Friday, September 13, 2013

Telmo sees future of Spanish Wine in the past

Telmo sees future of Spanish Wine in the past
Magnificent Seven
Wine lover Telmo Rodriguez, he doesn’t particular like being called a wine-maker, declared in Ballymaloe last evening that wine in Spain “had been in the wrong hands, now it is starting to be in the right hands. I am between a boring generation and an exciting generation”.

To find the brighter future, Telmo went back to the past. He could have had comfortably slotted into the family winery Remelluri but, after an intensive wine education in France, he eventually headed off on his own.

And to the most unlikely places. Barren hillsides where vineyards had been abandoned. Sometimes a few survived with practices dating back five hundred years, including “beautiful bush vines”.

“I support the bush vines,” he said and, pointing to the wines he was showing, “I am proud that none of these were on trellis. Small bush produce rich concentrated wine. And the bush protects the grapes from the hot sun. Grapes on trellis are like a sun-burned Irishman in Marbella.”

He deplores the New World concentration on the grape variety as the most important element. “In the Old World, the grape is the loudspeaker to show a place”, a medium to convey “the taste of a place”. Oak he sees as an enemy of that taste. “When oak becomes cosmetic, we are destroying the taste of the place. None of my wines are called Crianza – doesn’t matter to me.”

He spoke fondly of the family vineyards at Remelluri which have a history dating back hundreds and hundreds of years – in the 16th century the monks were already producing wine there.

Telmo remembers the mules coming in and working in the vineyards and also when his father bought the first tractor. After France, Telmo worked there for a while before moving out from what was considered the first Bordeaux style chateau in Rioja.

But now he is back. And has been for some years. The big estate, which had always tended that way, is now “absolutely organic, with plenty of grass and flowers, and we are always working to be more pure, more radical. The sense of history and place is very important to me.”
Yours truly and Telmo (right)
He showed seven wines in all and each had a story. Perhaps the strangest was that of his Mountain wine, the Malaga Molino Real, a sweet wine. This was a dream he pursued, having heard references to it via the unlikely pairing of Shakespeare and Hugh Johnson.
But it had disappeared and off he went to Malaga and began to search for the high altitude old vineyards and, as is his habit, talked a lot to the old people and in particular to the old women drying grapes by hand and they told him that “every single grape was massaged by hand” in the old days.
He didn’t go that far but, in 1998, settled on an area and with advice from Château Y’Quem, started production. He secured a plot and then planted it with Moscatel.  It took three or four years. He finally got it right and the exquisite result was in our glasses last night. “Never did any business with this wine but I’m proud of it.”
Reckon Telmo has quite a lot to be proud of. And, with a record of longevity in the family, he has quite a future ahead of him and is sure to keep Spanish wine-makers on their toes, to all our benefit.

WHITES
GALICIA:
Albariño de Fefiñanes 2012

MALAGA:
Mountain blanco 2011


REDS
GALICIA:
 As Caborcas 2010

CEBREROS:
Pegaso granito 2008

RIOJA:
R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Rioja Reserva  2001

Remelluri Gran Reserva 2005

Lanzaga 2008


SWEET WHITE
MALAGA:
Molino Real 

During the tasting, we had some lovely Spanish nibbles provided by Sylvia and Olga of La Cocina who can see at local Farmers Markets, including Douglas (Saturday) and Blackrock (Sunday).



White Gems from NW Spain

White Gems from NW Spain
 
Samaniego, an old village in Rioja
taken thorugh the glass of the Baigorri winery
Vina Tondonia Blanco 1996 Reserva, Rioja Alta, 12.5%

When I first noticed this 100 per cent Viura, with a rich honey colour, on the shelf in Tondonia in Haro, I thought “this has to be a dessert wine”. I said as much but was quickly corrected: “All these whites are dry,” said the lady in the bodega, who had learned her English in Dublin.

So we had a taste and yes it is dry. And so much more! There are gorgeous floral blossoms on the nose. On the palate, there is a soft explosion of beautiful exotic flavours but, while rich, the aged wine is well crafted and well balanced, all leading to a very pleasing, lingering dry finish. Indeed, there are constant reminders of sherry. This is surely something different and very highly recommended.

I had accidentally come to the right place for old whites! “To talk in our bodega of white wines being exclusively young and uncomplicated, would be asking for trouble. We have never been averse to ageing white wines in oak for as long as reds, and the result is much more surprising than might be expected.”

“ When this type of wine has spent a long time in contact with oak, the oaky tastes and aromas are overly noticeable and even unbalanced. Nevertheless, when left for a few more years in bottles, the rough edges of oak become sufficiently polished and balanced to create a seductive bouquet of spice, bitter almonds, vanilla and walnut, trademarks of the majestic and opulent Viña Tondonia whites.”

Tondonia or, to give it its full title, Bodegas Lopez de Heredia/Tondonia, is run by two sisters who proudly protect the reputation and practices (sometimes they use material from a previous year to “correct” an unsatisfactory vintage) of this long standing family firm.

Whatever they do, they do it well. Just to finish with a quote from The Finest Wines of Rioja and Northwest Spain: “..the reason Tondonia deserves a position of prominence on the Rioja podium is the sheer quality and seductiveness of its wines, across virtually the entire portfolio”.

2011 Bodegas Rafael Palacios Valdeorras As Sortes Val do Bibei, 13.5%, Ballymaloe Wines at BT.

This was the star of the wines featured at the Jancis Robinson appearance in this summer’s Ballymaloe Literary Festival. And indeed Jancis herself is a big fan: “This is clearly the most wonderful harvest of a great wine. Great length and balance, although still very young. ..... A lovely wine with elegance to be deployed for many years.” Alas, my bottle didn’t last too long!

Jancis is not the only one to approve. The authors of The Finest Wines of Rioja and Northwest Spain (worth getting your hands on a copy) are also major fans of this Godello and the results that Palacios has achieved.”This is one of the finest whites, not only in Valdeorras or Galicia, but in the whole of Spain.”

High praise indeed, so there is hardly much need of my tuppence worth which just confirms that it is a very good wine indeed and well worth a trek into Brown Thomas in Patrick Street.

Palacios, just like Thursday’s Ballymaloe visitor Telmo Rodriguez, seeks out what look like poor hillside terroirs from which he extracts gems like this one. Indeed, the name As Sortes has to do with small plots, the result of inheritance being drawn by lot, often out of a hat, and called sorte in Galician.

Martin Codax Albariño 2011, Rias Baixas, 12.5%, €15.85 Karwig Wines

Martin Codax was a famous troubadour in Galicia in the 13th century. When 270 wine makers of the region banded together in 1986, they took the name as a symbol of the region and of its culture. Thanks to the local winemakers and in particular to the local grape Albariño, Martin is now the best travelled of all Galician troubadours.

Hope this Albariño keeps travelling in this direction. Albariño is the main grape of the appellation and now one of the best known of Galicia. Its bunches and berries are small, allowing for an early ripening. It is a sweet and lingering grape, with high levels of sugar and acidity which give the wines an amazing freshness. Traditionally cultivated in “emparrado”, it is one of the main symbols of Galicia.

This 2011 is bright and clean, full of flavours and complex aromas, a little tingling on the palate and a good dry finish, a very good example of the Albariño, pretty much an unknown grape until that coming together in 1986 when it began to emerge as a varietal, both locally and internationally.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Punters line-up at Pam's Perry Street Cafe

Perry Street Market Cafe

Good news gets around Cork City quickly if the lunch-time line of customers at the recently opened Perry Street Market Cafe is anything to go by. But Chef Pam Kelly and her team are well prepared for the rush and the line moves quickly and soon you are at your table with your food.


And there is much to choose from. You’ll see the big daily board as you enter the light airy and spacious place and, as you progress up the line, you’ll be further tempted by the well presented food in the display cabinets. And, if you just want a sandwich, well they have a big list of those as well. And they look massive and tempting.


But we were in for a big lunch and boy did we get it and what made it even more satisfying was the fact that the local input is huge here. Names like Ummera, O’Connell’s Fish, Jack McCarthy, G’s Jams and so on feature either on the menu or in the food shop or in both!


I do like my chowder so I picked the O’Connell Seafood Chowder, chock full of chunky bits of fish enhanced by a lovely creamy soup and a gorgeous brown bread. CL was also delighted with her starter: the Creamy Celeriac Soup with Crispy Sage.


She changed her mind in the queue and picked the Quiche for here mains once she saw that it was packed with that fabulous Ummera Smoked Chicken with lots of other good things. It was a great choice. Not that I was disappointed with mine. On the contrary, I was delighted with the Fillet Beef Stroganoff and red rice. The beef was absolutely top notch and besides I also got a brilliant side-salad (that wasn't listed on the board).

Prices are pretty good here, €12.95 for the Stroganoff, €12.50 for the quiche. Service is friendly and excellent. They’ll help you find a seat and indeed it all works very well indeed.


There is a lot of space in the former furniture store and there are a few pop-up shops around the margins (including a Best of Buds outlet) and more to come. Perry Street may be a strange name to many but it’s just at the back of the Savoy so is really city centre. The location is not a problem as the numbers of customers there for lunch on Tuesday underlined.

Taste of the Week

Taste of the Week
A magnificent combination of flavours and textures.
Available, with much more, at the
Bee Sensations stall at Doneraile Farmers Market.

Blas na hEireann update on Bee Sensations July 2015 here


Tuesday, September 10, 2013

French Holiday Prices August-September 2013

French Prices August-September 2013
(based on recent Loire Valley holiday)
Shows are often included in admission prices to chateaus.

If you’ve ever driven in France you’ll know the best place to get petrol is at the larger supermarkets. This year, we got a fill in a Leclerc for 1.55 per litre while a regular garage up the road was charging 1.70. Another advantage of the supermarket set-up is that you put in your credit card and enter your pin and that allows you to fill up; once full, just drive off, no delays.

You may spend as much or as little as you like on eating out. A three course meal in a good quality regular restaurant costs about 23 euro but you will find an evening menu du jour there (with little choice) for 15 euro. If you move up in class, expect to pay between 27 and 30 euro for an excellent meal that may well include a cheese course.

Lunch menus can also vary quite a bit. In the busy tourist town of Azay Le Rideau, at the Creperie du Roy, we paid 21.10 for an excellent meal for two that included one glass of wine. At Sunday lunch, in a small village, two main courses, two coffees and a half bottle of wine came to 27 euro. 

We got a lovely two course lunch in Cafe au Coin in Saumur for €12.50 each. One day, in Vendome, we needed a snack and got it at a sandwich takeaway (a packed sandwich, a drink eg Coke or Orangina, and a big cookie) and the cost was less than four euro each.

Admission charges, especially if you have a family in tow, can be quite expensive but are generally worth it. Even the French are complaining and in some cases you should watch out for combination tickets or other discounts if visiting more than one attraction in an area.

Here are a few examples, without discount. The most expensive we came across was at the Chateau Close Luce and Park in Amboise which is dedicated to Leonardo Da Vinci. Normal entry fee is €13.50 but an extra fee to see a special enclosed exhibition on the great man brought the total to €18.50. It is an amazing place and I thought it was worth it!

The fantastic Abbey Fontevraud is €9.50, Saumur is €9.00, Chenonceau is €11.00 (13.00 if you add in the Wax Museum), Villandry is €9.50  (6.50 for gardens only) and Azay Le Rideau charges €8.50. Young children often go free and there are various concessions for students (up to 26 years!) but no discounts for pensioners as far as I could see! We all have our priorities!

Amuse Bouche

When he was expecting us, he often prepared our favourite meal, melocheya – a kind of specially prepared Egyptian green – with baby pigeons, which he would serve on his table after having spread newspapers instead of a tablecloth on his bare table. We ate with aluminium cutlery, and we ripped the pigeons apart with our hands. The melocheya with the rice was worth the trip.

From The Lost Gospel by Herbert Krosney.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Larry "McPinot" in Dublin next Month


Great Flavours from Traditional Portuguese Grapes

Great Flavours from Traditional Portuguese Grapes

Corgo da Regua, Douro Valley Portugal 2012, by Quinta do Judeu, 14%, RRP €12.99, Stockists 

Four traditional Portuguese grape varietals are used to make this excellent red in the Douro Valley by Quinta do Judeu: Tinta Roriz 35%, Tinta Barroca (35%), Touriga Franca (20%) and Touriga Nacional (10%). In another bow to tradition, they are foot trodden in granite lagares (usually with dimensions of about 4 x 4 m with a depth of about 1 m).

This is quite a deep red wine with a pleasant nose of dark fruits and hints of spice. The fruits follow through on the palate in a supple flow of concentrated flavours but with an excellent balance, and a long dry finish.


Earlier inhabitants credited the River Corgo with powers of speech. This wine is not shy and will match your robust red meats and mature cheese. Might be a good idea to grab a bottle or two for the upcoming game season. Highly Recommended!

Wines of the Clare Valley at The Hayfield

It’s a long way from Clare to here

 – wines of the Clare Valley

with John McDonnell at Hayfield Manor Hotel


Next up in the WineGeese series is a wonderful tasting with John McDonnell.

John is one of the legends of the Irish wine scene and has many years of experience in the wine trade, especially in relation to the wines of Australia.
John will talk about winemaking and winemakers in the Clare Valley in Australia and will give a guided tasting of six wines from this beautiful part of the world. John has a wonderful, engaging presentation style and is deeply passionate and knowledgeable about Australian wine so it promises to be a memorable tasting.

A super tasting deserves a super location and where better than the beautiful surroundings of Hayfield Manor.
Booking in advance is highly recommended as this event is expected to sell out very quickly.
Date : Wednesday 18th September 7pm
Venue : Hayfield Manor – Cost €15
Bookings : Contact Michelle Donovan. Events Manager.
Hayfield Manor. Phone (021) 484 5900

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Free Lunch for Visitors to A Taste of West Cork Food Festival!

Free Lunch for Visitors to A Taste of West Cork Food Festival!


As part of the Gathering initiative and to welcome international and local visitors, the popular Taste of West Cork Food Festival 2013 (now in its 10th year) is offering guests a delicious West Cork lunch – absolutely free! From the 6th-15th September participating restaurants in Skibbereen, Baltimore, Glandore, Union Hall, Leap and Casteltownshend will each showcase a specific product from West Cork; a nationally recognised region with a proud reputation for producing some of the best artisan food in Ireland. Discerning gourmands can, with proof of travel or accommodation, obtain vouchers for their free lunch (sponsored by Field’s Supervalu) from the Festival Box Office.

Cornstore ‘September Mussel Festival’ Returns

Cornstore ‘September Mussel Festival’ Returns

The Cornstore Group are getting set to serve a myriad of mussel dishes this September as their annual Mussel Festival returns for its third consecutive year. This autumn celebration of local mussels and seasonal flavours will see fresh Atlantic Mussels, sourced locally from Jamie O’Dwyer in Haven Shellfish, Kinsale, and Sea Lyons in Carrigaholt, Co Clare, served in over 10 different styles, take centre stage across the group’s menus.  



Restaurant goers can look forward to daily specials such as Mussels with carrot & orange with curry butter and coriander, Mussels with sake & pickled seaweed, or the popular Chorizo with tomato, chickpea and basil dish, along with current menu favourites such as the The Full Irish - Mussels with craft cider, Jameson whiskey, black pudding and chive cream.



‘Our September Mussel Festival has proven to be one of the tastiest and most popular times of the year with our customers,’ said restaurateur Padraic Frawley. ‘We’ve got an array of dishes with something to please all palettes, and if you’re not a mussels fan our current menu options will also be available.’  




Specialising in seafood and dry-aged steak, the group’s restaurants are located in both Cork and Limerick. Just last month they launched their Summer Seafood and Infused Cocktail Collection, which has seen both restaurants become a pilgrim destination for many seafood and cocktail lovers.

WSET Certificate Wine Courses, Autumn 2013


WSET Certificate Wine Courses
Autumn 2013
Venue: Clarion Hotel, Lapp’s Quay, Cork
Lecturer: Gary O’Donovan (BA, WSET Dip.)



WSET Level 1: Foundation Wine Course (1 day)
·         Date to be confirmed
·         Price: €150


WSET Level 2: Intermediate Certificate in Wines & Spirits (9 weeks)
·         Tuesdays 7.00pm-9.00pm from 24th September–26th November
·         Price: €395


WSET Level 3: Advanced Certificate in Wines & Spirits (15 weeks)
·         This course will next take place in Spring 2014
·         Price: €695


Full course content available on request.  Payment plan option available.



Contact Deirdre on 021 4296060 or deirdre@odonovansofflicence.com
to register your interest and for further information.


Ideal for those with a grá for the grape, those with an interest and passion for the world of wine and fine spirits and also for those in the hospitality industry looking for professional advancement.
uuGift Vouchers Availableuu


Please note:
·         All fees must be paid prior to course commencement.
·         Course commencement subject to minimum numbers.
·         Students must pass Level 2 before progressing to Level 3.



Saturday, September 7, 2013

Smooth Sailing All The Way Home

Day 21 & 22

Smooth Sailing All The Way Home
Our trusty steed takes a break as we "picnic" near Pouancé
The thunderstorms forecast for the Loire and for Brittany never materialised or at least not on our route from Chinon to Roscoff last Friday. True, there were a few showers in Brittany but nothing major and, indeed, the trip to the port was a very easy one.

The only bit of autoroute came early on and took us close to Angers. With time on our hands andthe sun shining most of the time, we made plenty of stops, one of them off piste and in the vicinity of Pouancé. Luckily, we stumbled on a nice picnic site (sign-posted) near the local football pitches and enjoyed a pleasant break before heading back to the main road.

The Sat-Nav, in conjunction with the map reader of course, took us safely through the Rennes Rocade and soon we were on the final leg, the N12 towards Morlaix and Roscoff. After another stop or two, arrived at the port just as the Pont Aven as coming in but it took another two hours, indeed it was just shortly before sailing time of 9.15pm (Friday), that we got on board.

Winding down: Closing time approaches in the Pont Aven Bar
Then it was time for some food. With the hour being rather late, we headed for the excellent self service and two excellent chicken dishes (mine a Poutlet Basque),  two desserts  and two bottles of water, and cost us less than thirty euro. Headed for the bar then only to bump into a bunch of former work colleagues returning from an annual golf trip.

This crossing was one of the very smoothest we’ve ever enjoyed on the Pont Aven and she docked in Ringaskiddy bang on the scheduled time of 10.00am (Saturday). After the inevitable delay in unloading, we eagerly hit the Cork roads and soon landed at home. Nice and uneventful trip and that’s the way we like them.

Roches Point, one of the arms of Cork Harbour, a welcome sight.








Thursday, September 5, 2013

Riverboat Trip as we Wind Down in Chinon

Day 20

Riverboat Trip as we Wind Down in Chinon
It is our last full day in Chinon. It is also very warm indeed, up and beyond 30 degrees. Just looked at the wall thermometer in our courtyard terrace and it is threatening to go off the scale that peaks at 50C. For these reasons, this is an easy day.
Baubles 'n bangles at Market
Got up a little later than usual before heading for the market. Made a bee line to the Asian speciality stall and joined the queue. Enjoyed the chit chat with Madame as we stocked up for lunch and evening. Also had a good look around and bought one or two presents.
Busy fruit stall. The grapes,
for eating, are Italian.
Got back around noon and headed straight for the pool. Cooled down and as we walked back to our gite we picked a few plums from the numerous trees in the garden. Did I tell you we have been living in a cave for the past three weeks? And I don’t mean a wine cellar.
Our suntrap! A "foot" of the cave
may be seen on the right (with flowers)
Les Cathelinettes is built on three levels.   The first building is the main one where the hosts, Sylvie and Roger, live and where they also have two B & Bs. Next level up is where we are, a 2/3 person gite built into the hill and an existing cave and termed Troglodyte. These kind of buildings are very common around here and also in the Dordogne. Another gite, a slight bigger one, is built above us.

By the way, you’d never know you’re living in a cave. It looks like an ordinary house but has the advantage of staying nice and cool in this very hot weather. All holiday makers here, and there could be up to a dozen at times, share the pool. In practice though, we’ve always had it to ourselves, often having to take the cover off. It has been fantastic facility the way the weather has turned out.
Chinon and its fortress from our river-boat today.
Chinon too – we can walk to the centre in 20 minutes – is a lovely and sometimes lively town, lots to see and do here and it is also well placed for touring to the east and west as there is a terrific road network.

We used the bigger roads, including autoroutes, to get to places like Vouvray, Amboise and Chenonceau and smaller ones most of the time. They take you through the fields. The landscape, aside from a few hills, is mostly level and quite often the roads are straight. 
A little riverside beach.
We enjoyed some lovely drives with the fields alongside. Crops of Corn on the Cob, Vines (of course) and Sunflowers are the main ones at this time of year. The sunflowers may be a disappointment to some of you. Now, in September, they look delicate, like faded golden paper dolls, all bowing to the inevitable and awaiting the grim reaper, the yellow of their vibrant youth long gone.

Roused ourselves in mid-afternoon and headed down to the tour boat dock. It turned out to be third time lucky. And, with a nice little (very little) breeze on the water, our mini-cruise on the flat-bottomed boat up and down the Vienne was delightful. Some nice views, especially those of the Fortress.






Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Big Heat Hits Loire. Two wine visits

Day 19

Big Heat Hits Loire. Two wine visits

Teach 'em young!
Super September continued in the Loire Valley with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees and boosting the hopes of wine producers such as Sebastien at Chateau Du Petit Thouars for a super harvest next month.  Rain, forecast for the weekend, will also be a help. Big juicy grapes!

We called back there after a couple of weeks to catch up with the news. Sebastien had been in Sligo for a wedding and his and Darcy’s daughter Elizabeth had taken her first steps and gave us a little demonstration. Great to meet up again with the trio and purchase some more of their fabulous wines, all destined for a trip to Ireland at the weekend.
Chateau du Petit Thouars
Back then to the gite and saw that the thermometer on the wall in the courtyard was getting up towards fifty – this is quite a sun trap as the general temperature is about thirty. Nothing for it but to tog out and take the few steps to the pool and soon we were cooling down.

Over a light lunch, we found we were a little short of Chinon wine, of all things. So we headed off to the riverside cave of Mon Plaisir, another one of those cellars built into the tufa, “free” cellars again, but very impressive even if many of the casks and barrels were covered in a fungus! Skipped the white and roses and went for the reds in the tasting and came away with some 2008 and 2009. 

Cave Mon Plaisir
Happy out but not so happy when we turned up at the opposite river bank for an expected boat trip up the river (Vienne). For the second time, we were disappointed as we were the only two that showed up. The boatman said he had twenty the day before.
Mould on bottles of Chinon 1979
So back to the car and up the river to Montsoreau, just where the Vienne and the Loire meet. Quite a lot of activity on the wide waters and we enjoyed a pleasant spell there.
Fun on the river
Amazing how many restaurants around here stay closed on Wednesdays and that was one of the factors, the heat another, in our eating at the gite this evening. On the way back from Montsoreau, we raided the traiteur and loaded up with pate, salads, main courses and a vegetable gratin. Over across the little square then to the baker and a nice little boule (it doesn’t always have to be baguette – there is a huge range here) and a couple of their winemaker tartlets!

Loire speedsters
Should be a lovely evening as the temperatures are still way up! A demain.
Winemaker's Rartlet - this evening's dessert from the baker.








Amuse Bouche

When not assembled with the rest for dinner, breakfast, a game of billiards, a walk, you are in your room reading, or lounging on your sofa. Every moment there comes in through your window, open on the garden, “puffs of music” from Chopin, working away on one side, which mingle with the songs of the nightingales and the scents of the roses.

From Famous Women: George Sand by Bertha Thomas

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Day 18

Saumur:  Mounted Police. A Donkey. Tanks. Wasps in the Pool.
Pilgrim's progress!
Don’t worry. It was a very peaceful day.

Started off the day with a trip to see Saumur, especially the central section, near the River Loire. It is a lovely little town (population about 30,000), full of quite narrow streets that suddenly expand into lovely circles and squares where the locals and visitors are to be found eating and drinking.

Today's Specials, ours on left
After walking round, we decided to have a little lunch and spotted an inviting menu at Cafe du Coin, €12.50 for salad and dessert. Well, the salad turned out to be mega, much better than the description on the board. A great plateful for each of us, plus two Coffee Gourmands and two Pineau Charente came to just over thirty euro and put an end to the prospect of dining at one of the big restaurants for that evening!

While eating on the pavement table, we saw two mounted policemen come up the street, just riding slowly along. They stopped for a while and as they did so this lady walking a large donkey, both well laden, came down the street, against the traffic.
Mega Salad, tomatoes, chicken, more added to original.
She tried to turn left but the donkey was having none of it. She had better luck when she tried right as the traffic built up. But the animal didn’t seem to like Rue St Jean either, for the duo – the lady looked like a Camino pilgrim – were soon back on main street and this time going in the same direction as the traffic.

We had parked up near the chateau and were soon back up there and headed for a nearby viewpoint. Got some great views over the Loire to the left and to the right and, just as we turned to go back to the car, who should we see but the pilgrim duo again. What a couple! After, all they had climbed all the way up with the temperature up to the thirty mark.
The wild Loire, from the heights of Saumur
Our next port of call was just outside the town, the Musée des Blindés, the museum of tanks, all of them from the 20th century and most used in the two world wars. Man’s ingenuity when it comes to destruction has to be seen to be believed.

There were familiar machines here, the Panzers, the Tigers, the Shermans, the Chieftains. We can only hope that names of this type will never be as familiar again. The men involved, especially in the second world war, were not forgotten and the likes of De Gaulle, Montgomery, Rommel and a rather pasty looking Patton were remembered. 

Chemical warfare
I didn’t think the De Gaulle model was exactly a lookalike. In fact, he looked more like Stephen Fry. The exhibition is in a huge barn type building and is quite a visit if only as reminder of those dreadful conflicts. Just look inside one of those tanks and imagine the panic as flames broke out in the heat of battle. Brave men.

We made our exit into the hot sun and headed for Chinon and agreed it was going to be the traiteur rather than the restaurant. Picked up an inviting looking chicken with lemon, saffron and black olives. We have just the wine to go with it, a 2010 by Clos de L’Epinay, a lovely fruity yet dry Vouvray with a citrusy finish.
Do you think he looks like De Gaulle?
Just had to hit the pool today. We had company. Quite a few wasps had landed there and were floating around, still alive. But we generally avoided one another, though there was one fatality on the other side. C'est la guerre!
A Sherman tank








Monday, September 2, 2013

Da Vinci Codex. Amboise throws the book at me.

Day 17
Da Vinci Codex. Amboise throws the book at me.
Parc Leonardo Da Vinci
Today, in the lovely Loire town of Amboise, they threw the Leonardo Da Vinci book at me. Learned a lot but probably have forgotten much of it already.

Not many people know that the famous Italian lived the last three years of his life here in Chateau du Clos Lucé and indeed died here in 1519. He came as a guest of his ardent admirer Francois 1, the king of France, who had his own Royal Chateau just a few hundred yards away.  There was even a connecting passageway between the two buildings to enable fan Francois talk to his artist.
Here's looking at you kid!
On an arduous journey from Italy Leonardo brought a familiar face, Mona Lisa, with him, though the painting that now hangs here is a copy by someone else painted soon after the original. Da Vinci happily lived here for three years, painting and working on other passions such as engineering, building design, and even producing entertainments for the court.

It cost eighteen euro to do the full visit here and that included the chateau, gardens, a 3D representation of his machines, a special and interesting Da Vinci expo (this accounts for five euro of the fee and you can omit it if you wish) and the enormous park with some 35 individual exhibits illustrating various aspects of the artist’s enormous range of works.
This armour is killing me. Francois I, King of France
The 1471 chateau is modest compared to some we’ve been at but it is attractive. We saw rooms where Da Vinci slept and worked and also the kitchen where the meals were prepared by Mathurine for the vegetarian Italian.

Some mist and sound effects have been added to the waters of the old garden where he walked, a pleasant place where we walked today, but the park is the big deal here, at least for me.  Canvasses hang from the trees to illustrate different themes. Those that caught my eye and imagination were the Light on Faces area and the Mechanics of Life section.
Out in the Parc
But lots more to grab the attention, including getting your hands on the works of the Propeller (precursor of the helicopter), the Paddle Boat, the Tank and more.  Basically, it is the kind of place that you walk around with your mouth open and admiration pouring out through every pore in your body.

This man was a genius of his time and would no doubt have been a genius in these times.
The Propellor (precursor of the helicopter)
It was a tremendous visit in the heat of the second day of September. Temperatures were around the mid 20s as we drove home on the A85 and we were keen to get to the swimming pool. When we reached Chinon, we found our traiteur closed and the only restaurants open were ones that we had already visited.

So, with the pool beckoning, we went a little downmarket and called to the little Carrefour (Carrefour City) in the town. I suppose downmarket might be the wrong term as the prepared meal we choose was by Chef of the Century Joel Robuchon, of Paris, London and Las Vegas.  The meal, titled Le fameux Parmentier de Canard, cost under a fiver each, and was excellent. The little bowls that it came in, suitable for oven or microwave, were cleaned out, not a smidgeon left.
Chateau du Clos Lucé