France

In Search of the Perfect Pinot Noir in Cote de Nuits at Dufouleur, Vougeraie& Trapet-Rochelandet

Tasting in the Cellars of Dufouleur (May 22, 2014) – As the day before was devoted to chardonnay, it was only fitting that our third and last day in Burgundy was devoted to pinot noir. Therefore, we headed north of Beaune to the famous Cote de Nuits where the largest percentages of Grand Cru pinot noir vineyards are located. First stop, at 9am, was Domaine Dufouleur in Nuits St. Georges, where we met with the charming Maximilien, Export Sales Manager. Established in 1848, Dufouleur is both a negotiant and an estate. They farm only 25 hectares, but produce over 1 million bottles [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:05:59-08:00January 9, 2015|

Celebrating Chardonnay in Cote de Beaune – Meursault, Montrachet & Santenany

Our Group in Meursault at Caves Ropiteau Freres (Wed., May 21, 2014) The remainder of the day was dedicated to exploring the homeland of Chardonnay, so we headed south out of Beaune to the famous villages of Meursault, Puligny Montrachet and Chassange Montrachet. The first stop was lunch in Meursault where everyone came to realize that you can’t rush a meal in France. So though we were a little late for our next appointment, we managed to make up time later. After lunch we had an appointment at Caves Ropiteau Frères at 2pm where we met with winemaker, Nicholas, who provided a [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:06:27-08:00January 6, 2015|

Warm Welcome to Burgundy by the BIVB and Domaine du Clos Frantin

Hospice de Beaune in Burgundy (May 21, 2014) – We awoke to a warm day in the low 80’s with partially cloudy skies, and were made to feel very welcome in Burgundy by a presentation provided by the BIVB. They actually came to our hotel and provided an excellent slide show describing the special terroir and AOC’s of the region. Wine Tasting with Christophe at Domaine du Clos Frantin Next we boarded the bus and drove to Nuits St. George for a cellar tour and tasting at the Domaine du Clos Frantin.This is one of several estates owned by Maison Albert Bichot. [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:06:50-08:00January 5, 2015|

Wine Tasting at Chateau Chenonceau and Chablisenne

The Loire River We spent the night in the small town of Amboise with its ancient castle, pedestrian walkways, rose covered houses, and colorful cafes all nestled along side the Loire River. The next day we drove the short distance to Chateau Chenonceau, the famous castle that spans the River Cher and was the home of both Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici. We had 1.5 hours to tour the castle and magnificent gardens, and though it was raining a bit, it was still an enchanted place. Chateau Chenonceau At 10:30 we all met in the wine cellar for [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:07:12-08:00January 1, 2015|

Antique Chenin Blanc Vines in the Loire Valley at Plou & Fils Winery

80 year old chenin blanc vine (Monday, May 19, 2014) Our next stop was a small family winery called Plou & Fils that was located in the Amboise AOC. Started in 1508, the vineyard and winery had been passed down the generations to the current general manager and enologist, Matua. He was tall, energetic, in his early 30’s, and with a great sense of humor. He beckoned for all 31 of us to follow him up a small dirt trail to the top of a hill where their vineyards were situated. As we were walking towards an amazing vineyard of ancient gnarled vines, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:07:31-08:00December 31, 2014|

Visit to Chambord Castle and Caves de Vouvray

Chambord Castle in Loire Valley (Monday, May 19, 2014) We departed Paris promptly at 8am and arrived at the castle of Chambord around 10:15. Everyone was awestruck at the grandeur of the “hunting palace of the kings” with more than 400 rooms. After touring Chambord, we drove a short 15 minutes to the town of Blois where we had time for lunch and witnessing the amazing mechanical dragons that emerge from the Hudini building on the square of the Chateau. Next we drove about 40 minutes to the charming village of Vouvray where we had an appointment for a tour and [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:17:44-08:00December 30, 2014|

Snapshot of Loire Valley Wine Statistics

Castle in the Loire Valley The Loire Valley is about a 1.5 hour drive south of Paris and stretches 800 km (approx. 500 miles) from the east in Sancerre to the Atlantic Ocean. It is the longest wine region in France. With a continental climate, the vineyards are greatly influenced by the effect of the Loire River and the Atlantic. They have a special soil called “tufa”, which is a type of soft yellow limestone. Many of the castles and caves of Loire are made from this stone, and it can be found in many vineyards along with some clay [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:18:05-08:00December 25, 2014|

Eiffel Tower, Paris Farmer’s Market, Walking Restaurant Tour and Dinner in Montmarte

Saturday we were each given a metro pass for the day. The first stop was the viewpoint overlooking the Eiffel Tower – an inspirational way to start the day. Next we went to a small farmer’s market and flea market in the Marais District. This was followed by a walking tour of wineshops and 3 restaurants. The afternoon was devoted to free time, but we met again in the evening to take the metro to Sacre Coeur – the lovely white church on the hill tops of Paris. The view was amazing. Our celebration dinner was held at La Cremaillere [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:18:29-08:00December 23, 2014|

A Lazy Sunday in Paris – Visits to the L’Organerie and Relaxing in Parks and Cafes

Sunday was a free day, so some people slept in, whereas others jumped in the metro early to arrive downtown before all of the crowds. It was a perfect sunny day with blue skies, and all Paris seemed to be enjoying the balmy May day. Janeen and I took the metro to l’Organerie in order to see Monet's famous lily pond paintings. When we arrived around 10 in the morning, a wonderful French band was playing in the plaza in front of the gates. We decided to stop and dance a bit before heading into the museum. I enjoyed the [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:18:55-08:00December 23, 2014|

Tasting Champagne at Krug in Reims, France

After lunch in Reims at a small sidewalk cafe where I had a fresh green salad with huge slabs of foie gras, we went to the House of Krug, which is located on the outskirts of the downtown area. Though not an official tasting room, we were received with warm cordiality by Julie and Mylene, both in charge of Hospitality and Public Relations. Our delegation was divided into two smaller groups and we were escorted through the cellars where we saw the barrels in which Krug ferments the base wine before transferring to stainless steel tanks to finish. Next the [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:19:27-08:00September 5, 2014|

Visiting the Champagne Region – the CIVC and Domaine Gatinois

Today was a fairytale day filled with multiple glasses of exquisite Champagne. Our bus departed Paris at 7am and we arrive in Epernay for a visit and tasting at the CIVC. It was extremely informative, and we learned of the huge trademark protection issues the Champagne brand battles around the world. This concluded with a delicious glass of 2004 Moet & Chandon. Next we walked down the street for the mandatory photo with Dom Perignon’s statue before driving to Ay. This small village is world-renown for it’s Grand Cru status and perfumed pinot noir. We were honored to meet with [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:19:50-08:00September 5, 2014|

Back in Paris – Visiting the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral

How exciting to be back in France again! This time for a two-week wine tour with 28 of my wine business students from Sonoma State University. Our non-stop Air France flight from San Francisco touched down in Paris right on schedule at 11:40am, and we were able to clear passport control, find our luggage and pass through customs with no problems. Francy, our tour guide, was waiting to greet us, and ushered us onto a large comfortable tour bus. It was a clear blue-sky day, and even though the temperature was only 63 F, the bright sunlight made it feel [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:20:14-08:00September 5, 2014|

Route of the Cathars: Carcassonne and Renne Le Chateau With Wines of Limoux and Maury, France

June 2012 – Before leaving the US, I read several articles on the Cathars and their unusual and tragic history in the Languedoc-Roussillon area of France. Therefore, I was anxious to visit some of their territory, and was pleasantly surprised to find that the Route of the Cathars coincided with my planned visits to the wine towns of Limoux and Maury. (Wine was introduced into this region in 600 B.C. by the Phoenicians and Greeks.) The Cathars were an usual sect of Christians who were vegetarians and believed in reincarnation. Some of the ancient rumors – picked up by Dan [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:44:46-08:00July 15, 2012|

Charming Collioure France: Banyuls Wines & La Balette Restaurant

June 2012 - We have rented an apartment for a week in the seaside town of Collioure in the far southwestern region of France only 20 kilometers from the Spanish border. I visited here once before 15 years ago and fell in love with the charming little village with its calm bay surrounded by church, tower, chateau and stone seawalls. It has narrow streets with houses and stores painted in pastel colors and flowers are everywhere. It is the place where many famous painters came to paint including Matisse, Picasso, and Derain. In addition to sunbathing on the pebbly beaches [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:45:08-08:00June 21, 2012|

Loire Valley: Chateau Cheverny & Romorantin Wine

We are spending a week in a French gite an hour south of Paris in the tiny village of Thourey-Ferroutes near Fountainbleu. The gite is quite spacious with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, full kitchen and living room. It is within the grounds of a large chateau, and the owner Sylvie, is very gracious and speaks perfect English. We are relaxing in the area and also taking day trips. So far we have visited Chartres, Monet’s garden in Giverny (stayed there the first night at a B&B), and took the train to Paris (leaves every 30 minutes from the delightful town [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:45:30-08:00June 9, 2012|

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