Watching the last 15k of the Tour de France as the riders wind their way precariously through the narrow, wet streets and vineyards of Monbazillac. Stage 19 is chocked full of French gastronomical highlights as the riders head due north from the Pyrenees through Gascony. After they left Pau the riders hit Armagnac where they make oak aged brandies. Similar idea to Cognac but with a unique more rustic personality of dried fruits and spice. Delicious to sip on after dinner. Not as well known as Cognac but equally delicious and often a terrific value comparatively. Prunes are another specialty of the area- just the thought of Armagnac soaked prunes with a bit of Roquefort bleu cheese makes my mouth water! Yum! The race course passes to the west of Cahors which I want to mention for the Argentine Malbec fans. This is one of the original gangsta areas where Malbec is from before it made its way to Chile and Argentina. Monbazillac was the last stop before the finish and the rainy day was probably welcomed amongst these vines. This area is little known because of its remote location but makes highly regarded, well priced dessert wine similar to Sauternes that matches perfectly with locally produced foie gras and Roquefort bleu cheese. Finally, in the last kilometer they cross the Dordogne River and head into Bergerac. This will be the start of my post tomorrow. Cheers!
Posted on: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 19:13:21 +0000
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