St. Emilion was really interesting

Ever since Dad and I had the wine store, I hoped I would someday visit St. Emilion. Howard always spoke so longingly of visiting there, and I thought I would pick up where he left off. So arriving there, in what is probably the most heralded of Bordeaux regions, was really a dream come true. The area wasn't as big as I thought it would be, but it is all about the wine. Everywhere we drove there were vineyards. It was the last week of picking season and everyone was out in the vines. Apparently, as we later learned there is a mad rush for picking help, when the exact time is reached, and for most, the week had arrived starting early the week before, so they were now finishing up. Sign up now for next year...

Our B&B, Chateau Meylet La Gomerie was old but beautifully renovated, and comfortably furnished. The rooms were a good size and very clean.


The house was in the center of a large vineyard and we drove back a long drive to get there, plus it was just 10 minutes from St. Emilion town center, so that was perfectly placed. Bryan figured out that at €45 per night, and €8 for breakfast, this was cheaper than his home, and he should just stay there!

We headed into town for dinner at about 8 p.m. and wound up at a wine bar/restaurant that was fabulous, but I can't find the name. I think their cards were so clever that I mailed them as postcards instead of keeping one. Maybe someone will let me know what it was called. The food was really good, but Pat and Bryan couldn't get over the wine list. Now mind you -- that's what they are all about here.

The next morning, we arrived in time to look at few tapestries in a window I had seen the night before, before we were met by our tour guide for the day. He took us on a walking tour of the town (all 4 streets) and then we went into the grotto created by the hermit who is now known as St. Emilion. (Apparently he is not really a saint).

This guy built his little cave in the side of huge rock deposit, and his followers later carved an entire church in the cave.



After the tour we went to lunch and then "wine school." I nearly laughed out loud when some woman said she could smell leeks in one of the wines, and then everyone nodded in unison, "oh that's it..." Howard would have loved it. He was always so funny about those people that talked about what they smelled in the wine.




Our last part of the tour was a trip to a local vineyard, La Fleur Picon This was even better than the 1000 year old hermitage. This young vintner, now I think 3rd or 4th generation making wine in this same plot of land was so excited to show us his wine making operation, one couldn't help but be interested. He gave us a taste of several and described his whole process. Did you know that some french winemakers use american oak barrels? (Not so many yet, but they are running out of barrels in France, so they are trying something new.)It was really fascinating, and again, I couldn't get over the great smells. Everywhere there was kind of a yeasty, grapey, fermenting smell, mixed with french and american oak barrels and some burning leaves, and of course, leeks.