Our Grande French Adventure, Part 1

When we started VinoDuo about 17 years ago we called it a wine and travel blog. The intent was to visit and uncover lesser-known wine regions in the US. In the early years we stopped in Temecula, Livermore, and Paso Robles, CA; the then-nascent Woodinville, WA area; the North Fork of Long Island, and the urban wineries of Dogpatch [San Francisco] and Portland, OR. More recently, we traveled to Puglia, still an under-appreciated wine region in Southeastern Italy. France, however, had eluded us. Always on the “must visit” list, France seemed a bit intimidating. The wine capital of the world, with its arcane labeling and snooty reputation, kept us at arms length.

But after 2.5 years of Covid lock-down, we were ready for a long, wine-focused vacation. We landed on a week in Bordeaux and a week in Langeudoc. We visited 19 wineries, explored three fabulous cities, and immersed ourselves in two very different wine regions. We’ve already posted lists of favorite red and white wines from the trip. Now, for the experience.

First Stop: St.-Émilion
Our trip to St.-Émilion covered both the impossibly charming medieval town and its namesake wine region, one of the most celebrated in Bordeaux.

We arrived in St.-Émilion on a Sunday afternoon. At first blush, it seemed like we had landed in a wino’s fantasy Disney World, with fanny-packer tourists clogging the narrow streets lined with cafés, tasting rooms and wine shops. But as the sun set and the bus crowds left, we saw a different St.-Émilion. Relics from the 12th century. Monuments from the 16th century. Vineyards at every turn. And a charming real-life French town, not Colonial Williamsburg. Oh, yeah, there are great wine shops there too.

Best wine shop: Le Cellier de Saint Émilion
So many shops, but just one that welcomed us with open arms and bottles. Xavier led a master class in smaller-production wineries, pouring tastes of 10-12 wines from St.-Emilion and beyond. We shipped home a mixed case of our favorites.

Favorite Wines From St.-Émilion + Wineries
Wineries from the St.-Émilion appellation reside on the Right Bank of the Dordogne river. The dominant grapes are Merlot [about 60% of total growth], Cabernet Franc [30%], and Cabernet Sauvignon [10%.] For Napa Cab lovers like us, Merlot is typically a varietal we can do without, thank you very much. But…we found something to love at four of the wineries we visited:

• Château de Ferrand Grand Cru Classe 2015; $37
• Chateau La Gaffeliere Grand Cru Classe, Mis En Bottle 2015; $90
• Chateau Fombrauge Grand Cru Classe 2009; $50 – $80
• Château Leydet-Valentin 2020; $40

Favorite Winery Tour/Tasting: Château Leydet-Valentin/Château de Valois
I wish we could say, “click on the winery’s website for more information,” but there is no website! Owner/winemaker Frederic Leydet and his wife were our tour guides and tasting companions at Château de Valois, one of two wineries the family has owned for generations in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. Monsieur Leydet spent an hour with us, walking an eager Gary through every detail of his wine making process and philosophy. Then, we tasted 10 wines! Five poured from the bottle, three still in the barrel, and two from terra cotta amphorae [photo, right] Reading our tasting notes, one word repeats again and again–beautiful. Beautiful nose, mouth-feel, balance, finish. We shipped home a case of Leydet’s wine and are thrilled we can buy many of them in the U.S.

Most Beautiful Estate: Chateau La Gaffeliere

Grape vines [supposedly] date back to the 4th century, and there’s a 15th century vaulted kitchen in the château, but commercial wine making at Château La Gaffeliere began in the 17th century. We rambled around the grounds and the celebrated Château before settling in for a generous tasting, led by the delightful Noella. This gorgeous estate proudly shows its centuries-old heritage, but the wine making–and the excellent wine–are truly 21st century “grand classe.”

Next up: The City of Bordeaux and wines of the Pessac-Léognan and Haut Médoc appellations.