So I know I took a little hiatus from discussing the wonders of Bordeaux -- but come on, it was Thanksgiving and Paris Vegan Day! I couldn't just ignore these festive (and delicious) events.
But you all didn't think I would blog about Bordeaux and not talk about the wine did you?
Mais bien sûr que non!
I'm aware that I'm kind of stating the obvious here, but let me just say to all you wine lovers out there, that Bordeaux is a gorgeous region and produces some of the best red wines I've ever tasted.
I had the chance to visit three châteaux while I was in Bordeaux. Just to clarify, the term "château" generally means "castle" in French, but in Bordeaux nearly all houses built on the vineyards are called a "château" even if they don't look exactly like Cinderella's Castle at the Magic Kingdom.
The first château we visited was Château Champion, located in Saint-Emilion. Apparently the Romans planted vineyards back in this area as early as the 2nd century.
(And by "apparently" I mean "according to Wikipedia." But I consider them to be a relatively reliable source, so I'm going to assume this is somewhat true.)
We tasted two different wines from this vineyard -- a 2007 Chateau Champion, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc,) and a 2008 Chateau Vieux Grand Faurie, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc.)
My favorite of the two, which was a bit lighter but still flavorful, was the 2007, and I ended up taking a bottle back to Paris with me to enjoy with friends. I tend to prefer white wine, but I am attempting to expand my taste for red -- and I figured Bordeaux was a great place to start!
I also had the chance to stop by Chateau Segonzac, a château which dates back to the late 19th century.
We were greeted by our very friendly host Thomas, who operates the vineyard with his wife Charlotte Herter-Marmet (her father bought the château back in 1990 -- sigh...I wish my dad would buy me a vineyard...)
But you all didn't think I would blog about Bordeaux and not talk about the wine did you?
Mais bien sûr que non!
I'm aware that I'm kind of stating the obvious here, but let me just say to all you wine lovers out there, that Bordeaux is a gorgeous region and produces some of the best red wines I've ever tasted.
I had the chance to visit three châteaux while I was in Bordeaux. Just to clarify, the term "château" generally means "castle" in French, but in Bordeaux nearly all houses built on the vineyards are called a "château" even if they don't look exactly like Cinderella's Castle at the Magic Kingdom.
The first château we visited was Château Champion, located in Saint-Emilion. Apparently the Romans planted vineyards back in this area as early as the 2nd century.
(And by "apparently" I mean "according to Wikipedia." But I consider them to be a relatively reliable source, so I'm going to assume this is somewhat true.)
We tasted two different wines from this vineyard -- a 2007 Chateau Champion, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc,) and a 2008 Chateau Vieux Grand Faurie, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc.)
My favorite of the two, which was a bit lighter but still flavorful, was the 2007, and I ended up taking a bottle back to Paris with me to enjoy with friends. I tend to prefer white wine, but I am attempting to expand my taste for red -- and I figured Bordeaux was a great place to start!
I also had the chance to stop by Chateau Segonzac, a château which dates back to the late 19th century.
We were greeted by our very friendly host Thomas, who operates the vineyard with his wife Charlotte Herter-Marmet (her father bought the château back in 1990 -- sigh...I wish my dad would buy me a vineyard...)
Check out the video below for a quick glimpse at our guided wine tasting experience at Chateau Segonzac. (video courtesy of Clayton Englar -- OK, I guess this makes up for him not buying me a vineyard...sort of.)
Our third and final stop on our wine tour of Bordeaux was at Chateau Rousselle, which was first constructed all the way back in 1636. The vineyard is located west of Bordeaux, not too far from the Gironde river.
This vineyard produces predominantly Merlot wines, but also produces Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon on its 23 hectare vineyard (about 55 acres).
The wines we tasted here were a bit bolder and heavier -- not exactly my cup of tea (or glass of wine...) but it was enjoyable to taste them nonetheless.
Honestly, I think the highlight of this château for me were the vats named after the Seven Dwarfs (yes, as in the seven short men who lived with Snow White -- that always kinda weirded me out, but I still thought this was a super cute idea nonetheless.)
This vineyard produces predominantly Merlot wines, but also produces Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon on its 23 hectare vineyard (about 55 acres).
The wines we tasted here were a bit bolder and heavier -- not exactly my cup of tea (or glass of wine...) but it was enjoyable to taste them nonetheless.
Honestly, I think the highlight of this château for me were the vats named after the Seven Dwarfs (yes, as in the seven short men who lived with Snow White -- that always kinda weirded me out, but I still thought this was a super cute idea nonetheless.)
Check out the slideshow below for photos from all three vineyards, as well as a few photos from the town of Saint-Emilion. If you're looking to plan a trip to Bordeaux, I would highly recommend visiting in the fall -- the foliage is just breathtaking!
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