Driving through Provence

A new kind of adventure began today, with a rental car and a GPS. I don’t know how we got around foreign countries with nothing but paper maps! I have nightmarish memories of driving around Mexico City for hours trying to find my way from the airport to my hotel, and trying to figure out how to get from village to village in rural England while driving on the “wrong” side of the road. GPS technology has really made traveling a lot easier.

Susan and I decided to go exploring in Provence today. We visited Musé e de Lavande (Museum of Lavender) in Gorde and learned about the different strains and why fine lavender only grows above 800 meters. The lavender harvest takes place in early summer, and of course I bought soap, hand lotion and a candle. I wish I could share the fragrance in this post.

We then wound our way through miles and miles of grape vineyards and wound up in the picturesque Provenç al village of Roussillon. We made a traditional French picnic of wine, cheese and baguette before heading back to Avignon. When we sidetracked several times to look at lovely vineyards and rustic old houses, our faithful GPS got us back on track so we were never lost!

Ban des Vandanges (Grape Harvest Festival)

Sometimes the very coolest moments in your life sneak up on you when you’re not expecting the extraordinary. And you can absolutely miss them if you’re not open to surprises.

Susan and I arrived in Avignon this afternoon. We toured the city for a bit on the city tram, and then came back to our hotel planning to unpack and rest, and do a little shopping before dinner.

I heard what sounded like a bell choir outside the window, and when I looked, a parade was beginning to march by the hotel! I ran downstairs and asked “qu’est que c’est?” or “what is it?”

“C’est le Ban des Vandanges,” the grape harvest festival. Apparently we had arrived just in time for the city’s largest celebration. We spent the evening eating Cotes du Rhones grapes, tasting wine, sampling local cuisine and listening to music.

If we hadn’t stopped what we were doing and listened to the bells, we would have missed a high point of the trip. Spontaneity is key to every marvelous adventure!

Late Summer Wine Tasting

This afternoon My friend Carol and I took an excursion to Keuka Lake for wine tasting at my two favorite vineyards - Ravines and Dr. Konstantin Frank.

Both vintners practice generations-old family wine making techniques, using vines that were brought to upstate New York from Europe. Each make beautifully crafted fine wines that hold their own against most California wineries and many Europeans as well.

Some of my favorites include the Dry Riesling and Cabernet Franc from Ravines and the Brut Champagne (made from authentic Champagne grapes), Dry Riesling and Chardonnay from Dr. Frank.

Dr. Frank's vineyard sits on the west shore of Keuka Lake, with a fantastic view as shown above. The grounds include picnic areas where patrons can enjoy their purchases and relax in the pastoral setting.

Ravines offers specialty wine tastings; today featured dry red wines paired with artisan chocolates (yummy). Here Carol is enjoying a dark chocolate and a Cabernet Franc.

We finished the afternoon with a stop at Lakeside Restaurant on the west side of Keuka Lake, just a couple of miles north of Dr. Frank's. We enjoyed coffee and chocolate lava cake while watching the boaters on the lake. A beautiful afternoon of wine tasting and scenery that I highly recommend!

Wines from Down Under

After several wine tasting excursions in Australia and New Zealand, I decided to check out what's available in the local Rochester wine shops. I was very pleasantly surprised by the variety of wines I found. There a a number of very good wines from New Zealand, particularly from the Marlborough region. Matua Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc, and Gisborne Chardonnay are all reasonably priced. I heard from many folks in New Zealand that Sauvignon Blanc is the best of the best; what I tasted was fabulous, and the Marlborough region makes some great ones. I also found a good price for a bottle of Yarra Valley Chardonnay. There is quite a lot more to Australian Wine than Yellow Tail, which is also very good. Now comes the fun part - drinking the wine!

Yarra Valley Wine Tasting

After checking on the current status of the fires and road closings in Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, mom, Barbara and I set out on a wine tasting tour. We began at the Yarra Valley Dairy, with a sampling of various locally produced goat cheeses, including camembert and feta, fresh baked bread and Asian grown coffee.

The next stop was Yering Station Winery, where Peter treated us to a number of sparklings, whites and reds. I particularly liked the 2007 Pinor Noir, 2006 Chardonnay and 2006 Shiraz Viognier. Fortunately, Yering Station distributes internationally, and can be purchased in New York State.

We drove north on the Melba Highway where we saw quite a bit of devastation from the Victoria bush fires. On one side of the road, entire vineyards were completely destroyed, while on the other there was no sign of fire. A number of fields were already in the process of being replanted.

The final stop was Balgownie Estate, a vineyard, resort and spa that features a tasting room (cellar door), restaurant and conference center. I particularly enjoyed the Chardonnay. Balgownie’s international distribution is pending; so I’ll have to check back on this wine.

Tomorrow - the Queen Victoria Market!