Wine from Provence

As early as ancient times, vines grew along the Mediterranean coast, and grape brewing technology appeared a long time ago. Now, historians generally believe that the extensive and profound grape culture appeared in Provence in the 6th century BC-at this time, grape cultivation spread rapidly; In the 2nd century BC, wine was popular along the Mediterranean coast. At that time, people used spices to store wine. In the early Middle Ages, the church led the development of vineyards in Provence, and the cultivation of grapes became a landscape. /kloc-at the end of 0/4th century, grapes, like wheat and olives, became a part of the privileged culture of princes and nobles in Provence ... Mr. Milo, general manager of Provence Wine Industry Association, told us that since 1895 was awarded the title of "Provence District" for the first time, the vineyards in Provence began to become famous. 195 1 year, the region definition committee under INAO (French National Institute of Nomenclature of Origin) not only determined the regions where Provence has the right to produce wine, but also determined the grape varieties recognized by naming; 1955, Inao awarded the first batch of vineyards in Provence the honor of "Super Winery"; 1977, the hilly area of Provence was listed as "legal producing area", which further confirmed the status of Provence as a French wine producing area. What are the grape varieties here today, Kreye and Houer? White grapes such as Rllle, Baiyuni UgniBlanc, Xiemiyong Semillon, and red grapes such as Ganaxi Grenache, Xiansuo Cinsault, Muweider Mourvedre, Tibouren, Caringnan, Xiha Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Production of various grades of red, pink roses and white wine.

In the residence of Provence Wine Industry Association, you can buy the products of more than 400 producers affiliated to the association, and the prices are exactly the same as those of wineries frequented by tourists. The trade association also holds a wine tasting once a week, each time 16 kinds. The sommelier introduces the different tastes of wine to tourists in many languages. The association also recommends wineries worth visiting to tourists, so that they can visit the whole brewing process of wine and experience the vast grape culture: picking, peeling, squeezing, soaking, fermenting, aging, filtering and bottling ... You can see the mountains in Cezanne's paintings.

MasdeCadenete winery is the first stop of our trip to Provence winery. Since 18 13, the Negre family has been committed to growing grapes and brewing wine on the dry soil here.

Now the owner of the manor, Mr. GuyNegrel, is standing in the vineyard, pointing to the mountains not far away and saying, "Cezanne, St.Victor of Marseilles of Marseilles."

In the works of Cezanne, a French impressionist painter who was born in Aix-en-Provence in 1839, there is a white mountain-St.Victor of Marseilles in the mountains of Marseilles, which is full of vitality and magnificent momentum. Cezanne paints from different angles every season. Imagine going back more than a century-although at the age of 22, Cezanne stopped studying at the University of Exfalco and went to Paris alone. But in Paris, Cezanne couldn't see the scenery he was familiar with since he was a child: the floodplain of the alker River, the Biedermos quarry, the towns of Calda Nu and Lesztak, the Castle of Novale and the Mount Leah in St.Victor of Marseilles, Marseille ... He soon returned to Provence, because the sunny land in the Mediterranean could inspire him. From Aix to the east, Cezanne carried his painting tools and walked along Toronay Street, painting all the way-this road was later called Cezanne Road.

Mas Deknuydt Winery is located at the foot of Leah Mountain in St.Victor of Marseilles, Marseille. The soil is a mixture of gravel, gravel, silt and clay, which is relatively dry. According to the law, artificial watering is not allowed in the land where grapes are planted. In this environment, the grape roots will go deep into the ground, absorb water and nutrients, and have good quality. Pick a bunch of ripe Xiansuo grapes, very small, deep purple, with a layer of fruit frost on the skin. The entrance is extremely sweet.

As the former president of Provence Wine Industry Association, Mr. GuyNegrel regards the grape industry as one of his passions. In the wine kiln, he opened a bottle of wine, and every time he opened a bottle of wine, he would tell us the proportion of different grape varieties. The output of liquor here only accounts for 10% of the annual output. It is a completely dry wine with aromas of grapefruit, lemon and pear. It is really a pleasure to leave it in your mouth and let every taste bud feel it. The manor adopts the traditional brewing method: the grape skin and pulp of the peach wine are soaked in cold water, and enough red pigment is extracted to make it have a pleasant pink color and then separated immediately, while the pulp and peel of the red wine are soaked for a longer time, and the aging process is completed in oak barrels. The wine production of Masdicanet Manor is 50% pink and 40% red wine.

Mr GuyNegrel even kept his first bottle of red wine, even though it was no longer drinkable-that was 1974. He also made specimens of leaves and flowers of his favorite grape varieties, put them in frames and hung them on the walls of wine kilns.

Drinking Mr. GuyNegrel's red wine, which is generally regarded as the noble quality of this region by sommeliers, has a rich aroma of raspberries and other fruits, and his words ring in my ear: "My red grapes are the best here."

Since 18 13, Negre family owned Masika Dennett Manor, Negre is the fifth owner, and 40 hectares of the 70 hectares of the whole manor are planted with grapes.

Learn to taste wine

Mr. Grouix, the manager of Grandboys Castle, opened the wine at a temperature of about 18 degrees Celsius and decided to teach us to taste wine-this is indeed a science.

Vision-Pour the wine into the glass about one third. Good wine should be clear and shiny, not turbid. Whether it is red wine, white wine or pink wine, there is always a colorless and transparent part on it, called "wine tears". Generally speaking, the stronger the wine, the higher the alcohol concentration.

Smell-after pouring the wine into the cup, smell it first, then shake the cup to make the wine fully contact with the air, and then put it under the tip of the nose to smell deeply and feel the various smells contained in the wine. It is said that more than 500 kinds of flavors can be found in wine, including fruit flavor, flower flavor, plant flavor, animal flavor, baking flavor, mineral flavor, spicy flavor and so on. This is that different varieties of grapes are mixed, brewed and preserved in different proportions, and any slight difference between them will produce odor differences.

Taste-to get the full taste of wine, it must pass through every part of the tongue instead of swallowing it at once. You can inhale a little air and push the wine to the tip of your tongue to feel the sweetness. The middle and sides are sensitive to salty taste, sour taste is also on both sides, and bitter taste is at the end. Taste buds can also perceive some characteristics, such as bitterness, roundness and softness. A good wine should have a balanced and harmonious taste.

Grapes in Granboysburg grow on the hillside. Every June, the grapes on the trees should be screened, and the leaves of the grapes in the north should be pruned, so that the fruits can fully enjoy the sunshine and get higher sugar content.

Fine sand and pebbles are covered under the oak barrels of the wine cellar of Granboys Castle to ensure proper humidity and breathability.

"We have the best wine website in France!" Mr Grouix said. Really let the wine here be sold to the other side of the world.

enjoy life

Mr henri fabre takes "enjoying life" as the theme of his wine business.

1932, the Fabres family bought Fort L 'Ladeburg, which is now one of the largest wine estates in Provence, with more than 500 hectares of vineyards, ranking among the top ten French family wineries. HenriFabre's father is the current manor owner, and HenriFabre manages SaFabre, selling wine, not only in his manor, but also in Bordeaux and Burgundy, as well as olive oil. He is one of the biggest wine merchants in Provence.

Located in the central plain of Provence, Ramorad Manor has a long history. As early as 1594, the prime minister of Henry IV planted mulberry trees presented by the royal family here, which was once a hunting ground to attract the royal family.

Today, the never-drying spring still flows, and the statue of Apollo and the bronze bell presented by the royal family adorn the towering manor.

There are often young people who want to get married here, because it is an everlasting place, and the fabrice family will always meet their demands. There was also a "perfume show" of high-end brands here ... everything showed the enthusiasm of Provence.

Henri fabre is a gourmet. Restaurants and kitchens transformed from stables more than half a century ago often leave him and his friends behind.

L'Aumerade Winery now produces 3 million bottles of wine every year and sells them all over the world. These wines are all brewed by the traditional Provencal method. In order to ensure their high quality, all brewing equipment is constantly updated-a system that completely controls the fermentation temperature by computer can effectively keep the fermentation temperature low, thus retaining the unique flavor of various grapes; All the wine cellars over 3000 square meters in the winery are equipped with air conditioning, and the indoor temperature is kept at 16 degrees Celsius all the year round, thus obtaining fresh, natural and pleasing wines.

Henri fabre regards art as an indispensable part of enjoying life. He used red grape juice as the ink of pen-and-ink drawing, and also designed a miniature model reflecting the early life scenes of Provence: men, women, children, houses, animals ... lifelike, and the clothes on the little model were all sewn with needles.

It is worth mentioning that on September 3, 200 1 year, HenriFabre took out the "pink new wine". Dozens of hours ago, these liquids with fermentation bubbles were still fruits on vines. Strictly speaking, pink grape juice tastes good, especially fresh fruit. Part of L'Aumerade's pink wine will be filled into a patented and very personalized bottle-Mary Christina bottle.

Oak barrel, the castle in the movie, has been passed down from generation to generation.

Fort LaGoadonne belongs to a large French wine industry group with 240 hectares of vineyards. Soil lozenges are high, but the grape yield is not high, but the quality is good, so the wine quality is good. 80% of the output is pink wine, a small part of the remaining 20% is white wine and the rest is red wine.

The underground wine cellar of LaGoadonne Castle was built in 1820, surrounded by solid stone walls, just like a wine history museum. What is shocking is the huge oak barrel more than a century ago, which is covered with various emblems and certificates symbolizing the glory of the past. There is a small bar in the wine cellar. You can sit on those stone steps and drink, look at the early wine-making tools and feel the history of wine.

Astro boy castle is the most luxurious building we saw during our trip to Provence wine manor. 1860, Maurel's family built this Italian castle and has owned it ever since.

You can reach a magnificent castle on a hill by walking through a tree-lined avenue full of phoenix trees and pine trees for a hundred years. The owner of the castle is a banker. Maurer's bank is headquartered in Marseille, with branches in Paris, Lyon and even some foreign cities, and doesn't live in castles on weekdays.

The whole manor has 900 hectares of land, only 45 hectares of land are planted with vines, and the rest are forests and orchards. The soil here is sandy and stony, sunny and the grapes are of good quality. The brewed wine has won many awards in the French national wine competition.

The castle in yves robert's film Mother's Castle is Astro Boy. The glass at the top of the central hall of the castle penetrates natural sunlight and is surrounded by 12 constellation murals. Down the spiral staircase, there is a normally closed door. When the family goes back to the manor for vacation, there will be laughter and laughter in the quiet and magnificent building.

Newcomers often ask for wedding photos at the manor. In addition, in the ripe season of apples, the manor allows visitors to collect a small fee for picking.

It was dusk when we arrived at Fort Nyon, Bregand. OlivierTezenas is the son of the manor owner and his wife, who runs the family wine industry. Entering the wall of the castle, several small bicycles and some toys used by children are scattered everywhere. Two little girls are playing in the yard. Olivier said that one is his daughter and the other is his niece-this is a big family with a rich population. Olivier himself has five children, and most of his five brothers and sisters have many children. One of his sisters even gave birth to six boys in a row. Under the buttonwood tree on the platform outside the castle building, there are tables, chairs and hammocks, from which you can see the Mediterranean not far away. During the summer vacation, brothers and sisters gather here with their children, and there will be more than 30 children playing here!

The castle including the tower was finally completed in 1832, and the wine cellar here was built as early as17th century, with extremely thick rock walls and natural constant temperature. As one of the "super wineries" in Provence, 50 hectares of grapes are planted on 400 hectares of land in Breganon Manor, and 50% of the output is directly sold by manor shops. Breganon's wines are also sold in northern Europe, the United States, Canada and Japan. The red wine here tastes particularly mellow. According to olivier, it is "as tough as an animal", with thick tannins and a ripe licorice flavor.

Breganeon's architecture is protected by French cultural heritage. The labels on the wine bottles produced by the winery use the graphics of castles and towers. I believe that the wine industry will be passed down from generation to generation in this prosperous family.

The manor owner on the harvester and the mother in the yard

When I met Mr. Jean-LouisGourjon, the owner of Maravin Castle, in the restaurant of Le Yading Provence in town, he was wearing a dark suit. He is a handsome French man! The wine served in this restaurant comes from his manor, with rich fruit aroma and lasting aroma-the pink wine and red wine of ——Maravenne winery are listed in the authoritative wine guide of Ashette and won the evaluation of "high quality and reasonable price".

1980, Jean-LouisGourjon, who was just in his early twenties, bought Maravenne Manor, which was almost deserted at that time with only 20 hectares of land, after they sold the vineyards without wine cellars in the Rhone Valley. After that, Maravenne Manor was expanded to 70 hectares under their management, with an annual output of 500,000 bottles.

Before 1980, Jean-LouisGourjon had traveled and enjoyed the local customs of the world, such as spending a month in Thailand. After he can participate in the restoration and operation of Maravenne winery, all his travels have only one purpose-work. He told us that every March, the vines in Provence will sprout new buds and grow tender leaves. At the beginning of June, it is flowering. The harvest period can be roughly calculated from the appearance of green flowers, which is generally around 100 days; At the beginning of August, the grapes were basically full and began to mature. In this process, tannic acid, mineral salt and sugar increase, and the proportion of sugar determines the date of grape harvest. Growers usually pick and harvest grapes in batches according to their own experience.

Mr. Guqiong invited us to stay at Maraven Castle. The next day, September 4th, 200 1 year, was the annual grape harvest festival he chose-sharing the harvest is always happy, so why not?

The old buildings in Maravenne Castle are very simple, and all rooms have balconies. At night, it began to rain, hitting the tables and chairs on the terrace like a natural music. Listening to the rain, I fell asleep and had no dreams all night.

The next morning, the rain stopped early, breathing fresh air on the terrace, and an old lady passed by the courtyard downstairs and greeted us for breakfast.

She is Jean-LouisGourjon's mother, and she prepared an attractive French breakfast for us, especially the coffee with just the right color. At the table on the porch of the courtyard, watching us break bread, spread butter or jam and drink coffee, they all had a big appetite. She smiled happily.

She told the story of her busyness after she bought Fort Malawi more than 20 years ago, and proudly praised her handsome and capable son. During the working day, she introduces products to visitors in the wine sales office of the winery. In addition to wine, there is also honey. 35% of the wine produced by the winery is sold directly in this way.

She talked affectionately about her son who lost his marriage, hoping that he could have a happy life as he deserved.

After breakfast, we picked grapes in the vineyards all over the mountains and learned the "joy of harvest"-holding the grapes carefully, cutting the first one and putting it in the basket, then hanging the second one, hanging the third one ... Bending in the sun, the basket is gradually full, and the vines of the grapes are still very long, and the joy of harvest supports hard work.

That day we met Jean-LouisGourjon again, on a tall grape harvester, wearing a T-shirt and jeans. The harvester crossed the rows of vines and left a bunch of grapes in the hut. We were fascinated by the harvester and saw a brand-new house-the brick red exterior wall unique to Provence. The water in the swimming pool is particularly blue in the sun. This is a new house designed by gourgeon himself. Not long ago, a wealthy family in Marseille bought most of Maravenne winery. Gourjon and his mother left 6 hectares of vineyards near their new house, producing 40,000 bottles of high-quality wine every year. Buyers in Marseille don't know how to grow grapes or make good wine. Gourjon was entrusted with the management of Maravenne winery for another three years. Then he can do what he particularly wants to do, about art.

I wish the mother and son all their wishes come true.

Advantages of winery consortium

That morning, we felt a strong dry and cold "mist wind" on the Mediterranean side of St. Tropet, and we walked in the alley of the small town in a hurry. Tang, a colleague of the French Food Association, suddenly ran to an unloading truck-Mr. Mapuyate, the general manager of St. Tropet United Winery, was delivering wine to the hotel here. He and Tang Zeng had cooperated in promoting wine in Shanghai.

The vineyards of San Tropet United Brewery are located on granite and gneiss slopes near the Mediterranean Sea. There is not only plenty of sunshine here, but also a dry west wind, which makes the grapes here of high quality. Out of pride in their land, love for grapes and wine, and awareness of the necessity of promoting wine culture, the eight major wine producers in St. Tropet decided to establish the joint winery of St. Tropet on 1964. Manufacturers make wine independently in their own vineyards, each with its own characteristics. And then bottled and sold at the United winery.

Saint-Tropet United Winery has an active trade network to meet the needs of people who know how to appreciate quality wines all over France, the Mediterranean region and even the whole world.

United Brewery has designed a series of wine labels: birds, animals, fish, still life, scenery ... and often participated in various industry competitions and won many medals and honorary labels. Joint operation has obvious advantages, with an annual output of one-third for export.

The United Winery in Saint Tropet displays many ancient wine vessels, such as ceramic pointed-bottomed wine storage tanks and ears hanging on the wall. The pointed bottom is designed because the wine cans are inserted into the sand on the transport ship to prevent them from colliding with each other. Most of these ancient wine vessels were salvaged from the Mediterranean region, and they complement the brand-new oak barrels in the wine cellar-the time and space of inheritance.

Every day, an endless stream of people come here to choose wine, taste wine and buy wine.

Heavy history

There is a legend in Limburg, St. Trosset: Hundreds of years ago, Marquis Villeneuve was the Lord of this area, and his daughter Luo Zilin often hid food in a thick skirt in cold winter to avoid the sight of her father and guards, and distributed it to the hungry and poor. On one occasion, my father became suspicious. He asked the guard to lift his daughter's skirt, but what he saw was actually a fragrant and blooming rose-this is the story of the "Rose Show".

As early as the middle of 10 century, a monk established the CellrRoubaud Monastery in his own name here. Luo Zilin served as the hospital director from 1300 to 1329. After her death, her body has been well preserved and enshrined here. Part of the building of SainteRoseline winery named after her is connected with CellrRoubaud Monastery. In fact, the vineyards here have a history of 1000 years. They used to be church vineyards. The brewed wine is not only for priests to drink and mass, but also carefully sold, becoming an important source of income for the church.

1955, Saint Rouselin Winery was awarded the honor of "Super Winery".

1at the beginning of 994, BernaldTellaud and his wife owned this historic manor-a large area of olive trees and vineyards. In order to meet the needs of the development of modern wine industry, they made a series of improvements to the winery. The wine-making process adopts a brand-new and unique gravity method, and most of the grapes harvested in more than 80 hectares of vineyards are brewed into fine wines.

After completing the improvement and expansion of the wine cellar, the manor owner and his wife invited several famous contemporary French designers to design and decorate the internal structure of the castle and its surrounding buildings, which have been listed as important national protected heritage.