Grand Tasting 2011

Off we go to Pariiiiiiiis!!!

Every year, Bettane & Dessauve, French wine experts, organise the Grand Tasting in Paris, France at the Carroussel du Louvre. 350 exhibitors, happy to make you discovering their wines and spirits during 2 days... Welcome to Paradise! Come and follow me...

LET'S TAAAASTE!

Day 1 . Friday 2nd December

11:00 am: After a (quite long) analyzis of the (huuuuge) map of the Grand Tasting, we decide to start by tasting Champagne and sparkling wines. Bubbly land here we come!

The most famous ones move in with the others. 1 glass, 2 glasses, 3, 4...

My favorite: "Expérience" vintage 2007 (white), Champagne, Agrapart & Fils

This Champagne which has a very big complexity of aromas (honey, nuts, toast, apple, orange, spices...), is very light and fresh. We still feel the bubbles on the tongue after drinking... (OOOPS'! NO!) errr... spiting it out!

Me, tasting Champagne!

01:00 pm: Time to go to a Master Class. During those 2 days, there are different "classes" where you can learn more about the different terroirs, the wines, how to match food and wine...

This one is matching food and wine by Moët & Chandon: 2 Champagnes, 2 meals, 2 (nice and smilling) experts (Marc Brévot, oenologist at Moët & Chandon, and Bernard Dance, Chef at Moët & Chandon).

Marc Brévot and Bernard Dance,
from Moët & Chandon

They explain us what we have in our glass, and what we can eat with it. We all feel the passion of those men for the mouth pleasures, and we totally agree on the food and wine matching:

- Moët & Chandon Impérial (white), with scallop and its grapefruit emulsion

- Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2002 (white), with grilled gambas and curry zabaglione

                  

YUMMYYYYY!!!

03:00 pm: Back to the tasting world! Let's taste red wines: Off we go to Bordeaux and Loire Valley.

(OMG this place is a labyrinthe!)

My favorites:
     - Château Smith Haut Lafitte vintage 2006, Pessac-Léognan (Bordeaux vineyard)
        Red and black berries, black cherry, with a hint of caramel in the end
     - "Clos de la Dioterie" vintage 2009, Chinon, Charles Joguet (Loire Valley vineyard)
        Soft tanins, lots of red fruits which we can taste after spiting out the wine

07:30 pm: My palate has given up! (I knowwww. I'm not the Wonderwoman you would have thought!) Let's have some rest and come back tomorrow.

Day 2 . Saturday 3rd December

10:30 am: We head up to the white and liquorice wines stands from Loire Valley and Alsace. Apricot, peach, spices, white flowers, good acidity...

Mrs Beaumard,
from Domaine Beaumard (Loire Valley)

My favorite: Quarts de Chaume vintage 2008, Domaine Beaumard (Loire Valley vineyard)
                     Sweet and fresh, thanks to a hint of plant and mint mixed with white fruits
                     (Many thanks to Mrs Beaumard for sharing her happiness!)


02:00 pm: I am taking part of the "Saint-Emilion Grands Crus Classés 2001" Master Class. François Despagne, who is at the same time vice-president of the Association des Grands Crus Classés de Saint-Emilion and the owner of the château Grand Corbin Despagne, presents it, with other professionnals.

François Despagne teaching us the differences
between each wine

We compare 5 different wines from Saint-Emilion, on the 2001 vintage, depending on the terroir (on the limestone plateau, on the coast...). One by one, we try to figure out the caracteristics of each of them. Fortunately, the experts are here to help us, because everyone in the class seems not to be able to guess anything after almost 2 days of tasting!

 

04:00 pm: Quiiiiiiiiick! Few hours left to taste Beaujolais, Burgundy, Languedoc, Rhône and foreign wines! We rush ourselves in the huge croud to find and discover amazing wines, and here they are:

My favorites:

     - "La Charlotte", Château d'Or et de Gueules, Vin de Pays d'Oc (Rhône Valley vineyard)

       Over the fruits aromas we feel spices, cacao and flowers, especially violet

     - Beaujolais Blanc 2010, Château de Pizay (Beaujolais vineyard)

       This wine is my surprise of the Grand Tasting!
       I didn't even know there was Beaujolais Blanc!

       This is fresh, fruity (exotic fruits, bit of kiwi, litchi). Soooo gooooood!

"La Charlotte" wine

07:30 pm: The Grand Tasting closes its doors, (fortunately for the palate!).
Last glass. I help myself with a glass of water (like few others), and off we go out! Yes I said water! (Sometimes we really have to consider drinking it to feel better!)

2 days are too short to taste everything, but this is a very good experience to renew every single year. See you at the Grand Tasting for the 2012 edition!


Adeline