Way back when we played sports, the pre-game meal was something of a ritual. It had to be just right – not too much, not too little. We had our favorites, and often associated them – like good-luck charms, with previous (good) performances, and team wins.
Fast forward to current living and I put together a yummy brunch for 11 of us before going to Lambert Bridge Winery for an early afternoon tasting followed by more wine and leisure time in the garden. The occasion: nine friends from high school had arrived in Sonoma County for a gathering, and I teed up all kinds of fun. The meal, by the way, consisted of two of my Spanish Tortas – one with chicken only, one with chicken and pork, plus potatoes, onions, spinach, arugula, three cheeses and eggs. For fruit, we had bowls of grapes, cherries and Roman Cantaloupe, which are cantaloupe pieces cut into small bites and tossed with Milanese-infused olive oil and sea salt, and topped with crisp-fried prosciutto broken into small pieces and served on top of the fruit. It was a very fun weekend with friends from five decades ago!
We followed that weekend with another Wine Country Classic. A big birthday party (hint, the number ends with 0) for my friend Ron (white hat) at he and his wife’s gorgeous property in West County. The wine, stories, and good times flowed.
Paris, Bordeaux, Monte Carlo, French Riviera, Provence, Bandol: Here We Come!
I write this newsletter precisely two weeks from wheels up for an overnight flight to Paris to begin three weeks of travel to some of the preeminent wine regions in the world. To say I am excited for this trip is the understatement of the year for me – up until now, at least.
We have wine tours set up on the Left and Right Bank including in the Médoc.
Located on Bordeaux's Left Bank in France, the Médoc is one of the world's most prestigious wine regions, famous for its gravelly soils and premium Cabernet Sauvignon. Crowned as its ultimate jewel, Château Margaux is a legendary First Growth (Premier Grand Cru Classé) celebrated globally for producing wines of unparalleled elegance, complexity, and aging potential.
It’s worth noting the details here. The Bordeaux wine region is bisected by the Gironde Estuary, which splits into the Garonne and Dordogne rivers to form a “Y” shape, thus creating two distinct winemaking areas known as the Left Bank (west, south of the rivers) and the Right Bank (east/north of the rivers). The splits created two types of soils composition and wine styles. The Left Bank is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, and wines typically blended with Petit Verdot and Merlot, while the Right Bank is noted for its Merlot varietals, and often blended with Cab Franc.
We also have an afternoon-evening tour set up in Saint-Émilion, and a food-walking tour in the city of Bordeaux. I have the names of some fine bistros for dining, as well as a Michelin (1) Star restaurant, Le Cent 33.
We have wine tours established for the lower Rhone River, and hills above Nice when we are in the South of France, before heading over to Provence and Bandol. Our Provence hotel is in the middle of a vineyard! Can’t wait to find out what kind of grapes will be on the vines.
The Bandol stop will be highlighted by my version of traveling to Mecca, as we have a tour and tasting at Domaine Tempier, the legendary winery in Provence’s Bandol appellation.
While I love Domaine Tempier’s red blends, or Rouge – those Mediterranean Sea-infused, Mourvèdre-heavy red wines known for immense aging potential. These robust reds feature complex layers of dark fruit, tinge of rosemary, hint of anise and a little smoke. We drank Domaine Tempier Rouge a couple months ago with a marvelous Cassoulet here at the house.
I am enamored with Domaine Tempier, however, because of its Bandol Rosé. The iconic pink wine, creamy yet complex enough to pair with a variety of foods, is what turned me on to French Wine nearly 30 years ago now, when I was dating a woman that would be the future mother of our delightful daughter, Margo. Not-so coincidentally, it rhymes with Margaux!
Keep an eye out for Instagram posts (handle, InBetweenDrinksLifestyle) while I am traveling in France. And expect a full report on France in late July!
