Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Friday 20 November 2015

Tours – 11 èmes Rencontres François Rabelais

 At the Hotel de Ville: mass of tributes to those who 
died in the attacks in Paris last Friday

I passed these moving tributes on my way from 
the hotel to the restaurant  


In Tours for the 11th Rencontres François Rabelais – arrived late yesterday afternoon and will return to London on Sunday. I'm here as one of those involved in a round table discussion on wine tourism. My theme will be that if you really want visitors you have to open over the weekend! 

My fellow panelists are Jean-Max Manceau (Domain de Noiré, Chinon), Pascal Pringarbe (Château la Morinière) and we will be kept in order by Jean-Claude Bonnaud (editor of Vin ligerien).   

Some of those involved in the Rencontres François Rabelais had dinner last night at Le Zinc (27 Place du Grand Marché, 37000 Tours), a restaurant in the old part of Tour. An excellent 2014 Chinon Les Galuches from Wilfred Rousse proved to be very popular. Wilfred is based in Savigny-en-Véron, close to the confluence of the Loire and the Vienne where the soils are light – sand and gravel. The Chinon has lovely soft texture and is a delight to drink now.  

 2014 Les Galuches, Chinon
Wilfred Rousse



2014 Touraine Sauvignon, Les Celliers du Prieuré 
(since 2014 part of Ackerman) 
Crisp and citric, typical Touraine Sauvignon 
with some weight from 2014 vintage 

2 comments:

Susan said...

I am sure many of our clients (all anglophone) don't believe us when we tell them that we cannot visit a winery on Sundays. I have taken to explaining that we only visit small family run estates and Sundays is family time.

Jim's Loire said...

Hi Susan

I understand that being open all the time for a small family domaine is very difficult. However, there are ways round this by a group of vignerons cooperating and setting up a programme of open days together., so taking it in turns to be open.