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Verdun (55 Meuse, Alsace-Lorraine - See map) is one of those place names which cannot escape their rather grim history - much like the Somme, or Ypres in Belgium. Furthermore it is not generally en route to the more popular southern French destinations.
So it was good to see an useful article in the Telegraph which provides some good advice on driving south to the Alps. Rightly the article suggests that the ski resorts do not offer the best experience of the real France, so you need a decent overnight stop en route - une étape gastronomique!
One recommended stop-over is Verdun and the Hotel Coq Hardi, which I stayed at many years ago towards the end of an otherwise disastrous holiday, when we returned home early after a futile search for decent camping weather further south.
My memories of the hotel are very favourable - our meal and stay there was the highlight of the holiday - the hotel was comfortable in a rather traditional way - memories of floral wallpaper on the ceiling - and the restaurant was somewhat formal. However the abiding memory, other than the best ever Crepes Suzette, was the way in which even a quite posh restaurant was very welcoming to children - so unlike many UK restaurants at the time (and probably even today).
The hotel's website suggests it has become rather funkier - see www.coq-hardi.com.

Le Coq Hardi (or the bold rooster) is a common feature in France - most commonly seen onthe French National Rugby and Football Team shirts - it is also the symbol for Wallonia - the French speaking part of Belgium.

Verdun was a major battle in the First World War - and became synomymous with huge losses from a war of attrition - and of particular resonance to the French as they took the brunt of the carnage. Its occupies a strategic position on the banks of the RIver Meuse and was where Marechal Petain earned his reputation, Despite the overlay of the battle and its consequences, it is a pleasant town and is well-positioned just about 250 miles from Calais.

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Our mini-series on visiting French vineyards (French Vineyard Visits and Visiting French WIneries) looked at the "etiquette" of visits and explored the range of different types of facilities on offer.
There is however another option - which is to visit one of the many local co-operative wineries. The advantage is that they are staffed throughout the day, usually have a lot of good value wines on offer and you can usually get wine "on draught". If you buy a plastic 5 litre "cubitainer" you can get it filled up with wine for a ridiculously low price - or sometimes be able to purchase wine boxes of the local wine.
A broad generalisation would be that co-operative wines are less "exciting" than many of those made by small independent winemakers. However, whilst this may apply to many, especially in the south of France, others do produce high quality wines.

In Alsace, for example, many of the best wines are produced by co-ops such as Turckheim and will offer an excellent tasting and range of wines.

In the Loire Valley, the Cave des Producteurs de Vouvray has a wide range of wine styles on offer and an interesting visit through the underground cellars.

In the Southwest, the co-op at Buzet (les Vignerons de Buzet) led the re-creation of the vineyard and established the appellation's reputation for good quality wines. The visit to the winery also includes a demonstration of cooperage (barrel-making).
Another example of how good a co-op can be is at Plaimont in Gascony, deep in the heart of Armagnac country. A wide range of great quality wines from simple Vins de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne through to rich Madiran reds.

At Marmande the visit will be more basic, but the Cotes du Marmandais wines are fine and good value for money,
In the Languedoc one of my favourite Co-operative cellars is in the small village of Embres-et-Castelmaure in the Corbieres - some truly excellent wines in a delightfful if rustic surroundings.
Finally in the Southern Rhone valley I'd recommend the Cave de Beaumes-de-Venise for their well-known dessert Muscat wine, but also some very good red Cotes du Rhone.

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Visiting French vineyards can be a bit of a lottery - it can be difficult to know what to expect. Some offer a swish tasting room continuously staffed, whilst others are more basic and are staffed by the vigneron or members of the family - and only then when someone arrives and rings the bell or makes an appointment.Just don't be over-influenced by the surroundings - it is the wine that is the most important thing - and how your host helps you to appreciate and/or understand it.

So here's a short guide to some of vineyards that we know - but every one was worth visiting even if the experiences were varied. If you can it is worth telephoning in advance to check if someone will be there - but don't let that stop you just turning up - just be prepared for a wait on ocassion.

Probably the most polished visit we've enjoyed was to Chateau de la Tuilerie in the Costieres de Nimes AC. - a superb range of wines from the southern Rhone, in a stylish tasting room with plenty of info, helpful and knowledgeable staff, and other wine-related items - including a fantastic display of matador jackets when I last visited.
For Cognac and Pineau des Charentes, Maison Deau at Gemozac is also stylish and offers both a video presentation, a museum and some impressive gardens.

A touch less formal is Mas Sainte Berthe (see image above) at Les Baux de Provence - here they have a great tasting room with olives and olive oil products and a signposted walk through the vineyards with the spectacular backdrop of the Alpilles mountains.

In a more homely/rustic style we can recommend@-
Chateau Gibalaux-Bonnet in Minervois - nice tasting room but no frills
Domaine Octavie in Touraine in the Loire Valley - similarly
Domaine Leduc-Frouin in Anjou, Loire Valley and
Domaine des Huards in Cour-Cheverny (Loire)
Domaine la Fourmone for Cotes du Rhone, Vacqueyras and Gigondas
Paul Beaudet at Pontanevaux for Beaujolais and Maconnais

Significantly more basic, but nevertheless welcoming would be
Chateau Grinou in Bergerac - no real tasting room, but an enjoyable tasting amongst the wine vats
Similarly Chateau Beauportail in Pecharmant.

The one paradox is that the less polished the tasting room, the more likely it is that you will meet the winemaker/proprietor - who can impart their passion, knowledge and experience - and sometimes a little philosophy!

A useful guide to vineyard opening hours, addresses and telephone numbers (the latest versions only available in French) is the Le guide Hachette des vins.which you can order through Amazon France for UK delivery.

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Decanter has reported the imminent opening of a US-style wine centre in a bid to tap into the lucrative wine tourist market.

"La Winery, a 26ha wine tourism complex in Arsac-en-Médoc, boasts exhibition areas, park and picnic land with water features, an amphitheatre, restaurant, tasting rooms and 1,000 square metres of retail space. The complex is Bordeaux's first such operation and is due to open on 1 March this year."

Now I have to admit some ambivalence about this development - because whilst I detest the idea of some huge slick shopping mall-cum-theme park experience, it is not always a very visitor-friendly experience when visitiing French vineyards. At one extreme the fine Bordeaux and Burgundy vineyards can ve quite intimidating and sometimes do not welcome visitors without appointment or introduction. At the other end of the spectrum many small vineyards have few or no facilities for welcoming visitors and/or tasting wines, and can often be unattended during busy periods out in the vineyards or cellars. Furthermore language complicates matters, and some Champagne houses will actually make a charge for tasting to deter free-loaders.

And yet, some of my most memorable experiences have been at small vineyards, meeting interesting and passionate winemakers, many of whom are very welcoming and genuinely keen to show you their wines, respond to your questions and to get feedback on their wines - regardless of language difficulties. You can walk away with a few bottles which will evoke a wealth of memories back at home - connection with the vineyard and winemaker which can enhance your enjoyment of the wine.

See our Guide to Visiting French Vineyards and for some suggestions on vineyards to visit see www.frenchduck.co.uk/winemakers.htm

For more info on La Winery see www.lawinery.fr

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A missive from Cahors (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees) arrived this morning, responding to Robert Parker's assetion that "Malbec will make it big!". Certainly Argentinian Malbecs are rising fast, especially in the US, where interestingly Argentina has overtaken Chile as the 4th biggest exporter (after France, Italy and Australia).
Argentina still has some ground to make up in the UK, but their signature grape is the Malbec - which they can make in a very upfront, fruity, smooth style. However, it is Cahors which claims to be the real home of the Malbec grape (known locally as Auxerrois or Cot) - and that is probably a surprise to many visitors to the region - again the French labelling does not help. The French Malbecs tend to be more complex, and less sweet, but to my mind ultimately more rewarding.
Georges Vigouroux, a major name in Cahors, has been successfully marketing a 100% Malbec "Pigmentum" so named for the great depth of inky colour which is a trademark of good Cahors - and great value at £5.50/bottle (from Advintage wines)

Of course, the cause of Cahors and other Southwest France wines has also been promoted by Roger Corder's recent research and book The Wine Diet where, at Queen Mary's School of Medicine in London, he demonstrated that South West red wines are particularly effective in protecting you from cardiovascular diseases (in moderation of course!). He also notes that people in South West live longer than elsewhere in France!! Hence the so-called "French Paradox" may be more specifically a French South West Paradox - i.e. the incidence of coronary heart disease is relatively low despite a diet which is relatively high in saturated fats.
Others factors may be the predominance of duck and goose fat in the diet - as these fats are the healthiest of animal fats because they have less saturated fat than say, butter or bacon fat and far more of the health-promoting mono- and polyunsaturated fats. You can buy a range of goose and duck products from the

Although parts of the region are quite poor economically, the combination of great wines, rich food, a benign climate and a relaxed lifestyle all sound pretty healthy to me!
Cahors T-shirt available from www.jumboTs.co.uk

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There are some good early booking deals on offer for crossing the Channel to France this summer - and beware that the ferry companies are starting to copy budget airlines in pricing - so you can expect to pay considerably more for your crossing the later you leave it to book.
Although several operators offer their own loyalty schemes, it is always worth checking the available tarrifs on one of the price comparison sites - such as Cheap4 Ferries - they do claim to save you money with every operator across the channel, including EuroTunnel.

Brittany Ferries and others offer "Propery Owners Club" discounts, and recently SpeedFerries (Dover - Boulogne) offered some super prices if you were prepared to buy 10 crossings in advance.
Inevitably western Channel crossings from Portsmouth, Poole, Weymouth and Plymouth will cost significantly more - but it may be worth it depending on your departure point and holiday destination - and will certainly offer greater comfort and relaxation - and save money and time in some cases. Arriving in Caen (Ouistreham, 14 Calvados, Normandy) and Le Havre is a more attractive option now that the motorway network can get you south and west easily and quickly and avoiding Paris!! Even from Dover and Boulogne getting to Normandy and Brittany is now much easier.
For more info on cross channel ferry crossings see www.frenchduck.co.uk

Be sure to take a decent (and up-to-date) map with you - see our recommended Michelin Maps of France as the growth of the autoroute network in France may offer you new itineraries which were not previously available - or cause marital friction if the navigator is working from a 15-year old map!!
And don't forget that many Satellite Navigation systems have European maps available - the old Sat Nav can make a huge difference to a long journey on unfamiliar routes, especially as French road signs seldom display the road number. - See our list of Sat Navs for France

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The lumbering machine that is French bureaucracy is due to decide on 24 January 2007 on the creation of a new category of varietal wines - "Vin des Pays de France", or "Vin de Pays des Vignobles de France" or even "Vins des vallées de France". The ruling will allow for single variety wines to be made using the same grapes from up to 4 different regions of France - the bottle label will show the grape variety but not the geographical origin.
This is supposedly to counter the marketing success of New World branded wines, and as with the recently lauched "Vin de Pays de l'Atlantique" it offers the potential to make some good blends which are not currently allowed - e.g. balancing the voluptuousness of a hot Languedoc Sauvignon with the fresh crispness of one from the cooler Loire Valley.
However, Vin de Pays d'Oc from the Languedoc has been very successful and has become almost a "brand" in its own right, whilst retaining an admittedly large geographical identity.To my mind the image of bulk wines being transported across France and blended and bottled in industrial-scale wineries is not an attractive one. Nevertheless that is the reality in much of the New World, and even in parts of France - despite the clever marketing campaigns that try to conjour up the illusion of horny-handed craftsmen making wine with love and passion in some bucolic setting.
More importantly to my mind, it is the labelling on French AOC wines which is the biggest barrier to successfully competing with the New World. We know that France can and does produce wines which can beat most New World wines at any price level. And whilst some of the French wine laws seem unneccesarily restrictive, they do offer the consumer some guarantee of both provenance and content - we can be confident that no artificial flavourings or other unknown addidtives are added to French wines to make them more "grapefruity" or even the reds "sweeter". But, labelling restrictions on identifying grape varieties mean that consumers will avoid what most see as "obscure" French wines and take the easier route to a bottle with a funky label and straightforward message - which will almost always be "New World". The French do love to imbue their wines with history, mystique and a certain aloofness - all of which is fine but only of any use if you can get the consumer to buy the bottle in the first place.
However, c'est la vie! - the French would not be French if they were not so infuriating, and it is these same traits which make France such a wonderful source of great food and wine. So, no I really do not want to change the French into some efficient marketing machine driven by spin and efficiency - but I do worry that global brands will continue to squeeze small-scale, idisyncratic but wonderful producers of quality wine and food.

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Rather fancifully, the Sunday Times (22 Jan 07) suggests some great market shopping ideas to recreate some great "restaurant" quality meals - fine if you happen to be in France, but probably not so easy even if you have easy access to somewhere like Borough Market in London. But nevertheless I know it to be true that whilst on holiday in France you can buy great ingredients, but don't have the best recipes to hand - so maybe it would be worth photocopying some seasonal recipes and packing them with your favourite kitchen knife (so seldom do you find decent knives in gites or villas) - although if flying do not put them in your hand baggage. The other trick is to focus on the relevant local produce - get local and seasonal and you probably cannot go far wrong.
The Sunday Times picks out Mirande (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) and its Monday morning market for foie gras, free-range poultry. "Also brebis (cheese made from the milk of Pyrenean sheep), prunes from Agen, red Madiran and white Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh wines, and all kinds of charcuterie — you might even find some wild-boar salami."
For a different gastromic emphasis Vaison-la-Romaine (84 Vaucluse, Provence) is highlighted for "olive oil from nearby Nyons and garlic from the flat lands of the Vaucluse. .. In addition, keep your eyes peeled for Banon (an appellation contrôlée goat’s cheese), local honey and whatever is the latest seasonal fruit. The nectarines here are superb.". I still want to return to the wonderful farmer's market held most summer evenings at Velleron (84 Vaucluse, Provence - see map)

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France continues to be good value, especially as the cost of petrol and diesel continues to fall, whilst the exchange rate against both the US dollar and the Euro continues to improve. We are not far off getting 10 Francs to the Pound Sterling in old money - and yet I can remember the horrors of getting FF7,70 or less to the £! Travelex currently (21 Jan 07) are offering €1.47=£1.
Hence if you are avoid most autoroute service areas and major oil compnay branded service stations - and check out hypermarkets and supermarkets (e.g. Intermarche, Super U, Leclerc etc) you can get good value such as
Unleaded (sans plomb 95) €1.169 = 80p/litre
Super unleaded (sans plomb 98) €1.199=82p/litre
Diesel (gazole) €0.987 =67p/litre

However, you may pay more (or less) depending on where you are in France - there is a price comparison site at www.prixalapompe.com (in French) which shows that 62 Pas-de-Calais and 40 Pyrenees-Atlantiques are the most expensive departements (averaging about €0.99/litre) whereas 63 Puy-de-Dome (around Clermont-Ferrand in the very centre of France) prices can be as low as €0.90/litre =61p/litre for diesel.

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Down in the Jura, preparations are in hand for the annual wine festival - the Percée du Vin Jaune 2007 at Salins-les-Bains (39 Jura, Franche-Comté -- see map).
For an insiders view and tips, John and Carolyn Scallon who run a B&B at Sens-sur-Selle offer the following thoughts - AND are also offering a weekend special:- 2 nights B&B accommodation with a special tasting dinner featuring many of the wines of the Jura.

"Once again it is approaching the first weekend in February and once again the Jurascian wine world is bracing itself for it's big weekend out. The Percée du Vin Jaune is this year taking place in the Spa town of Salins les Bains on Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th Feb. The caves are open from approx 1300 - 1800 each day. After the success of last years event in Lons le Saunier where approximately 40,000 people paid to taste up to 10 wines Salins has taken on the challenge. As the Percée is a moveable feast the host for next year's bash is already being chosen. It is the turn of the Southern Revermont for 2008 with the tiny village of Vincelles, near Beaufort among the candidates. Should they be awarded the Percée it will be a return to the old style of hosting where the visitors outnumber the hosts by about 50 to 1! What is the Percée? Simply it is the release of the new vintage of Vin Jaune, probably the most celebrated of the AOC's of the Jura. Don't be surprised if you haven't heard of it. As yet few in Britain have but there's always hope. Unlike the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau which has spent almost two months in the vat (and sometimes appears to have spent far less) Vin Jaune has spent six years three months in second hand oak barrels (bought from Burgundy vignerons) prior to it's release. All this waiting means the wine has to be something special. The festival is run by a different town or village each year and this year the most northerly town within the Jura vignoble has opened it's doors and cellars to the wine drinking public. Every cellar, shop store room and the like will be rented out by their owners to either the winemaker direct or to the CIVJ (Comite Inter-professional Vins du Jura). As well as the cellars there will be a few marquees for a couple of the larger producers and the ubiquitous food stalls. You need something to soak up the wine! Last year was the first time that the Percée had taken place in a town centre, previously they had been held in a different village each year, but there will be a difference in ambience again this year. Salins les Bains is a much smaller town than Lons le Saunier and because of it's history as a Spa town has quite a few facilities for visitors. The 70 (approx) winemakers who chose to exhibit their wines at the Percée will stretch out along the whole length of the town and attempt to lure you in to taste, and hopefully buy. The routine is that you park nearby in special car parks and either walk to the centre or catch a free bus. Those who are going to taste the wine pay the entry fee (in 2006 it was €10) and receive an engraved tasting glass and 10 tickets. The tickets are in three different colours. 6 of them (yellow in 2006) will entitle you to a tasting measure of Cotes du Jura, Crémant (please try this, it can be stunning) and other "normal" wines. Please note that Jura wines can be very different from what you expect. If you are expecting a dry Chablis style Chardonnay because it's the same grape variety forget it. You have to taste it to get to know it in the Jura. 3 of the tickets (orange in 2006) are for the Vin Jaune or it's slightly upmarket brother Chateau Chalon. This is the special wine, not made by all of the exhibitors, that is being "feted" this weekend. Matured in old oak barrels and never topped up in it's six year three months maturation this wine has a taste that really will make you think. The remaining ticket (orange and yellow in 2006) entitles you to a measure of Macvin. Not a wine found in MacDonalds but a blend of grape juice and Marc du Jura. This is the spirit that is distilled from the pips, stalks and skins of the grapes that have been pressed. The net result is a sweet aperitif style wine of about 15 - 16 degrees. The largest producer in the Jura, Henri Maire, doesn't accept the tickets but just hands out free wine! However they have a very active team of salesmen on hand in their marquee and getting away without buying will take a big effort, especially if you're visiting them last! Should you be driving or a lifelong teetotaller with a masochistic streak you don't have to pay to get in. As the event is on the main street and the shops are open in the normal way the organisers can't stop you from just walking up the main road. You don't get the tasting tickets and glass but you can just wander around to your hearts content .The driver can leave the car keys at the Police tent near the main entrance and, on returning, blow into the breathalyser, pass the test, receive the keys back and an engraved glass. If you wish to borrow a glass and a ticket from your friends that's up to you. The measures are not large, you are there, allegedly, to taste different wines, not to get slaughtered. Drivers be warned. French Police do not need a reason to stop you for a breath test, and our own experience will tell you that they will be on most of the roads leaving Salins on the lookout. All in all it is a very special weekend with the great and the good of the Jura wine world there, a good time being had by all, and it will probably snow! It has both times we've been! Fear not though, the wine keeps you warm. Here at Chateau Scallan (www.bandb-burgundy.com) we're offering weekend special, 2 nights B&B accommodation with a special tasting dinner featuring many of the wines of the Jura, all for €80 per person based on two sharing a twin/double room. All of our knowledge will be thrown in for free!"

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It is just a shame that internet technology has yet to be able to transmit aromas, as you can now watch skilled Parisian breadmakers and patissiers (translating as cake makers does not quite do justice to the art) live via a webcam every day (except Monday and Tuesday) between 04.30 and 18.30 (UK time).
Bonneau is an artisan boulangerie is situated on the rue d'Auteuil in Paris' 16th Arondissement (see map) - west of the Eiffel Tower. Just watching makes the mouth water and offers a tantalising sample of French life.
On a recent trip to Paris, we discovered that Sunday mornings is a favourite time for buying patisseries, and the left bank shop we found was full of mouth-watering offerings with queues out into the street.

Visit the website at www.bonneau.fr or for the webcam alone www.siteparc.fr

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The western Channel crossings (from Portsmouth, Poole, Weymouth and Plymouth) offer the most relaxing ferry routes to holiday destinations in West and South West France, but can look very expensive compared to the fierce competition and low advanced booking prices out of Dover.
Although Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardie have their attractions, many will tend to speed south out of the busy terminal and onto the autoroute which tends to whisk you through some rather unexciting landscapes - prettu much all the way to Paris on the A1 or Reims and beyond on the A26.. Whereas landing in somewhere like St Malo or Roscoff in particular makes you immediately feel on holiday and in France - a matter of scale and pace as well as more attractive countryside and seascapes.
One of the smaller operators is Condor Ferries which operates out of Weymouth and Poole to the Channel Islands and St Malo - and with some fast ferries the crossing time can be under 5 hours into St Malo. Some crossings call in at the Channel Islands and maybe this is an opportunity to have a look at the Islands, as in reality they are much closer geographically to France than the UK.
For more info see /www.condorferries.co.uk
For more info on Channel Ferry crossings see www.frenchduck.co.uk
Condor Ferries will be at the France Live Show in Leicester on Sun 19 February 2007

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A new event for francophiles is being staged in Leicester on Sunday 19 February 2007 - FRANCE SHOW LIVE 2007.
It's good to see such an event being staged outside London, and it should attract a large audience of those interested in France, French Wine, Food, Travel, Holidays and property.
The show has a "small business/big theme" - a chance to see small niche traders with fascinating products and services alongside big name property agents and tour operators. So Eurostar and Rail Europe will be there, but so will small specialist wine importers such as Leon Stolarski Fine Wines and French Food specialists French Flavour

Furthermore we have 3 free tickets to win in our new Prize Draw - all you have to do is to answer a simple question - see www.frenchduck.co.uk/francelive.html - entries close 12 February 2007.

For more info on the show visit www.thefranceshowlive.co.uk

NB The winner of our Prize Draw for tickets to the Vive la France Exhibition in London on 19 January 2007 was S Brewster of London W9

Posted by frenchduck at 7:17 AM | Permalink

The famous 2007 Monte Carlo Rallye starts in Valence (26 Drome, Rhône-Alpes) on 19 January 2007 and finishes in the Principality of Monaco on Sunday 21 January 2007 after stages through the Ardeche, Vercors and Côtes du Rhône regions. It is a much shorter event nowadays than when it used to have starting points in London and Scandinavia - but in its 75th running it remains one of the key rallies of the World Rally Championship, and still presents severe challenges of making speed over icy, snow-bound, twisting Alpine roads.

For more info on the Rally see www.acm.mc

Meanwhile, a more genteel rally, which tests endurance as much as speed, runs from 25-31 January 2007, which is for vintage cars - defined as vehicle models which took part in the Monte Carlo Rally proper between 1955 and 1977 - so this list could include classic British marques such as Austin Healey, Hillman, Humber, Jowett and Wolseley, Sunbeam, MG, Triumph, Austin, Morris.. Like the original Monte Carlo has numerous starting points for the 300 or so entrants (Oslo, Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Reims and Turin) before coming together from St Etienne (42, Loire, Rhone-Alpes) for the stages down to Valence and onto Monaco.
The leg from Reims departs on Friday 26 January 2007 and travels via Epernay, Troyes, Langres, arrving on Saturday 27 via Besancon and Beaune.. From Sy Etienne the route goes via Valence, Briancon and the Alpes to finish in Monaco on Tuesday 30 January 2007.
It must be quite a spectacle to see these classic cars in action in testing conditions in the middle of winter.
For more info see www.amc.mc and select "Rallye Historique"

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As seems to be the French custom, we tend to receive New Year greetings from our friends and colleagues in France, rather than Christmas cards. Yesterday greetings arrived from our favourite Loire winemaker - Antoine Leduc at Domaine Leduc-Frouin in Martigné-Briand in Anjou (49 Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire). The card informs us that 2 of their rosé wines won medals at the Loire Valley Wine Competition in 2006 - the delicious sweet Cabernet d'Anjou gaining a Gold!

But this is where Loire rosé wines can be confusing for the uninitiated, which is a shame as the quality of Loire rosés has been transformed from the rather insipid sugary offerings which were around when we started in the wine business 20 years ago (gasp!!). At that time such wines were foistered on an undemanding UK market, and that legacy probably still influences prejudices about Loire Valley wines, especially rosés. Now the problem is not quality, but choice of style.

Rosé de Loire AC is a dry rosé made predominantly from Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. It tends to be smooth, lively and easy to drink. It can be made almost anywhere in Anjou and Touraine... "red fruit aromas (cherry, raspberry) as well as some spice. Its fresh and full-flavour make it ideal to drink with a meal"

Rosé d'Anjou AC is made mainly on the south bank of the Loire around Angers - (i.e. in Anjou) and its principal grape variety is the Grolleau which gives the wine a very fruity edge - but can also include Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pineau d'Aunis,Gamay and Cot (or Auxerrois or Malbec). This tends to be a medium dry to sweet wine ..."On the nose, there are both fresh and citrus fruits. It also has a delicate refreshing taste and can be drunk at any time"

Cabernet d'Anjou AC however can only be made from the Cabernet-Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon grape varieties in Anjou and are medium sweet to sweet in style - that from Domaine Leduc-Frouin being decidely sweet, but with fruit sweetness rather than sugary - and with enough bite from the summer fruit character to ensure it is not cloying - remarkably well-balanced and intense - a true revelation with spicy food, but also surprisingly successful with other savoury dishes. You could of course drink it happily by itself - although it will work better in warmth and sunshine rather than the depths and murkiness of a English winter....."a very appealing deep pink wine with hints of violet. On the nose, there are red fruits (strawberry, raspberry) as well as peaches and apricots. On the palate, its smoothness and finesse make it an ideal partner for a sweet and sour dish."

Read more about the wines of Domaine Leduc-Frouin in Anjou - click here

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Every year Burgundy celebrates the Patron Saint of Wine with a festival in one of the key wine villages - and for 2007 it is Nuits-Saint-Georges (21 Cote d'Or, Bourgogne) on the weekend of 27/28 January - although St Vincent's Day is actually on 22 January.
The highlights this year include a concentration on the 2004 vintage which will be on offer from numerous winemakers and negociants.

Negociants are a key feature of the Burgundy wine scene, who buy wines (sometimes just grapes) from small winemakers and blend and market them under their own label. Some of the top names in Burgundy are these merchant/blenders -e.g.Jadot. Although the trend elsewhere in France is towards domaine-bottled and labelled wines, a good negociant can be very useful, especially in Burgundy where many of the domaines are quite small. The vigneron can concentrate on his vines and winemaking, whilst the negociant develops marketing and distribution channels which most small winemakers would be unable to access. Where the negociant blends, this can ensure consistency of style, and can more easily reflect changing tastes and styles.

However, back to the St Vincent Tournante des Nuits Saint Georges - this will have all the trappings of a good wine festival - processions, music, ceremonies, plenty of wines to taste and, being Burgundy, plenty of excellent food to sample. It's a pretty little town, and a weekend here should brighten up an otherwise dull end of January.

For more info see www.saint-vincent-nuits.fr

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We have a couple of free tickets available for the Vive la France Exhibition at London Olympia for Friday 19 January. All you have to do is to enter our free Prize Draw by answering a simple question - click here (Entries close 23.59 GMT on Sunday 14 January 2007 - UK addresses only)
This year the organisers claim it will be 4 shows in one - The French Food & Wine Show; The French Lifestyle and Culture Show; The French Travel and Tourism Show and The French Property Exhibition - "Taste scrumptious dishes served by leading restaurants...Learn from famous chefs such as Raymond Blanc... Discover award-winning wines & champagne...Travel to breathtaking locations...Be entertained by our chic fashion shows and live music...Find your home in the UK's largest French Property exhibition."

OK, so it may not be as good as actually going to France, but it's probably the next best thing and you may get some good ideas as well as a real flavour of "la Belle France"

For more info on the Show - see www.vivelafrance.co.uk
To enter our prize draw go to www.frenchduck.co.uk

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For a different angle on visiting the Loire Valley (well, the central part anyway) you can now take a helicopter flight to take in some of the very best sights in the Loire - the river itself and the stunning chateaux and estates which make this area a World Heritage Site,
Starting from the airport at Blois (41 Loir-et-Cher, Centre - see map) you can take a 20 minute flight which would cover Blois, Ménars, Chambord, Villesavin, Cheverny and Beauregard, Chambord in particular should be a spectacular sight from the air with its lake and parklands, whilst Cheverny must be quite spectacular, especially if approached from the long drive which becomes the D102 road from Contres to the south,
Or a 35 minute flight includes Blois, Chaumont, Amboise, Pagode de Chanteloup, Chenonceau, Abbaye de Pontlevoy, Fougères, Cheverny, and Beauregard. It's not cheap, but assuming the weather is perfect it would be an unforgettable experience - take the camera!
For more info see www.a-t-h.com
For wines in the area you have a great choice of Touraine AC (especially Touraine Sauvignon but also reds and less impressive rosés) - see Domaine Octavie - and the twin appellations of Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny AC - the latter being reserved only for those dry white wines made from the Romorantin grape. See Domaine des Huards

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The winemakers of Bourgueil set up their stalls in the town of Tours (Boulevard Heurteloup) on Saturday 17 March 2007 to show off their latest vintage. 46 vignerons will be offering samples to taste - plus there will be several food stalls to tempt you.
Bourgueil (37 Indre et Loire, Centre) is a small Loire appellation between Tours and Saumur, a few kilmetres north of Chinon. Production is primarily for red wines (plus a very small production of rosé) made from the Cabernet Franc grape (although up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon can be added). There is also the smaller appellation of St Nicolas-de-Bourgueil which has the same grape varietals, and which I challenge most imbibers to distinguish from Bourgueil AC (or Chinon AC for that matter).I used to think of Cabernet Franc reds as a little dry and dusty, but in good years they can develop a wonderfully fruity style (raspberries?) whilst still full-bodied and with noticeable tannins - and recent good summers have helped to produce more attractive wines.
For more info on Bourgueil wines see www.vinbourgueil.com
Majestic has Bourgueil AC Les Cent Boisselées 2003 for £7.99 - "Made by the illustrious wine maker Pierre-Jacques Druet, this wine has pure Cabernet Franc blackberry fruits, with extra power, depth and intensity from a wonderful vintage. "

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The French continue to strive to loosen any reliance on foreign influences - especially where the internet is concerned. Hence President Chirac's pursuance of an alternative European-centred search engine to rival Google called "QUAERO". Now there is an alternative to Google Earth's satellite images of France, supported by the French equivalent of the Ordnance Survey - IGN.
Although the images may take a little time to fully resolve, the detail level is impressive (although some of the images are a little out of date.) You can search on commune, departement etc.
Despite some reports of the site having been overwhelmed when initially launched, it now seems to be working well - have a look at www.geoportail.fr for a view of Cahors on the Lot River (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees)

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