Tour de France

"A 8216;vintage8217; does not guarantee a good wine." Effectively silencing her audience of 20-plus adults, Daniele Raulet-Reynaud continu...

8220;A 8216;vintage8217; does not guarantee a good wine.8221; Effectively silencing her audience of 20-plus adults, Daniele Raulet-Reynaud continues, 8216;8216;French wines are difficult to have on their own, and the more you read on the label, the more you have to pay.8217;8217;

The petite French sommelier was at The Park hotel in Chennai recently to conduct a wine appreciation workshop. This meant a guided tour of French wine regions, grapes, labels, classifications8212;and delicious sips of wines and champagne from fabled vineyards.

Naturally, the mood was upbeat. Starting with the basics8212;vintage, for example, is the year the grapes were harvested. So you8217;ll have to do some homework to find out the good years. Raulet-Reynaud takes us through the growing process: The French have only one harvest every year, unlike Brazil, which has two. She explains how the vines 8216;8216;wake up8217;8217; in March, flower from May to June, and are ready for harvest in September. No artificial watering is allowed, only rainfall.

It is claimed that there are as many wines in France as there are vineyards, whether in Rhone, Burgundy, Alsace, Provence or the Loire. But the Bordeaux is by far the most important wine-producing region.

		BUBBLICIOUS

			8226; In the French style of serving champagne, the bottle remains in the bucket until it is opened. Remove the foil and put it in your pocket, uncork with six turns of the corkscrew, and remember, no noise, no 8216;8216;wedding pom pom8217;8217;. You can sniff the cork to know the wine8217;s condition, wipe the bottle8217;s mouth with it, and serve with a delicate flourish 8226; Serve whites chilled and reds at room temperature only if it8217;s 20deg; C. Otherwise, store in the bottom shelf of your fridge

Burgundy produces two of the most popular wines in France8212;Beaujolais and Chablis a big hit in Japan and India. But the 8220;maharaja of wines8221;, in Raulet-Reynaud8217;s words, is Champagne.

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the grapes used to make champagne. The longer the fermented juice is in contact with the skin, the darker the colour. That8217;s how you get Champagne rose, says Raulet-Reynaud, recoiling at the term 8216;pink champagne8217;. 8216;8216;It8217;s like we8217;re talking about the pink panther!8217;8217; she sniffs.

Though not the first woman sommelier, Raulet-Reynaud was the first woman to get the Maitre d8217; Hotel of France award, in 1980, given to the person with all-round knowledge of food and wine.

		GLASS ACT

			8226; Use a glass with a stem, so your fingers will not alter the wine8217;s temperature 8226; Keep the glass simple, without too many cuts 8226; Passionate wine lovers judge the colour of a wine by placing it in front of a white cloth 8226; Rinse the glass with warm water, without using detergent, and never use a wet glass 8226; Use a fluted glass for champagne and a slightly bulbous glass for reds

For those of us familiar with Sula and Chateau Indage, how does one match Indian cuisine with French wine? Indian cooking is complex, says Raulet-Reynaud, suggesting it8217;s best matched with medium-range wines, especially whites, rather than sophisticated table wines.

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The wines shouldn8217;t be harsh or acidic, but should have 8216;8216;texture, consistency and spine8217;8217;. Fruity and aromatic wines like Alsace and Sauvignon are good for the Indian palate, as are Bordeaux, Saint-Emillion and Lalande Pommerom.

What Raulet-Reynaud has noticed is the Indian habit of quaffing hard liquor. Bent on getting converts, she insists that like a good perfume, a little is enough when it comes to wine.