French wines for beginners

I think that restaurant is actually located in our hotel. Excellent.

-Cherie

At Caves Damiani in Marseille you will find Bourbon. What was the last one I bought, Red something....

Mike

Mike Tommasi, Six Fours, France email link

I'll leave the discussion of Cannes to the residents, but the *drive* from Marseille to Cannes is not to be missed. Take the highway that runs along the coast. It's a stunning view of the azure Mediterranean framed against the red sandstone cliffs (a la Lake Mead in AZ, if you've seen it) with the occasional purple bougainvillea growing up along the cliffs. I'd put that particular stretch of road alongside Hwy 1 in CA and the Burr Trail in UT as the most spectacular I've seen.

Mark Lipton

.... and laaast, but not least, _AUSTRIA_! Yayy!

Cheers

Nils Gustaf

Marseille to Cannes is not to

view of the azure

if you've seen it) with the

particular stretch of road

Oh, yes, Hwy 1 in CA....breathtaking. Probably the most beautiful drive I've ever taken (though Alaska, and Hawaii too, is absolutely awesome). I also just spoke to an acquaintance today who frequents Europe who described the Mediterranean drive as a fairytale. Sigghhhhh.

Cherie Morganroth

I took French all through high school, but that was a long time ago. I do remember quite a few words, but have great difficulty putting them into proper sentences. I bought a translating phrase book and a dictionary, determinined to study up. However, one problem keeps tugging at me--no matter how many "phrases" or little questions I teach myself to emit, I am fairly certain that there is no way I am going to understand anyone's response! And my poor husband does not know any French at all. Maybe I should try to find a local class for us to take, or buy some tapes or something. We have four months.

-Cherie (at least I have a French name)

snipped-for-privacy@morganrothlaw.com (cherie) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:

I have found, though I can hardly follow a french conversation, that when you show the inclination to communicate, the respnse will be slower and clearer. This is especially true at wineries because the people that you are dealing with, though far from cosmopolitan, are immensely proud of their work and will go to great lengths to be understood as long as you show how much you care. I have had incredible tours of facilities from people who spoke no English and since tasting is without language, was going to say tongue ;-) the smiles the oohs and ahhs cover a great range of vocabulary.

Indeed. Last night I brought a Verget Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles '93 to a small dinner. Something of a departure from California chards. Enjoyable, certainly. Segue into ...

... which wine would you pair with black sea bass steamed with ginger and scallions?

"Steve Grant" wrote in news:c1be1h$ snipped-for-privacy@dispatch.concentric.net:

I would think Sauvignon Blanc, the citrus notes would work well with the ginger.

Ian:

Thanks for the words of wisdom. I think that simply learning more about wines on this NG, Chardonnays in this instance, will help me to appreciate French (and other) wines more. When I was poured that French Chardonnay, it was really my expectations that got in the way. I remember that throughout my glass of wine I altered between appreciating its qualities, and actually doubting that it was even Chardonnay because it did not resemble what I knew to be Chardonnay. This irritated me because I couldn't figure out why I was served this wine after telling the server what I was looking for. I think with my new understanding I could be considerably more open to the differences in these wines. And last week, after trying my first French Red (a Cote du Rhone), I was really surprised to find how much I enjoyed it. (Though I think this particular CDR needed a touch more fruit for my tastes). And the Zenato Ripassi--not French, I know--but without reading about it on this NG, I never would have recognized it on a wine list last week and ordered it (my husband and I both loved it). Anyway, my point is that even though I have a very long way to go, I'm already learning so much. (So, thank you, afw people.)

-Cherie M.