Even if you don’t happen to be going on the cruise to Bordeaux with us this November, I hope you don’t mind hearing a bit more about it all. The fact is, I get quite a few questions about the tour while in the tasting room. Ironically, one of the questions I get directed to me as the winemaker is, “What is your responsibility on cruise?”
OK, so here’s the deal. I wouldn’t really call it a “responsibility,” but instead an “opportunity.” When we signed up to host the cruise to Bordeaux, we chose this region (rather than The Danube or Paris or…) partly because we make so many different Bordeaux varieties. But the other reason was that this is a region we wanted to learn a lot more about.
So here comes the “opportunity” as I see it. With the hosting of the cruise, we have been asked to conduct three seminars and host a wine dinner. This is one of those unique opportunities where we get to learn, teach, experience and have fun all at the time. Continue reading
As I’ve mentioned before, spring is the time of year when I, myself, question the whole organic notion in our vineyards. Our farming life has enough stresses and strains to worry about that adding in just one more thing, farming naturally, really can put me over the edge. The biggest concern this time of the year is weeds!
If you’ve been by the winery lately and talked to me about my favorite El Tinto blends, you’d know that I feel the dark chocolate spice and brooding berry fruit of the Lot 37 makes it one (if not the one) of my favorite El Tintos from the last 30 years. But to be honest, it isn’t the wonderful characters that sets the wine to the top. It is instead the overall balance of the Lot 37 that truly strikes me.
Have you ever seen a Madroña wine with a crooked label or a wrinkled foil? Chances are that you have. But understand that it’s not part of a drunken pirate employment program or using a troop of deranged baboons at the helm of our equipment. Instead, our foiling and labeling machines sometimes have a mind of their own by spitting out extra labels or chewing up foils. The machines can be a little temperamental.
BORDEAUX CITY
Bordeaux is second only to Paris in the number of buildings that have historical monument status in France. Most of the historical buildings here were constructed in the 18th century. Once black and sooty, these architectural buildings are now clean and gleaming. Resplendent arches, towers and facades are interspersed with carefully designed open spaces.
With wine, cheese naturally comes to mind. Bordeaux is home to one of France’s foremost cheese purveyors, Monsieur Jean d’Alos. His caves and shop are located at 4 Rue Montesquieu. M. d’Alos buys his raw milk farmstead cheeses, directly from the makers. He then stores and ripens them in his caves underneath the city to peak perfection before sale.
La Tupina is one of the top restaurants for authentic Southwestern France country fare, where lamb and beef roasts are cooked and turned on spits. This restaurant’s extraordinarily delicious potatoes are cooked in duck fat.