Category Archives: France

France, Wines

Wine Notes: Gaillac

 

What I Learned

The Gaillac tradition of wine-making is one of the oldest in France. But well before that, there is documented evidence of the local population drinking wine imported from Greece, and even Asia Minor. Suffice it to say, wine produced here today has a lot of savoir-faire, or know-how, behind it !

The Appellation Gaillac territory lies east of Toulouse, and is subject to both Atlantic and Mediterranean climatic influences. Situated in the rolling hills between the Aveyron River, and both banks of the Tarn River, this fertile area has ideal conditions for vineyards. There are three main growth areas

-The Rive Gauche, known also as the Terrasses de la Rive Gauche, which indicates a generally flatter area

-The Rive Droite (around Gaillac, Lisle sur Tarn and Rabastens), known also, and appropriately so, as Coteaux de la Rive Droite, indicating an area of hills, where vines grow on the south-facing slopes

-The Plateau Cordais, north of the Rive Droit, in an area of higher elevation, which includes the impressive town of Cordes sur Ciel

The dry white wines received appellation status in 1938. Gaillac white wines include some unique varietals such as Loin de l’œil. It is rather perfumed, and is often blended with another unusual varietal Mauzac. Ondenc is yet another appellation varietal, and unusually, it is often harvested and bottled as a later harvest wine.

The red wines, however, only obtained appellation status in 1970.  The main red varietal is Braucol, with notes of raspberry and cassis. Duras and Prunelart, both of which were practically extinct by the end of the phylloxera crisis, are usually blended with Braucol, or the another main red varietal in this area, Syrah.

 

What I Tasted

2021 Loin de l’Oeil, Appellation d’Origine Protegee (AOP) Gaillac, Vinovalie (Saint Sulpice): A dry white wine with very pale, almost white gold color, with a citrus and tropical fruits nose, and citrus and mineral flavors; fairly well-balanced with medium plus acidity

2021 Le Perle, Appellation d’Origine Protegee (AOP) Gaillac, Vinovalie: A dry white cuvee with pale, white gold color; a peach and mineral nose; flavors of green apple, peach, and pineapple; a slight fizz, with mild acidity.

2021 Le Perle, Appellation d’Origine Protegee (AOP) Gaillac, Vinovalie: A dry rose cuvee with pale rose color; red berry nose and flavors, with hints of spice

2020  Loin de l’Oeil, Sans Culotte, Appellation d’Origine Protegee (AOP) Gaillac, Vinovalie (Saint Sulpice): A dry white wine with very pale, almost white gold color; floral nose, with floral and white stone fruits flavors, well balanced with medium acidity, and no sulfites added!

2021 Cuvee, AOP Gaillac, Domaine Les Grezels (Gaillac); A dry white wine cuvee (Muscadelle (20%), Loin de l’œil (40%), and  Mauzac (40%)), with pale gold color; citrus nose, with flavors of citrus, and ripe pear; very mild acidity.

2021 Rose cuvee, Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC) Gaillac, Chateau de Saurs (Lisle s/Tarn):  A dry, salmon pink cuvee of Duras and Syrah, red berry fruits, medium acidity and medium length finish.

2021 Les Cedres, Appellation d’Origine Protegee (AOP) Gaillac, Chateau Tauzies, (bottled by Vinovalie): A dry rose cuvee with pale rose color; bright red berries nose, slightly herbal notes, with flavors of the same.

France, Hiking, Nutshell

Les Pas d’Amédée le Vigneron: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name: Dans les Pas d’Amédée le Vigneron

Trail Type: Short-distance circuit; well-maintained with hard (paved or packed earth) surfaces; marking for this itinerary is pretty good, but not always present.

Length:

Total – 7 kilometers/4.3 miles

Convenient to: Toulouse, Albi, Montauban, or Gaillac, Occitanie, France

Marking:

Signs specific to the trail (see above and below), as well as the ubiquitous French yellow bar markings

Marking for the Trail

 

Trail Description: This mostly gentle walk through vineyards and fields in and around Rabastens, a town  in the Gaillac wine region, provided lovely views, and several opportunities to sample the wines.

Trailhead:

Official: Rabastens, Vinovalle, Ave de l’Hermitage

Mine : Rabastens, Rue de la Croix Blanche (where the tail leading to the circuit begins)

Parking:

Rabastens: on the shoulder along Avenue de l’Hermitage, and along wider sections of the Chemin de l’Hermitage,

Rabastens: near the school – Ave de la Croix Blanche, (usually full, but empty during school vacations)

Rabastens:  Rue des Abreuvoirs, a large central official parking lot, mostly closed during market days, and a kilometer from the trail

Public Transportation Options:

SNCF, the national train system, has a station in Rabastens connecting it with Toulouse and beyond

Suggested Stages:

Not applicable

Trail Itinerary-Reference Points: (Counterclockwise)

Rabastens: Cave, Ave de l’Hermitage, Chemin de l’Hermitage, R. des Ormes, R. des Clarisses, cross Rte de Saurs right to Chemin de la Tremege (Alternatively id’d: Ave de la Croix Blanche), path (La Dressiere) behind school back onto Chemin de la Tremege ; left onto path (250 m before the “t” insection) through vines, onto Las Bordes, stay right at y (350m past plant); sharp turn south/left, Fourtet: almost to Rte 2/Rte de Salvagnac, but just before it, turn left onto narrow Tremege Basse/Cote de la Tremege (by dumpsters); at school, retrace steps to Cave.

Representative Trail Photos:

Sample Section of Trail
Representative Trail Surface

Restrooms:

None observed

Attractions on or near Trail:

(See below)

Tasting along the Trail:

Vinovalle/Vignerons de Rabastens, a local cooperative

Domaine in Ventis, Les Fontaines de Cavalade, both are just off the trail and sell directly at local markets

Alternative Options:

Hiking: Vignes et Clochers, an eight kilometer long circuit trail, starting north of the center of Lisle-sur-Tarn (about five miles northeast of Rabastens), on D18/Camin de Tolze, Alternatively, Lisle-sur-Tarn also has the 11 kilometer Le Vignoble Lislois circuit trail, beginning right on the northern outskirts of the old town

Car: Circuit du Vignoble Gaillacois, Route des Vins de Gaillac, ask local travel offices for help mapping your route

Additional Information:

Regional: https://www.la-toscane-occitane.com/

Trail specific:  https://www.france-randos.com/randonnee/rabastens/tarn-81/dans-les-pas-damedee-le-vigneron

Comments:

A very easy walk in a quiet corner of rural France, albeit only 30 kilometers from Toulouse!

 

France, Hiking

Grand Grapes and Castles

 

Selestat, an important town for centuries throughout the Middle Ages, has numerous attractions for visitors, both viticultural and historical. The Velo Route du Vignoble d’Alsace (the Alsace Vineyard Bike Trail) first brought me here. (See the Nutshell). The trail’s northern half is somewhat hilly. So, by the time I got to the villages in the foothills just outside Selestat, between Dambach-la-Ville’s Grand Cru Frankstein vineyard and Kintzheim’s Grand Cru Praelatenberg vineyard, I was delighted with the flat stretch through vineyards overlooked by castle-topped mountains. I decided then to return to hike the area someday.

After years of remodeling, Selestat’s Bibliotheque Humaniste (Humanist Library) finally reopened, and I began researching local wine-themed trails. I first found the Vignoble de Selestat trail. (Online, the Circuit de Piemont and the Circuit du Vignoble refer to the same itinerary.) So, after visiting the library in the morning to see Merovingian and Carolingian manuscripts, I headed a mile away to the trailhead in Chatenois.

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France, Wines

Wine Notes: Grand Cru Praelatenberg

 

What I Learned

Alsace is a fascinating place. From a watery world filled with tributaries to the tributaries of the Rhine River, to the foothills covered with vines, to the tree-covered mountains of the Vosges, all lie within less than 18 kilometers/10 miles of each other. The valley area, sheltered from Atlantic weather to the west, and continental weather to the east, has optimal conditions for growing cool weather grapes.

Selestat was at one time one of the most important towns in Alsace. So, not surprisingly, monks founded the Abbey of Ebermunster on the Ill, less than 10 kilometers/6 miles downriver. But both places are in the water-rich plains of Alsace, where grapes will not grow. The monks therefore acquired lands for vineyards in the hills behind Selestat, and one of these plots became known as the Praelatenberg, or Prelate’s Hill.

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France, Hiking, Nutshell

Circuit du Vignoble: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name:  Circuit du Vignoble (Bike), Circuit de Piémont (Hike)

Trail Type: Mid-distance circuit trail; well-maintained, with almost exclusively paved or hard-packed surfaces throughout, marking on the trail not always easily discerned

Length: 10.1 kilometers/6 miles

Convenient to: Selestat, Alsace, France

Marking:

Green circle outline on a white background (hike); Yellow (or orange) triangle (pointing to direction of travel) with two yellow (or orange) wheels, indicates a bike-able trail itinerary, though not clear whether this one or not. Note too, this sign indicates villages and distances to them. With so many trails (and signs) in this area, the issue is finding consistent marking to follow for a specific trail.

Signage Options

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France, Hiking

Lavender and Purple Grapes

 

Provence produces purples in abundance. From the different varietals of red (actually dark purple colored) grapes grown in the region, to the fields of lavender. Color abounds, and not just in the fields!  The vibrant blues and yellows of tableware and dining linens, the luscious deep reds of the wines, the green of the olive oils are all visible in markets throughout the region.

Provencal Table Linens

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France, Wines

Wine Notes: Grignan Les Adhemar

 

What I Learned

There are many wine appellations along or near the Rhone River, as it drains much of central and south -eastern France.

The title appellation, Grignan les Adhemar, was formerly known as Coteaux du Tricastin. But negative associations arising from the nearby Tricastin Nuclear Power Plant disaster in July 2008, resulted in the local vintners applying for an appellation name change. Thus, by late 2010, the appellation forming a triangle from Grignan in the east, and Saint Paul Trois Chateaux and Montelimar in the west became known as Grignan les Adhemar.

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Biking, France, Hiking, Nutshell

Vignes et Cabanes: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name:  Des Vignes et Cabanes

Trail Type: Short-distance circuit (for hiking and biking); well-maintained and almost exclusively paved or hard-packed surfaces; marking on the trail fairly good. See comments below.

Length: 8.95 kilometers/5.5 miles

Convenient to: Montelimar, France

Marking: Either VTT 1, or just 1

Signage for the Bike and Hike Trail

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France, Hiking

Three by Three

 

In the southern Champagne region, there is a village, composed of three hamlets: Ricey-Bas, Ricey Haut, and Ricey Haute Rive, collectively known as Les Riceys. There are three trails hikers may choose from that meander in and around the village. These three hamlets, and three trails, provide visitors an opportunity to experience rural, agricultural France, in one of the largest (most extensive) vineyard sites in Champagne.

From the starting point in a parking lot, I was struck by the almost 360-degree view of the rather rocky hills of this area. In fact, piles of rock appeared everywhere along the trail, and they were not of just the cadoles. This trail focuses on the vineyard areas and the cadoles, centuries-old, round, dry stone wall huts found nearby. These were formerly used by vintners for storage and as respite from the weather.

Expanse of Les Riceys Vineyards

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France, Wines

Wine Notes: Les Riceys Champagne

 

What I Learned:

Champagne can only come from Champagne, the wine region, about 90 miles from Paris. In spite of its proximity to “gay Paris,” champagne did not enjoy great fame until fairly recently. Although grapes were cultivated in the region as early as Roman times, the often cold, foggy climate worked to ensure that grape ripening was not consistent from year to year. Hence the wine was not always good, or available.

At the turn of the 20th century, what constituted the champagne producing area of Champagne was a contentious question. And in 1911, it provoked massive riots. At issue was the right of the wine-makers of the southern Champagne region, in the department of Aube, to use the champagne appellation for the sparkling wines made from their grapes. It wasn’t until 1927, that this district, known as the Cote des Bars, finally gained Champagne appellation status.

Continue reading Wine Notes: Les Riceys Champagne →