GRAPE HARVEST

Its that time again, when the word on everyone's lips is will it be a good vendage? The jury is out as we had a bad June with a deadly mould which destroyed many of the grapes, sadly this has meant some vineyards this year will have no harvest a catastrophe, which apparently occurs every 8-10 years. The hope is that next year the vines will flourish stronger & better than before, I really hope so.

Duras & some 15 surrounding towns, is known as the mini Bordeaux, & our wines are some of the finest in France, but not with the fancy price ticket!

The development of vineyards dates from the 12th century. Duras wines won their reputation thanks to the support of renowned people such as Pope Clement V, the kings of England whose lords occupied the region for three centuries to the point of being accused of "harvesting the Aquitaine area".

Our favourite local wine

The appellation stretches 2000 hectares, today nearly 210 vineyards continue the tradition of cultivating & bottling the "Cotes de Duras" wines. We received our Appellation Originalle Controlle (AOC) in 1937 & never looked back.

Many of our clients have enjoyed trips to some of the surrounding vineyards where the owners are more than happy to educate them on the history, & techniques that go into wine making. Of course the highlight of the tour is the wine tasting, whether you choose to spit or swallow is a personal preference!!!!

I have hanging in my kitchen a little plaque which a wine drinking friend gave me, the famous saying I have to say is very true in my house - CHEERS!

ODE TO LES TOMATES

The last 2 months here at Chateau Perroterie are the busiest of the year, hence no weekly Blog! August was an exceptional period with a heat wave not only here in SW France but in Northern Spain, in fact we were on a red alert for 3 days, which basically means the heat is a potential killer. Anyway as I am writing this Blog there is a beautiful warm breeze with a very agreeable 29 degrees & not a cloud in the sky, all change tomorrow I believe, ah how we all love to ramble on about the weather.

Tomato & cream soup with parmesan toast

Delicious starter

This time of year is not only the start of the grape picking period but also the height of the tomato harvest, & I am inundated with all shapes & sizes of tomatoes. Marmande a town about 20 minutes from here is the tomato capital of France. So as I stand & admire the kilos of this beautiful fruit ( yes tomatoes are not a vegetable) on my garden table, the smell is of sunshine & the taste well its indescribable, let's just say summer in a bowl, or plate or glass. There is no end to the things you can do with these gorgeous red jewels. My favourites are a Tomato & basil soup with a grating of parmesan cheese, or a swirl of cream or both, the colour is so vibrant & not a drop of tomato purée needed to enrich the colour. The alternative is icy cold gazpacho, sit a little dish in the middle of a plate of melon & jambon sec, very decadent. I always make a tomato passata which is stored in sterilized jars, & on a cold winter,s day it adds a touch of summer to any tomato sauce. I usually add a touch of chilli & basil for extra warmth, great in curries, & chicken dishes too. My basic recipe is to a kilo of washed tomatoes which have been quartered, add to a pan which you have already sautéed an onion & 2 garlic in olive oil, add a tablespoon of sugar, bring to a gentle boil then reduce to a simmer, a good dash of balsamic vinegar, lid on, then cook for 30 minutes. Whizz in a processor or liquidizer till smooth. For a smoother texture strain through a sieve, then either pour into sterilized jars or freeze in freezer bags. If you are thinking of freezing in a plastic container, a good tip, is to brush the sides of the container with oil & this stops the tomatoes staining the plastic. This will keep well either way for months, although in my house not so long!