Showing posts with label Southwest France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Southwest France. Show all posts

Friday, March 05, 2021

FRANCE: The Tastes of Gascony

 

Experience the Tastes of Gascony
Aboard French Hotel Barge Rosa

Gascony has some of the most delicious gastronomic traditions in France. Let the French Hotel Barge Rosa introduce you to the region’s food and wine in the most wonderful way.

Rosa cruises the areas of Gascony and Bordeaux


How better to spend a relaxed, romantic holiday than sampling some of the country’s delectable delights aboard a barge cruise? Here are a few of the specialties you should definitely try…


Confit de Canard

An iconic delicacy, confit de canard is a rich dish made from salt-cured duck legs cooked in their own fat. Traditionally, it was designed as a filling and sustainable dish for the winter months (it can be preserved up to six months once cured and cooked) and is often served with baked new potatoes and green vegetables, or used in a cassoulet.

Foie Gras

While it might be the subject of some debate, there’s no doubt this is one of the most sought after gastronomic pleasures of the area. The rich, silky smooth duck liver pâté can be enjoyed on its own or incorporated in mousses, terrines, and soups. It’s quite often served up simply sliced and quickly seared in a pan.

Cassoulet

Readily available on most menus around Gascony, cassoulet is a thick, heavy stew made from beans, sausages, and the classic confit de canard. It’s hearty, flavorful and usually served up with huge chunks of crusty fresh bread.

Cheese

Gascony’s most famous cheese is the blue-marbled sheep’s milk cheese, Roquefort, which is still produced in the limestone caves of Combalou. Aged for a minimum of three months, the nutty, buttery flavor of Roquefort goes wonderfully with fruit (figs and prunes particularly) and wine.

Wines and Other Tipples

The wines of Gascony have a reputation as being among the best in the country, and any wine aficionado will have plenty to make them happy here.

The dry, fruity wines of the Côtes de Gascogne are outstanding, and you’ll also be able to sample some lovely Sauvignon Blancs. For lovers of red, the local barrel-aged Madiran is known for its deep brown color and lingering flavor.

As well as the classic reds and whites of the region, there are two other tipples you should not miss the opportunity to try, Armagnac made from fortified wine, and Floc, a sweet aperitif that is somewhat of an acquired taste.
Authentic Armagnac

This alcoholic beverage is a signature speciality of Gascony. It is the oldest brandy distilled in France. In the past, it was consumed for its therapeutic benefits. While it does share some similarities with its counterpart cognac, Armagnac is different from because of the way it is produced. 95% of the drink is distilled only once, using a specific form of continuous still – the Armagnac alembic. It is then aged in 400-liter oak barrels and stored in cellars. It can even be matured for up to 50 years before being packaged in glass bottles.

Armagnac can be divided into two main categories: vintage and non-vintage. Vintage Armagnacs are distilled from grapes grown in a single year, with the date displayed on the bottle. Non-vintage Armagnacs can either be labelled by age, where the number of years quoted relates to the youngest component of the blend or by category: VS (minimum two years in wood), VSOP (at least four years), XO (more than six years) or Hors d’Age (10 years plus).

Armagnac is usually produced by smaller family businesses rather than large global conglomerates which makes it a true delicacy that is ideally savoured in its place of origin.
Wine from Château Bellevue la Forêt

Included in Rosa's standard itinerary is a visit to the famous vineyard Château Bellevue la Forêt. For wine lovers, this gorgeous estate is akin to a sprawling paradise of vine and vino. Spread out over 270 acres, it’s the largest single privately-owned wine estate in the southwest of France and the wines produced here have won several accolades and awards worldwide.

Château Bellevue la Forêt is produced from the following fine varieties :
  • 57 hectares of NEGRETTE (a variety specific to the Fronton Appellation and rarely encountered elsewhere)
  • 6 hectares of CABERNET FRANC
  • 16 hectares of SYRAH
  • 12.5 hectares of CABERNET SAUVIGNON
  • 7 hectares of GAMAY
  • 2.3 hectares of white grapes (Viognier, Roussanne, Petit Manseng).
This wine tasting is a wonderfully informative way to get to know a little bit more about the wine making process in an impossibly romantic surrounding!

Visit Gascony With Hotel Barge Rosa

Ready to head to Gascony to experience the fabulous food, wine, and landscape of this beautiful region? Have Paradise Connections arrange your luxury hotel barge cruise and the food, wine, and excursions are taken care of. You’ll be able to sit back, relax and enjoy one of the most memorable holidays of your life while Barge Rosa transports you to wonderful places of interest.

Each evening there's a three or four-course culinary journey that showcases the best of the regional specialties. After your meal, you are more than welcome to a digestif and a dip in the hot tub beneath the stars…


About The French Hotel Barge Rosa


Rosa's charming accommodation for eight guests features two double and two twin-bedded staterooms, each with private ensuite bathrooms, and a saloon that gives direct access onto the spacious sundeck. A cruise on Hotel Barge Rosa is the ideal way to explore this beautiful, pastoral region of Southwest France.

Rosa's Gascony route from Agen (Boé) to Montauban on the Canal des Deux Mers, a delightful waterway that links the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, features the best that the region has to offer: Armagnac, foie gras, and wine tastings, delightful French countryside, and fascinating excursions.







Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book ROSA
View Rosa's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 



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Sunday, February 09, 2020

French Hotel Barge Rosa - Tastes of Gascony

Experience the Tastes of Gascony
Aboard French Hotel Barge Rosa

Gascony has some of the most delicious gastronomic traditions in France. Let the French Hotel Barge Rosa introduce you to the region’s food and wine in the most wonderful way.

Rosa cruises the areas of Gascony and Bordeaux


How better to spend a relaxed, romantic holiday than sampling some of the country’s delectable delights aboard a barge cruise? Here are a few of the specialties you should definitely try…


Confit de Canard

An iconic delicacy, confit de canard is a rich dish made from salt-cured duck legs cooked in their own fat. Traditionally, it was designed as a filling and sustainable dish for the winter months (it can be preserved up to six months once cured and cooked) and is often served with baked new potatoes and green vegetables, or used in a cassoulet.

Foie Gras

While it might be the subject of some debate, there’s no doubt this is one of the most sought after gastronomic pleasures of the area. The rich, silky smooth duck liver pâté can be enjoyed on its own or incorporated in mousses, terrines, and soups. It’s quite often served up simply sliced and quickly seared in a pan.

Cassoulet

Readily available on most menus around Gascony, cassoulet is a thick, heavy stew made from beans, sausages, and the classic confit de canard. It’s hearty, flavorful and usually served up with huge chunks of crusty fresh bread.

Cheese

Gascony’s most famous cheese is the blue-marbled sheep’s milk cheese, Roquefort, which is still produced in the limestone caves of Combalou. Aged for a minimum of three months, the nutty, buttery flavor of Roquefort goes wonderfully with fruit (figs and prunes particularly) and wine.

Wines and Other Tipples

The wines of Gascony have a reputation as being among the best in the country, and any wine aficionado will have plenty to make them happy here.

The dry, fruity wines of the Côtes de Gascogne are outstanding, and you’ll also be able to sample some lovely Sauvignon Blancs. For lovers of red, the local barrel-aged Madiran is known for its deep brown color and lingering flavor.

As well as the classic reds and whites of the region, there are two other tipples you should not miss the opportunity to try, Armagnac made from fortified wine, and Floc, a sweet aperitif that is somewhat of an acquired taste.
Authentic Armagnac

This alcoholic beverage is a signature speciality of Gascony. It is the oldest brandy distilled in France. In the past, it was consumed for its therapeutic benefits. While it does share some similarities with its counterpart cognac, Armagnac is different from because of the way it is produced. 95% of the drink is distilled only once, using a specific form of continuous still – the Armagnac alembic. It is then aged in 400-liter oak barrels and stored in cellars. It can even be matured for up to 50 years before being packaged in glass bottles.

Armagnac can be divided into two main categories: vintage and non-vintage. Vintage Armagnacs are distilled from grapes grown in a single year, with the date displayed on the bottle. Non-vintage Armagnacs can either be labelled by age, where the number of years quoted relates to the youngest component of the blend or by category: VS (minimum two years in wood), VSOP (at least four years), XO (more than six years) or Hors d’Age (10 years plus).

Armagnac is usually produced by smaller family businesses rather than large global conglomerates which makes it a true delicacy that is ideally savoured in its place of origin.
Wine from Château Bellevue la Forêt

Included in Rosa's standard itinerary is a visit to the famous vineyard Château Bellevue la Forêt. For wine lovers, this gorgeous estate is akin to a sprawling paradise of vine and vino. Spread out over 270 acres, it’s the largest single privately-owned wine estate in the southwest of France and the wines produced here have won several accolades and awards worldwide.

Château Bellevue la Forêt is produced from the following fine varieties :
  • 57 hectares of NEGRETTE (a variety specific to the Fronton Appellation and rarely encountered elsewhere)
  • 6 hectares of CABERNET FRANC
  • 16 hectares of SYRAH
  • 12.5 hectares of CABERNET SAUVIGNON
  • 7 hectares of GAMAY
  • 2.3 hectares of white grapes (Viognier, Roussanne, Petit Manseng).
This wine tasting is a wonderfully informative way to get to know a little bit more about the wine making process in an impossibly romantic surrounding!


Visit Gascony With Hotel Barge Rosa

Ready to head to Gascony to experience the fabulous food, wine, and landscape of this beautiful region? Have Paradise Connections arrange your luxury hotel barge cruise and the food, wine, and excursions are taken care of. You’ll be able to sit back, relax and enjoy one of the most memorable holidays of your life while Barge Rosa transports you to wonderful places of interest.

Each evening there's a three or four-course culinary journey that showcases the best of the regional specialties. After your meal, you are more than welcome to a digestif and a dip in the hot tub beneath the stars…


About The French Hotel Barge Rosa


Rosa's charming accommodation for eight guests features two double and two twin-bedded staterooms, each with private ensuite bathrooms, and a saloon that gives direct access onto the spacious sundeck. A cruise on Hotel Barge Rosa is the ideal way to explore this beautiful, pastoral region of Southwest France.

Rosa's Gascony route from Agen (Boé) to Montauban on the Canal des Deux Mers, a delightful waterway that links the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, features the best that the region has to offer: Armagnac, foie gras, and wine tastings, delightful French countryside, and fascinating excursions.







Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book ROSA
View Rosa's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 



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Friday, May 03, 2019

Hotel Barge Rosa - Tastes of Gascony

Tastes of Gascony

What better way to spend a relaxed, romantic holiday than sampling some of the country’s delectable delights aboard a barge cruise? Here are a few of the specialities you should definitely try…

Authentic Armagnac

This alcoholic beverage is a signature speciality of Gascony. While it does share some similarities with its counterpart cognac, Armagnac is different from because of the way it is produced. 95% of the drink is distilled only once, using a specific form of continuous still – the Armagnac alembic. It is then aged in 400-liter oak barrels and stored in cellars. It can even be matured for up to 50 years before being packaged in glass bottles.


Armagnac can be divided into two main categories: vintage and non-vintage. Vintage Armagnacs are distilled from grapes grown in a single year, with the date displayed on the bottle. Non-vintage Armagnacs can either be labelled by age, where the number of years quoted relates to the youngest component of the blend or by category: VS (minimum two years in wood), VSOP (at least four years), XO (more than six years) or Hors d’Age (10 years plus).

Armagnac is the oldest brandy distilled in France. In the past, it was consumed for its therapeutic benefits. A cardinal in the 14th century, Prior Vital Du Four, wrote that it had 40 virtues:
It makes disappear redness and burning of the eyes, and stops them from tearing; it cures hepatitis, sober consumption adhering. It cures gout, cankers, and fistula by ingestion; restores the paralysed member by massage; and heals wounds of the skin by application. It enlivens the spirit, partaken in moderation, recalls the past to memory, renders men joyous, preserves youth and retards senility. And when retained in the mouth, it loosens the tongue and emboldens the wit, if someone timid from time to time himself permits.
 Armagnac is usually produced by smaller family businesses rather than large global conglomerates which makes it a true delicacy that is ideally savoured in its place of origin. Learn more about Armagnac on a barge cruise aboard the French Hotel Barge Rosa.

Wine from Château Bellevue la Forêt

Included in Rosa's standard itinerary is a visit to the famous vineyard Château Bellevue la Forêt. For wine lovers, this gorgeous estate is akin to a sprawling paradise of vine and vino. Spread out over 270 acres, it’s the largest single privately-owned wine estate in the southwest of France and the wines produced here have won several accolades and awards worldwide.


Château Bellevue la Forêt is produced from the following fine varieties :
  • 57 hectares of NEGRETTE (a variety specific to the Fronton Appellation and rarely encountered elsewhere)
  • 6 hectares of CABERNET FRANC
  • 16 hectares of SYRAH
  • 12.5 hectares of CABERNET SAUVIGNON
  • 7 hectares of GAMAY
  • 2.3 hectares of white grapes (Viognier, Roussanne, Petit Manseng).
This wine tasting is a wonderfully informative way to get to know a little bit more about the wine making process in an impossibly romantic surrounding!

Why Visit Gascony By Hotel Barge?

Ask Paradise Connections to arrange your luxury hotel barge cruise and the food, wine and excursions are taken care of. Just sit back on deck and relax with a drink in hand while Barge Rosa transports you to wonderful places of interest, such as the delightful 14th century Chateau de Duras, located in the heart of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region of South West France or the historical Château de Goudourville which has been transformed from an old medieval fortress into a welcoming château. Each evening is a three or four course culinary journey that showcases the best of the regional specialities. After your meal you are more than welcome to a digestif and a dip in the hot tub beneath the stars…


About The French Hotel Barge Rosa


Rosa's charming accommodation for eight guests features two double and two twin-bedded staterooms, all with private ensuite bathrooms, and a saloon that gives direct access onto the spacious sundeck. A cruise on Hotel Barge Rosa is the ideal way to explore this beautiful, pastoral region of Southwest France.

Rosa's Gascony route from Agen to Montauban on the Canal des Deux Mers, a delightful waterway that links the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, features the best that the region has to offer: Armagnac, foie gras, and wine tastings, delightful French countryside, and fascinating excursions. 
Gascony Route Between Agen and Montauban:
 Bordeaux-Gascony Route Between Castets-en-Dorthe and Boé: 
Click to view Rosa's online brochure

Current Availability

Rosa still has good availability for cabin cruises on both routes BUT there are only two weeks left for private charters:
  • October 13-19, 2019
  • October 20-26, 2019




Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book ROSA
View Rosa's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 



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Sunday, October 18, 2015

Rocamadour Goat Cheese - French Hotel Barge Rosa

Today we have a guest post from Mike Crowson, chef on the French Hotel Barge Rosa, about cheese.

Enjoy an alfresco lunch aboard French Hotel Barge Rosa in southwest France


A light cheese course for the lunch menu, Rocamadour goat cheese baked in the oven on a crouton of baguette paysanne, a drizzle of local honey & served with a little herb salad & black cherry compote.

Rocamadour, black cherry compote, herb salad

Rocamadour goat cheese belongs to a family of goat cheeses called Cabecou from Quercy, the name is derived from the village of Rocamadour in the department of the Lot, the cheese was granted an AOC in 1996 & now has to be made under the conditions of the AOC, generally the cheese is 12- 15 days old & best served warm on a toasted crouton or in warm goat cheese salad, which you see on almost every restaurant menu in the region as either a main starter or main course.

Cabecou which is a generic name for all of these cheeses does not carry an AOC only Rocamadour.

Thanks, Mike!


Rosa's charming accommodation for eight guests features two double and two twin-bedded staterooms, all with private ensuite bathrooms, and a saloon that gives direct access onto the spacious sundeck. A cruise on Hotel Barge Rosa is the ideal way to explore this beautiful, pastoral region of Southwest France.


Rosa has two routes for cruising the Gascony/Bordeaux area:
  1. Between Agen and Montauban (view itinerary): from April 17 through July 30, 2016
  2. Between Castet-en-Dorthe and Boé  (view itinerary): from July31 through October 29, 2016
See if Rosa has any special offers/discounts available:  CLICK HERE


Enjoy yourself with a cruise aboard Rosa!



Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book ROSA 
View Rosa's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 
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Monday, February 10, 2014

French Hotel Barge Rosa: Bordeaux Cruises, New Itinerary for 2014

New for 2014... The French Hotel Barge Rosa has an alternate itinerary for late summer/autumn which features more of the renowned Bordeaux wine region on the Canal de Garonne between Castets-en-Dorthe and Boe.

The new itinerary includes a visit to Saint Emilion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and tastings of premier cru and grand cru wines. This route is offered from August 17th through the end of October 2014.

Click map to enlarge

CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS: BORDEAUX
  • Tour of the famous Saint Emilion
  • Visit the impressive Château de Duras
  • Visit to the Bastide village of Vianne and ancient Barbaste
  • Wine, cheese and Armagnac tastings
  • Visits to the village of Le Mas d’Agenais and the colourful market of Marmande

 


2014 DATES & RATES for NEW itinerary between Castets-en-Dorthe and Boe:
VALUE SEASON: August 17-23 and Oct 12-Nov 1, 2014
  • Cabin cruise week: $8100/cabin ($4050/person, double occupancy)
  • Private charter:
    • 6 guests: $28,000
    • 7 guests: $29,000
    • 8 guests: $30,000
    • Special: August 17 departure = $27,000 for up to 8 guests
REGULAR SEASON: August 24-Oct 11, 2014
  • Cabin cruise week: $9180/cabin ($4590/person, double occupancy)
  • Special: August 24th departure = $8180/cabin
  • Private charter:
    • 6 guests: $32,000
    • 7 guests: $33,250
    • 8 guests: $34,500
Rosa still has good availability for their standard Agen to Montauban itinerary, too. Inquire for dates.

SPECIAL OFFERS (current as of February 10, 2014, subject to change. Inquire.)
Private Charters:
  • April 20 & 27 departures: $6000 off 8-pax rate
  • July & August departures: $3000 off 8-pax rate
Cabin Cruises:
  • May 4; July 6, 13, 20: and August 24 departures: $1000 off cabin


Rosa's charming accommodation for eight guests features two double and two twin-bedded staterooms, all with private ensuite bathrooms, and a redesigned saloon that gives direct access onto the spacious sundeck. A cruise on Rosa is the ideal way to explore this beautiful, pastoral region of Southwest France.

The Garonne Canal, also known as the Canal des Deux Mers, links the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, passing through the region of l'Occitanie -- a veritable palette of colours and scents created by orchards and vineyards before joining the Canal du Midi. Visit historic fortified bastides, learn about the region's artists and rural culture, and cruise by picturesque old villages and quaint farms. Of course, as this cruise is near Bordeaux wine country, there will be plenty of opportunity to sample a part of France where good food and wine is a way of life.


Enjoy yourself this summer with a cruise aboard Rosa!


Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book ROSA 
View Rosa's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 
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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Barge Saint-Louis: Wines of Southwest France, Part 3

Today we have a guest post from Alasdair of the French Hotel Barge SAINT LOUIS, who offers both private charters and cabin cruises in the Aquitaine & Gascony region of southwest France.


Wines of Southwest France – Part 3
By Alasdair Wyllie, Owner-Operator of Barge Saint Louis

Alasdair and Barbara
In Part 1 and Part 2, we looked at the history of wine in this unique part of France, with some wine areas dating back to Roman times.  We also looked at some of the wonderful red wines for which this area is so well known, and which were known as “claret” when they were exported to the appreciative buyers in Scotland, England, Holland, etc.

This part of France is not known for its white wines.  That is not to say that quality white wine is not produced in this area – just that in general the production of white wine is a relatively new addition to the area.  The region of Cahors, so well known for its production of deep red wines from the Malbec grape, also produces some stunning whites, for example the Cuvée Cedre Blanc from Chateau du Cedre, which is 100% Viognier.  Many of the white wines that we carry on our luxury hotel barge, the Saint Louis, are in fact produced from just one variety of grape, such as the Chardonnay from Chateau Saint Louis in Fronton, and the Prestige Blanc Sec from Montels and the Tarani from Fronton, both of which are 100% Sauvignon.  However, the practice of producing wine from a blend of grape varieties is still commonplace in southwest France, for example, as is the case with the Jurancon Sec from Domaine Nigri (Gros Mansang, Camaralet and Lauzet) and the popular UBI (Colombard and Ugni Blanc).

I feel that one of the biggest recent revolutions in wine making in France is to be found with some of the excellent rosé wines that are now produced in southwest France.  Around the world, people tend to think of rosés as being not entirely mainstream, and the majority of guests we have on the barge admit that it is twenty or thirty years since they tasted a rosé.  We carry a number of rosés on the boat, and they are witnesses to the fact that many of the wine producers in this area are dynamic and extremely quality-focussed.  Increasingly, panels of expert judges agree with this view.  For example, we carry Inés from Fronton, which twice won gold at the International Congrés at Cannes, and Naudin from San Sardos which won gold at Paris in 2012.  My own favourite however is Foret Royale from Chateau Bellevue la Foret in Fronton, which won Gold at the SW Concours in Toulouse in 2010.

Chateau Bellevue la Foret

There are two alcoholic drinks produced in southwest France which are not wines, but they are produced by the onward processing of wine.  The first is Armagnac.  This is a sort of brandy, but is a very different product from its highly commercial cousin called Cognac.  Armagnac is artisan produced by over 180 small-scale producers in the area around Nérac.  In spite of the producers teaming up into various marketing bodies, they are unable to exercise strong impact on the overseas trade – they are just too diverse and too small scale.  For this reason, only a small proportion of Armagnac is exported.

Whereas Armagnac is little-known around the world, Floc de Gascogne is almost unheard of.  Floc is also produced from the grape, indeed it is produced from Armagnac and unfermented grape juice.  Virtually all producers of Armagnac also produce Floc de Gascogne;  virtually none of it is exported, and in fact most of it is consumed within the area in which it is produced.  I see Floc as being one of the pearls of this region, one of the discoveries to be made by coming into the area and travelling slowly, rooting out the local customs and products.

We could not leave the subject of wine production in southwest France without some discussion on sparkling wine, known as Champagne throughout the world.  The region of Champagne has taken steps to ensure that only sparkling wine from producers based within its borders can be called “Champagne”.

The story of the origin of sparkling wine is a story that is full of mystique and intrigue.  One claim is that a Benedictine monk living in the Champagne region of France, Dom Pierre Périgon, was responsible for the discovery and development of sparkling wine around the year 1682.  That may not be entirely accurate.  For a long time Gaillac had a tradition of producing sparkling wine, and it is believed that the methods of production were observed by a group of monks who were on a pilgrimage through Gaillac, and who took their secrets back to their monastery – in Champagne!    It would seem that were it not for some historical steps that occurred entirely by chance, weddings around the world would today be celebrated by opening a bottle of Gaillac from southwest France, rather than a bottle of Champagne!  In any case, the Dom Pierre Périgon story is discredited by a paper published twenty years earlier in 1662 by Englishman Christopher Merret, from Winchcombe in Gloucestershire.  In this paper Merret describes and explains the phenomenon of sparkling wine production, which was being carried out in England by the bottling and secondary fermentation of white wine imported from France in casks.  It is significant that in the early days of the industry the producers were reliant on bottles manufactured in England since the French bottle industry could not make bottles that were strong enough to reliably withstand the pressures involved.  The logical result of the “industrial espionage” not actually happening back in the seventeenth century, would have been that the wine of southwest France would have developed a global cachet and a fame,  instead of how it is today in which it is a part of France where wine producers are not really known about by wine buffs overseas.  Personally, I prefer it as it is – it is so exciting introducing to guests on the boat some of the hidden secrets of this area!

Thanks, Alasdair!

French Hotel Barge Saint Louis - Barging cruises charters in southwest France

The French hotel barge Saint Louis cruises the beautiful calm waterways of Southwest France, including the historic lands of Aquitaine and Gascony. She does so in "casual luxury", providing the perfect accommodation for up to six guests in three stateroom suites (configured as twins or doubles, as desired). To cruise aboard Saint Louis is to experience peace and tranquillity as one passes through the lush countryside, pretty villages and memorable towns. It also means enjoying delicious French cuisine, prepared with fresh local produce, and savouring local wines and aperitifs. Your hosts, Alasdair and Barbara, together with their friendly and expert crew, will ensure that your holiday or vacation is the ultimate in relaxed pleasure.

Perhaps you can partake in the Au Fil de l'Eau spectacle that occurs annually around the first two weeks of August. See Alasdair's previous post about this event.
 

Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book SAINT LOUIS 
View Saint Louis' online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 


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Saturday, January 12, 2013

Barge Saint-Louis: Wines of Southwest France, Part 2

Today we have a guest post from Alasdair of the French Hotel Barge SAINT LOUIS, who offers both private charters and cabin cruises in the Aquitaine & Gascony region of southwest France.


Wines of Southwest France – Part 2
By Alasdair Wyllie, Owner-Operator of Barge Saint Louis

In Part 1, we saw how South West France wine area is divided into a number of sub-regions, each with their distinctive characteristics.  We also saw how wine production in the area dates back to Roman times and that traditionally the area produced red wines, often called “claret”, that were exported through the port of Bordeaux.  And we saw how important the river system was to the commercialisation of wines, and how the producers struggled when their only access to the markets of Europe ceased to be available to them.

Our interest in the subject comes from the fact that we operate a luxury hotel barge in south west France, called the Saint Louis.  We carry nearly forty different wines, most of them award winning, all of them from the area in which we cruise.

The owner of Chateau Saint Louis - addressing guests from Hotel Barge Saint Louis!

Starting with red wines, one of our favourites from Gaillac is Cuvée du Roc, from Domaine Lamothe.  This wine is made from three grape varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Braucol) and it won silver medal in Gaillac in 2011 (gold in 2008)  Many of our guests who travel to us by car pay a visit to this winery on their way home, to stock up with what had become one of their favourites on board with us.  Indeed, it is no coincidence that one of our daughters served this wine at her wedding a few years ago!

One of our nearest producers is just outside Montauban.  A delightful Belgian couple bought Le Mas des Anges just nine years ago, and they have obtained gold and silver medals at the national Chambre Artisanale ever since.  Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat.

Due east from where we live and keep the boat is the wine sub-region of Fronton, and one of the leaders of the Fronton appellation is the owner of Chateau Saint Louis – the fact that the Chateau carries the same name as our barge is pure chance!  We carry his wine called L’Esprit, which is produced from Negrette and Cabernet Franc, and which won gold in the Independent Wine Producers concours in 2009.  Other superb producers in Fronton include Chateau Bellevue la Foret, producing the wine Optimum which won gold in Toulouse in 2011, and Chateau de Plaisance with their award-winning Tot Co Que Cal, made from Negrette and Syrah.  Like many producers, this Chateau produces organic wine, and they also maintain the highest quality by reducing their yield to 20 hl/ha.

At this point I am going to interject a couple of notes.  The first is that it will already be clear that wines carry a wide range of wonderful names.  For example Saint Louis – named after King Louis 9th, and Le Mas des Anges,  which means “the estate house of the angels”.  For French scholars, Tot Co Que Cal could be confusing or even meaningless, until you know that it means “everything that you could wish for” in the language of Occitane, which was the language of this region before the French language arrived.  Some of our neighbours still speak Occitane – but not to us!

The second note involves the grape varieties.  On a recent visit to the United States we were struck by the fact that wine is sold by grape variety, and that blending is seldom carried out.  In South West France, the opposite is the case.  It is almost invariably the case that two or more grapes are used, and this is normally insisted upon by the AOC controlling bodies.  Wine is not sold by grape, it is sold by name / producer name / sub-region, and very often the grape varieties are not even mentioned on the bottle.

To continue our journey of discovery, we come to the sub-region of Saint Sardos.  One of our favourites here is Cadis, produced from Syrah, Tannat and Cabernet Franc.  This wine has a history of winning medals in the national concours at Paris, including a silver medal in 2007.

Travelling down the valley towards Bordeaux, you come to the town and the sub-region of Buzet.  Buzet used to be part of the wine area of Bordeaux, until it declared its independence some 29 years ago.  The main producer in Buzet is the “cave  cooperative”, which handles grapes from some 1,300 hectares and about 120 producers.  Chateau Padere and Lys are two of our favourites from this cave.

No discussion of the red wines of South West France would be complete without mention of Cahors.  The city of Cahors sits astride the River Lot, and it is the Lot Valley that is the home of the Malbec grape.  This is the one exception to the “blend of two or more grapes” rule, in that 100% Malbec is to be found quite frequently.  Our favourite from Cahors is La Commandery, made from 97% Malbec and 3% Tannat.  This wine won gold medal in the 2011 World Concours of Brussels.

So much for the red wines.  In the next post, I will look at some white wines and some of the very up-and-coming rosés.  I will also provide you with some surprises in relation to sparkling wine or “Champagne”.

I would be quite confident in guessing that few if any of the wines I have mentioned are available from your local supplier (unless of course you happen to live in south west France!)  For me, this is one of the glorious things about living and operating in this area.  If you take the time and trouble to slowly explore this “hidden corner of France”, you will come across wines that are of world standard, but which are little known outside the region.  The same applies to many other aspects of this region.  It is a tourist backwater and the better for it, waiting to be discovered by the discerning voyager.

12th century statuette of the Greek god Bacchus - "god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and of ecstasy"!

Thanks, Alasdair!

French Hotel Barge Saint Louis - Barging cruises charters in southwest France

The French hotel barge Saint Louis cruises the beautiful calm waterways of Southwest France, including the historic lands of Aquitaine and Gascony. She does so in "casual luxury", providing the perfect accommodation for up to six guests in three stateroom suites (configured as twins or doubles, as desired). To cruise aboard Saint Louis is to experience peace and tranquillity as one passes through the lush countryside, pretty villages and memorable towns. It also means enjoying delicious French cuisine, prepared with fresh local produce, and savouring local wines and aperitifs. Your hosts, Alasdair and Barbara, together with their friendly and expert crew, will ensure that your holiday or vacation is the ultimate in relaxed pleasure.

Perhaps you can partake in the Au Fil de l'Eau spectacle that occurs annually around the first two weeks of August. See Alasdair's previous post about this event.
 

Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book SAINT LOUIS 
View Saint Louis' online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 


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Friday, January 11, 2013

Barge Saint-Louis: Wines of Southwest France, Part 1

Today we have a guest post from Alasdair of the French Hotel Barge SAINT LOUIS, who offers both private charters and cabin cruises in the Aquitaine & Gascony region of southwest France.


Wines of Southwest France – Part 1
By Alasdair Wyllie, Owner-Operator of Barge Saint Louis

As part of the understanding of the wines of South West France, you need first to understand where the wine area of South West France actually lies.  Perversely, the wine area does not at all have the same boundaries as the geographical area of south west France!

To start with, Bordeaux is not part of South West France, for historical and commercial reasons that I will touch on later.  The Bordeaux wine region is like a big semi-circle, surrounded on all sides except to the Atlantic west by the wine area of South West France!  The other apparent anomoly is that the land area to the east of Toulouse, heading towards the Mediterranean, is not part of the wine region of South West France.  As you head towards the Mediterranean from Toulouse  you come to the wine region of Languedoc, as distinct from South West France.  It is important to make this distinction.  I understand that the vast majority of wine retailers in the United States sell wine from Languedoc as being from South West France, and this is entirely incorrect.

Why does this matter?  You have only to drive through the two wine regions of South West France and Languedoc to see some of the differences.  Languedoc is the largest block area of grape monoculture in Europe, and you will see huge areas of vines under one single ownership.  This is industrial scale production,  and it contrasts sharply with the family farm artisan production of South West France.  While there are some grower cooperatives,  for example in Buzet and Fronton, the average vineyard in South West France has less than 10 hectares of vines.  It is for this reason that wines that are truly from  South West France are almost unknown internationally;  the individual producers are nowhere near to having the critical mass that makes the cost and complexity of export worthwhile.

We operate a luxury hotel barge called the Saint Louis, offering cruises in the Garonne Valley, broadly speaking between Toulouse and Bordeaux.  Many of our international guests have a deep and developed interest in wine, and we are able to offer them a selection of wines that for the most part they have never heard of.  Thus, it is a journey of discovery!  We carry nearly forty wines on the boat, and needless to say we specialise in wines from the area in which we cruise – South West France.   Almost all of our wines are bought direct from the producer, and the relationships that we have developed over the years are very important.

Vintner in the Fronton Chateau of Saint Louis

You can think of the wine area of South West France as being a bit like a patchwork quilt, since it is sub-divided into a number of smaller growing areas.  Hence, to the east you have Gaillac, Côtes de Montauban and Fronton.  To the north there is Cahors and Duras, along the valley there are such wine areas as Saint Sardos, Côtes de Brulhois and Buzet, while to the south there are a number of areas going up into the foothills of the Pyrenees, including Béarn and of course Jurançon.  All of these areas are represented in our cellar.

Approaching the grape harvest time in Cotes de Brulhois

It is significant to point out that, with the exception of the vineyards in the foothills of the Pyrenees,  all the individual wine areas of South West France lie in the catchment area of the River Garonne and its tributaries.  Most of the wine areas date back to the beginnings of wine in France, to Roman times, and Gaillac for example is France’s second oldest wine-growing area.  Certainly, wine was produced in these areas long before vines were grown in Bordeaux.  In the days of ox carts, water transport had a major influence on trade, and the wines of South West France, heavy in flavour and rich in tannins, were floated down the river systems to the trading port of Bordeaux.  From here they were exported throughout western Europe,  frequently under the cover names of Claret or “wine of Bordeaux”.  During the 13th and 14th century this trade was very significant, but then Bordeaux started to develop its own wine production, and subsequently introduced protectionist legislation in a series of laws known collectively as “police des vins”, within which the new Bordeaux wines were given marketing preference, ultimately to the extent that the wines from “up country” could not be exported until all the Bordeaux wines had been sold.  As Bordeaux increased its area of vines, this legislation had increasing effect on the traditional producers, even resulting at one time in no up-country wine being allowed through Bordeaux.

Before the construction of the railways and the canal (and later the roads),  access to river transport was crucial to any business.  The police des vins resulted in a downturn of production in the area now known as South West France.  There is no point in producing a commodity if you cannot get it to your market!

In more recent times, however, thanks to road transport, the wheel has of course turned.  There are many producers in South West France who have recognised the market for a high quality artisan product; they have identified that small scale can be a commercial advantage as long as it is combined with excellence of quality.  It is interesting to note that this surge of excellence comes from not only French producers, but also producers in this region who are of foreign origin, and we buy from vineyards owned by Scots, Irish, English, Belgian and Iranian wine makers, as well as some of the more dynamic French producers.  It is noteworthy that over 60% of the wines that we carry are silver or gold award-winning wines.  These awards are frequently gained in national or international competition, competing against other wine regions in France and against other wine producing countries.

We cannot produce an overview of the wines of South West France without the mention of two other beverages, both with their origin in fermented grapes.  Firstly, the area of Gascony is known for the production of Armagnac, a type of brandy which was known in the 14th century and which is therefore significantly older in origin than Cognac.  Armagnac is artisan produced, and almost all producers of Armagnac also produce Floc de Gascogne.  There will be more about these liquid pearls of the region in a later post!

As an aside, it is interesting to note that the importance of the wine industry in this area is reflected in the many specialist suppliers here who serve the wine producers, and also in the presence of a highly successful barrel maker, who exports his products all over the world, including to Australia and the United States.

Barrels being made – solid oak and very high tech

There is one fact that is quite surprising.  In spite of the population in this part of France having a fairly high-fat diet (particularly with the importance of duck and goose in the diet) the level of cardiovascular disease here is exceptionally low, even stated as being one of the lowest in the world.  Various authorities have attributed this to the highly tannic red wines, others to the health-giving properties of Armagnac.  Perhaps it is also due in part to the easy pace of life that is to be found here (combined, of course, with the occasional glass of something that is locally produced and good for the health!).

In Part 2, we will be looking at some of the wines themselves in more detail.

Thanks, Alasdair!

French Hotel Barge Saint Louis - Barging cruises charters in southwest France

The French hotel barge Saint Louis cruises the beautiful calm waterways of Southwest France, including the historic lands of Aquitaine and Gascony. She does so in "casual luxury", providing the perfect accommodation for up to six guests in three stateroom suites (configured as twins or doubles, as desired). To cruise aboard Saint Louis is to experience peace and tranquillity as one passes through the lush countryside, pretty villages and memorable towns. It also means enjoying delicious French cuisine, prepared with fresh local produce, and savouring local wines and aperitifs. Your hosts, Alasdair and Barbara, together with their friendly and expert crew, will ensure that your holiday or vacation is the ultimate in relaxed pleasure.

Perhaps you can partake in the Au Fil de l'Eau spectacle that occurs annually around the first two weeks of August. See Alasdair's previous post about this event.
 

Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book SAINT LOUIS 
View Saint Louis' online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 

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