Saturday, July 22, 2017

Wine & Food of the Tour 2017 Stage 20

Where are we? Marseille / Marseille

Marseille: From Michelin:Straddling the East and the West, Europe and Africa, Marseille is a fabulous melting pot of cultures. This cosmopolitan atmosphere is evident throughout the city - around the emblematic Vieux Port, the bustling heart of the city; in the Le Panier district with its narrow streets reminiscent of Italy and Corsica; in the Eastern markets of Noailles or Belsunce resembling a great open-air souk; along La Canebière, where hints of a glorious past remain; or on the Corniche where the villas boast sea views, and minuscule creeks can suddenly be glimpsed at the end of the narrow streets
Marseille, front door to Provence. Founded in 600 BC by the Greeks from Phocaea, Marseille is the oldest city in France and the second largest after Paris. The city is home to almost 900,000 people living in its 16 districts, most of which have held onto their authentic village atmosphere. Marseille has much to offer to its locals and tourists: an incredible coastline, a harbor that turns foreign sailors green with envy and 300 days of sunshine every year! Marseille has an impressive natural heritage with numerous lush parks in the heart of the city, offering refreshing havens when the sun is beating down. Just a few kilometres from the Vieux-Port lies the Calanques National Park, which is the perfect spot for year-round outdoor activities. The famous Calanques cover 20 kilometres with untamed creeks to explore and clear blue water to enjoy. A dozen museums exhibit a wide variety of collections from antiquity to modern art, and several galleries display the work of famous artists and rising stars. Marseille was the European Capital of Culture in 2013 and the schedule promises to have a variety of entertainment all year long. The city and region will host over 400 events, including performances, street art, exhibitions, theatre, literary debates, and Mediterranean cooking. As you stroll around this Mediterranean city you will see its impressive heritage for yourself. Marseille is brimming with hidden gems from the old town of Panier to the Second Empire buildings and the Roman churches. Marseille is now also known for its economic projects, particularly with the Euroméditerranée project, which has seen major architects such as Zaha Hadid, Kengo Kuma and Stefano Boeri redesign the city. The Vieux-Port has been fully reworked by the architects at Norman Foster. This fantastic location will be pedestrianised to restore it to its former glory in Marseille. So, are you ready for a trip back in time?

Read more at: http://us.france.fr/en/discover/marseille-0
Marseille, front door to Provence. Founded in 600 BC by the Greeks from Phocaea, Marseille is the oldest city in France and the second largest after Paris. The city is home to almost 900,000 people living in its 16 districts, most of which have held onto their authentic village atmosphere.

Read more at: http://us.france.fr/en/discover/marseille-0
Marseille, front door to Provence. Founded in 600 BC by the Greeks from Phocaea, Marseille is the oldest city in France and the second largest after Paris. The city is home to almost 900,000 people living in its 16 districts, most of which have held onto their authentic village atmosphere. Marseille has much to offer to its locals and tourists: an incredible coastline, a harbor that turns foreign sailors green with envy and 300 days of sunshine every year! Marseille has an impressive natural heritage with numerous lush parks in the heart of the city, offering refreshing havens when the sun is beating down. Just a few kilometres from the Vieux-Port lies the Calanques National Park, which is the perfect spot for year-round outdoor activities. The famous Calanques cover 20 kilometres with untamed creeks to explore and clear blue water to enjoy. A dozen museums exhibit a wide variety of collections from antiquity to modern art, and several galleries display the work of famous artists and rising stars. Marseille was the European Capital of Culture in 2013 and the schedule promises to have a variety of entertainment all year long. The city and region will host over 400 events, including performances, street art, exhibitions, theatre, literary debates, and Mediterranean cooking. As you stroll around this Mediterranean city you will see its impressive heritage for yourself. Marseille is brimming with hidden gems from the old town of Panier to the Second Empire buildings and the Roman churches. Marseille is now also known for its economic projects, particularly with the Euroméditerranée project, which has seen major architects such as Zaha Hadid, Kengo Kuma and Stefano Boeri redesign the city. The Vieux-Port has been fully reworked by the architects at Norman Foster. This fantastic location will be pedestrianised to restore it to its former glory in Marseille. So, are you ready for a trip back in time?

Read more at: http://us.france.fr/en/discover/marseille-0
Marseille, front door to Provence. Founded in 600 BC by the Greeks from Phocaea, Marseille is the oldest city in France and the second largest after Paris. The city is home to almost 900,000 people living in its 16 districts, most of which have held onto their authentic village atmosphere. Marseille has much to offer to its locals and tourists: an incredible coastline, a harbor that turns foreign sailors green with envy and 300 days of sunshine every year! Marseille has an impressive natural heritage with numerous lush parks in the heart of the city, offering refreshing havens when the sun is beating down. Just a few kilometres from the Vieux-Port lies the Calanques National Park, which is the perfect spot for year-round outdoor activities. The famous Calanques cover 20 kilometres with untamed creeks to explore and clear blue water to enjoy. A dozen museums exhibit a wide variety of collections from antiquity to modern art, and several galleries display the work of famous artists and rising stars. Marseille was the European Capital of Culture in 2013 and the schedule promises to have a variety of entertainment all year long. The city and region will host over 400 events, including performances, street art, exhibitions, theatre, literary debates, and Mediterranean cooking. As you stroll around this Mediterranean city you will see its impressive heritage for yourself. Marseille is brimming with hidden gems from the old town of Panier to the Second Empire buildings and the Roman churches. Marseille is now also known for its economic projects, particularly with the Euroméditerranée project, which has seen major architects such as Zaha Hadid, Kengo Kuma and Stefano Boeri redesign the city. The Vieux-Port has been fully reworked by the architects at Norman Foster. This fantastic location will be pedestrianised to restore it to its former glory in Marseille. So, are you ready for a trip back in time?

Read more at: http://us.france.fr/en/discover/marseille-0
Specialities: Bouillabaisse, aïoli, pieds paquets marseillais (sheep tripe), quail or galinette kebabs, sardinade (grilled sardine), navettes (dry cakes), pastis. Marseille soap (based on olive oil)

 

 The stage:Christian Prudhomme's comment
For the very first time, Marseille will welcome an individual time-trial. A final opportunity to witness a change in the hierarchy and why not see the Yellow Jersey switch shoulders. Set entirely on urban roads with a passage on the Corniche and by the Vieux-Port (old harbour), the course will be rather flat except for a climb up to the Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde cathedral. The start and finish will take place inside the legendary Vélodrome football stadium, recently re-named Orange...
Live: Since tomorrow is mainly ceremonial, we have one more to decide it all. Can Froome lose the Tour today? Sure, but most don't think it will happen. The weather: very hot and dry. The course: mainly flat with a significant climb towards the end. 
Our first finisher, Luke Rowe at 31:09. Meanwhile, Taylor Phinney is passing rider after rider. He'd finish in 29:21.


Hey, Tony Martin. This looks super painful:


Bodnar in with 28:15.
Tony Martin: 28:29. Sigh.
A fall for Castroviejo right after the start. Oops.


Kwiatkowski comes close, but he arrives one second down. 


And finally, we have everyone on course. Froome was going very well early.


Nice ride by Contador. Yikes for both Bardet and Uran. Some very close calls for both. Speaking of close, Bardet just barely holds onto his podium spot.

The wine: Chateau Simone Rosé 
From the importer: This historic estate, situated in the hills just south of Aix-en-Provence, has been in the hands of the Rougier family for two centuries and holds a virtual monopoly on the appellation of Palette. I have admired the wines of Château Simone and have followed the evolution of this domaine over the years. Now, many years after my initial introduction (1981) to the Rougiers, we have been asked to marry our work to theirs. It is our privilege to do so.

Château Simone encompasses twenty hectares of vineyards that sit on limestone soils at elevations between 500 and 750 feet above sea level on the slopes of Montaiguet. The special microclimate of this appellation is influenced by the encircling pine forests, the mass of Mont Sainte-Victoire, and the Arc River. The vineyards were reconstituted after the invasion of phylloxera and many vines are over a century old. The Rougiers maintain the particular vinification methods developed and cherished over many decades. For those of you who are not familiar with these wines, whether rouge, blanc or rosé, we believe you will find them to be compelling and unique.

All of the grapes are hand harvested, destemmed, lightly pressed and fermented for 15 to 20 days in small wooden vats with only wild yeast, then put into small foudre to rest on the lees. The white is predominantly Clairette, with small amounts of Grenache Blanc and Ugni Blanc, and a dash of Bourboulenc, Muscat Blanc, Picpoul, Furmint and Sémillon. Fermentation takes place at a relatively warm 68 degrees and aged for one year in 20–30 hl casks then one year in older barrels. The red from Simone is an elegant yet well-constituted wine of great depth. It is primarily composed of Grenache and Mourvèdre but its special character reflects the presence of a mélange other grape varieties, albeit in small proportion, including Cinsault, Syrah, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Castet, Manosquin, Théoulier, Tibouren, Picpoul Noir and Muscat de Hambourg. (The rosé is the exact same blend) Bottled after 18–24 months of aging in foudres and one year or more in aged barrique, it is assembled without filtration. The wine is a classic that deserves to be aged in order to best appreciate its many nuances: plum, pine resin, cinnamon, truffle and spice among other sensations. We invite you to share our pleasure.

 
 Food: Navettes, these boat-shaped, orange-blossom-scented sugar cookies, named after an unmanned boat bearing a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary that arrived in Marseille during the 13th century, are a signature Marseillais treat. Try this recipe from Saveur.





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