Cenac

In this area, there are tons of little towns and villages that each hold they're own fairs, functions, antique shows, and wine festivals. Today, we visited one of these wine festivals in a town called Cenac, only a ten minutes drive. When someone from the US thinks wine festival, the instant thought is to think of some sort of benefit, charity event, or something that is going to cost more than a few bucks. Sure Napa and Sonoma Valleys each have there own wine festivals, but typically, you aren't going to get anyone just walking right in and within minutes securing a spot for lunch and tasting wines, which is exactly what we did.

We (meaning Caitlin &Albert, the owners of the B&B and I), were greeted by this large, tissue paper/dried leaves wine bottle. It was quite large, but I appreciated their spirit in the event. All over they had hung up wine and gold paper flowers and streamers. They sure know how to make their wine festival festive! Not very big, it was easy to scope around to see all the different winery booths, as well as the various foodstuffs people were selling. We were quick to reserve a lunch ticket, as they said they would be starting in about ten minutes. But, this is a French lunch so that ten minutes turned into nearly an hour, and the lunch after lasted at least another hour after that if not more. Thats what I like about the French. They eat slowwwwwwly, and appreciate what they are eating, even if was just some 'festival' food. A meal here, does not have to be at a five star restaurant for people to actually want to sit there and enjoy it. We had four courses, and none were over the top or extravagant, but they were good and simple. And that's just what these people want.

1st course, a half of melon, SO sweet & good

2nd course, Entrecôte and fries, entrecôte is a sirloin cut

3rd course, a great fresh lettuce salad with vinaigrette

and finally, a walnut cake with ice cream

And that was it! Simple, non? But it was wholesome, served nearly family-style and we sat next to all the winemakers from the festival! It was one of those times when I really wished I knew how to speak better french (if any at all...). Caitlin sat and talked to one winemaker for a long time, who couldn't seem to fathom the fact that we, in California, grow all different types of grapes in the SAME region. For in France, they only grow the one, two, or maybe three grapes that have been grown in the same region for centuries. Wine here is labeled not by what grape (Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, etc) but by region(Bordeaux, Champagne etc famously, and Bergerac, Pécharmant, Saussignac etc locally). Even blended wines that are made in cooperatives have to be raised in certain percentages on each farm. For the local cooperative wine, it is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. So each of the 22 farmers with the grapes for the wine have to all have 70% Merlot and 30%Cabernet Franc produced on their land. It is a different system and takes a lot more understanding of the wine you are drinking because you need to know the area in which it comes from. A lot different then Napa Valley! But I think it brings people closer to their community, closer to their wine, and in turn, also closer to their food.

Pecou, happily pouring another tasting!

Of the 10 or so wineries and winemakers there, only one of them was a female. Wine, and specifically winemaking it seems, has been left for the men to take care of. But, Jocelyne Pecou has started a winery in Bergerac and has done quite well for herself. It was refreshing to see her behind the wines, talking to you, pouring your sample, while her male counterpart was watching. Normally is is the other way around. We didn't buy her wine to drink at our lunch, but it was fun to talk to a successful female winemaker (well I listened to them speaking French to each other and then got the translation). Her motto? Une Femme, un Vin . I think I like it.