Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Wine & Food of the Tour Stage 10

Where are we? Périgueux / Bergerac

 Périgueux:The local tourist site tells me that: In the heart of the Dordogne, from north to south, from east to west of Périgueux, the visitor discovers the secret garden of Périgord. Majestic castle track of medieval or Renaissance history, cathedral, abbeys and priories witnesses of a strong spiritual life are next of land and fields where are born noble products such as strawberry, truffle and cep. And in midwater, the sturgeon makes its precious eggs.
Specialities: Perigueux sauce (truffle and foie gras), Périgueux pâté (foie gras and truffle stuffing), mushroom omelette, walnut cake, strawberries.

 Bergerac: The local tourism site tells me that:  A proud town nestling along the banks of the Dordogne, with regal ‘gabarres’ (traditional A proud town nestling along the banks of the Dordogne, with regal ‘gabarres’ (traditional flat-bottomed boats) that enliven the river on a daily basis.
Bergerac has been proudly sporting its “Town and Region of Art and History” label for a number of years now.
And for good reason... It entices with its labyrinth of ever-so charming streets and little squares. Look upwards and admire the half-timbered houses, the ogival windows, the finely-worked doors. Make sure you don’t miss even the tiniest detail of the great historical anecdotes: “when Catherine of Medicis visited the town, the fountains in Rue des Fontaines were spurting wine to arouse Catholics’ passions!”
 Moving on to Place Pélissière, you’ll be greeted by the statue of Cyrano – ah, at long last, here he is –, then on to the boatmen’s houses at Place de la Mirpe for a burst of photo shooting and, last but not least, a visit to the Tobacco Museum  where you’ll be awed by the machine that series sculpts pipe bowls, situated at the top of the building.

Specialities: Bergerac wines (13 AOC), Cabecou du Périgord (cheese), boletus, walnut, strawberries.

The stage: Christian Prudhomme's comment: After a rest day in Dordogne, the debates resume in a romantic and peaceful atmosphere. But the challenge of winning a stage will stop the possible inclination to take it easy, notably when the pack moves closer to the Lascaux Grotto which will have its entire replica drawings available to see as of next December. Whether they're enthusiasts of cave arts or not, the riders will be mainly focused on the sprint to take on, (or avoid, depending on the actors) in Bergerac.
Live:  After the weekend drama and the rest day, we have another expected sprint stage.



And so it would go. A flat, dull stage with lots of field art.






In the field sprint: Greipel!



More field art:



And sure enough, a bunch sprint:


Our winner, also not a surprise:


Wine: Chateau Le Payral Saussignac 2005
From Copake Wine,
From the importer:   From 1992, Thierry and Isabelle Daulhiac have had the run of the nineteenth century manor house and the surrounding fifteen hillside hectares of vineyards, since it was handed down to them from the previous two generations. They are nestled between two oft-foggy appellations of Montbazillac and Sainte-Foy, in the town of Razac de Saussignac, with vines facing the Dordogne, about two kilometers to the north. When they took over in 1992, traditional farming methods were common, but the duo have slowly converted to organic (near biodynamic) practices in the vineyards. They cultivate eight hectares of white grapes (Sémillon, Muscadelle and Sauvignon Blanc) and seven of red (Merlot with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon). 
I say: I had a friend come over for this one, as she is a big sweet wine fan and this did not disappoint. Honey, apricot and even some lemon. Pretty luscious.

Food: Strawberries Why? Because the local tourist site tells me that: The strawberry farming in the Périgord dates back to 1895, when it was made in the vineyards. It was only after the Second World War that production developed with mass sales. In 2004, the Perigord strawberry was the first in Europe to win the PGI (Protected Geographical Indication).
The Périgord strawberry is the first PGI strawberry in Europe, the only one that can claim its origin. The 8 varieties identified and admitted in the PGI are produced on a defined geographical area. To satisfy the consumer’s pleasure, the selected varieties are adapted to the time of the harvest, to taste strawberries 6 months in the year. 
What to do with them? Maybe this old favorite of my daughter's? 
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)