Bordeaux Tasting on the Sidewalks of Paris
Posted On May 7, 2010 at 10:18 am in Bordeaux, Paris Tastings
Yesterday, I took an early afternoon break to attend one of the many sidewalk tastings put on by Caves Augé. When the weather is good and the sun is out, it’s fantastic venue for tasting wines. Plus you have the added advantage of witnessing Paris street theatre as we did yesterday when two women got out of the cars to vigorously argue over an open parking space.
The theme was Bordeaux and they had representatives from the chateaux pouring mostly recent vintages. Although Domaine de Jaugarat in Saint Julien had a 1989 vintage, which was an exceptional year in Bordeaux. I found it to be still developing and gaining complexity and nuance.
I also had a nice conversation with Paul Barre owner of Chateau La Grave in Fronsac. They have been practicing bio-dynamic viticulture since 1990. I asked him about the vinification of his wines. ”We harvest everything by hand, no filtration, no fining and no oenologue. We do laboratory analysis of the wines but we don’t have an oenlogist telling us how to make our wines.” I also asked him if he learned about winemaking from his father. ”My father was actually a wine broker in Bordeaux so I learned the more from trial an error.” I enjoyed both of his 2005′s and found La Fleur Cailleau de Fronsac to have a great spicy nose, gripping tannins and lots for black cheery flavors. His efforts have been recognized in the important French wine guides, Le Guide Hachette, Gault Millau.
Sidwalk Bordeaux Tasting at Caves Augé in Paris