Château de Myrat, Barsac, France

We really enjoyed our visit to Château de Myrat in the Sauternes wine region. The Count of Pontac is very proud of his vineyard and renowned wines. He explained in French the special process of producing these sweet dessert wines while our guide translated. There are only five villages in the area that can claim the Sauternes label. This small region 20 miles south of Bordeaux has the perfect micro climate that encourages the growth of a fungus called Botrytis Cinerea, or noble rot. The semillon grape is very susceptible to it and is the primary grape grown here. The fungus increases the sugar level, resulting in shriveled, raisin-like clusters. The shriveled grapes are hand picked, often one at a time. It is a labor intensive process that takes several months. We learned that a typical grape vine yields about a bottle of wine, while an average botrytis-infected vine yields about a glass. It is very sweet, like a nectar, and usually paired with fruit-based desserts. Ron and I enjoyed sampling three different vintages.

After a delicious dinner of Thai soup, Cuisse de Canard Confite (duck leg) and Bordeaux red wine cake, we enjoyed a wine tasting and explanation on how to taste and evaluate wine based on its color, smell, and taste. C'est bon!Read more