Tour De France 2010 Wine Tour

Stage 6 --  Northern Burgundy   Domaine des Remparts - Saint Bris 2007 Stage 6 of the 2010 Tour de France travels southeast from Montargis to Gueugnon, crossing through north and central Burgundy on some of the most picturesque backroads in Europe. As the riders progress along the stage, they will be traveling through vineyard lands and ancient villages on roads that many wine lovers bike throughout the summer on their wine and bike tours. They will cycle within a few miles of some of the region’s most famous appellations, such as Chablis and Côtes d’Auxerre. The wine chosen to match this stage is the Domaine des Remparts Saint Bris, made entirely from Sauvignon Blanc in the village of Saint Bris le Vineux, just a few miles northeast of the Côte de Bouhy, the stage’s first serious uphill stretch. The Domaine des Remparts is one of the region’s leading producers and is owned and operated by the Sorin family, inheritors of 19 generations of winemaking experience (additional information on all featured wineries available at www.BondImports.com). As the riders travel southeast towards Gueugnon, they will pass by some of France’s most historic sites (the Medieval Gothic pilgrimage site of Vezelay, the nearby battle site of Alésia, where Caesar defeated Vercingetorix and the Gauls in 52 B.C., numerous Roman roads and fortresses) before entering the beautiful and relatively unknown Morvan national park, crisscrossed by small, wooded mountain ranges and clear, free-running streams. From the vineyards of northern Burgundy to the picturesque rural villages of the Morvan, this stage that skirts many of Burgundy’s wine regions, is a good showcase of the central France’s most beautiful scenery.

Stage 7 -- Beaujolais Cave de Quincié - Hills Beaujolais 2009 Stage 7 of the 2010 Tour will leave the hilly countryside of Burgundy and Beaujolais , running from Tournus, north of Lyon, to the ski resort of Les Rousses in the northern Alps. During the early part of the stage, the riders will be in the heart of Beaujolais country, amongst gently sloping Gamay vineyards and ancient villages dominated by old stone churches. The Beaujolais wine region is dominated by the Gamay grape, which yields lush, fruity wines. The red Beaujolais wines are manually harvested by appellation decree, and undergo carbonic maceration, one of the oldest winemaking practices on earth. The Hills Beaujolais selected to represent this stage is very indicative of the region’s wines, with a fruit forward structure, mild tannins and a hint of spice. It is harvested every year by the students from the same university in Lyon, and is aged in steel tanks for three months before being bottled and released for sale. Many say that southern France begins in Beaujolais, and the wine and food of the region can very much back that claim. The wines are lighter and more approachable than some of their northern counterparts, and the fresh-vegetable and local meat driven diet also seems almost southern in character. It is indeed a perfect region for the tour, as it offers long stretches of picturesque roads, perfect for a picnic while waiting for the riders to arrive.

Stage 10 -- Savoie  Jean Perrier & Fils - Apremont 2009, Mondeuse 2008, Méthode Traditionelle Stage 10 of the Tour de France will be the third mountain stage for the riders, and they will pass through some of the most picturesque areas of the Savoie region, in the heart of the French Alps. The stage will begin in Chambéry and travel south along mountain sides and valley floors towards Grenoble and Gap, with three serious passes to negotiate. Despite the high altitude, harsh climate and relatively low population, Savoie produces some very famous wines and cheeses. The first stretch of the stage passes right through Savoie’s most famous wine villages (Apremont, Abymes, Monterminod), with the riders actually passing right in front of the Jean Perrier & Fils winery in the village of Les Marches. The three wines selected for this stage are all produced by the Perrier family, winemakers since the 19th century, and are very representative of the regions long winemaking history. The Savoie region is also known for some fine cheeses, which are enjoyed warm in hearty winter dishes (fondue, raclette, tartiflette), and served to the millions of tourists who come to enjoy some of the best skiing in the world. During the summer months, these fine cheeses (Beaufort, Reblochon, Tome de Savoie) are paired with the region’s hearty breads and local meats. The superb summer climate, extremely steep mountains and breathtaking scenery make Savoie one of the few regions that the tour visits every single year.

Stage 11 -- Southern Rhône Stage Cave la Romaine - Ventoux Rosé 2009 Cave de Bonnieux - Luberon Blanc 2009 & Luberon Rouge 2007 Leaving the Alps behind, stage 11 will travel from Sisteron through the southern Rhône Valley through the Luberon and Ventoux regions to Bourg les Valence. The terrain is mostly alternating hills and valley floors, with only one major climb at the Col de Cabre, about one third of the way through the stage. We have selected two wineries (Cave de Bonnieux in the Luberon and Cave la Romaine in the Ventoux) and three wines to represent the large and diverse wine region that is the Rhône. Shortly after leaving the historic town of Sisteron, the riders will skirt the north end of the Luberon appellation and the Luberon National Park, one of the wildest places in southern France. They will be traveling through grape-covered hills, tiny villages and scrub oak forests, areas in which Cave de Bonnieux grows many of the grapes for their Luberon wines. The stage route then travels along the northeast side of 6273 ft mount Ventoux, through ancient, sloping vineyard lands from which Cave la Romaine gets the Grenache and Syrah grapes used for most of their Ventoux wines. The Rhône valley is immensely productive and diverse in terms of both food and wine (we therefore picked a red, white and rosé for this stage), and is in general one of the most pleasant areas in France. The region’s excellent climate, fine gastronomy (local meats, cheeses and vegetables) and proximity to the Mediterranean Sea and the ski resorts of the Alps make it a perfect place to stay a few days after the riders have left. Languedoc

Stage 12 -- Languedoc Domaine de la Dourbie – Pigeonnier Rosé 2008 With the Rhône valley behind and the race standings starting to cement, the 2010 Tour de France will travel into the nearby Languedoc region, another ancient wineproducing area, with a great diversity of grape varietals and styles. The region is dryer and more hilly than the Rhône, with five separate steep climbs between the stage start at Bourg de Péage and its finish in Mende. Throughout Languedoc, wineries plant a number of Mediterranean varietals (Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Carignan …) as well as some of the classic French varietals (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon …). For this stage we have selected a rosé wine from Domaine de la Dourbie, one of the region’s leading producers. All of their vineyards are biodynamically farmed (organic, with ancient pruning and harvesting techniques following the phases of the moon) and manually harvested to retain the true character and style of Languedoc wines. The estate is owned by the Serin family and has recently undergone a complete modernization. Food in the Languedoc is as varied as wine is. There are many influences in the region, from Spain to the south, and from the Côte d’Azur, Rhône and Provence to the east and the Cévennes and Massif Central mountains to the north. The generally warm climate lends itself to excellent produce, game and lamb. Grilled Mediterranean vegetables and lamb is common fare for a barbeque amongst family and friends. If the sun is out for stage 12, it should be hot and dusty for the riders, a good indication of the terroir that winemakers in the area have at their disposal, as well as the general climate that sets the rhythm of life in this tranquil, welcoming region of southern France.

Stage 18 -- Greater Bordeaux Château Gayat Graves de Vayres Red 2005 Graves de Vayres White 2008 With only a few days left, stage 18 of the 2010 Tour will head north from Salies de Béarn to Bordeaux. As the riders approach the end of the stage, they will be traversing some of the wine appellations surrounding the city of Bordeaux (Graves, Pessac-Léognan …). Most of the stage is flat, through pine forests and gently sloping vineyards and elegant chateaus, with no considerable uphill sections. During this stage and the next, the route will pass by or through some of the world’s most famous wine villages, which is indicative of the immense and long-standing respect that Bordeaux wines enjoy throughout the world. For this stage in Bordeaux wine country, we picked two wines from Château Gayat, a family owned winery (Degas family, owners since the 18th century) located a few miles from the last section of the stage. Their wines are very indicative of the long winemaking tradition in the region, and are made on human scale with great care and attention. The Degas family is proud to farm and vinify some of Bordeaux’s traditional yet lesser known varietals (Semillon, Cabernet Franc) as well as the major red grapes (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon). The reds are usually full bodied in style, perfect for some of the hearty stews and grilled meats that make up much of the local diet. The whites can be anywhere from light to full bodied, and tend to lend themselves well to the local seafoods (notably oysters from the nearby Arcachon bay) and white meats. Whatever the color, Bordeaux wines are usually refined and full of character, products of an immensely prestigious and beautiful region, to be enjoyed while watching the tour, or at any other time of the year!

Bordeaux Stage 19 Château de Virecourt – Bordeaux Red 2007 Stage 19 of the 2010 Tour de France is the last time trial, stretching from the centre of the city of Bordeaux to the historic village of Pauillac in the Médoc area of the Bordeaux wine region. Along with beautiful chateaus and immaculate vineyards, the route will pass some exquisite architecture in the city of Bordeaux itself. In terms of topography, the stage is mostly flat, along the Garonne and Gironde rivers near the Atlantic coast. There are no sizeable hills, but the urban nature of the early part of the stage does add difficulty. For this, second to last stage on the tour, and the last one in wine country, we have chosen Château de Virecourt, a producer that farms grapes along the many of the roads the riders will be taking. Additionally, the start of stage 19 in downtown Bordeaux, occurs only a few blocks from the wineries’ export offices locates on Court Xavier Arnozan, among beautiful baroque and rococo stone architecture. Like many producers in France, the Ducourt family, owners of Château de Virecourt, farm their vineyards throughout in sustainable fashion, with few chemicals and no heavy machinery. The winery is planted exclusively with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, two of Bordeaux’s five allowed grapes (Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot being the three other allowed grapes). This Château de Virecourt Red is a classic Bordeaux, very representative of the wines that are consumed locally with lunch or dinner. Firm enough to go with food and fruity enough to enjoy in its own, it will surely will be consumed in the many bistros along the route of stage 19 through historic, central Bordeaux.