Tersina Shieh
葡萄酒愛好者常常會去葡萄酒產區(qū)度假,我也不例外。7月份我去了勃艮第、汝拉和阿爾薩斯,此前我從未來過法國這片區(qū)域。我的法語簡直是捉襟見肘,但這讓我的法國產區(qū)游更加有趣。有些朋友對我的旅程很感興趣,問我都預約參觀了哪些酒莊。但實際上,我不僅沒有預約,也壓根不想這么做。如果我事先就安排好了一切,那不就是一次出差嗎?而且我更喜歡去探訪那些我從沒聽說過的酒莊,那里才會有驚喜在等待我!
勃艮第 Burgundy
博恩是我在探索勃艮第時的落腳點,那里的自行車路線和徒步旅行路線都標識得很明顯。我花了幾天時間在葡萄園和各個出名的村莊之間騎自行車和徒步旅行,其中包括沃內、莎薩涅-蒙塔什(Chassagne-Montrachet)和阿洛克斯-科通(Aloxe-Corton),還有一天開車去了博若萊。那里沒有壯闊的風景,但會讓人感到愉悅和平靜。似乎這些村莊里的生活都與葡萄酒息息相關。我只在6家酒莊做了品鑒,他們的葡萄酒都純正且友好。在午餐時段里,所有的酒莊至少會停業(yè)2個小時,有些酒莊還需要提前預約,因為當你拜訪時,他們很可能正在葡萄園里勞作。
大多數(shù)老牌酒商在博恩都有品鑒室。法語名叫Patriarche的地下酒窖不容錯過,這家酒窖可以讓你進行自助品鑒,使用完Tastevin品酒器后你還可以把它保留起來。也有一些獨立的葡萄酒商店,你可以在店內買到精品葡萄酒和小眾品牌。我在博若萊一點都不走運,但還好我在一家商店里找到了2014年份的芙雅莊“3.14”葡萄酒,這款酒可是用有100年樹齡的葡萄藤釀制而成的!
在博恩,一定要去伯恩濟貧院好好停留幾個小時去了解它的歷史。你還可以順便去Edmond Fallot芥末坊品嘗各種各樣口味的芥末醬,甚至還有黑皮諾味兒!
博恩的餐館比比皆是,那些位于老城墻廣場內的館子都是很好的去處,但如果想要喝到幾杯不錯的葡萄酒,我會強烈推薦Maison du Colombier和Le Bistrot Bourguignon這兩家店,那里的葡萄酒單選擇非常廣泛,而在Le Comptoir des Tontons,你還可以喝到有機和天然葡萄酒。Caves Madeleine也是一家名聲遠揚的店,但當我到達時,那里已經滿位了。哦對了!如果你去第戎的話,我會推薦Dr Wine!那里的葡萄酒和小吃都棒極了!
汝拉 Jura
我的下一站是汝拉,這也是最讓人出乎意料的產區(qū)。以阿爾布瓦為落腳點,我在這一帶驅車轉悠了幾天,學到了關于薩瓦涅、普薩、巴斯塔都這些本地葡萄品種的不少知識。然而本地品種以外的兩個法定葡萄品種才是種植得最廣泛的:霞多麗占了43%,此外還有黑皮諾。毫無疑問,汝拉比勃艮第更具鄉(xiāng)村氣息,但兩地的風景完全不同,這里會更為壯觀。博姆萊·梅謝于爾(Baume-les-Messieurs)是法國最美的村莊之一,被高聳的懸崖所環(huán)繞。夏隆古堡(Chateau-Chalon)是個位于山頂?shù)拇迩f,是個僅出產黃葡萄酒(Vin Jaune)的法定產區(qū)。阿爾布瓦本身是一個寧靜的歷史名城,翠桑斯河流就此穿過。城內主要的街道上遍布著品鑒室和葡萄酒商店。顯然,這里就是法國第一個法定葡萄酒產區(qū)!
對我而言,當?shù)仄贩N薩瓦涅(Savagnin)是最迷人的。用它釀造出來的葡萄酒酒體豐滿、酸度爽脆,帶有柑橘和花香。這個地區(qū)最出名的葡萄酒就是汝拉黃葡萄酒,釀造方法是將薩瓦涅裝入橡木桶中陳年至少6年零3個月,在此期間會形成一層酒花(類似菲諾雪利),桶中的酒液不會被補滿或者強化,陳釀完成后會裝入620毫升容積的Clavelin酒瓶中。這種葡萄酒有被稱為“氧化”的風格,因為桶中陳釀期間并沒有被補滿酒液,但這也是我的不解之處。因為葡萄酒其實在酒花層下面進行陳年,按照雪利酒的定義這是生物陳年而不是氧化陳年。當然,這種葡萄酒的顏色是金黃色的,不像氧化的阿蒙提拉多或歐羅索雪利酒那種褐色。汝拉黃酒有雪利酒那種堅果味的特點,但口感新鮮。我每一次品嘗汝拉黃酒時都會撓頭,可我那蹩腳的法語無法讓我和當?shù)厝诉M行任何有意義的討論。我希望任何讀到這篇文章的人,可以跟我分享他/她的想法。
“傳統(tǒng)”薩瓦涅的陳年時間比汝拉黃酒短,同樣也不需要補滿酒液,因此它仍然可以發(fā)展出雪利酒的特征,盡管不是那么明顯。相比之下,如果將酒液裝滿來陳年的話,那么就會得到果味十足的葡萄酒。蒂索特酒莊(Domaine André et Mireille Tissot)甚至在陶罐中釀造薩瓦涅。除了干型葡萄酒之外,薩瓦涅還可以用來釀造起泡酒、麥稈酒(用葡萄干釀成的天然甜酒),還有麥文酒(在未發(fā)酵的葡萄汁中加入酒渣白蘭地釀成的利口酒)。汝拉帶來的另一個驚喜是一種叫做紅尾瓜(Melonà Queue Rouge)的葡萄品種,這是霞多麗的變種,有一條紅色的莖。它只種植在阿爾布瓦附近,僅僅少數(shù)生產商用它來釀酒,潘特酒莊(Domaine de la Pinte)就是其一。
阿爾薩斯 Alsace
距離阿爾布瓦僅有2個小時車程的阿爾薩斯,是個完全不一樣的世界。由于歷史的原因,這里的建筑、村莊名稱、葡萄酒以及文化在一定程度上都比法國更加德國化。面包店的牛角包被德國的椒鹽脆餅所取代。有時候我甚至鬧不清自己是在德國還是法國。科爾馬的老城非常吸引人,那里有傳統(tǒng)的木骨架房屋、花卉展覽和運河,大多數(shù)阿爾薩斯葡萄酒村莊坐落于山坡或山頂,同樣風景如畫。在阿爾薩斯很適合騎自行車,這里也是徒步旅行者的天堂。我騎車經過埃吉桑村(Eguisheim)時正巧碰上了葡萄酒節(jié),這簡直太讓人興奮了,最后我在那里呆了3個小時才離開!
我還參加了在里博維萊(Ribeauville)舉辦的葡萄酒和美食展。有11家餐廳在這里設立展位,每家提供一道菜來搭配2款葡萄酒。伴隨著音樂和DJ,狂歡的人們在夜幕中歡快起舞。如果額外支付費用,那么葡萄酒愛好者們就可以在一個單獨的品鑒室內品嘗到270多種葡萄酒,你可以根據(jù)葡萄酒的類型或者葡萄的種類來挑:起泡酒、莎斯拉、西萬尼、白皮諾、歐賽華、麝香葡萄、雷司令、桃紅葡萄酒、黑皮諾、灰皮諾和瓊瑤漿。來猜猜看我大部分的時間花在了哪里?在科爾馬,有兩家餐廳一定要去試試!一家是由2位侍酒師共同經營的LUn Des Sens餐廳,另一家是能夠提供250款杯賣酒的Le Cercle des Aromas餐廳。位于利克維的Le Grognard餐廳葡萄酒單也很不錯,但他們的朗姆酒酒單要更勝一籌!
這次旅程非常愉快。親眼目睹和體驗一個葡萄酒產區(qū)是了解其葡萄酒的方式?;蛟S我們對勃艮第的美酒很熟悉,但參觀村莊,看看在葡萄園里勞作的人們,讓我們有機會去欣賞那些不那么出名的葡萄酒。與當?shù)厝私涣鳠o疑能夠幫助我們拓寬視野。更何況葡萄酒產區(qū)里可不只有葡萄酒,別忘了這里還有歷史、文化、戶外活動和美食。下一個假期,不妨就去葡萄園開展你的探索之旅!在英文原文的結尾,我為你推薦了一些酒莊??烊タ纯窗桑?/p>
Wine lovers always choose to go to wine regions for holiday and I am no exception. My adventure in July was Burgundy, Jura and Alsace. I have never been to this part of France and my French is pathetic, but this is exactly why it was fun.
Some friends were excited about my trip and asked which wineries I had made appointments to visit. Actually I didnt and didnt want to. It would be a work trip if I have arranged meetings in advance. Moreover, I much prefer to see wineries that I havent heard of, there are always nice surprises waiting round the corner!
Burgundy
Beaune was my base to explore Burgundy, where there are wellsigned cycling tracks and hiking routes. I spent a few days cycling and hiking amongst the vineyards and famous villages including Volnay, Chassagne-Montrachet and Aloxe-Corton, then a day driving down to Beaujolais. There is no dramatic landscape but the scenery is pleasant and calming. It seems that the life at all these villages only revolves around wine. I only tasted at six wineries but they were all authentic and friendly. All cellar doors close at lunch time for at least 2 hours and some need prior appointments because they may be working in vineyards.
Most established negociants have tasting rooms in Beaune. A not-to-be-missed is Patriarche for its underground cellar with selfguided tasting using a tastevin that you can keep. There are also a few independent wine shops that carry boutique, individual labels. I didnt have any luck in Beaujolais but was glad to find the Jean Foillard Cuvée 3.14 2014, made from 100 years old vines at one of these shops.
While in Beaune, make sure to spend a good few hours at Hospices de Beaune (also called H?tel-Dieu de Beaune) to learn about the history; and drop by La Moutarderie Edmond Fallot to taste the many mustard flavours, including Pinot Noir!
Restaurants abound in Beaune. Those around the square inside the old city wall are great for people watching but for a few good glasses of wine, highly recommended are Maison du Colombier and Le Bistrot Bourguignon for an extensive wine list, and Le Comptoir des Tontons for organic and natural wine. Caves Madeleine has a good reputation but it was full when I was there.
In case you visit Dijon, Dr Wine is the place to for good one for wine and tapas.
Jura
My next stop Jura was the most unexpected. I used Arbois as the base, drove around the region for few days, and learned everything from Savagnin to Poulsard and Trousseau, all local varieties. The other two permitted varieties are the most widely planted Chardonnay(43%) and Pinot Noir. Jura is certainly more rustic than Burgundy but the scenery is totally different and more spectacular. Baumeles-Messieurs, ranked one of the most beautiful villages in France, is surrounded by high cliffs, while Chateau-Chalon is a hilltop village and a Vin Jaune only AOC. Arbois itself is a quiet historic town with the Cuisance River passing through it. The main streets are dotted with tasting rooms and wine shops. Apparently, it is the first AOC denomination in France!
For me, the local variety Savagnin is the most fascinating. It is full-bodied with crisp acidity, citrus and floral notes. The most famous wine from the region is Vin Jaune (yellow wine), where Savagnin is aged under a layer of flor (like fino sherry) in oak barrels for a minimum of 6 years and 3 months without topping up or fortification, and bottled in a special 62cl bottle‘Clavelin. The wine style is known as‘oxidativestyle because it is aged without topping up but this is what I dont understand. The wine is aged under a layer of flor which by sherrys definition, is biological ageing rather than oxidative ageing. Yes, the wine is golden yellow but it is nowhere like the brown colour of oxidative Amontillado or Oloroso sherry. The wine has the nutty sherry character yet fresh on palate. I scratched my head every time I tasted Vin Jaune but my hopeless French forbid me to have any meaningful discussion with the locals. I welcome anyone who read this to share his/her thought.
‘TraditionSavagnin is aged without topping up and in a shorter period of time than Vin Jaune, so the wine can still develop the‘sherrycharacter although not as obvious. In contrast,‘OuilleSavagnin is aged with topping up giving more fruit-forward wine. Domaine André et Mireille Tissot even made an Amphore Savagnin. Apart from dry wine, Savagnin can also be made into Crémant(sparkling wine), Vin de Paille (naturally sweet wine made with dried grapes), and Macvin du Jura (liqueur wine made by adding marc brandy to unfermented grape juice).
Another surprise in Jura is a variety called Melon à Queue Rouge, a mutation of Chardonnay that has a red stem. It is planted only around Arbois and just a few producers are making this as a varietal wine, including Domaine de la Pinte.
Alsace
Only two hours drive from Arbois, Alsace is a totally different world. The architecture, names of villages, wines and to a certain extent culture, are more Germanic than French because of historical reasons. Croissants in bakeries are replaced by bretzels (pretzels in Germany). There are times that I was wondering if I was in Germany or France.
The old town of Colmar is very attractive with traditional halftimbered houses, floral displays and canals, while most Alsatian wine villages, located on slopes or hill tops, are equally picturesque. The region is bicycle-friendly and a hikers paradise. I was so excited to have come across a wine festival while cycling through the village of Eguisheim, and ended up spending 3 hours there!
I also attended the Wine and Gastronomy Fair in Ribeauville. 11 restaurant stands were set up where each restaurant showcasing one dish accompanied with two wines. There were music, DJs and revellers were dancing the night away. For an extra fee, wine lovers could sample over 270 wines according to style and grape varieties: Crémant, Chasselas, Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Muscat, Riesling, Rosé, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer in a separate tasting parlour. Guess where I spent most of my time.
The two must-try restaurants in Colmar are LUn Des Sens run by two sommeliers and Le Cercle des Aromas serving 250 wine by the glass. Le Grognard in Riquewihr has a good wine list and an even better rum list.
The trip was super enjoyable. To see and experience a wine region first hand is the way to understand its wine. We may be familiar with Burgundian fine wine but visiting the villages and seeing people working in vineyards allow us to appreciate the lesser appellation wines. Mingling with locals certainly help us broaden our horizon. Moreover, wine regions are not only about wine. There are history, culture, outdoor activities and of course fine cuisines. Please plan your next holiday exploring wine regions.