Friday, July 15, 2016

Wine & Food of the Tour de France 2016 Stage 13: Souhaut's Romaneaux-Destezet Blanc & Creme de Marrons


Where are we? Riding the first time trial of the race 37 kilometers from Bourg-Saint-Andéol to La Caverne du Pont-d'Arc

 Bourg-Saint-Andéol is a first time stage city located in the Ardèche on the banks of the Rhone. The local tourism site tells me that it is a city on the right bank of the Rhone, at the southern end of the department of Ardeche and close to the famous gorges of the same name, offers a pleasant living environment and sunny between the Rhone River and an area of ​​wilderness, the forest Laoul.
A place to visit might be the dolmens, a megalithic tombs with a large flat stone laid on upright ones, found chiefly in Britain and France.

 LeTour Specialities: Wine production (IGP Ardèche, AOC Côtes du Rhône, AOC Côtes du Vivarais), six domains or wine cellars in the town and 14 within the municipality

 La Caverne du Pont-d'Arc is another first time stage site situated at Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. The tourism website tells me that:
This prehistoric cave is a UNESCO World Heritage Site candidate. It is extremely unique, because it has all three of these very rare characteristics:
old
well preserved
very rich
This is the most extensive and well preserved piece of heritage from the Aurignacian Era. It is radiocarbon dated to 32,000 BP, or to about 36,000 years ago after re-evaluation. Its freshness is striking. The freshness of the thousand paintings in this cave in the Ardèche cover 8,500 m² over more than 400 m.This makes the paintings the largest piece of artwork known to this day.

LeTour Specialities: Lavender, olives, truffles, wine (Côtes de Vivarais AOC)

From LeTour: Christian Prudhomme's comment:
There'll be a lot at stake for this first time-trial of the Tour. Long enough to manage significant gaps, it won't however exclude the climbers who will try to defend their positions on the roads overlooking the Gorges de l'Ardèche.
The TV viewers around the world will have the opportunity to admire an incredible panorama.

The stage: 



A 37.5 individual time trial is on tap today. And some more polemica, 
in case there was not enough yesterday. Our early leader:



Several riders not starting today including Pinot (bronchitis) and Gerrans (broken collarbone). I was hoping for a Tony Martin win. Alas, it was not be.

With the gc riders out on the road, Dumoulin was still in the lead. Geraint Thomas in with the fifth best time, nice ride for him. 

Stage:


GC:

 

 
Wine: Herve Souhaut's Romaneaux-Destezet Blanc 2012
FranklyWines says: Souhaut! Herve Souhaut's Romaneaux-Destezet Blanc 2012 is really excellent - rolly polly silky viognier/roussanne

From the importer:  Hervé Souhaut created Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet in 1993. Hervé works 5 hectares of old and ancient vines—between 50 to 100 years-old. He is very fortunate to own two vineyards in the Rhône Valley just opposite the storied hills of Hermitage in Saint Joseph. This region is widely recognized as being one of the finest areas for wine production on the planet; thanks in part to its elevation, ancient vineyard sites and the southeastern and southern exposures. The domaine is located further into the hills of the Northern Ardeche in the tiny town of Arlebosc, about a 30 minute drive from St Joseph, winding through the hills. The winery is underneath the 16th century “les romaneaux” fortified farm and sits in the middle of the vines that make up the souteronne, syrah, and white cuvées.
romaneaux.destezet.free.fr


 Food: Creme de Marrons  

 Clement Faugier, founded in 1882 produces this sweet confection with chestnuts picked in Ardeche and a hint of vanilla for baking and eating.
Use in cookies and mille feuille baking, add to whipped cream for pies and toppings. Use chestnut spread on toast, a croissant or fresh brioche.
 
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