Mont Chouvet, the mountain that forms the view from La Jovienne, is the first of the Monts du Forez, a vast rolling mountain range that sprawls across to the Rhone Alpes. It will take a lifetime to discover all its wonderful secrets.
Yesterday there was a vide grenier advertised in the grounds of an excellent wine producer in the "Pays D'Urfé" in the heart of the Forez. A great opportunity to choose some local wines for the guests.
The wine from that small area is incredibly varied because of the geology, it gets complicated, but you can taste the difference between wines grown on volcanic soils and those on granites. Yesterday's winner by a mile was a dry Chardonnay, with an aroma of vanilla, apricots and meadow flowers, that had you hooked well before the glass touched your lips. The taste was equally wonderful. It isn't often that you get that intensity and complexity of flavour in such a crisp dry wine............................after that the reds didn't stand a chance!
By the time the wine was stowed safely in the car it had started raining heavily so most of the sellers at the vide grenier had packed up and gone.
It was late, wet and gloomy so to find any restaurant open was a plus, but to come across "Le Cuvage" was an unexpected pleasure.
Perched above the town and accessed by quite a steep narrow road, the restaurant has recently been taken over by Francois and Severine who are passionate about good quality food and wine. They serve simple but excellent food, like the "poulet façon grandmere" with a flavour that no supermarket bird could ever compete with. They specialise in local charcuterie and cheeses and also smoke their own hams and salmon. I know they are going to be a huge success!
The day ended with a visit to the local chateau, now a museum of viticulture.
The website is here
http://www.chateaumuseedelavigne.com/index.php?menu=chateau
A place where you can lose yourself in the past.......................
Especially in the cavernous attics where there were reconstructions of the ancient winergrowers' houses..................
So evocative of life here only a few decades ago...............
Lots of lovely details...............
including a bar with recorded music and conversation that really did transport you back into another era.
Apparently Boën has always been renowned for its hospitality and in 1900 boasted over 100 bars!
This was all in the attic, the main part of the chateau was unfurnished and they were happy to let you wander around enjoying the atmosphere.
By the end of the afternoon the sun had reappeared and the journey home through the storm washed mountains was endlessly beautiful.
I can share the photos with you but I so wish I could share the sights, sounds and smells that together add up to something really special.
I now have a huge pile of brochures for other Chateaux and Museums to visit, but I shall be returning to Boën very soon to swap recipes with Francois (he worked at the Savoy in London and the Crillon in Paris) and try some of his home smoked salmon.
Yesterday there was a vide grenier advertised in the grounds of an excellent wine producer in the "Pays D'Urfé" in the heart of the Forez. A great opportunity to choose some local wines for the guests.
The wine from that small area is incredibly varied because of the geology, it gets complicated, but you can taste the difference between wines grown on volcanic soils and those on granites. Yesterday's winner by a mile was a dry Chardonnay, with an aroma of vanilla, apricots and meadow flowers, that had you hooked well before the glass touched your lips. The taste was equally wonderful. It isn't often that you get that intensity and complexity of flavour in such a crisp dry wine............................after that the reds didn't stand a chance!
By the time the wine was stowed safely in the car it had started raining heavily so most of the sellers at the vide grenier had packed up and gone.
It was late, wet and gloomy so to find any restaurant open was a plus, but to come across "Le Cuvage" was an unexpected pleasure.
Perched above the town and accessed by quite a steep narrow road, the restaurant has recently been taken over by Francois and Severine who are passionate about good quality food and wine. They serve simple but excellent food, like the "poulet façon grandmere" with a flavour that no supermarket bird could ever compete with. They specialise in local charcuterie and cheeses and also smoke their own hams and salmon. I know they are going to be a huge success!
The day ended with a visit to the local chateau, now a museum of viticulture.
The website is here
http://www.chateaumuseedelavigne.com/index.php?menu=chateau
Apparently Boën has always been renowned for its hospitality and in 1900 boasted over 100 bars!
I can share the photos with you but I so wish I could share the sights, sounds and smells that together add up to something really special.
I now have a huge pile of brochures for other Chateaux and Museums to visit, but I shall be returning to Boën very soon to swap recipes with Francois (he worked at the Savoy in London and the Crillon in Paris) and try some of his home smoked salmon.
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