Epeigné-les-Bois: Fête de la Saint Vincent 2012

Crowded Salle des Fêtes for the 2012 Saint-Vincent (photos: Mark Robertson)

Report on yesterday's Saint-Vincent celebrations in Epeigné from Mark Robertson, vigneron and correspondent sur-place for Jim's Loire: 

'A very successful Saint Vincent in Epeigné yesterday, organised by the Comité des Fêtes. François Garanne was the St Vincent this year, and he and Guy Henault ( a retired vigneron and doyen of the CDF) planted a vine each along the cemetery wall.

The Gidelle presented their traditional dance following which there was a wine tasting (Cave Francueil, J C Legrand and Cave Garanne). The Salle des Fêtes was packed for the lunch prepared by M. Emery of Luzille, we were 92 at table.

A menu and photo of the wines is attached. As you can see the Cave Cooperative have redesigned their label which looks a bit more modern. The 2009 Côt was actually quite good.

During a brief speech Francois Garanne mentioned that there are still approx 30ha of vines planted at Epeigné so all is not lost. A distinguished guest at the lunch was Alain Kerbriand-Postic former mayor of St Martin le Beau and Conseiller General – seen bottom left in conversation with Michel Mergot.

The volunteers of the municipal library arranged an exhibition ‘La vigne et le vin’ which was provided by the Conseil General. This comprised some informative posters and a selection of interesting books on all aspects of wine.

Apparently the dancing (and reading) continued until late in the evening.'

Cheers,

Mark

Menu and line-up of bottles 

2011 Saint-Vincent Cravant-les-Coteaux

 Le Saint-Vincent 2011@Cravant-le-Coteaux

(Delighted to have this report from Johan Le Calonnec on this journée de la modération.)

The 2011 Saint Vincent in Cravant les Coteaux on Sunday was beautiful, Hubert Page sang l'"Hymne de Cravant les Coteaux" and we were more than 1100 persons (all people sang with Hubert, very nice!).

Here is the menu (the chef was Bernard Tardivon from Poitiers

Menu Saint Vincent 2011

- Assortiment de feuilletés chauds et Gateaux salés
- Apéritif
- Mise en bouche "Tatin de navet et son foie gras de canard poêlé"

_ Aumônière de St Jacques tiède et Millefeuille de Homard et Langouste "Sur son assise de tartare de petits légumes, vinaigrette balsamique"
Chinon blanc

- Escalope de Sandre poêlée et rôtie, beurre rouge
Cravant 2007

- Sorbe de Poire
Cravant 2000

- Pavé de Boeuf crème de Morille "Brochette de légumes (pomme de terre, carotte et courgette) Poêlée de champignons avec cêpes.
Cravant 2006

- Assiette de Mesclun, vinaigrette huile de noix et ses Fromages (Comté et Ste Maure chaud)
Cravant 2005

- Gourmandise Cravantaise (Croquembouche, Framboisier, pâte d'amande nature cristalline de panacotta de fruits rouge)
Pétillant

Café et son Palet de Chocolat
sur table Rouge et Rosé 2010

After lunch (we finished at 19h30...) we visited the cellars of Joël Bournigault, Baudry Dutour, Guillaume et Jérôme Sourdais and Manoir de la Bellonière.

My best memories were Clos des Marroniers 2008 (Baudry-Dutour), the perfect Château La Grille 2005 (Baudry-Dutour), the 2002 from Jérome and Guillaume Sourdais and the 1996 Chinon (from Moreau, Manoir de la Bellanière).

After that we went to the ball and the cold buffet.

Christophe Baudry, the maire of Cravant-les-Coteaux, was very happy after this party, because that was another succès for Cravant.

Johan during the 2009 vintage at Domaine Huet, Vouvray

***

Le Fête de Saint-Vincent Epeigné-les-Bois

A report this smaller but equally perfectly formed Fête at Epeigné-les-Bois is here in La Nouvelle République.

Epeigné-les-Bois: 2011 Fête de la Saint Vincent

 

Danses de la Gidelle

Saint Vincent – Dimanche 30 janvier 2011

The Fête de la Saint Vincent, the saint of wine and wine producers, is celebrated throughout France's wine regions on one of the last Sunday's of January. The centrepiece is usually a long lunch accompanied by appropriate wines offered in modération. Francueil, Epeigné's neighbouring village, marked Saint-Vincent last Sunday. This Sunday is Epeigné's turn.

Already 90 reservations have been taken and the list is now closed.  

MENU

Jambon au sauce Porto

Colin au sauce Beurre Blanc

Sorbet au citron

Aiguillettes de Canard au Sauce Morilles

Fromages et Salade

Profiteroles

Café

VINS

Aperitif

AOC Touraine Rosé Domaine de la Grange, Bruno Curassier

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, Cave Coop de Francueil

AOC Chinon 1989 – cave of Joël Segret – this year’s St. Vincent

AOC Côtes de Bourg 1996 – cave of Joël Segret – this year’s St. Vincent

Méthode Traditionelle demi-sec, Cave Coop de Francueil

This year two vines will be planted in the courtyard of the Lezard Vert, the village café, bar, grocery and restaurant. M Segret and M. Georges Maurice will plant the vines. M. Maurice was at the heart of the Saint Vincent celebrations for many years and is being honoured for this. M. Maurice also used to produce some fine Gamay until he retired.

2009 Vendange@Epeigné-les-Bois

 

Epeigné-les-Bois: two January 2010 dates

Michel Mergot and his predecessor as Maire – Jacky Marchau@2009 Cérémonie des Voeux 

Saturday 8th January 2011: Cérémonie des Voeux, 18.00, Salles des Fêtes

The 2009 Saint-Vincent: Alain Tranchard (photo Mark Robertson)

Sunday 30th January 2011: Fête de la Saint-Vincent

Fête des vignerons
Messe
Danses de la Gidelle
Dégustation des vins
Banquet

Epeigné-les-Bois: Saint Vincent 2010

Sunday 24th January


10.30 Religious ceremony at the church with the assistance of the Chorale.

11.15 Demonstration of folk dancing by the Gidelle dance group from Epeigné and sale of brioches

12.00 Wine tasting in the Salle des Fetes (Legrand, Cave Francueil, Cave Garanne and Domaine de la Grange)

13.00 Lunch (prepared by M. Emery of Luzille)
Aperitif
Terrine of Pigeon with Foie Gras
Fillet of Sandre with Crayfish Sauce
Apple Sorbet with Calvados
Fillet of Beef with Roquefort Sauce
Salad and cheeses
Opera with creme anglaise
Coffee
Entertainment by Gilbert Fremont (songs, stories, jokes and dance)

Price 37€. Reservations at the Mairie

This year Jean-Michel Prieur will take the role of Saint-Vincent

Grand Saint-Vincent, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil: 23rd January 2010

Small bottle of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil outside the church in the centre of the village

Many wine villages and towns celebrate the Fête de Saint-Vincent, the patron Saint of the vine and wine, on the closest Sunday to the Saint's day. Customarily there are various ceremonies but always with a central feature – a very long lunch that often lasts through to the early evening. Here are details of the celebrations at Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil.

23 janvier 2010

La Commanderie de la Dive Bouteille vous propose de venir passer une journée avec eux pour fêter la Saint-Vincent.

Au programme :

10h00 : remise du Saint Patron aux vignerons de Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil

10h30 : messe solennelle de la Saint-Vincent

12h00 : vin d'honneur offert par les vignerons de Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil à la salle des fêtes

13h00 : grand repas de la Saint-Vincent avec les traditionnelles intronisations

20h00 : soirée dansante animée par l'orchestre Nich Dileem

Price: 45€ per person

Details from Jean-Paul Mabileau: 02.47.97.82.02

Website: http://www.stnicolasdebourgueil.com/

Future TGV lines in the Loire + Fête de la Saint-Vincent

The Nouvelle Republique carries a couple of studies on two future high speed rail projects: the extension towards Bordeaux of the existing high speed line from Paris to Tours and a TGV Centre from Paris to Nevers and onto Clémont-Ferrand and Lyon.

The new line TGV Sud Europe Atlantique (LGV) is definitely due to go ahead with the section from Tours to Angoulême expected to open in 2016. The TGV Centre is considerably less certain – it might be in service around 2020, although apparently it hasn’t been identified as one of the rail projects that will add a further 2000 km of high speed lines to the French network by 2020. It would, however, have the advantage of reducing the pressure on the existing very busy Paris-Lyon line, the first TGV that was built.



There are three different routes through the region that the proposed TGV Centre might take. Both the direct and the one through Cosnes look as though they could threaten to go through the vineyards of Sancerre and Pouilly respectively.

The annual Fête de la Saint-Vincent (the wine saint) is celebrated in many of France's wine regions. Saint-Vincent's day falls on 22nd January but the celebrations are normally held on the weekend following as a long lunch is a customary centre-piece of the celebrations.

Epeigné-les-Bois: Mairie

Today’s edition of the NR carries a report on the Sunday's Fête du Saint-Vincent in Epeigné-les-Bois.

Alain Tranchard: Le Saint-Vincent 2009
(photo: Mark Robertson – Epeigné garagiste
and a previous Saint-Vincent)

Epeigné-les-Bois: church dating from 11th century


The folk group La Gidelle provide entertainment before an extended lunch
(photo: Mark Robertson – Epeigné garagiste and previous Saint-Vincent)

Epeigné-les-Bois: church in the snow in early January