Vacation's over! Didier came to pick us up today. All of our bags were packed from the previous day so all we had to do was eat breakfast, lunch, and then head out. Didier took the triplets and I on some back roads so I was able to a lot of different aspects of France. For most French, the country is just that--country. Most people who live in France don't think of Paris or Aix, they think of the countryside.
On the entire drive back to Aix, I asked Didier to play life coach. I posed questions from every topic possible...From stocks and bonds to making my own wine like he did. We discussed French wine for about two hours which took up half of the trip. It was the most interesting topic!
Didier used to own Domaine des Masques at the foot of Mont St. Victoire. He sold that property when the taxes sky-rocketed. Didier was not your average vigneron. Most wine-makers are farm boys raised to that fate. Because Didier didn't have the agricultural background, he took classes and learned as much as he could. Not only was he the top of the class, but he was also twice as old as the rest. N'importe. What matters is that he learned, and he learned well.
In France, there is really no such thing as one single varietal in a bottle of wine. In America, you can choose your Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Rioja, Malbec, etc...In France, nearly every wine is a mixture of different grapes and avid wine drinkers here don't know the difference between their Cab and their Syrah. They know what they like and they have sommeliers to guide them. I like that!
An interesting fact that came up in the discussion. French vines are NEVER watered. It is completely against French law to manipulate your crops in any way and that includes the all important H²O! I find this incredible!!! I've seen a ton of vineyards in Virginia alone and they all had sprinkler systems. Didier says that the French believe that grapes should be grown naturally and that any place that isn't able to do that, shouldn't. Fascinating, right??? Big difference from the states. In America, if we can't have something, we'll make it happen...Mass-produced poultry, wine, lab-synthesized crops, etc. I like that the French do things the old-fashioned way. I'm sure it would make the results much more rewarding. In France, if the vines don't produce good fruit one year, then you just let it be. You don't make wine!
I really hope that I'm able to come back to France one day and buy my own vineyard. At least I've got my host dad to guide me!!!
On the entire drive back to Aix, I asked Didier to play life coach. I posed questions from every topic possible...From stocks and bonds to making my own wine like he did. We discussed French wine for about two hours which took up half of the trip. It was the most interesting topic!
Didier used to own Domaine des Masques at the foot of Mont St. Victoire. He sold that property when the taxes sky-rocketed. Didier was not your average vigneron. Most wine-makers are farm boys raised to that fate. Because Didier didn't have the agricultural background, he took classes and learned as much as he could. Not only was he the top of the class, but he was also twice as old as the rest. N'importe. What matters is that he learned, and he learned well.
In France, there is really no such thing as one single varietal in a bottle of wine. In America, you can choose your Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Rioja, Malbec, etc...In France, nearly every wine is a mixture of different grapes and avid wine drinkers here don't know the difference between their Cab and their Syrah. They know what they like and they have sommeliers to guide them. I like that!
An interesting fact that came up in the discussion. French vines are NEVER watered. It is completely against French law to manipulate your crops in any way and that includes the all important H²O! I find this incredible!!! I've seen a ton of vineyards in Virginia alone and they all had sprinkler systems. Didier says that the French believe that grapes should be grown naturally and that any place that isn't able to do that, shouldn't. Fascinating, right??? Big difference from the states. In America, if we can't have something, we'll make it happen...Mass-produced poultry, wine, lab-synthesized crops, etc. I like that the French do things the old-fashioned way. I'm sure it would make the results much more rewarding. In France, if the vines don't produce good fruit one year, then you just let it be. You don't make wine!
I really hope that I'm able to come back to France one day and buy my own vineyard. At least I've got my host dad to guide me!!!
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