Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
it was such an iconic part of Bordeaux I had to include it in my offerings. I read up frantic-
ally, filling in the gaps in my knowledge. It was like cramming for exams but more fun.
Winemaking is one of the most ancient arts practised by man, dating back to around 8000
BC in parts of Asia; in parts of France, including our little corner of the Dordogne, wine-
making predates Roman times by a few hundred years. The Médoc, an exception, was
marshland until the late 1600s, when Dutch engineers were brought in to drain it for agri-
culture.
Austin, my client, was a Scottish oenophile doing a grand tour of France. He was on his
waythroughthesouthofFranceandonceinBordeaux,hewaskeentovisitapremiergrand
cru classé in the Médoc. I planned our day around a visit to Château Mouton Rothschild
where they offered tasting as part of the tour. When we arrived for the tour I discovered
an additional bonus was their art museum. Wine is widely depicted in ancient art. Walking
around the ruins of Pompeii at twenty years old, I was impressed by the sophistication of
two things: their art and their plumbing. The art depicted scenes of people enjoying wine
and sensual pleasures that would make a regular Playboy-reader blush.
The museum at Moutonwasfilled with similar ancient treasures. Wepassed millennia-old
Greek pottery with scenes of the grape harvest and winemaking painted on their smooth
round sides, magnificently erotic and celebratory. One showed nude men with massive
erections lifting baskets of grapes into a press. There were scenes with dancing, music,
winemaking and mystical elements like a man with horns and goat feet. Then we entered
the modern art section with lurid pink pottery tea pots and other strange collectibles.
Not a moment too soon for Austin, we left the museum and headed for the important bit
- tasting wine. Before being allowed to taste the really good stuff we had the Rothschild's
other two grand crus classés wines. The tour guide poured large helpings of each. They
were delicious but nowhere near the greatness of the Mouton finale. It was deep, full and
rich, not in a cloying overripe way, but in a structured, robust way.
'Now that's a wine for me,' said Austin, draining his glass. 'Nothing like a little Pauillac
for breakfast.'
By the end of the day Austin had a selection of grand crus classés in his boot. He was a
true bon vivant, someone who drank for pleasure and could afford to drink the really good
stuff. I hoped all my clients would be as much fun.
Alongside the tours I offered wine classes in our newly completed tasting room: the two-
hour session that I called 'Introduction to French Wine'. It was an idea we hoped would
bring clients to our tasting room door. My knowledge and my tasting and teaching skills
were on a massive learning curve.
