Welcome to all fellow wine and food lovers
The appreciation of wine with a sense of place, culture, food and, most importantly, fun.
Based in Languedoc Roussillon, Southern France, I offer an opportunity to enjoy this beautiful region and discover the diversity of its history, geography, food and wine.
I can guide you for just one day or for a whole week, opening doors that wouldn’t normally be open; affording an opportunity to look at the real life behind the scenes and meet local characters who make it special.
OUR LANGUEDOC TASTING TRAIL OCT/NOV2009
LANGUEDOC TASTINGS 2009
Where to find us and taste some ‘real’ wine with me …….
Wednesday 21st October: 11.30am – 15.30pm
Divine Wines: 16 High St, Wincanton, BA9 9JQ
Thursday 22nd October: 15.30pm – 18.30pm
Ranmore Wines Unit 17, Dunley Hill Court, Ranmore Common, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6SX
And with 4 vignerons too ……
Friday 20th November: 18.30pm – 22.30pm
Englefield Green Social Hall, Victoria St, Surrey TW20 0QT
Saturday 21st Novmeber: 11.30am – 16.00pm
Divine Wines: 16 High St, Wincanton, BA9 9JQ
Sunday 22nd November: 11.00am – 16.30pm
Chichester Yacht Club, Chichester Marina, Chichester, PO20 7EJ
Please if you’d like to join us – feel free to just turn up or email for more info.
Le Chemin des Vins
Chemin des Vins
December 2004 at King’s College, London Waterloo
This was an exhibition of five winegrowers from different regions of France:
“These are all small producers passionately caring for their grapes in the vineyars to the wine in your glass. They are proud of their individual ‘terroirs’ and the expression it gives to the character of their wines. It is difficult for them to comprehend that the price of a bottle almost doubles when it is imported into the UK. Certainly it is not they who are heavily marking up their wine and they are hoping this tasting will help to dispel the myth that good French wine is expensive.
At a time when wine sales are dominated by the supermarkets with aisles and aisles of industrially produced, chemically treated bottles here is an opportunity to appreciate natural, traditionally-made wine that is not normally available to us unless we knock at their Cave door.
This Wine Fair is different because no wine will be available to buy en place, it will only be possible to order it, and collect it at a later date, on a short hop over or under the Channel (not far from Calais). Their belief is that once you taste this wonderful wine you will be convinced that it is well worth the effort whether it be for six bottles or ten cases!”
Virgile’s Vineyard in Surrey
Virgile’s Vineyard in Englefield Green
A presentation of the wines of Domaine Virgile Joly matched with the food of Languedoc
June 2005 at Englefield Green, Surrey
Joly Rouge AOC Coteaux du Languedoc 2004
Tartine avec poivrons rouge et anchois
Saturne Rouge AOC Coteaux du Languedoc 2003
Saucisse de porc
Virgile Rouge AOC Coteaux du Languedoc 2002
Terrine de gibiers
Virgile Blanc Vin de Pays de Herault 2003
Fromage Cantal jeune
Carthegene Vin de Liqueur 2001
Pain d’epices
Eau de Vie de Marc Rouge 2001
Fresh cherries from the Vallee de l’Orb
A Taste of Languedoc
December 2005 at Egham, Surrey
Lits would like you to come to a tasting of thirty handcrafted wines from 12 personally selected vignerons with samples of regional food. A bistro corner will be serving a Menu du Jour to allow you to linger if you wish!
Egham, Billesdon and Classic Cars
ANOTHER TASTE OF LANGUEDOC
In Egham and Billesdon, Leicester
November 2006
You are invited to sample more wonderful, natural wines
from the Languedoc avec bonnes-bouches!
With personal presentations from 4 vignerons
+ new vintages of old favourites & some new discoveries
The idea is to try the tastes and flavours, to match a wine with the different food flavours. The experimentation, the sensations of pleasure… we have only made suggestions at the tables, take your time and return to try again.
These wines are selected on the basis of not only being pure, unadulterated by chemicals, but also because they taste good. That is never to forget that wine, like food, is so personal. We have our likes, our dislikes…. and our favourites. But one of the most fascinating things we must remember is how much the flavour of a wine can change with what you are eating. A wine which may appear easy to drink on its own may be overwhelmed by the powerful flavours, likewise a full bodied wine can easily overpower delicate ones. It is an art to match a suitable bottle to a chosen dish, something which can only be learnt by trial and error, imagination and a lot of fun practising!
Similarly they also have their place in time, the mood, the company, the occasion, the budget! The French have terms for them: ‘un vin pour tous les jours’ a wine for everyday drinking, ‘un vin de copain’ , to be shared with friends, ‘un vin de dimanche’, a special wine for Sunday, ‘un vin d’anniversaire’, a special wine for a celebration. A special feast usually calls for a special bottle!
I hope I have given you a choice!
COOL SUMMER CLASSICS
Virginia Water, Surrey June 2006
You are invited to a tasting of 21 summer wines
with canapés set amongst a fleet of classic cars!
Working with the vignerons from Languedoc
In 2004 I started to share some of the wonderful wines I had found in France with my friends, clients and colleagues in England, and, as a result of their appreciation we have now begun a small import business. Here are details of the six presentations I have held to date; they are by invitation only so if you would like to attend one in the future please let me know.
Egham, Billesdon, Virginia Water and Battersea
This year we returned to Egham and Billesdon and also presented an evening dinner with Languedoc wine at ‘The Wine Circle’ restaurant in Virginia water and a wine tasting at an art exhibition in the ‘Power Station Gallery’ Battersea, London.
Fun in the vineyard, cellar and kitchen
For a true Languedoc cultural and culinary experience we offer the combination of a one day wine tour, a guided visit to a local market, a cooking class and a tutored tasting.
Jane is an excellent cook and a fun teacher with a wonderful repertoire of regional recipes. Languedoc cuisine is famed for its tasty simplicity and with the wealth of ingredients available, dinner is a pleasure to prepare. There is nothing better than a visit to a local market for inspiration. Not only is it an opportunity to taste a little of the neighbourhood atmosphere but it is where the local people shop for the largest variety and freshest produce.
I will be your guide and lead you to select and purchase the ingredients that you will have the pleasure of preparing with Jane for a sumptuous feast.
Sample Weekend Itinerary
First Day
Afternoon arrival at Domaine de Brousson.
4 course dinner with wine tasting and an introduction to the region, its culture, wine and food.
Overnight at Domaine de Brousson.
Second Day
Breakfast.
Guided visit with Lits to local market to seek and select the ingredients for the afternoon cooking class.
Lunch at a traditional bistro.
Afternoon cooking class with Jane to prepare your 4 course evening meal. This will be interactive, informative, and fun.
Your dinner with wine!
Third Day
Breakfast.
Today will be spent touring and tasting in the Languedoc wine region with Lits as your guide. Meet the vignerons, walk in the vines and experience what makes this region produce such top quality wines.
Lunch will either be at a local restaurant or, weather permitting, a picnic in the vines.
Dinner with wine at Domaine de brousson and a tutored tasting, matching the wines we have tasted with our 4 course meal.
Fourth Day
Breakfast and farewells.
Price 450€ pp based on double occupancy
The vendange
The Grape Harvest Experience weekend represents a celebration of a year’s work and we will enjoy lots of opportunity for tasting and feasting, in addition to learning about wines of this region.
September is the busiest and prettiest time of the year in both the vineyards and the cellars. The colours are at their autumnal best with the leaves a myriad of shades from greens to amber and russet reds. This is the most colourful and exciting time to see at first hand the viticulture and wine-making styles of each individual producer and what’s more, to participate yourself. You will see first hand how wine is made, the choices the vigneron must make and the role and influence of their individual terroirs.
We welcome you here on a Friday afternoon and begin with a discussion of our itinerary, details of which are at the mercy of ‘Mother Nature’ who determines the start of the harvest (’la vendange’, as it is called in France).
Over the following couple of days we will visit winemakers in different appellations, watching them in action; sorting and pressing the grapes, starting the fermentation, and its vinification. Seeing the grape harvest in full swing and witnessing the picking by hand and machine, with a chance to join in ourselves (should you wish!).
We will lunch at local restaurants or picnic at scenic spots and in the evening feast en famille at the House where we will enjoy matching the wines we have chosen from the day with our freshly prepared supper.
“The amount of work, much of it manual, involved in maintaining a great vinetard defies description. The initial investment is colossal. The risks of weather are beyond man’s control: too much rain, no rain at all, hailstorms, freak winds, late frosts, early frosts. Everything can be done perfectly for eleven months of the year and destroyed overnight. I can never open a bottle again without thinking of the effort and skill and patience that have gone into it, and what a bargain it is.”
Peter Mayle 2001
Day Trips
I offer guided visits and day tours either for House guests or from your hotel or holiday home. These day tours focus on our region’s special wine and food incorporating local history and culture.
Oenotourisme is just developing here and the various regional wine ’syndicats’ arrange exciting excursions, walks, fetes and soirees throughout the year in which we can participate. The cost is 35 euros a person (for a group of four or more) or 125 euros for two people.
Here are a few examples of one day itineraries to choose from:
Cathar castles and the Corbieres
Montpeyroux and the Coteaux de Languedoc
Minervois and the Canal du Midi
Ancient greeks, Amphorae and Agde
Visit to a local market & cooking class
One day wine tasting tour in Faugeres or St Chinian
Sample itinerary
VISIT TO THE APPELLATION OF FAUGERES
SURROUNDED BY VINEYARDS? WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE CLOSED DOORS OF THE REGION’S WINE PRODUCERS – AND WHILST YOU ARE THERE SAMPLE A LITTLE OF WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER?
10.00am Overview of the region and discussion of the day’s itinerary.
10.30am Visit to the Caveau de Schistes for an explanation of the history and role of the cave
co-operatives and your first tasting of the day.
11.30am Visit a 10th century chateau with unparalleled views for an explanation of the local
geology and its impact on the wine.
12.30pm Three course lunch at a local restaurant.
14.30pm A walk amongst the vineyards.
15.30pm Visit to small independent Faugeres producer for a degustation.
One day wine tours run throughout the year but are subject to availability