Summertime Oscars in Bordeaux

by Paige Donner

Move over MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America), Bordeaux has once again rolled out its Oscar picks in time for summer. But in good Bordeaux taste, these Oscars have nothing to do with films, and everything to do with good wine.

In its 7th year now, each spring, 100 women in Bordeaux get together and blind taste hundreds of whites, rosés, clarets and sparkling wines from the Bordeaux region. Of these, the initial selection is pared down to 35 in each category and then those are whittled down to 6 winners.

This year's "Les Oscars de l'éte' of Bordeaux are:

Bordeaux Crémant

• Perle de Tutiac
• Les Cordeliers Grand Vintage
• Lateyron
• Celene <Saphir>
• Louis Vallon
• Perles de Garrineau

Claret

• Château La Freynelle
• Château la Bretonnière
• Château Sainte Catherine
• Clairet de Lisennes
• Cuvée French Kiss
• Le Clairet de Boutinet

Rosé

• La vie in Rosé du Château Landereau
• Château du Barail
• Château d'Haurets
• Château Lauduc Classic
• Château La Freynelle
• Château La Rame

Bordeaux Blanc

• Château La Freynelle
• L'Instant Bordeaux
• Cellier de Bordes
• Château de Bonhoste
• Château La France
• Château Le Bonalgut

Spotlight on the bubbly rosé by the young Bordelaise, Celene <Saphir>

This is the first cuvée by Céline Lannouye, a young Bordeaux woman who chose to express her winemaking ability with a sparkling rosé wine.  This approachable, balanced and refreshing bubbly is assembled from grapes grown mostly in the Entre Deux Mers region of Bordeaux. Her first production is an impressive 70K bottles. And this cuvée is one of the winners from the annual Oscars de Bordeaux blind tasting. Her parents have a wine estate in St. Émilion, so perhaps it runs in the blood.  Runs you about 10Euros per bottle. More Info : cremants-ballarin.com 

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Episode 26: Le Cordon Bleu, Paris by Paris GOOD food + wine

by Paige Donner

In order to record these interviews for Episode 26 of Paris GOOD food + wine, on a lovely late spring afternoon recently, I took a quick bus ride over to the new Le Cordon Bleu Culinary and Cooking Institut.

These new 4OOO sq Meter premises are located on the Quai across the river from the Radio France headquarters. The graceful self-contained building is within eyesight of the emblematic statue of liberty that graces the Ile des Cygnes in the middle of the Seine.

It's the very statue that was used as the model for the one gifted to the United States from France which famously resides in NY City's Harbor.

But, back to the Institute – Le Cordon Bleu has become, in the past century, the standard of cooking schools. The diplomas that the students receive after completing coursework here allow them to progress onto substantial careers anywhere in the world. This is, of course, where Julia Child famously began her mastery of the Art of French Cooking and it's also the school that was featured with Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina as well as more recently referenced in the movie Julie & Julia.

In recent decades, namely since the current president of the school, André Cointreau, took up the reigns, Le Cordon Bleu has focused on expanding internationally. It now has campuses all over the world.

In my interview with Mr. Cointreau, we'll be hearing more about this global expansion and export of the French culinary savoir-faire when it comes to pastry making, cooking and wine appreciation.

You'll also be hearing interviews from two of the senior chefs at Le Cordon Bleu, namely the head Chef Patissier, Fabrice Danniel and also Chef Marc Vaca who came to the Cordon Bleu after some years spent in Australia. To round things out, last but not least, we'll get some insight from Franck Ramage, wine expert and director of the wine program at Le Cordon Bleu, a program that has expanded significantly under his tutelage.

So, sit back and enjoy another episode of Paris GOODfood+wine as we retrace Julia Child's footsteps and esprit, in great culinary kinspirit.

***

If you'd like to visit Le Cordon Bleu Institute's Paris campus you're more than welcome to. It's about a 2 minute walk from the fashionable new Beaugrenelle Shopping Center in Paris' 15^th arrondissement.

On the premises you'll find a pastry shop where you can purchase pastries and enjoy them in the little café overlooking the Seine or you can purchase them for takeaway.

There's also a charming boutique on premise which offers their own honey made from honey produced from their rooftop beehives. The boutique also stocks wonderful souvenirs such as chef's aprons, cookbooks, jars of mustards and lots more delicious Le Cordon Bleu goodies.

All music used is free of rights and royalty-free courtesy FreeSoundTrack.com. This episode features Ilya Truhanov, Fantasy in EMajor. Show Intro/ Outro Jazzy Paris background courtesy of BenSound Music.
This episode has been generously brought to you by Paris Food And Wine @ParisFoodWine http://parisfoodandwine.net and also Bordeaux Food & Wine @bordeauxfoodvin http://bordeauxfoodandwine.com 

For sponsorship and advertising, contact Paige. Also for hosting and speaking engagements and for media collaborations: http://Paigedonner.info

More Info @ParisFoodWine
Instagram @PaigeFoodWine

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