RASTEAU FRANCE MEETS DALLAS TX (SORT OF)

Posted on August 15, 2010 by BB Kuett

Polge Gaetan (L) Chats Up the Mercy Wine Bar in Dallas

As you approach Rasteau, or any of the other wine villages in the northern part of the Vaucluse, the vines cuddle up to the edges of the town as if not even the smallest parcel of land can be left unplanted. Rasteau, situated north of Gigondas, was teeming with merriment and the kissing of wine glasses Saturday evening as thousands poured into its winding hilly streets for a wine festival.

For four euros you got a Rasteau-logo glass, a glass pouch to hang around your neck and a permission slip to drink an infinite number of tastings of Rasteau-produced wines. Three bands enlivened the atmosphere, one playing the obligatory awful renditions of 70’s disco hits.

And then there was Polge Gaetan, a music teacher donning a burnt-orange hoodie (UT color), who is related to Vincent Havard, a “Francais” who is the ‘wine guy’ and manager of the Mercy Wine Bar in Dallas, Texas. The “Mercy” — the name is not a homophone of “Merci”; it is swiped from “Oh, Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison who chirps”… no one can look as good as you…….Mercy,” has an award-winning wine menu of astonishing depth with one exception: no Rasteau. Perhaps Polge can put a word (“pistonner”) for the local red into Vincent.

Rasteau, an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée Côtes du Rhône-Villages in the southern Rhône wine region of France, has produced AOC fortified wines since 1944 and the red wine vintages were added to the AOC as of 2009.

Domaine Wilfried Serving the Curious and Thirsty

Since 1996, Rasteau reds had been sold under the designation of Côtes du Rhône Villages. The dark ruby grenache-dominated reds have a bouquet of cassis and blackberry, and are full-bodied with a spicy finish. Three domaines distinguished themselves during the evening tastings:

Rasteau WIne Fest Glass Pouch

Domaine Wilfried: www.domainewilfried.com/

Domaine des Escaravailles: www.domaine-escaravailles.com

Domaine Didier Charavin: tel: 04 90 46 15 63, email, didier.charavin@orange.fr

Basics:

Mercy Wine Bar:www.mercywinebar.com/

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VIENS: CHAPELLE SAINT-FERREOL

Posted on August 12, 2010 by BB Kuett

A Norwegian nursery rhyme played by the virtuoso pianist and composer Jean-François Zygel closed out a delightful evening of improvisations and other compositions at the Chapelle Saint-Ferréol.

Mr. Zygel, a professor at the Paris Conservatory and the winner of the “Victoire de la Musique Classique” in 2006, charmed the audience with witty anecdotes as well as with his awesome talent on the keyboards. He makes frequent appearances on French television and the “Blog de Jean-François Zygel” is heard on France Musique. His recent album is “Improvisations” (2008).

The receipts from his two evening recitals are slotted for the preservation of the recently renovated Chapelle Saint Ferréol located at the foot of the valley near Viens in the eastern Vaucluse.

Saint Ferréol was believed to be the saint responsible for bringing rain in the fall to a Provence parched by a hot summer. The local farmers would pray for rain in the small Chapelle Saint-Ferréol.

The Chapelle fell into ruin in the 1930’s; the walls cracked and a tree sprang up in the apt. An association was formed to renovate the Chapelle with the significant support of Christine-Ruiz Picasso, the widow of Paulo, the eldest son of Pablo Picasso.

Madame Picasso, who attended the recital, related to PVB that she has a strong emotional attachment to the Chapelle: her grandmother took her first communion there. In order to assure that the work would be completed in two years, Madame Picasso sold a building to provide the appropriate funding for the extensive renovation.

Note: The Museo Picasso Málaga, opened in 2003, was made possible by the generous donations of  Christine and Bernard Ruiz-Picasso. The collection in Pablo Picasso’s native city includes 133 works donated by Christine-Ruiz Picasso and 22 pieces donated by Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, the artist’s grandson.

Basics:
Chapelle Saint-Ferréol, Viens. Directions: Take highway D900 east from Apt. Turn left for direction Oppedette on D33.

August 18-28: Kazimierz Pemagalski, paintings, Vernissage at 6:00 p.m. on August 18. Open daily from 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

August 29: Groupe Jazz a Cinq, 9:00 p.m., 15 euros, reservations 06-23-85-10-12

Sept. 4-17: Inge Bjorn, rugs and works of wool, silk and linen, Vernissage Sept. 4 at 6:00 p.m. in conjunction with the “Nuit du Nord” presented by the Conteuse Magrethe Hojlund. Open daily from 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

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AVIGNON: EVOCATIONS OF CHOPIN

Posted on August 5, 2010 by BB Kuett

Three talented pianists will be playing the works of Frédéric Chopin in the garden of the Musée Louis Vouland in Avignon:

Tuesday, August 24: Ludovic Selmi

Thursday, August 26: Edna Stern

Saturday, August 28: Dana Ciocarlie

Basics:

Dates / Times: August 24, 26 & 28 at 8:00 p.m.

Address: Jardin du Musée Louis Vouland, 17 rue Victor Hugo, 84000 Avignon

Reservations: Tel: 04 90 86 03 79, Email: musee.vouland@wanadoo.fr, musiquemuseevouland@yahoo.fr

Tickets: Purchase at Musée Vouland, FNAC

Website: www.vouland.com

A wine tasting will follow the concerts sponsored by the Federation of Wineries of Chateauneuf-du-Pape

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VELLERON – FARMERS’ MARKET EXCEPTIONAL

Posted on August 4, 2010 by BB Kuett

Velleron: Stand Prepped for First Customers

There are weekly markets in the Vaucluse such as Carpentras on Friday, Apt on Saturday and L’Ise-sur-la-Sorgue that combine farmers’ markets and flea markets and a lot of other stuff to boot. Then you have Velleron, the mother of all farmers’ markets that is a purely agricultural affair.  Great selection, great bargains. A daily ritual, except Sundays.

Velleron Farmers' Market at 5:58 p.m.

Velleron Farmers' Market at 6:15 p.m.

Stand at Velleron Farmers' Market

Stand at Velleron Farmers' Market

Basics:

Velleron Farmers’ Market: Every day from 6:00 p.m. except Sundays; arrive early for best selection; discounts may be available as of 7:00 p.m.

Directions: Velleron is located between L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Pernes-les-Fontaines on D938. Enter the center of town and follow signs to market.

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LUBERON WINES: ONE-STOP SHOP

Posted on July 30, 2010 by BB Kuett

Maison de la Truffle et du Vin in Ménerbes

Getting around the Luberon appellation for tastings at the far flung wineries can eat up days as well as gas. A good place to begin your research for Luberon wines is at the wine shop and wine bar at the Maison de la Truffe et du Vin du Luberon in Ménerbes. (See PVB previous post on Luberon wines.)

In addition to offering tastings of a wide variety of Luberon vintages, the wine shop sells bottles at the same price as you would pay at the winery. The ‘Maison” also has a shop on the main floor that sells olive oil and delicacies of the region. Exhibits of local artists run throughout the summer.

Basics:

Maison de la Truffe et du Vin du Luberon, Place de l’horloge, 84560 Ménerbes, Tél. : 04 90 72 38 37

The Wine Bar and Shop is open daily from 12:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday evening.

Directions: Located at the western end of the perched village, it is best to park in the lot as you enter the village and then proceed by foot, following the signs to the “Maison.”

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TERROIR REDUX: THE VARIETAL WHITE WINES OF NIELS LA COUR

Posted on July 28, 2010 by BB Kuett

If you are a wine lover in search of a startling discovery and great pleasure, take a few sips of the white wines of the Domaine le Serre de Condorcet (DSC) — rich, fragrant and complex vintages of golden hues that summon up comparisons to the white wines of the Northern Rhone appellations. At DSC, a vineyard of 19 acres in the Drome Provencale, Niels La Cour produces a greater number of varietal white wines than any vineyard in the Northern or the Southern Rhone: Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier and Chardonnay.

The white wines of Domaine le Serre de Condorcet spend two years in the tanks before bottling. These wines exhibit exceptional balance and proportion, and can be kept in the cellar for up to ten years.

2009 Harvest at Domaine le Serre de Condorcet

Consider this: The farther south you travel in the Rhone Valley, the hotter the weather, the lower the acidity in white wines. White wines that lack acidity run the risk of being flabby and flat in the bottle. Most of the whites in the Southern Rhones are blends of various wines varieties, notably Roussanne, one of the few varieties grown in the region that has a naturally bracing acidity to offset the low acidity of other varieties.

An exercise in geography: Google “Condorcet France” and inspect the satellite image of the village with respect to the Southern Rhone Valley and the difference in coloration attributed to climate and altitude – the denser green of Condorcet contrasts with the brownish green patches of the Rhone Valley.

Now consider this: Terroir manifests itself when within a constellation the stars — grape variety, soil, altitude, precipitation and micro-climate — are in perfect alignment to yield a wine of distinctive characteristics.

Marsanne

Niels la Cour cultivates a terroir of chalky clay in the foothills of the southern Alps where the soil favors Roussanne, Viognier and Marsanne. At an altitude of 1400 feet, there is a large variation between daytime and nighttime temperatures, and the average temperatures are cooler than in the southern Rhone, thus imparting the white wines of DSC with higher levels of acidity. A few tasting notes on the vintages which evolve in the glass:

Viognier: This variety is growing in popularity in the southern Rhone despite its low acid and that it must be harvested at the right moment otherwise it produces wine that is flat and tasteless. The Viognier of DSC, grown in cooler temperatures, has a deep golden color with aromas of fresh butter and lavender. A complex and rich with a fresh palate with dashes of apricots and tropical fruits, and an aftertaste of hints of lavender, compare this Viognier to the more pricey wines of Condrieu. Serve with amuse-bouches for aperitif, melon with ham, and foie gras.

Marsanne: A full-bodied round white wine with yellowish hues, notes of grilled bread, minerals and honey; a balanced palette of apples and pineapples. This Marsanne is more airy than the earthy Marsanne of Crozes Hermitage. Serve with terrine of foie gras, grilled prawns, and chicken.

Roussanne: A rare varietal with a nose of wild flowers with smoky and mineral hints. On the palate, the wine is rich and well-structured: quince, licorice and flinty tones, and mineraliness. Serve with shellfish, or with game or white meat accompanied by mushrooms.

Chardonnay: Brace yourself for this full-bodied chardonnay, which is like a blank canvas in that its flavors vary as to terroir, that is not your crisp flinty Chablis nor your buttery Meursault. Golden in color, notes of litchis, grapefruit and lime flowers, a refreshing and smooth palette of honey tones. Serve with Coquille Saint Jacques, fresh river fish, and chicken with mushrooms.

Viognier

Background: A chemical engineer, Niels studied in oenology at Montpellier

Backstory: When Niels was a kid his family visited southern France from their home in Denmark. At first site of a farm and vineyard in Condorcet, his father purchased the property. In the late 1980’s, Niels purchased an adjoining farm where he planted vines in 1992.

The wines of the Domaine le Serre de Condorcet have been favored by the Hotel Restaurant Pic in Valence and by Paul Bocuse. The primary export market has been Germany.

Classification: Vin de Pays Des Coteaux Des Baronnies (Table Wine). “Les Baronnies” is a region of low mountains in the southern part of the Drome.

Email Contact: Niels La Cour, serredecondorcet@orange.fr

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JESSICA LANGE’S PHOTOS ON EXHIBIT

Posted on July 12, 2010 by BB Kuett

In his biography of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Pierre Assouline notes that the photographer felt like a thief when taking shots. In effect, Cartier-Bresson conceived of himself as stealing images away from strangers. This perception reasserts itself when one examines the darkly-textured photographs of Jessica Lange, the American actress, on exhibit this summer in St. Remy de Provence.

The somber photographs depict a world apart; images taken in far flung places that are susceptible to a variety of interpretations. The lack of light in shots of clinging couples evokes a sparseness of emotional space. A solitary sheet-covered figure on a bed in a bare room, the fixed gazes from a window, a silhouette of a figure framed by a doorway all engage you to ask: Is there anything more to reveal?

There is a respite of lightness in shots of a truck transporting camels, or of three perky girls dressed for the night leaning against a pick-up truck which reflects the shadow of the photographer.

Brace yourself for another kind of voyeurism: these bleak images are the flip side of celebrity shots where everyone is prettier and richer than you are and everyone has a lot more of everything than you will ever have. In these photos everyone is less pretty and less rich than you are and you will always have a lot more than they will ever have. If you are one who is hooked on envy of the first sort, take your dose of humility of the second kind.

The event had the feel of a garden party rather than an art opening due to the configuration of the exhibition space which also served as the passageway to the festivities, thus obliging guests to gaze efficiently at the exhibit while gliding toward the music, drinks and eats.

And what drinks and eats they were. A few words of unmuted enthusiasm for the sumptuous colossal tasty spread prepared by the staff of the Hotel Les Ateliers de l’Image. The champagne, as well as the red, white and rosé wines, never stopped flowing. The supreme surprise were plates of sushi — a delightful change of pace from the usual French stuff — that borne one back to Bui Sushi in Malibu and the other sushi bars that dot the Southern California coast. Point of explanation: The Hotel, which offers one room in a tree house, is owned by Japanese interests; ergo, serves sushi.

And there was the gracious and appreciative Jessica Lange: her unretouched looking prettiness bathed in brown and golden tones, the leading lady smile and the bulky sunglasses that are the obligatory markers of that tribe called celebrity.

The exhibition of Jessica Lange’s photographs in St. Remy de Provence runs until Sept 19.

Basics:

Festival AP’ART: www.festival-apart.org/

L’Hotel Les Ateliers De L’Image: www.hotelphoto.com/

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THE “MOBILE” ART OF ANTOINE MOREAU

Posted on July 11, 2010 by BB Kuett



“Avez vous remarqué que journaliste commence par la même lettre que justicier?”   “Alphaville,” Jean-Luc Godard

The letter J? Number 769?

The setting: On the lawn of the Hotel Les Ateliers de l’Image in St. Remy Provence during the sumptuous vernissage for the exhibition of Jessica Lange’s photographs.

The director: Antoine Moreau produces small pieces of mobile art, mobile mind you in the sense that he confides small sculpted numbered pieces to random individuals who then pass along these pieces to others.

The narrative thread: Each new ‘temporary’ owner informs M. Moreau by email of the date of transfer and of the new location of the sculpture so that he is able to track the journey of each piece. These small art works belong to no one and are in perpetual movement. M Moreau gave the letter J number 769 to PVB, 769 denoting his 769th creation.

The progression: PVB is passing along J 769 to an artist in Carmel CA who creates mobiles, having been influenced in his youth by a neighbor in Saché in the Loire Valley: Alexander Calder.

PVB will report on the itinerary of J 769, pending cooperation of its future transitory

keepers.

Basics:

J 769 recipient: www.highlands-gallery.com/

Antoine Moreau website: www.antoinemoreau.org/index.php?cat=sculptures

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LUBERON: FIVE WINNING WINERIES

Posted on July 7, 2010 by BB Kuett

Tasting Chateau Fontvert at Poppy Salinger's Vernissage

The Luberon wine appellation is in a sense the orphan of the Vaucluse. The private estates, which account for only twenty percent of the appellation’s production, do not attract the attention of wine raters that is accorded the other wine labels in the Southern Rhone, including the wines of the Ventoux.

Created in 1988, the appellation is a swath of 36 communities bordered on its northern edge by D100 from L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue to Apt, stretching down to the Durance River to the south.  Luberon red wine, 70% of the appellation’s production, must have at least 60% of Syrah and Grenache.

Brace yourself for a discovery. Whereas the wines of the Luberon have gone undetected on the radar screens of wine reviews, there are some blockbuster wines that rival the quality of Southern Rhone appellations.  Here are five Luberon estates leading the charge:

Château Fontvert

Profile: Three red vintages, one white and one rose. Run by the Monod family since 1999. Quality producer of 35 acres.

Taste: Chateau Fonvert Les Sarrazins, 14 months in barrels, Syrah and Grenache; Chateau Fontvert Rosé, blend of Grenache Noir, Cinsault and Syrah

Chemin de Pierrouret, 84160 Lourmarin; Directions: Entering Lourmarin on 943D from Bonnieux, the chemin is on your right as you approach parking under a row of trees, Tel: 04-90-68-35-89, Website: www.fontvert.com

Château Constantin-Chevalier

Profile:  A gorgeous site of rolling hills and verdant vistas maintained by Allen and Marie-Laure Chevalier with their three daughters. The Chateau produces three red vintages, two white and one rosé. Grape varieties are Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Mourvèdre for the Reds; Ugni-Blanc, Roussanne, Clairette, Vermentino for the Whites.

Taste: Cuvée des Fondateurs, aged in oak barrels for a year, is an exceptional red – rich texture and deep flavors.  The ‘bleed’ Rosé, known as rosé d’une nuit, is an aromatic and perky drink, a must for lovers of this carefree vintage.

Address: 84160 Lourmarin, Find Lourmarin’s only petrol station (Shell). From the station, follow the D139 in the direction of Lauris. At the fork (in 500m), take the road to the left (which is still the D139) towards Jas de Puyvert. Tel. 0490 68 38 99, Website: www.constantin-chevalier.fr/

Château Val-Joanis

Profile: Chateau Val-Joanis is one of the renowned properties in the Luberon. Located on the site of a Roman villa where wines were once delivered to Rome, the  property and the vineyards underwent a major renovations and rehabilitation beginning in 1977.

The vineyard of 145 acres extends up to an altitude of 1640 feet, the highest plots are called Les Griottes. Three reds, two whites and two rosés are produced. Last spring, Chateau Val-Joanis welcomed Anthony Bourdain and his “No Reservations” Travel Channel crew. Lovely wine shop.

Taste: Chateau Val Joanis White, Reserve Les Griottes, Reserve Vigne Du Chanoine Trouillet (90% Grenache)

Address: 84120 Pertuis, Directions: Located between Pertuis et Villelaure on D973, 2 Km after you leave Pertuis on your right. Look for sign.

Tel: 04-90-79-20-77, Website: www.val-joanis.com

Château La Verrerie

Profile: An astonishing site and vineyard of 45 acres renovated and reinvigorated by Jean-Louis Descours and his son Gérard. When the Descours assumed control in 1981, a wine cooperative accepted the property’s entire production. Four reds, two whites and a rosé.

Taste: The Grand Deffand Red 2004, 95% Syrah and 5% Grenache, is a wine of great complexity with intense fruit and aromas of black currant, toasted coffee and leather. If you have one red to take away with you from the Luberon, this is the one.

Address: 84360 Puget-sur-Durance, Directions: Enter Merindol take Direction Lauris-Pertuis. After 6,6 Km, turn left, direction Les Baumes (C12), and 0.8 Km, take a right, direction Lotissement Les Baumes (D 173). After 0.8 Km, enter the Bastide de la Verrerie by a small bridge on the left.
Tel: 04-90-08-32-98, Website: www.chateau-la-verrerie.fr/

Domaine de la Royere

Profile: A dynamic winery producing 12 vintages, ranging from an intense red of old vines (18 months in barrels) to a range of other red white and rose wines.

Taste: the Veilles Vignes; a Vin de Pays Syrah; La Garance, a Ventoux red, and the L’Oppidum rosé.

Adresse: 375, route de la Senancole, 84580 Oppede, Directions: On D900 leaving Coustellet, watch for signage at D178a, turn right; In center of Coustellet, Domaine’s shop at southeast corner of intersection of D900 and D2; Tel: 04-90-76-87-76, Website: www.royere.com

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FOUR FRAGRANCES TO BRING TO PROVENCE

Posted on July 3, 2010 by BB Kuett

“She smelled the way Taj Mahal looks at moonlight” Raymond Chandler

Frantic email: No time to pop into the perfume counter at Barneys, modern girl Chantal is off to Paris for a stopover before grabbing the TGV to Avignon. What scents to wear in Provence? She took a pass on Vogue’s list of summer scents: the usual suspects and a suspect new celeb perfume.

With a day in Paris before catching the TGV south, Chantal discovers a GPS-less perfume route: the No. 1 Line on the Paris Metro runs from La Defense down the Champs Elysees on the right bank to the Gare de Lyon where the TGV leaves for the Midi. The No 1 Line  is equivalent in social status to the No. 6 Line in Manhattan. Trivia: When the Paris Metro is hit with a strike, the No.1 Line’s service seems to be the least interrupted.

A quick hop from various No. 1 line stops, she can choose graceful fragrances for a summer in Provence. Voila four stops, four shops, four fragrances, and four mis-en-parfum scenes for Chantal to make.

Metro Concorde

Un Jardin en Méditerranée, Hermès 24, faubourg Saint Honoré, 75008 Paris

Grand merci to Chandler Burr, New York Times perfume columnist and all around fragrance maven who opines that this scent is “extraordinary, atomized summer.” “Fresh” is the appropriate adjective that comes to his mind for an “exquisitely free scent” designed by Jean Claude Ellena. Notes of mandarin oranges, bergamot, oleander, fig trees and pink cedars.

Where to wear: The Arles Photography Festival Awards Ceremony and the rock star photos of Claude Gassian, July 10, Theatres Antique, Arles; Dining at L’Atelier de Jean-Luc Rabanel, Arles.

Metro Concorde or Tuleries

En Passant, Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle; Created by Olivia Giacobetti 21, rue Mont Thabor, 75001 Paris

A magical lilac. An ineffably gorgeous scent, confidant in its pureness.  The sensation of floating above a garden of lilacs with hints of orange tree leaves, cucumber and wheat. Luxurious serenity.

Where to wear: Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Théâtre de l’Archevêché, Aix-en-Provence Festival of Lyrical Arts; dinner at Le Clos de la Violette, Aix-en-Provence.

Metro Palais Royal

Encens et Lavande, Serge Lutens, Jardins du Palais Royal, 142 Galerie de Valois, 75001 Paris

An elegant lavender. Notes of incense, lavender, vegetal amber and clary sage. A smoky incense mingles with fresh lavender, followed by flourishes of amber and a sage drydown.  Images of washed out stone walls of Avignon and glorious fields of lavender in full bloom. This fragrance is available only in Paris salon. And yes, it gets the slightest of nods over the Gris Clair imported to the states.

Where to wear: Creation 2010,choreographed by Anna Teresa de Keersmaeker, at Avignon Festival; Dinner at La Mirande, Avignon.

Charmes et Feuilles, The Different Company, 10 rue Ferdinand Duval, 75004 Paris

Sensual jasmine. A zesty fragrance of aromatic herbs. Notes of jasmine, marojam, peppermint leaves, grapefruit and clementine. “This fragrance conjures up images of mysterious and legendary gardens,” goes the official prose. “When a dreamy young marjoram and a sensual jasmine sambac fall in love with a few fresh pepper mint leaves, the concoction turns into a wonderful dream.” Joined by a bewildering sage and a vibrant clementine, the scent becomes a miraculous magical formula.

Where to Wear: Arielle Dombasle’s Glam Show at the Lacoste Festival; dinner under the stars at Le Phébus, Joucas.

Basics:

Chandler Burr: www.chandlerburr.com/

Hermes: www.hermes.com

Frederic Malle: www.editionsdeparfums.com/

Serge Lutens: www.sergelutens.com

The Different Company: www.thedifferentcompany.com

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