Domain Les Maoù- Gordes, Departement of the Vaucluse – Luberon2017/9/19
Domain Les Maoù- Gordes, Departement of the Vaucluse – Luberon
Aurélie and Vincent Garreta
Installed in 2014, they started with 3,5 ha vineyards rented according to the contract of “tenant farmed land” in Gordes, between Luberon and Ventoux. Including old carignans, cinsauts and aubuns, these vines have been grown in organic methods for more than 20 years and are all grassed.
In the cellar the grapes macerate in whole clusters (carbonic maceration or stripped harvest or a combination of both) and the winemakers seek to obtain light and fresh wines that seem to correspond to this corner of vines, relatively cold.
They aim to obtain original and digestible wines and only the yeasts naturally present on grapes lead to fermentation.
Avoiding the use of violent and denaturing processes for wine. In these first two vintages, they only added a maximum of 1.5 g / hl of sulfites one month before bottling.
In 2016 they also started to rent 2ha of old grenache and caladocs on beautiful terraces facing Mont Ventoux.
As a former trained chemist Vincent is passionate about experiencing. He loves surprising wines, as he describes “je n’aime pas m’ennuyer, j’aime les vins fous” (I don’t like to get bored, i love wines with that little twist). Though the research of balance is not far and the wines produced by Aurélie and Vincent are already widely recognized.
Gordes Village-
Standing on the edge of the plateau of Vaucluse, Gordes (Population : 2.500 h.) is listed as one of the most beautiful village of France.
Its houses of white and gray stone rise up in a spiral around the rock where the village is set. At the very top is the church and the castle which face out onto the hills of the Luberon.
To not around Gordes: the fabulous Abbey of Senanque hidden in the green valley. Cistercian monks still live there producing honey, lavender essence, and liqueurs. The whole twelfth century ediface is open for visits.
38 km. east of Avignon. Take route N100 towards Apt then D2 northeas
Visit to Le Clos Du Caillou- In the cellar 3 new terracota jarres with 2016 vintage-2017/9/15
Visit to Le Clos Du Caillou- In the cellar 3 new terracota jarres with 2016 vintage-
We see more and more terracotta jars in cellars. Winegrowers who use them for ageing wines wish to preserve the purity of the wine and fruit.
The ageing of wine in terracotta jars is a new trend that has been developing among winegrowers over the past ten years, probably in reaction to the excesses of wooded wines. In the Lot, Stéphane and Véronique Azémar, from the Domaine Clos d’un Jour (Cahors, South-West), were the pioneers in 2004. They have now many followers.
The idea? Reproduce the gentle oxygenation generated by barrel ageing, but without the aromatization of wood (vanilla, cocoa …) thanks to the porosity of the terracotta. The jars have a capacity of 140 to 400 liters. The raw, liquid-tight, air-permeable soil remains neutral and adds no aroma to the wine.
SLOW AND REGULAR AERATION OF WINE
At the heart of the jar, an alchemy unfolds between wine, terracotta and oxygen. This type of ageing allows a slow and regular aeration of the wine through the pores of the jar. It enhances the expression of aromas, contributes to the stabilization of the color, the softening of the tannins for the red wines, and eliminates the stench coming from reducing process often induced by the ageing in vats. It allows the winemaker to remain “closest to the wine” by highlighting its terroir and its grape varieties, without added tastes. A quest for purity of wine expression that promises beautiful tastings.
WINEMAKING IN JARRES: The opinion of Stéphane Azémar, owner winegrower at the Clos d’un Jour, in Duravel (46):
“It is difficult to determine from the taste of a wine if it has been aged in terracotta jars or not, but this type of ageing has a beneficial effect on the wine by the gentle oxidation it generates and the absence of aromatization by the wood. The terracotta jars retain the aromas of the grape varieties and the characteristics of the terroir without masking them.Compared with the same vintage aged in vats, a wine aged a few months in jars offers. The wine is rounded, with more volume, and the tannins present a high quality with a high level of flavor. There is often an impression that the wine evolves slightly faster under the effect of oxygen and one can then believe that it is a little older than its age of one or two vintages . ”
(from the Revue du Vin de France december 2016)
http://www.larvf.com/,vins-elevage-vin-jarres-vieillissemen…
Cellar and wine bar Les Buvards, Marseille.2017/9/14
Cellar and wine bar Les Buvards, Marseille.
This wine cellar and wine bar offers a slendid wine list of natural, organic and biodinamic wines in a calm street two steps away from the Old Port.
The atmosphere is warm with many references to natural wine precept and philosophy.
Fred, the young owner was a professional sommelier before to open this charming adress and is also at the kitchen commands
The service is always friendly and offers precise and good advice either you are looking for a bottle to take away or a glass to enjoy with a plate of cheese or charcuterie.
The beautiful cellar has more than 300 references (with natural wines, organic or worked biodynamic) and even champagne at 26 €.
The menu, writen on a black board is simple and emphasis on the products.
The choice goes widely from generous plate of delicatessen, cut finely and divinely perfumed, beef tataki, marinated haddock, lamb with tapenade, fried sardines, yellow zucchini carpaccio with bruccia or its superb andouillette!
With very reasonable prices it makes this charming and quality cellar and table a place to discover!
To note the excellent Côteaux de Tupin from Jean-Michel Stephan winemaker in Côte-Rôtie (non filtered and without SO2 added).
https://www.facebook.com/les.buvards/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf
34 Grand Rue, 13002 Marseille
Open everyday from 4pm to 1am, closed on Sunday.
Les Baux-de-Provence- Carrières de Lumière(The Quarries)2017/9/1
Les Baux-de-Provence- Carrières de Lumière(The Quarries)
Set in the heart of the Alpilles regional country park, Les Baux-de-Provence is a listed heritage site that has won titles such as “one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France” or “Station classée”. In fact, the village is unique because it is just that bit more famous than others, and just a bit more magical. And the essence that gives Provencal villages their very special atmosphere and fragrance is here too – small squares, well-shaded terraces, narrow streets and small shops.
Located in the heart of the regional Alpilles park, the quarries of the Val d’Enfer were exploited for industrial purposes until 1935. The quarries had been renowned for their easy extraction and the white colour of their limestone since the second century BC. They were used to construct Glanum near Saint Remy de Provence, the medieval village of Baux de Provence, and the castle of Baux.
The mineral wealth of the Alpilles was confirmed in 1821, when a red mineral used for the extraction of aluminium was discovered. It was named bauxite, refering to the nearby village of Baux de Provence. While the quarries of the Val d’Enfer are today a national heritage site, they still carry the signs of their industrial past. The walls are marked by the intensive extraction methods used to mine the stone, such as the “crocodile saw”, giving them an novel image, full of mystery and majesty.
The unique atmosphere and cool temperature of the site have always inspired artists to get creative. For them, the quarries served both as a muse and a setting, an inspiration and a stage for their creations. Dante found the ideal setting for his “Divine Comedy” here, Gounod wrote his opera “Mireille”, and Cocteau came to film “The testament of Orpheus”. Due to their exceptional artistic heritage, the quarries of the Val d’Enfer eventually shed their industrial past. Thanks to the visionary genius of Cocteau and the research done by stage designer Joseph Svoboda, the quarries became host to an ambitious cultural project in 1977. Their immense walls were transformed to serve as projection screens for photographic images. For over thirty years now, the quarries of the Val d’Enfer have been host to new projections every year.
The Fantastic and Wonderful world of Bosch, Brueghel, Arcimboldo, From 4th March to 7th January 2018.
From Hieronymus Bosch’s most emblematic triptychs to the remarkable compositions of flowers, vegetables, and fruits by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, and the religious themes and village festivals painted by the Bruegel dynasty, the Carrières de Lumières is highlighting the fascinating worlds of these great masters. These artists endeavoured to represent the ferment of life and human activities, in all the duality pf a world that alternates between God and Evil.
The show offers a journey through pictorial hstory from the Renaissance to the Baroque, a journey that looks at a variety of genres, from genre scenes and still lifes to the fantastic.
The dreamlike imagination of Bosch and the creativity of Arcimboldo’s fantastic faces are complemented by the joyful triviality of the Flemish Brugel dynasty, placing their many characters firmly in the real world. The spectators are intermittently immersed in the various worlds that disturb, amaze, and surprise them. Based on the metaphor of the triptych, the panels gradually open to reveal the keys to understanding the works of Flemish and Italian masters.
Where to eat in Les Baux-de-Provence:
-L’Oustau de Baumanière
Relais & Châteaux*****
2 Michelin stars
-Baumanière la Cabro d’Or
Jean-André et Geneviève CHARIAL
Mas Baumanie
13520 Les Baux-de-Provence
Tel +33 (0)4 90 54 33 07
www.baumaniere.com
Cellar “La part des anges”- Marseille2017/7/17
Cellar “La part des anges”- Marseille
This fabulous all-rounder wine bar is named after the alcohol that evaporates through a barrel during wine or whisky fermentation: the angels’ share.
In the middle of Marseille city center, just few steps from the Old Port, you can take your pick of dozens of wines by the glass.
If you enjoy wine, the “Part des Anges” is indeed the place to head to in Marseille! The “Part des Anges” is a renowned wine bar and art gallery opened since 1999, born of the passion of three friends for wine. Their philosophy is simple: “there are no great or little wines, but men working and respecting their terroirs, vinifying in the rules of art or with originality.”
They consider themselves to be the last link of the chain and want nothing more than share their passion for the wines they love.
You’ll be offered to choose between 250 types wine appellations for a bottle and 70 types of wines by the glass. The bar also serves delicious cheese, or delicatessen plates, andouillette, and tapas. You will enjoy its warm atmosphere.
33 Rue Sainte
13001 Marseille
France
Open daily 9am-2am non stop. Closed Sun from 1pm-6pm.
