WINO 101

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome to Week 3 of the Carpe Vinum Tour de France Wine Spectacular! We continue in the journey, retracing the steps of the Tour de France bicycle race through the French countryside. This last week they’ve covered a lot of ground through Southern France. This has led them through a good number of the premiere wine regions in the South. A week ago today they landed in Miramas which, as far as I can tell, is a suburb of Marseille in the heart of Provence. From there they’ve trekked on through the Languedoc into the Southwest countryside which is scattered about with delicious wineries. I mean, the wines produced by the wineries are delicious. . .not the wineries themselves. I imagine the wineries themselves would taste of dirt and timber, were they to be tasted. Not recommended.

So I’ve followed the line on the maps I have here of where the race has led these athletes, to get as close as possible to the regions they rode through. We’re starting with a tasty Viognier from the Pricipaute d’Orange, a small region slightly North of Provence. From there It’s a short jaunt through the Coteaux Varois, where we pick up a tasty rose’, (since many of you asked for one last week). Then just down on the tip of Provence, dipping into the Mediterranean Sea, we visit Bandol, the most prestigious wine region in Provence. After that it’s the long journey through the Coteaux du Languedoc in the South, cruising through Fitou on the way to the Pyrenees, up through Jurancon and through Gaillac on the way towards the tasty Rhone. (They don’t actually MAKE it to the Rhone, but they get close enough to justify next week’s tasting.) In short, it’s quite a large cross-section of the South of France. And a way-tasty one too! And a heck of a lot less tiring than making the trip on a bike!

And in a by-the-way kinda way, due to some misplaced numbers on someone else’s application at the OLCC, there is a list out there that says Carpe Vinum is becoming a pizza place. We’re not. . .but there are a good number of wines I can recommend to go with the pizza I won’t be serving!

And in another by-the-way kinda way, tomorrow is the Carpe Vinum 2-Year Anniversary! I’m afraid there’s no cake or fanfare this time around. Just sayin’. Yep. Two years. Maybe I’ll draw a picture of a cake. It’s not quite as tasty, but it’s the thought that counts, right? And there are a good number of wines I can recommend to go with cake!

So Friday, July 22nd, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Tour de France, Week 3: Southern France!
Domaine de la Janasse 2002 Viognier, Vin de Pays de la Principaute d’Orange
Domaine Castera 2003 Sec, Jurancon
Chateau Routas 2004 Rouviere Rose’, Coteaux Varois
Chateau les Terrisses 2002 Rouge, Gaillac
Chateau des Erles 2002 Cuvee des Ardoises, Fitou

And a Little More Southern France!!
Chateau de Lascaux 2001 Les Nobles Pierres, Coteaux du Languedoc
Domaine du Gros Nore 2000 Bandol

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, and $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours
Hope to see you here!
Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Tour de France Part 4: Rhone!
Plus, we’ll be featuring some Live In-House music with a Guitarist-Extraordinaire:
Carlos Severe Marcelin, solo – mellow, modal mood music. www.severeenterprises.com

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