So This Is Christmas

Merry Christmas is such an infectious feeling I like to feel that way all year around.

So if you are visiting just before Christmas, just after Christmas or even here on Christmas day I am sure you will find something of interest for you and in the spirit of Christmas.

It may be said that Christmas is no longer a celebration but this must be spoken by people that have never had trouble closing their eyes on Christmas Eve in an expectation of what maybe left for them on the carpet under the tree.

I continue to look forward to the surprise on my Grandchild's faces to this day at Christmas events.

Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Merlot Connoisseurs Have A Preference For St Emilion Wine

By Celia Hall


The winemakers of St Emilion wine hail from a select part of Bordeaux. Here old roots dating back to the Romans meld with the new. Vineyards are nestled by a quaint village with medieval roots. UNESCO has recognized the village and its surrounding territory since 1999 as a World Heritage site.

A historic hermitage has a historic place near the village which was established near it. The appellation and its location carry the name of the monk who built the hermitage. The lovely scenery is marked by cliffs of limestone rock. The terrain gives each sample its distinguishable traits. Basically, there are four soil variations.

On the limestone slopes by the village a majority of the top wines are produced. Lesser wines are made from grapes grown by the rover bank where there is a alluvial sand plain. On the western side of the locality, the aeolian sand plateau also makes fine samples. Beyond this plateau are acres of gravel. Leading properties such as the Chateaus Cheval Blanc and Figeac can be found here. Both use cabernet franc in their wines. In addition, cabernet sauvignon is added to Figeac, which for this reason is known as the most Medoc like of this appellation.

The quick developing merlot is main grape used in this area. The cool climate produces a superior merlot hard to match in warmer regions. Heat ripens the grapes more quickly and produces an inferior result. When the ripening process is slowed, the quality of the product is improved. This is why more discriminating palates prefer the producers of this area.

Angelus, Cheval Blanc, Clos Fourtet and Canon are famed names synonymous with the area of limited territorial scope. Average vineyard size is small. Almost two thousand vintners are packed in close to fourteen thousand acres on the eastern bank of the Dordogne. For more affordable examples, the smaller vintners offer good value. Differences amongst producers and their vintages and producers need to be identified in making the optimal selection.

In September of 2012, the long awaited classification was announced. Typically the ranking is reevaluated every 10 years; but there was a snafu in 2006. Wine makers who lost their top perches sued for reinstatement. As a result the 2006 rankings were discarded.

In the 2012 ranking, the demoted producers regained their lost perches except for La Tour du Pin Figeac. The amazing result made 82 wines recipients of the leading two categories. This was the largest number awarded these prized qualification since 1969. In that ranking, 84 were awarded the leading rankings. The biggest change on the top was the first time addition of the Angelus and Pavie as Premier Grand Cru Classe A estates. Larcis Ducasse, La Mondotte, Canon La Gaffelier and Valandraud also rose to this category.

To correspond with the Vinexpo fair, a biannual dinner is arranged by the leading vineyards. Vintages, both new and old are served with meals to match by chefs on this occasion. Visitors can visit anytime. The winemakers are happy to share their samples. Before any visit is made to a St Emilion wine producer, good manners require making an appointment first.




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