Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh AOC – The Other Sweet French Wine

by Paige Donner

The World of Wine has endless gems in store for you to discover. That is what's so riveting about continuing along the path of wine exploration. Just when you think you've come across most of France's highlights, there are still more yet awaiting your discovery.

pacherenc du vic bilh vineyards

Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh is one of these wines. In a culture that tends to evoke the wines of Sauternes and Barsac when discussing sweet wines, this is a lovely discovery that comes from a different region in France, the Southwest. AOC Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh is just 40 km from Pau and in fact faces the Pyrénées.

The real difference of this sweet wine is not the time of its harvest, as it's harvested late in the year, from mid-November up until mid-December, similar to other sweet wines and much like the famous German and Canadian ice wines. No, the real difference is that these wines take their sweetness from their maturation and not from botrytis (noble rot).

The first historical reference to this wine, Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh, is from 1745 in a document found that forbids harvest that year before November 4th in this particular region of Southwestern France. That year the harvest took place mid-November during what's known as a sort of Indian Summer in that area of France, locally called the Summer of Saint Martin, l'été de la Saint-Martin.

Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Doux Saint Albert 2012

Named after the festival day during that Indian Summer, the cuvée Saint-Albert 2012 made by Alice and Paul Dabade (Barrique and Lot 7.1-7.2-7.3-7.4) is exemplary of this AOC Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh sweet wine. It's a blend of Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng and Petit Courbu.  It was harvested late in 2012, starting December 12.

For the bouquet you can expect rhubarb and mandarin orange. On the mouth, the silky suaveness of the sweet is balanced nicely by a fresh acidity that hits you on the finish. As it ages it picks up notes of white truffles. If you like sweet wines this is truly one of the privileged sweet wines and relatively unknown simply because so little of it is produced.

Pairs well with foie gras and Roquefort; Also as an aperitif. For dessert it goes nicely with a fruit pie or tart and also light fresh sorbets such as passion or lemon. Serve 8-10°C.

Awards: Gold Medal, 2013, Paris Agricultural Fair

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Gérard Bertrand’s Book About His Life In Wine

All photos by Paige Donner ©

SEE The FULL PHOTO GALLERY on Chérie du Vin 

Gérard Bertrand celebrates his Book Launch Faust Paris December 17 photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

Gérard Bertrand is one of those rare Frenchmen in wine - a former rugby star who took over the family business of wine when he retired from his illustrious sports career. Since his father George's death, Gérard has overseen the vast family business entirely, even launching the brand with considerable success into the US market in 2011.

A champion of bio-dynamic wines, Bertrand is also one of the biggest grower-producers in France's Languedoc region, a region that has historically been considered the wine barrel of France for its sheer volume of production. 

At his recent book launch at Faust in Paris, celebrating the release of his new book, Le Vin à la belle étoile, celebrated personalities from both the fields of sports and wine, as well as the Parisian demi-monde, came out to congratulate him - and to sip some of his new releases from his more celebrated estates of Cigalus (bio-dyanamic), Domaine de l'Aigle, and the wine from the Bertrand family estate, Domaine de Villemajou. 

If Domaine de Villemajou was a person it would be a generously proportioned Mediterranean woman with lots of charm to illustrate its rounded, silky, fine tannins.

The eight hectares that make up the plots of Villemajou are referred to as La Forge. These plots were Georges Bertrand's, Gérard's father's, favorite of his estates. It is part of the inland terroir of the Boutenac region in Corbières. These Villemajou plots, La Forge, reside on a Miocene hilltop.  The blend of the wine is of two emblematic regional varieties, Syrah and Carignan. 

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Food (& Wine) Books by French Authors Make Good Gifts

by Paige Donner

Any season is a good season to give the gift of an exquisite, illustrated book about food and/or wine. Here you will find three selections, all of which are authored by French experts in their fields of food and wine, Gérard Bertrand (wine), Eric Kayser (pâtisserie) and Régis Marcon (mushrooms). The books are printed in French, for now, but with such exceptional picture illustrations, they very easily span the cultural divide.

 
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Champignons by Régis Marcon

Selected here are Régis Marcon's book about Champignons, and I mean all kinds. This Loire-based three-star French chef came out with his book from Martinière publishing in 2013. In early December he won another accolade for it, this time from Champagne Collet who holds a culinary book competition every year, the Livre de Chef. The event's official name is Champagne Collet du Livre de Chef and you can read more about it here and more about the illustrious chef Régis Marcon's 416 page book about mushrooms, here.

 

Champagne Collet prix du livre 2014 Book by Régis Marcon, Champignons, photo by Paige Donner copyright

 

Champagne Collet prix du livre Chef Régis Marcon middle, Olivier Charriaud, ceo champagne collet, far left photo by Paige Donner copyright

 

Champagne Collet prix du livre book selection December 2014 photo by Paige Donner

 

Champagne Collet prix du livre chef Régis Marcon left, champagne collet ceo Olivier Charriaud, right photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 *Author's note: as a stunning example of the cultural communications chasm that still exists between France and the rest of the culinary world, imagine standing in a room of food and wine journalists at a chef's book award event in France and having everyone swear to you that they've never heard of Zagat's! No kidding. The main problem with this scenario is not ignorance, since not everyone can know about everything, even when it comes to such important food and restaurant Bibles as Zagat's (which does, officially, have a presence here in France, even since Google bought them out a few years ago). No the real problem with that scenario is the self-assured smugness of local, francophone culinary journalists and marketing/export teams who insist that if they haven't heard of something, there is no merit to it. I assure you, however, that even though my anglo restaurant and food critics friends got a thorough kick out of this anecdote, to stand in a room full of culinary journalists (mainly francophone but also New Zealand and Australian) and have them all glare at you when you insist that Zagat's is, most definitely, a foodie's Bible and is of great import in our world, is NOT a fun experience.

It is these cultural divides, no, strike that, communication chasms, that I will continue to tackle in my newly expanded radio program, Paris GOODfood+wine. You can listen to that on World Radio Paris.

By the way, the only thing that saved my neck from the threatened lynching at the above noted event was that, thank goodness, the CEO of Champagne Collet had spent a bit of time abroad and did know about Zagat's, knew it well, in fact. But imagine, the only one in a room full of culinary professionals, wine marketing and export pros, and food-wine journalists (for the French market) who did! YOWZA!

Next up:

L'Atelier Gourmand d'Eric Kayser

Boulanger Eric Kayser is the darling of the fresh bread world here in Paris. He also has five or maybe even six now, bakeries in NYC. All of which are flourishing.

This new book of his focuses on his pâtisserie offerings. It follows his previous book release in 2013 that was all about the bread. With 20,000 books sold, it has seen great success.

This new book, just released in time for the end of year festivities,  is all about his simple cakes achieved with great finesse. You will find 70 recipes and tons of mouth-watering photos in the book of things like: strawberry macarons, caramel cakes garnished with nougatine mousse along with the traditional French offerings of fraisier, éclairs, mini-financiers and other assorted cakes and fine pastries.

Find out more at Maison Kayser.

 

L'Atelier Gourmand d'Eric Kayser book photo by Paige Donner copyright

 

Eric Kayser l'Atelier Gourmand d'Eric Kayser book signing December 2014 Paris photo by Paige Donner copyright

 

Eric Kayser signing l'Atelier Gourmand new book December 2014 Paris photo by Paige Donner copyright

Gérard Bertrand, Le Vin à La Belle Étoile

Last, but not least, is the book for wine lovers, especially of France's southern wines. Former rugby star turned wine mogul, Gérard Bertrand, has just released his book, Le Vin À La Belle Étoile.  The success of the marketing of his wines in the U.S. in recent years has defied previous market trends, introducing the American consumer to affordable French wines. Bertrand is also a champion of bio-dynamic wines and a lover of jazz music.  My video interview HERE.

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Hospices de Beaune Auction Sale 2014 Busts All Previous Records

by Paige Donner

This year's Hospices de Beaune wine auction, the celebrated annual Burgundy wine event, not only surpassed all previous record sales years, but surpassed it in spades !

 Listen to my full report HERE at World of Wine on                     World Radio Paris.

All photos by Paige Donner copyright 2014 All Rights Reserved

FULL SLIDESHOW HERE

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The total sale at auction this year was               €8, 082,523 euros  ($10million,098,754 USD)

 The last record sale year for these iconic Burgundy wines was 2013, which saw a total record sales of €6.3 million euros.

That means that this year's numbers represent a whopping 28% increase in total revenue earned at auction for these wines.

The Hospices de Beaune wine auction is the world's largest charity wine auction event that takes place every year.

 Listen to my full report HERE at World of Wine on                     World Radio Paris.

This year, 2014, marked another record sale. And that is for the highest amount ever paid for a barrel of wine here at the century-and-a-half old traditional event.  That barrel was the Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Cyrot-Chaudron, which earned a price of €74,900 ( or $93,555 USD).

Antoine Jacquet, the Director of the Hospices de Beaune, commented that

We are very proud that a new record has been established, for the third consecutive year. The négociants (commercial wine agents) (representing 62% of the buys) were once again present on the phone, on the net and in the salesroom to bid on the 534 barrels offered, as well as private collectors (proportionally 38%).

This historic amount will permit the hospital to ensure the continued financing of the modernisations which began this year.

On a personal note (he added), I am very happy for our formidable vineyard manager and wine-maker Roland Masse who will soon leave us, after a (too short) tenure of 15 years.

AND, one of the most important and most central events during the Hospices de Beaune auction each year is the selling of one of the barrels whose entire proceeds are then donated to charity.  That barrel is called the Pièce de President or the President's Barrel.

This year the charities chosen were the Imagine Foundation and the Toute à l'Ecole Foundation.  Each charity was represented by celebrities for the auction which were Adriana Kerembeu, a Top Model, Teddy Riner, an Olympic Athlete and Michel Drucker, a French TV personality.

This year the President's Barrel chosen was the Corton Bressandes – Grand Cru, Cuvée des Présidents. This barrel containing 228 liters of some of the finest of Burgundy wine was bought by Maison Albert Bichot and his Canadian Friends .

€220,000 was paid for the pièce. Which translates to $274,764 USD.

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Montmartre Museum, Renoir and Champagne

by Paige Donner

Wine and food pairings. A natural.

Wine and music pairings. Love the original inspiration of this since a few years back.

Wine and Renoir pairings?

This was the theme of a recent champagne tasting in Paris held at the picturesque Musée Montmartre's Jardins Renoir or Montmartre Museum's Renoir Gardens which overlook the Clos Montmartre in the shadow of the Sacré-Coeur.

A more idyllic location in Paris on a sunny early Autumn evening could not be imagined.

 

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

All photos copyright 2014 Paige Donner All Rights Reserved

And there was method to this artistic madness... A group of champagne houses from the Aube region, around the village of Essoyes, to be exact, banded together to show off their champagnes and display them with the particular Renoir painting they felt paired the best with their chosen cuvée.

The historical reference is that Renoir lived in Essoyes with his wife and children during the summer months starting in 1895. There is now a foundation established to restore this heritage house where Renoir kept an atelier on the ground floor, overlooking the garden. 

Today the village welcomes art enthusiasts and Renoir-lovers in its L'Espace des Renoir et l'Atelier du peintre. They have fondly named this area the Côté des Renoir.  The participating champagnes located in and around the Côté des Renoir are Champagne de Barfontarc, Champagne Jacques de France, Champagne Drappier, Champagne R. Dumont & Fils, Champagne Rémy Massin & Fils, Champagne Thierry Mercuzot, Champagne Richardot, Champagne Cristian Senez, Champagne Charles Collin and Champagne Chassenay d'Arce. 

More information, including photos of the paintings each house chose to represent their champagne, can be found at www.renoir-essoyes.com

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Cité du Champagne

by Paige Donner

Every year in September France celebrates their Heritage Days, called the Journées du Patrimoine. This year, I dared to take a preview peek at one of the few new fabulous developments in Champagne.

Champagne Collet, also known as COGEVI, was the first Co-operative established in Champagne. It remains a Top Ten champagne producer, globally.

The oldest co-operative in Champagne, known now as Champagne Collet, located in the little village of Aÿ , has just finished its thorough renovations and construction of elaborate exhibit facilities that depict both the history of champagne in the region and their development as a Top Ten champagne producer.

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This champagne house, Champagne Collet, was first established as a Co-operative in 1921. It is the oldest Co-operative in Champagne.

View of Champagne de Castellane Tower in Epernay as you cross the bridge into Epernay coming from Ay, Champagne, France. This photo was taken just during the end of harvest 2014, at the golden hour. 

 All photos by Paige Donner copyright 2014 

The significance of its location in Ay, France, which sits just between Reims and Epernay, both dominant champagne producing towns in the region, is that it is the historic setting for the champagne growers' revolt that took place early in the 20th c. here.

Part of the fabulous exhibit that their facility now houses shows historical photographs and even an old (restored) film that gives accounts of this event. The event served to shape the history of the region and even the wine itself, which has so famously become known around the globe as champagne.

The cellars are also not to be missed. Their vintage cuvées are displayed with elegant accompaniment of local celebrated photographer's, Michel Jolyot's, photos. 

Since it is not yet officially open to the public, I am posting only a few photos here for now. When it does open its doors for public entry, it is definitely not to be missed. And the little town of Aÿ is one of the most beautiful little villages in Champagne. It is also home to Bollinger and Deutz among several other top-class champagnes.

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London Wine Experience

sponsored post 

Bettane+Desseauve are going Anglophone. Well, probably not quite. BUT the esteemed French wine duo, heralded as two of France's top wine writers and critics, are holding their third London wine event. 

It's happening October 24 & 25th.

3rd edition of the festival of great wines at the Saatchi Gallery

The 3rd edition of the London Wine Experience organized by Bettane +Desseauve will take place on 24th and25th October, in the stunning setting ofthe Saatchi Gallery(Chelsea).

This two-day event, createdbywinecritics Michel Bettaneand Thierry Desseauve,well-knownfortheirannual wine guide and their international wine events (Paris Grand Tasting and Wine Experiences London, Hong Kongand Shanghai) will present Bettane+Desseauve's latest gems to professionals and wine lovers.

What's on

• > The wine selection

This year, more than 60 producers from such as Ruinart, Taittinger, Château Branaire-Ducru, Domaine des Perdrix, Domaine Laroche, Masciarelli, Roberto Voerzio – to name but a few – will present their wines to the public.

• > Masterclasses

More than 10 private tastings (master classes) will take place during the London Wine Experience, including a vertical tasting of wines from Château Latour (First growth, Pauillac), a Riedel masterclass to understand

how a glass can emphasize your perception an enjoyment of wine or a tasting dedicated to Ruinart rosé champagnes... Each of these masterclasses will be presented by a wine expert from Bettane+Desseauve and the owner or a representative of the winery.

> Other tastings and competitions

• Wine Premiere : Visitors will be able to discover a selection of innovative wines from all over the world

and vote for their favourite wine, to win a prize.

• Global Masters : An exclusive competition organized by the Drinks Business magazine to elect the best wines made in 2014. Wine lovers and professionals will taste and discover the best award winning wines from this year's competition.

A word from theexperts "The London Wine Experience is a festival of great wines in the same way as the great music or cinema festivals" - explains Thierry Desseauve – "and all of the producers exhibiting are selected on the quality of their production. With our team of wine experts, we taste tens of thousands of different wines every year from all over the world with the aim of presenting them to the public".

Michel Bettane adds:

"We are continuing to organize high level master classes devoted either to great winemakers or built around a theme encompassing exceptional wines. We also think that great wines deserve to be presented in an exceptional place: the Saatchi Gallery is a magical place, just like the Louvre where we have been organizing our French wine event for the past 8 years."

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Think Harvest Is All Romance? Think Again! It's Big Business Here In France

Romantic visions of picking grapes in a small French village with friends and family have danced through your head, surely, at least or twice during your oenophile lifetime, right?

Well, think again!

In several regions of France it is BIG BUSINESS, especially in this region here, shown in this short vine video where Republicaine Guards patrol the pickers.

Yep...Big Business doesn't mess around!

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Winners of the 10th Annual Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Awards

Posted by Paige Donner

The jury is in, and the winners announced last week for the 2014 Louis Roederer International Wine Writers' Awards.

Held in London's Piccadilly at the Royal Academy of Arts, the ceremony was attended by an international assortment of members of the wine trade and publishers from around the world as well as writers and journalists. It was noted that the event is becoming ever-increasingly more international.

To commemorate this tenth edition of the Awards ceremony, a special cuvée of Cristal 2006 was served in flutes, called Jamesse champagne flutes, that were designed by the head sommelier at Reims' Les Crayères restaurant.

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WINNERS 2014

THE ARTISTRY OF WINE AWARD 2014

ADRIAN LANDER

 

DOMAINES SCHLUMBERGER
EMERGING WINE WRITER OF THE YEAR 2014

EMMA SYMINGTON

Various from thewinemonkeys.com

RAMOS PINTO ONLINE COMMUNICATOR OF THE YEAR 2014

TIM ATKIN

Reports from www.timatkin.com

DOMAINE FAIVELEY INTERNATIONAL
WINE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2014

THE NEW CALIFORNIA WINE

                                           Jon Bonné

CASTIGLION DEL BOSCO
INTERNATIONAL WINE COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR 2014

NINA CAPLAN

Columns from New Statesman

DOMAINES OTT INTERNATIONAL WINE
FEATURE WRITER OF THE YEAR 2014

RICHARD MAYSON

World of Fine Wine

INTERNATIONAL SHORT COPY
COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR 2014

SUSY ATKINS

Articles from Stella Magazine, The Sunday Telegraph

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God Bless The Baroness

by Paige Donner

Last summer, while attending Vinexpo in Bordeaux, I had the great good fortune to be issued a Press invitation to the Gala Dinner held at Mouton Rothschild in Pauillac, hosted by Madame Philippine de Rothschild. 

"The Baroness" Madame Philippine de Rothschild

The gala dinner that The Baroness (as her friends referred to her), Madame Philippine de Rothschild, was putting on was in honor of the first unveiling of their chateau's exquisite new cellars and museum on the premises of the venerable domain of Mouton Rothschild.

It was extraordinary to see the liveliness, ever present,  in such a courageous woman like The Baroness. She stood up on stage, alongside her son Julien and also the Mayor of Bordeaux, Alain Juppé, and spoke to the assembled guests of  250 people for a solid 20 minutes, unflagging. More than once she drew hearty chuckles from the crowd of some of the world's most esteemed winemakers and winery owners. She was still every inch a glamorous actress, even at 80.

Though petite in stature, her courage was immense. 

We all too often associate Mouton Rothschild and Bordeaux wines with tradition and venerability. And while I am not disputing its solid ranking in the history of wine, it is important to remember that the house has bucked tradition continuously since its founding. 

Firstly with the near-sacrilegious innovation of bottling at the chateau a couple centuries ago. Then, under Philippine's father's tutelage, dedicating label design to outstanding contemporary artists of the day. And, finally, appointing a woman, his daughter no less, to lead the house into the next millennium.

In a world of French wine all too often overshadowed by a huge majority of men, Madame Phillippine de Rothschild, The Baroness, showed courage, fortitude, leadership and an enviable sixth sense for business acumen (Chile!) and innovation (Mouton Cadet!) during her day. 

That's a legacy that will not be forgotten.

God Bless The Baroness. 

(More here about her life and legacy  on the NY Times)

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Trendy Wine Bars circa 2014 Infographic

This comes grace à la our friends over at VinePair.

Check out their awesome blog and Wine101 posts if you feel like picking up a trick or two about wine…

This one is awesome!

Originally from http://vinepair.com/wine-blog/stereotypical-trendy-wine-bar-circa-2014/

 

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