Saint-Emilion and Bordeaux, France
In the vineyards of Bordeaux one finds a rose at the end of the rows. A tradition since the 19th century, a rosebush telltales mildew infection, being more readily affected than the grafted grapevines down the line. Traditions are upheld here; the 57 official “appellations” given wines depend upon specific rules of winemaking as well as indicating region. The soil aspect, the weather and the skill of the vintner are three factors that affect wine quality; keeping to centuries old traditions must help as well.
There is a deep-rooted relationship between wine and religion dating to medieval times when monks planted vineyards. Providing refuge and refreshment to the pilgrims of Saint James who walk the way to Santiago de Compostella on the other side of the Pyrenees, monks owned Bordeaux vineyards until the French Revolution.
At the village of Saint-Emilion, we explored the catacombs, monastery and monolithic cathedral of the world’s first vineyard designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mass is still held here during the flowering of the vines in May and June. We observed restoration artists carefully tending painted frescoes of religious scenes, some of which were preserved accidentally under layers of smoke from ancient fires.
Cracks discovered in the vaulted ceiling and support columns of this church carved from a singular rock have been recent cause for concern. A remarkable technique is being employed, where resin made from compounds found in sharks’ teeth is injected into the limestone to reduce water erosion and maintain structural integrity.
In the afternoon, we toured Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte of the Graves appellation to examine a vineyard firsthand and of course to taste some wine. Expansive grape fields, a 1,200-barrel cellar, a mesmerizing bottling operation and a barrel maker’s shop provided insight into the production of the drops we sampled.
Bordeaux is a region born of vineyards and religion, where winemaking traditions are upheld, where the dinner menu is chosen to complement the selected bottle of wine -- in essence, where wine is king. With oysters and champagne, we felt like kings on the back deck of the Endeavour as the stately limestone facades of France’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ city retreated as we steamed down the Garonne to encounter more of France.
