White or Red? -Bordeaux

Determined to try some of the best wine in France, or at least understand what makes wine "fine" rather than "cheap and tasty", we boarded a train to the lovely town of Bordeaux.

Michelle & potential grape plants

A shockingly close call of going to the wrong tourism office landed us in a plush tour bus amidst other wine connoisseurs, or maybe I should say "curiousers". The tour included a long French & English summary of the vinification, the influence of the areas in France, and a determined lecture on the theory that wine is GOOD for you, so make sure you and your children drink it daily.

The vineyards & wine establishments of Blaye & Bourg were breathtaking, and the wine scrumptious. The vineyard owners were energetic and walked around with us, sometimes speaking French, sometimes English, but always with passion for their grapes.

The second vineyard was on land which had grown grapes for a millennium. Nearby were Roman ruins and the beautiful River Garonne, down by which were five century old tulips. We leaned on the stone wall,  wondering how life in a wine chateau could truly touch reality.

Mmmm...

Again a closer-than-enjoyable run across the tracks landed us in the train for a midnight Toulouse return.