The 12 premium cultivars

Because I value and appreciate all of you, I am definitely using your input to do some of the research for the class--and I am not ashamed to do so and to admit it.

Heck, I am proud to see that some of my questions are worthy of your time and very thankful for your taking the time to respond to them. In my outline, I have already noted the importance of alt.food.wine.

Thank you all again.

-- ================================================Do you like wine? Do you live in South Florida? Visit the MIAMI WINE TASTERS group at

Right you are. I should'a Googled it I guess... :^/

Tom S

Ian Hoare wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

AHH a voice from the past. I loved the insightful questions, "Anyone drink a good Chianti?" ahh well

on a personal note FWIW Ian, i will be in France in two weeks courtesy of the French Tourist Board. One of out stops is The Chateau de Mercues and we will have some free time in Cahors. Question if I can only buy one or two bottles due to space and weight considerations What should I look for? (I will be in the Aquitaine following this stop but haven't received the itinerary yet, however, since you seem to know Cahors well . . .

merci d'avance

But made notorious by US GIs in France 30 years earlier... ;-)

Mark Lipton

Salut/Hi Leo,

le/on Thu, 02 Sep 2004 11:28:13 GMT, tu disais/you said:-

What leaves a slightly sour taste in my mouth, Leo, is that you will be paid for your classes for which we seem to be providing most of the data free of charge. I'd have preferred it if you had made that clearer up front.

But I'm just an old grump, so pay no attention.

Unwarranted assumption, Mr. Hoare. I plan to use the classes as a vehicle to raise funds for a foundation which funds research which will hopefully find a cure for several diseases which cause blindness.

-- ================================================Do you like wine? Do you live in South Florida? Visit the MIAMI WINE TASTERS group at

Including alcoholism! ;-)))))

(Sorry - twisted sense of humour!!!)

From what I have read of yet another approaching hurricane, who would want to live in Florida?

Retreat to the (aboveground) cellars and batten down the hatches!!!

And good luck!!!!!!!!

Salut/Hi Leo Bueno,

le/on Fri, 03 Sep 2004 02:56:02 GMT, tu disais/you said:-

In which case I apologise unreservedly. But although it may be unwarranted, you will admit it wasn't an unreasonable one, so all the more reason to have told us all about it up front! You might even have had more responsive answer.

Anyway, my apologies again. Good luck with Frances (I hope she's as kind to you as her name sake in flesh and blood was to me).

Salut/Hi jcoulter,

le/on Thu, 02 Sep 2004 17:59:07 -0500, tu disais/you said:-

Rocamadour a perfect example of French Tourism. A magnificent site ruined by greedy shopkeepers and a complaisant town council. Only about an hour from us. This might even work out as a possibility"

Yum.

Ian Hoare wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Well those are the folks that are payaing the tab lol

A magnificent site

I bet there are at least 6 shops all selling the same perfumed soap that you can buy in Provence, Brittany, anywhere.

Is the itinerary covering any of the South-East?

Mike

Mike Tommasi, Six Fours, France email link

Fortunately, Ian, the magnificent setting and interesting history of Rocamadour permitted us to ignore the surrounding schlock, which by the way cannot even be legitimately compared to the crap that surrounds major tourist attractions in the US.

Mark Lipton

Stem cell research?

Totally off-topic, e. winemonger

I gotta say that while Rocamadour is interesting to visit, the place I head for to stay is La Roque-Gageac!

Not as much in the way of scenic architecture, but the mist over the river at 7 in the morning makes up for the loss of the tourist stands ;-)

A place that I absolutely loved more or les in that area is Conques... almost mystical serenity.

Mike

Mike Tommasi, Six Fours, France email link

Mike Tommasi wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

That was my first choice, unfortunately ;-) my mother has decided to have her 80th birthday over the period for that trip so it is the Southwest instead. (though truth to tell I would have preferred Brittany as it is the one place in France that I have yet to experience.)

Salut/Hi Mark,

le/on Fri, 03 Sep 2004 10:24:01 -0500, tu disais/you said:-

When we are asked by our visitors whether Rocamadour is worth a visit, we always reply with a vehement "Absolutely!". But we then follow it up with a warning about the schlock - what a good word! The grandeur of the site is incontestable, and if the rip-off over the lift (they don't really warn you that you pay for each stage of the 2 stage trip up and down) is ignored, the chapel and the black madonna is also moving.

What I find incomprehensible is this. You have maybe 30 (maybe a few more) shops along the little high street, and they all, without exception, sell the SAME total crap. Fluorescent plastic "models" of the Madonna, made in Taiwan, for example. I've no beef over someone making an honest crust, but really, there are limits!!

Maybe I've been lucky enough not to visit a major tourist site in the US. I've been to a few places which claim to be such (St Augustine FL for example) and while there are plenty of shops aty least there's SOME variety, and you can still find _something_ of interest. For me the worst was in the Appalachians, the town of Cherokee. Apart from the miasma of rancid fat pervading every restaurant, and the worst and slowest hamburger line of any place I've ever visited in my life, there was absolutely nothing whatsover of interest. However, even there there was one shop where I was able to buy a pair of moccasins that I'm still wearing as I type this, five years down the line.