Epeigné-les-Bois: 45th celebration of Saint-Vincent

The packed out Salle des Fêtes@Epeigné-les-Bois 

on Sunday 25th January 2015  

The menu

Last Sunday Epeigné-les-Bois celebrated its 45th edition of Saint-Vincent. Mark Robertson, Epeigné's sole independent producer, reported that the Salle des Fêtes was packed out and that everyone had a great time, especially Dominique Hisbergue who was this year's Saint-Vincent. The wine in the barrel was a 1989 Vouvray demi-sec.

Dominique Hisbergue dans la formation!

Perhaps sadly with its area of vineyards steadily declining it is now inevitable that the village's Saint-Vincent has to be someone who enjoys wine judiciously and always with modération!!   

Report in La Nouvelle République: 

'La Saint-Vincent fêtée depuis quarante-cinq ans

28/01/2015  

C'est en 1970 sous l'impulsion de Mmes Talvard, alors institutrices dans la commune et Cacheur, dont on visite toujours avec autant de plaisir la roseraie qui entoure sa maison, que la tradition de fêter la Saint-Vincent, à Épeigné-les-Bois a repris vie. Une fête que ces dames souhaitaient voir animée avec des danses et en costumes tourangeaux. Ainsi est né le comité des fêtes, il y a quarante-cinq ans, suivi de la création du groupe de danses folkloriques La Gidelle.'

Read the rest of the article here.
 

9th March: Skin Côntact Live – tickets now on sale

Tickets for the wine trade's gig of the year are now on sale here.

All proceeds from Skin Contact Live are going to Wine Relief, a wine trade fundraising initiative for Comic Relief, which is holding Red Nose Day on Friday 13 March 2015. The aim is to raise at least £10,000.

More details about the event here. 

Millésime Bio: newly weds, cool dudes, Marco's Rosé!

 The newly weds Michel et Monique Louison 

(Domaine de LaMartine, Limoux)

il y a cinquante ans!

(above and below)

 Michel busy exploring the secret of eternal youth....!

It is always great to meet up with the Louisons again, who I first met back in July 1990. They are making lovely Loire style wines in Limoux. Not that surprising as Michel was born in Tours and they moved to Limoux because they found Faugères was becoming too hot for their style of wine.

 The cool Lone Rangers of Domaine FL (Savennières, Anjou etc.)

Above: Clint Pasquiers

Below: Pierre Buvat  

 

Châpeaux – 'for a few euros more'!

Pierre Clavel (Domaine Clavel, Languedoc) with his deep coloured 

and weighty 2014 Rosé à Rougir

(nom grace à Marc Vanhellemont)

Pierre Clavel: this is a rosé made in the style of 20 or years ago. There is nothing new! My other lighter rosé is for the summer while this is for the other three seasons – spring, autumn and winter. Although I made the wine, it was Marc Vanhellemont (Les 5 du Vin) who came up with the name. 

 Even Pierre seems surprised by rosés success!