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Sarah
My time spent in Bordeaux was truly an amazing experience. Each day was so interesting and filled with more memories than the last. The people that we encountered and came to know were not only highly regarded in the food and wine industry but gracious hosts as well, opening their homes to us for lunch, dinner, coffee, wine, and conversation. It was a trip that could never have been created without the JLP foundation and people like Christophe Chateau, and can never be recreated. I feel fortunate to have been chosen to partake in such a memorable internship, and hope my journal evokes the same enjoyment that I felt during my stay in Bordeaux.
Day 1- June 11th, 2007
After a very long, delayed flight from Paris, Anne and I finally arrived at the airport in Bordeaux, with only two things in mind- a shower and sleep. However, our wonderfully energetic host, Christophe, had other plans for us. We were taken back to Christophe’s home- a delightful, bright dwelling that he shares with his amazing wife, Sophie, and their four gorgeous children (and I say Sophie is amazing because she keeps a spotless home and appearance with four children in tow!). We freshened up and were out the door and on the road again- which would become a reoccurring trend throughout our week in Bordeaux. On this, our first evening, we dined al fresco at L’estacade right on the Garrone river in the city. It was surreal to watch the sunset while eating and drinking fantastic local wine. After dinner, Christophe decided we hadn’t enough for the evening and so we stopped by La Tupina, to see his good friend Jean-Pierre, the wonderfully entertaining and talented chef/owner of La Tupina (and the whole block, for that matter). Jeffery, who received the opportunity to go to Bordeaux last year and actually returned to work at La Tupina, happened to be working that evening as well, so it was refreshing to be so far from home, yet to see so many familiar faces. As the jet lag began to set in, Anne and I knew it was time to get some much needed rest- but not before we returned to the airport to pick up my misplaced suitcase that finally arrived from Paris. If our first few hours in France were any clue, we were about to have a week filled of adventures, food, wine, and plenty of memories…
Day 2- June 12th, 2007
Still in a state of disbelief that we were actually in France, Anne and I awoke and set out with Christophe to the first of many châteaux, Domaine des Graves D’Ardonneau. There we met Jean, Christophe’s colleague and counterpart in the city of Blaye, just outside of Bordeaux. The four of us toured the grounds and cellars. I was quite surprised at the small scale of production and how so much was family operated- from blending to bottling and labeling. The tasting was very informative as well, considering my knowledge of Cote de Bordeaux wines was quite limited prior to this excursion. Then it was off to lunch at Au Sarment, a lovely restaurant with equally impressive food. I’m sure we all would agree that the fourteen component (not including garnishes!) chocolate dessert was a masterpiece for the eyes and the palate. After lunch we arrived at Chateau Dubrand to meet with the Blaye newspaper for an interview and photo, and of, course, more wine. As it was the week of VinExpo, Christophe was quite overwhelmed with the demands of organizing all the events, and the chance of rain on the evening of his big dinner at Bordo Mundo on the river. So as he returned to the city to tend to business, Jean took Anne and me to see Blaye and the citadel that stands gallantly over the city. That evening we were to have dinner and stay the night at Chateau Cantinot. By the time we arrived we were exhausted, but after a cat nap we were ready for anything our hosts, Jaan and Florence had to offer. We had a wonderful dinner in the garden, complete with cheese soufflé and stimulating conversation with several other winemakers that had been invited to meet Anne and I that evening. We ended the night indoors, continuing our conversation- which varied from Tony Parker to George Bush- with a stiff armagnac. Another amazing day had come to an end as Anne and I went off to our respective rooms, both which overlooked the vineyards.
Day 3- June 13th, 2007
I awoke to a light rain falling outside my window, and on the vines below. We walked across the courtyard to the main house, where Florence had prepared a simple, yet delicious breakfast of croissants, jam, and coffee- what more could you possibly need? Christophe arrived shortly after to wisk us away for another eventful day. First it was off to Château Margeaux- a taboo destination, as it’s not in the Cote de Bordeaux, but a must see nonetheless. We took the ferry across the river to Medoc, snapped a few photos at Château Margeaux, and then continued on to Cape Ferret for an oceanside lunch. The overcast sky and looming rain clouds made for lackluster ocean views, but it’s difficult to complain about anything when you’re in France. Before returning to Bordeaux, we made a stop at the oyster farms- something very unusual and new for me. That evening we finally dined at La Tupina with Christophe, Sophie, and Jean-Pierre. The meal was exceptional, complete with Lime Blanc and duck fat fries. Every course was prepared with the simplest of methods to preserve the quality and freshness of the ingredients in the classic techniques of French country cuisine. The wine, food, and company made for another memorable evening in enchanting Bordeaux.
Day 4- June 14th, 2007
At this point in our stay, we were thoroughly delighted with all we had seen and done and thought that it couldn’t be topped- until today. We started out by going to Castillon and then to Saint-Emilion where we had lunch at the home of Christophe and Marie-Jo of Terrasson vineyards. There we met several other winemakers and had a vegetarian friendly meal of tomato casserole with a cheese crumble top, vegetable clafoutis, cheese, strawberries for dessert, and of course, endless bounties of wine. And what meal is complete without a relaxing drive through the French countryside? We stopped at Chateau Blanzac, a stately chateau fitted with a modern horse farm. After coffee and a walk through the grounds and stables we returned to Marie-Jo’s vineyard. Then it was off to the true highlight of our experience- a night at Chateau Pitray. For days, everyone that we spoke to kept describing it as “Sleeping Beauty’s Castle”, but seeing was believing. Chateau Pitray is breathtaking and very unique to the area, as it is surrounded by its very own forest so as to keep the vineyards out of sight- pretentious, yet captivating. Madame de Boigne greeted us and showed us to our enormous sleeping chambers. She then took us on a tour of the chateau, going as far as to show us her son Nicolas’s private cellar stocked with Petrus, Margeaux, and Lafite. As the rain began to clear and the sun came out, Anne and I set out on a photo frenzy, leaving no angle of the architecture uncaptured. We rejoined Madame de Boigne and her eldest son, Jean, in the main room for an aperitif of Chateau Pitray Rosé and raspberry syrup. That evening we had the pleasure of dining with Nicolas and his mother over a superb meal prepared by the family’s cook and a very special bottle of Chateau Palmer, selected by Nicolas from his private cellar for the meal. The evening continued under a blanket of stars as we drank Armagnac on the front porch listening to the most musically inclined frogs I’ve ever heard. We sat there, wishing every night could be as perfect as this.
Day 5- June 15th, 2007
There is something to be said for waking up in a fairy tale castle…in France…We began our fifth day in a haze of surrealism. We delayed our departure from Chateau Pitray by venturing down to the cellars with Madame de Boigne, hoping that Christophe would either be running late, or perhaps, just wouldn’t find us and have to leave us there. However, with bottles in hand, we made our way down the tree lined drive with Christophe and on to the first stop of the day- the cooperage. Having visited a cooperage in the Napa Valley, I assumed there would be little there that I hadn’t seen before- but I was wrong. Our extensive and well guided tour through every aspect of barrel production- from the cutting of the wooden planks to the laser burning of the destined winery’s name on each barrel- was very informative and useful for our future tastings, as we began to note what type of barrels the wine was aged in and its level of toast. On this particular day we were traveling with a group of English and Americans who were in Bordeaux to learn more about the region and its wine so that they could educate others in their area. After the cooperage the entire entourage regrouped for lunch at Chateau Malherbes. We enjoyed a wonderful meal and excellent conversation with the owner, Monsieur Sancier, who shared his unique vision of winemaking with us. He believed that sustainable and basically organic grape production was the most practical way of running a vineyard. He employed various techniques to avoid pesticides as much as possible, and instead of spraying the vines regularly like many vineyards, he observed the vines religiously and only sprayed them when absolutely necessary. I was especially intrigued by his remarks regarding the vegetation surrounding his vines. As he saw it, a healthy vineyard was teaming with birds, bugs, and lush vegetation- a sign that everything hadn’t been exterminated by harsh chemicals. After lunch it was back to Bordeaux and to our new “home” at Sophie’s mother’s apartment. She was kind enough to let Anne and I stay there for the remainder of our stay, since Michael and Dennis were arriving and would be staying with Christophe. That evening we had our “test” dinner at Bordo Mundo- the actual event being held Monday night, and this being the sampling to see if everyone was satisfied with the menu. It was a beautiful evening on the river, with plenty of wine, food and good company. The night ended (as most did) with armagnac in a small bar in the center of city and my favorite French candy, Fraise Tagada…
Day6- June 16th, 2007
Waking up in the morning was beginning to become increasingly difficult as we had been burning the candle at both ends all week. It was Saturday, though, and that meant market day. Anne, Michael, and I were guided through the market by Christophe and our local celebrity chef, Jean-Pierre. We were like kids in a candy store and had to be constantly reminded that we were on a time constraint. Our goal was to purchase the ingredients for the dinner that we would be preparing in Christophe’s parents home the following evening for twelve people- ourselves included- and to snap a few (hundred) photos at the same time. The produce was amazing and it was hard to choose what to buy, considering we really wanted to buy (and eat) everything there. I selected the most beautiful berries- fraise de bois, raspberries, red currants, and strawberries- for my cornmeal financier shortcake, a play on the traditional strawberry shortcake. We also ventured to the renowned Jean d’Alos for cheese and dairy products. Fresh brown eggs, golden butter, and bounties of crème fraiche quickly called our name- and then there was the cheese. As the store was closing soon, we literally had ten minutes to choose several cheeses for the dinner. Not an easy task considering the selection was quite overwhelming and once again, we wanted to buy (and eat) all of them. With all our purchases in tow, Anne and I parted ways with the men and went on a supermarche shopping spree of our own- which proved to be frustrating considering corn syrup and baking soda are not readily available as they are in the states. Thoroughly exhausted, Anne and I returned to our flat and rested up for our evening at the local casino. Now, coming from Vegas, this wasn’t quite the kind of casino we were familiar with. There were no dancing fountains, or Broadway shows, or even neon lights- but there were the familiar bells and whistles of slot machines (ah, the sweet sounds of home…). It was yet another evening of food, wine, and conversation, this time with some intriguing Irish couples from the rugby federation. Although spent and ready for bed, we were lured back to the center of city for mojitos in the area set up for the summer food festival. It was Saturday night, after all…
Day 7- June 17th, 2007
It was the day of our big dinner and the rain was pouring down. This actually made for a good day to cook, so as to not feel guilty for staying indoors. Christophe’s father picked us up and took us for our final shopping trip before we began our prep. After an unexpected hunt for any form of glucose syrup, I finally had all the ingredients for my root beer marshmallows and was ready to get started. The majority of the day was spent mixing, chopping, scaling and of course, tasting. When it was all done and the guests began to arrive, we were all ready for a break before the big debut of our creations. We watched the sunset as we had cocktails and appetizers out by the pool, then headed back inside for dinner. Each course was accepted with rave reviews, and paired with some of the most sought after wines in the world- straight from Christophe’s personal cellar. By the time cheese was served, everyone wished they had worn elastic waistbands. Dessert was a must, however, as you must always save room. The first sweet course served was the cornmeal financier with fresh berries, brown sugar crème fraiche, and balsamic reduction- an American classic revamped to showcase the freshness of the products available. Next on the menu was a sampler of desserts using typical American flavors not very familiar in France- root beer marshmallows, malted milk chocolate pot de crème with malt balls, cocoa krispie treats with coconut, and butterscotch and toffee ice cream sandwiches. Every plate was cleaned, with the exception of a few stray marshmallows which were described as tasting like medicine (Jean-Pierre ate almost all of the leftovers). It was such a pleasure to bring familiar favorites from my culture and have them so well received by others. The dinner was a great success and enjoyed by all the guests. And after a day of laboring over a hot stove, we returned to the kitchen again to confront the hurricane of food, utensils and dirty dishes…
Day 8- June 18th, 2007
This being our last full day in Bordeaux, we decided it was finally time to make our way to VinExpo. Christophe had obtained VIP passes for us, so when we arrived we made our way to the special area to see if we could find a croissant or two for breakfast. Instead, we were led to a bright little cabana area on Bordeaux Lac, complete with sun, breakfast and champagne. Quite a nice way to start another beautiful day. Soon after, we were on our way to La Tupina (again) for lunch, this time for a day of interviews and filming for the French national news. We had yet another amazing meal, then put on our chef jackets for a walk through the restaurant and kitchen as the film crew followed. Then it was off to Chateau Doyenne for our last tasting of the week. We were treated to a superb barrel tasting of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, done separately so as to taste the different characteristics in each- the Cab being described as the “skeleton”; the Merlot being the “flesh”, and when combined they form the necessary body and structure of a Bordeaux wine. All the while, the cameras were on us catching our every move and sip to be used against us on national television. Finally, it was time to get ready for our last big night and the event Christophe had been losing sleep over for a week- Bordo Mundo. And it was a sunny, perfect day. We arrived and were taken on a tour of Bordeaux via the river. We returned to shore and entered the area where the dinner was being held to find our table, conveniently labeled “American Chefs”. Even as clouds formed overheard and sweat appeared on Christophe’s furrowed brow, we enjoyed a delicious meal without a drop of rain. After dinner the ceremony of induction for the Cotes de Bordeaux began. On this evening, Anne, Dennis, Jeffery, Michael, and I would all become members of this highly regarded society. As none of us really knew what to expect, it was an experience we will never forget- complete with songs, capes, hats, metals, and decrees of honor. It was a perfect ending to a fantastic week, filled with familiar faces that we had come to know as friends, and enough food and wine to keep us satisfied for, well, until we got to Paris…
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