wine making

 Stephan Apelbaum is a good friend of ours who makes wine for Chateau Quercy

He invited us to pick from his private grapes in return for some bottles and a lesson
on wine making. Stephane is teaching his sons how to make wine.
He is teaching them the traditional way.

The kids will design the labels, wine will be ready in 2012

Michael hard at work

 Antoine (according to Tatiana my future son-in-law)  is a very fast picker

 delicious cabernet grapes

 even grandma picks

 merlot grapes

 The wine will be a mixture of cabernet and merlot

 hands of a wine maker, you see many people around town with
purple hands you know they are wine makers

 this was really tedious

 so many creatures came out while trying to de-stem

 father and son

in the barrel

Next day..... boys are crushing the grapes the old fashion way.

 a bit of brotherly fighting went on

measure the density, the grapes are already starting to ferment 

Cheval Blanc

We had the privilege of having a private tour of Cheval Blanc. It is owned by
the Bernard Arnault (LVMH) and bottles run into the thousands.
 In Saint Emilion, there are only two wines in this category,  Cheval Blanc and Ausone. 

It was all very simple and not how I imagined but felt lucky to have been invited.

the main house

Pierre Lurton is winemaker and manager of Cheval Blanc

showing us the new wine caves

Pierre showing us the plans of the expansion, it will be stunning

the tasting room

it was 10am but what the heck its not everyday you are offered a glass of Cheval Blanc

the bottle we tried

Pierre telling us about the making of the wine

the future wine cellar

the big wig,  7th richest man

the soil consists of gravel

the chapel

Thats me in the mirror

Testing the varieties

the next generation

 

The wine cellar

Pierre telling us a funny story

U2 concert

Lyn and Jonathan Maltus from Chateau Teyssier invited us to Paris to see U2.
We couldnt pass it up. They prepared the picnic train food, which had even the conductor looking. They had a huge spread of wine, cheese, meats, breads.

our plate


the view from our room, it still counts the scene
AHHHHH opening song

their so cool



amazing stage



a night to remember, thanks Lyn and Jonathan