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+--- Thread: Vincent Pinard - Sancerre 1999 (/thread-16763.html)
- Puccino - 09-03-2001
I just wanted to share with everyone a little experience I had this weekend. Took a weekend trip down through the Sancerre appelation in France and spent some time with Mr. Vincent Pinard. He was voted top producer in France in 1997, and this man is just that - tops. We tried all of his wines (he was rather generous with his portions!) and peppered him with all sorts of questions. We walked away with several bottles of his 1999 Flores and even more of his 99 Harmonie. The Harmonie is incredibly complex for a white, and very well balanced. An absolute pleasure, no question. He sold the Harmonie to us for 100 FF each ($14) and the Flores for, I think, 50 FF ($7). Being ever the tourist, we even had a photo taken with him inside his "cave". Make a point of trying these if you haven't already.
Best regards,
Puccino
- joeyz6 - 09-03-2001
Wow, I am so jealous!! I spent last year studying in France and was fortunate enough to live in Tours for a month. I toured Vouvray and checked out the vineyards there, but I never had such an interesting experience as yours in Sancerre. My girlfriend loves Sancerre wine, so maybe I'll pick up a couple of bottles of those you mentioned -- thanks for the tips. Do you live in Paris permanently?
- Puccino - 09-04-2001
Hi Joeyz6,
It's great you had the opportunity to live in France for an entire year! Other than Tours, where did you live? Are there a few things you miss now after having left? We moved to Paris in September of 2000 with my company and should be here until end of 2002. We traveled through the Loire valley two months ago and tried a few wines, but this by far was our best experience. Now, it's on to the Rhone!
Good luck finding these wines - your girlfriend will certainly be pleased!
Puccino
- joeyz6 - 09-04-2001
[img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/eek.gif[/img] You have exactly the kind of job I want to get after I graduate this year! But I hear they are pretty hard to find. I lived in Paris from October 2000 through the beginning of June (Tours just during September 2000). And YES, YES, I miss it terribly. But I am getting focused on the upcoming schoolyear now, so hopefully I can keep my mind off Paris, somewhat.
The Sam's near me doesn't have either of those Pinard's...I've had a little trouble finding a place near me that carries them, but I'm going to keep looking. I may try ordering them online.
- Bucko - 09-04-2001
Loire wines are some of my favorites. Take advantage of your location!
- Puccino - 09-06-2001
Glad you had the chance to live in Paris! I can only imagine the things I will miss when we leave. Good luck on your studies, and who knows, maybe you'll get an opportunity to come back.
Hi Bucko - ditto on the Loire wines. Will do!
- lizardbrains - 09-17-2001
Ohhh, I miss Paris! It's not as bad as when I look at my pictures, or close my eyes and remember specific memories. I wish I would've brought home some good Camembert. I wish I would've brought home more "Pariscope". And I wish I could've brought home the secret recipe to baguettes! It seems that Americans make "baguettes" too big and soft. When I landed back home after 3 months in Paris, though, I truly understood why people kiss the land when they arrive back home from overseas.
After landing back in the U.S., my fiance took me to a grocery store so I could pick up some things I needed (who would've known that contact solution is SOOOOO expensive in France?!!!!), and I couldn't get over the fact that everyone was staring at me, and some even smiled at me - how rude! And then I realized... I was thinking like a Parisian!
One thing that I wish I would've done more of is visit more chateaux. My friend from Joue les Tours gave me a great tour of the Loire Valley, but I should've gone to visit her again and asked her to take me on another tour to see more! But, alas, I'll be back! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img] ... someday...
- Catch 22 - 09-18-2001
"everyone was staring at me, and some even smiled at me - how rude! And then I realized... I was thinking like a Parisian!"
Thinking like a Parisian? Please elaborate, as I've never been there. And now as I re-read it, how were they able to read your mind and know what you were thinking? [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]
- Puccino - 09-18-2001
Ha! Your comment on contact solution certainly hits home! After spending 2 months here in Paris, my wife went back home to the States to coordinate with our movers and she stocked up on all those items which are "tres cher" here in Paris, or that we couldn't get. Contact lens solution, good deoderant, peanut butter, pancake syrup, ibuprofen and a host of others.
I have learned the art of appearing Parisian (as you mention): Look straight ahead, never smile, stand your ground when walking down the sidewalk so that others (please read as tourists) have to alter their course, and ALWAYS say bonjour/bonsoir when entering a store/restuarant and merci au revoir when leaving.
Traveling in the south of France, however, might as well be a world away from Paris. There, the people go out of their way to be friendly towards you, always smile and will help you unconditionally.
Ah...the baguettes and fromage...will certainly miss these.
Hopefully you'll have more opportunities to return and explore more areas! Bon chance!
Puccino
- lizardbrains - 09-18-2001
Man, I was late to work today because I spent too much time online this morning. Mainly I was typing a decently lengthy reply (to you, Catch 22) with more French cultural info. And apparently it didn't go through. Well, I'm not going to re-type, since Puccino pretty much said it! Instead, I'll elaborate a bit. :-)
I must say, I forgot about walking straight on the sidewalk! I remember dodging Parisians left and right on the sidewalk, and finally I said to myself "Forget that!", and I became one of them - sometimes (I hate to admit!) even aiming for tourists, to see them get out of my path!!! After 3 months, I must have really infiltrated the system - I had tourists stopping and asking me in broken French for directions, and they were shocked when I responded back in native American English!!!! I guess I just learned to play the part - don't look people in the eye (it's rude to stare), don't smile at people (a smiling stranger is not to be trusted - why would they be smiling at someone they don't know, unless they have something up their sleeve), etc. It's actually quite a fun game to play!!! :-) (Oh, no, did I just say that?!)
I'm a French teacher, and I just love talking about French culture!!! I love the French! They are SO kind and EXTREMELY GIVING! But you have to kind of kiss up to them a bit - compliment them, and then ask for help - it works wonders! That's their culture. ANYWAYS... the best book about French culture (it's factual, AND entertaining!) is "French or Foe" by Polly Platt. She compares the French to Americans, in the most accurate and hilarious way.
By the way, I didn't get too far out of Paris (just the Loire Valley for a bit), so I didn't get to experience any of the charming southern French culture that I've heard great things about. Alas, another time, another trip.
I sure wish I knew about wine when I was over there. I was 19/20, and didn't even know how to open a bottle, nonetheless choose one! I sure do miss X-Cidre (it's an alcoholic cider, and SOOOO good!) - if I were to go back, I'd bring back to the USA a few 6-packs of those, and drink them slowly so as to savor them!