Mad about Margaux (or: Bored of Bordeaux?)

A week has past since the May Day celebrations in France (and today is yet another National holiday-- Fete de la Victoire 1945-- imagine that!) and I've kept you in suspense about marvelous Margaux for over a week. The premier of May was spent in serious tourist terrain (I'm talking caravans of gaping tourists and thirsty Brits) near the village of Margaux.


This is the world-renowned Medoc region, celebrated for producing the world's most prestigious red wines. Northwest of Bordeaux, bordered by the Atlantic and the Gironde Estuary, the Medoc (meaning "the middle territory") is situated on the 45th parallel, benefiting from an ideal temperate climate and a unique gravelly terroir. These spectacular vineyards produce high-quality grapes of many varieties: Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The big guys are Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, and Chateau Margaux, renowned for their premier grand cru classe (Californians take note: Rothshild colloborated with Mondavi on the most fabulous and tasty Opus One)


Needless to say, we missed the boat for their tours and headed to the little family-owned vineyards instead. Chateau Siran rocks. The estate is deeply aware of its history; the family has collected ancient Greek amphoras, Roman wine-making relics, and Medieval artifacts and displayed them throughout the wine cellars and amidst the enormous oak barrels. Delicious wines have been produced here for centuries. The coolest part about the place-- besides the wine tasting, of course-- is the artistic labels with which they adorn each vintage. Take for example, the picture displayed at right. The 1986 label is painted with the bright orange flash of Halley's Comet, which streaked across the sky that year.