LeDomduVin: Red vibes

Red vibes

Not sure why this picture (which I took on Monday night) reminds me of both Christmas and Japan at the same time.

It is probably the red and white colors of the Lynch Bages label and the presence of this bottle of sake with letters reminding me of snow, and the red background, that have influenced my mind to associate it with the colors of Santa Claus, as well as those of the Japanese flag, maybe...

Maybe also because it is late November, Thanksgiving is around the corner, and Christmas will follow shortly after.

The older I get the quicker time seems to fly... Yet, time flies when you're having fun, they say, and I believe it to be true.

Time is just a notion, it is in your head. So, as long as the spirit and the mind remain young, curious, alert, enthusiastic, positive, and avid for more, enjoying the passing of time will never be a problem, nor a waste of time.

Time is both the witness of the perpetuation of traditions and the protagonist of progressive changes.

And, IWA 5 Sake is a great example of it, as Sake has been produced for roughly the past 1300 years, first for the Emperor, around 700 AC, then breweries mushroomed between the 14th and 16th centuries, and it became a thriving business between the 16 and 19th centuries. Slowed down during the 20th, and became fashionable over the last 15-20 years due to international interest in Japanese culture and traditions, as well as food and beverages.

And, Dom Perignon, long-time Cellar Master, now retired, Richard Geoffroy, jumped on the bandwagon, by spawning a true gem of a refined sake combining his interpretation of classic Japanese sake with the luxurious French savoir-faire and skills he acquired while making Champagne. The result is stunning.

For wine (and other alcoholic beverages...), (like for humans too), time is crucial for its development and "bonification".

Like this Chateau Lynch Bages 2000 has now reached the beautiful age of 22 years old, and is much better now than 10 years ago, yet still remains so young in the palate.

Make Time your ally!

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

#ledomduvin @ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #vin #wine #vino #wein #red #time #sake #chateaulynchbages @chateaulynchbages #iwasake @iwa.sake

Unless stated otherwise, all right reserved ©LeDomduVin 2022 on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, drawings, illustrations, visuals, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).

LeDomduVin: Bordeaux Distances Map

Bordeaux Distances Map

by @ledomduvin 2022

Many wine buyers and wine critics will tell you, if you plan to have a busy schedule visiting Châteaux and tasting in the various appellations (during the "En Primeur" for example), you have to seriously take into account the distance and time, and plan accordingly if you don't want to be late to your visit or appointment.

Bordeaux may seem quite small and its wine regions quite close to each other, yet, a trip from Bordeaux center to Pauillac, which usually takes about 45 minutes, to drive the 45 kilometers separating them, may take more than 1 hour if you encounter traffic on the road.

More especially, when you know (or realize) that "La route des Châteaux" (i.e. the Châteaux sightseeing road), is basically the only road you can take, and, worst of all, that it is a single lane road (on both sides), where usually locals, Châteaux workers, professionals, tourists, trucks, and tractors meet to form a never-ending single line of vehicles stretching from beginning to end (meaning Bordeaux to Pauillac, even to Saint-Estèphe), and it takes forever.

That's why it is better to book your visits and appointments long in advance, to be able to group them within the same appellation (if possible), and start from north to south, with Lafite, Mouton, Pontet Canet, and Pedesclaux in the morning, then Lynch-Bages, Pichon Baron, Pichon Lalande, and Latour to finish the day. 😁👍🍷

You won't necessarily be able to do more than 4 Châteaux in the morning and 4 in the afternoon. I used to do it every year, in the 2000s, and I can tell you it is tight, especially if you have the visit + the tasting (some Châteaux have several labels + other chateau labels from the same owner). One Château per hour is usually the best plan.

Think about it next time you go to Bordeaux, there is always lots of traffic there, and do NOT plan Medoc in the morning, then Saint-Emilion/Pomerol in the afternoon, that's the worst planning ever.

Hoping my map will help you. 😁👍🍷

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

#ledomduvin #lesmapsadom #lesillustrationsadom #map #bordeaux #bordeauxmap #distance #time #roadtrip #chateauxvisits #vin #wine #vino #wein #wineknowledge

Unless stated otherwise, all right reserved ©LeDomduVin 2022 on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, drawings, illustrations, visuals, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).