Vin, and around 7pm 15 [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:49:26-08:00June 24, 2011|

Field Trip to Chateau Gruaud-Larose and Chateau Maucauillou

June 11, 2011 – We slept in on Saturday morning, then drove to downtown Bordeaux to park in their underground parking structure. Then we had brunch at a charming sidewalk café before boarding the bus which headed to the Medoc for a tour of two wineries. When we saw the names of the wineries – Gruaud Larose and Maucauillou – people laughingly said they must have selected the two most difficult winery names to pronounce. Most marketing textbooks recommend selecting a product name that is easy to spell and pronounce, but this is not always the case in Bordeaux. Chateau [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:49:44-08:00June 24, 2011|

AWBR Conference at Bordeaux Business School Plus Dinners at Chateau Giscours and Millesima

June 8 - 11, 2011 – Another Academy of Wine Business Conference (AWBR) with the location this time at the Bordeaux Business School. This was my 4th visit to Bordeaux and I always enjoy the city because it reminds me of a “little Paris.” With just over 1 million people including the suburbs, Bordeaux has an amazing downtown that was renovated with the UNESCO World Heritage grant to bring it back to its 18th century glory. Sidewalk cafes, fountains, statues, and beautiful buildings enchant along the Garonne River. The conference was enjoyable with over 80 academic wine papers spread over [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:50:05-08:00June 24, 2011|