This was a very special moment for me tasting these wines of the DOMAINE DE LA SOLITUDE reds and white from the Chateauneuf-Du-Pape region of the southern French Rhone valley. Just a half-hour's drive or so from the town of Avignon this area of Chateauneuf-Du-Pape sure is famous for it's distinct, flavorful and unforgettable dry blends of many grape varieties ( up to 13 in the reds and 5-6 in the whites? ). The flavors, taste and distinct style of these wines is unmistakable and quite wonderful, too. They are also quite versatile in their food pairings and that is a great thing.
In this picture above it almost looks like the ceiling lights at the store become a white feather - a plume to write one's thoughts/mood/reflections and feelings as they sip this evocative golden-white Chateauneuf ...
This tasting was especially nice because Sotiris brought me both the husband and wife owners of DOMAINE DE LA SOLITUDE and we three hit it off quite well from the get-go. They did not know what to expect but they warmed quickly to my style and personality and intensity as speaking French quickly, snapping digital pictures very fast and showing them to them as I took a break to focus on the wine and it's taste and flavors on my palate. I have to balance all of this and so I have to stop and focus on each so as to accomplish the most that I possibly can. I often think of these moments as " one-of-a-kind " that will never be repeated even if our paths do cross again. That does not often happen and for that reason I try ans shove as much into each of these encounters as I possibly can.
Here I was trying the excellent white Chateauneuf-Du-Pape with Jean and Francoise. Look at the amazing golden color that I have captured in the picture above : it shines and reflects the artificial sun-light from our ceiling lights above. I like this : all so regal and courtly and speaking of wealth and gold and power and standing and presence and personality all wrapped up nicely into one. And the label only helps to reinforce all of this with the deep blues of the night and the emblem and the cream color in the writing all adding something too from grandeur to panache and splash and stateliness?!? I liked it all : especially the wine's feel and concentration on my tongue and in my mouth. I think I swallowed bits at a time always leaving some in my mouth to extend the sensations : elongate them and ride them so-to-speak to get every ounce and every bit of taste from them before finally swallowing/swooning into a lovely state of peace and reverie and contentment. I could have stopped right here : taken the bottle down to Lavandou French Provencal restaurant, ordered and watched people passing as I sat at one of the tables by their ceiling-to-floor windows up front .... that would have been lovely. Perhaps the next time I may be able to do that with Jean and Francoise Lancon?
I love this picture of Jean Lancon above. What was he saying ; or what was I saying to elicit such an expression of surprise, shock? I don't remember now. It is unfortunately now Monday, May 3rd, 2010 here at home in northern Virginia at 11:13 AM as I finally get a chance to add the commentary to these pictures that I have had downloaded and stored in my draft form for quite some time as I write the many that had come before this one. I've got a whole group of fifteen or more waiting to be written about and then posted. I take my work seriously and do not want to do these blogs without all the attention and detail and effort that they deserve and merit and so it takes time for me to find both the energy, the time and the complete concentration and focus on each and everyone of them, big or small.
Being an artist I like to take lots of artsy photos to add to the equation of what is already out there for viewers and readers to enjoy. I add lots of the visual through my digital Canon photos as well as my free-flowing descriptions. I hope it makes people want to go in search of these wines to purchase them and then enjoy them : that is my main aim.
Look how the light from the ceiling lights above in Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits helps to divide and to focus our attention on the various parts of the picture above as our eyes rove from top to bottom? I like that : it makes it easier in a sense to see the picture better.
Here's a peaceful/ thoughtful picture of Jean above with his golden elixir of white Chateauneuf-Du-Pape DOMAINE DE LA SOLITUDE below. There's a calm about the photo and an energy in this body of liquid white/golden/sun-ceiling-light-drenched/infiltrated/infused - glowing gently wine.
Now it's time for some red Chateauneuf-Du-Pape as Jean gets ready to pour some for me. Actually this picture above is simply a " tease " photo as I immediately go back to more pictures of the white wine. Jean, you will just have to wait. There is still lots of pictures of the white wines before we move onto the reds.
Here's a nice picture of Francoise above. She's so alive, radiant and beautiful.
I just took a break and scrolled down all these pictures that I have included here and realize that, in fact, I had already started blogging about the first group of photos that I had downloaded. The ones after the initial beginning to this blog were added shortly after. This means that this will be a two-part blog ( I've just decided that with tomorrow or this week's entry that it will be a three-part blog ) and you are all now reading the second part of it. Sorry, it's just the way the Chateauneuf-Du-Pape reds and whites get willingly/lovingly absorbed by our tongues as we have no cookies here to crumble ...
Francoise was responding positively to these pictures and that spurred me on to be more daring and creative with my pictures as I tried new angles and positions of holding my Canon camera as I snapped merrily away. I was completely in my zone and having a blast and getting paid good money to do so. O always remark upon this with a smile and the feed-back is always encouraging and congratulatory as if to say that I have earned the right to do this and share it with the world, too. Thanks guys, I appreciate the support and kind words in response to these exclamations of mine as I realize that I am having such a good time.
I am at home now and so do not have access to my notes and the pamphlets and the recipes that Francoise left for me. We got into talking in French about wine and food combinations and she got really excited about this and was more than willing to share her recipes with me : one in particular which I promise to find at Cleveland Park Wines and Spirits and add here later.
I was really getting into taking photos of both Jean and Francoise through my Reidel wine-tasting glass here. I realized how many interesting distortions/ angles and reflections and bends that I could get depending on which part of the glass I took pictures through : as well as the particular angle that I held the glass at. It's still all one big, grand discovery for me this taking of pictures through a wine glass. I certainly have not exhausted by any means all the possibilities available to me and at my disposal if I take the time to see and search them out.
I really enjoyed all of the wines and will be ordering soon some from Sotiris. I think that these come through the Voila Selections imports of Olivia and her husband. I will confirm this soon enough with you Sotiris as I give you an order for May delivery.
I got to taste Jean and Francoise Lancon's fabulous 2007 vintage with their various DOMAINE DE LA SOLITUDE wines. This was a treat indeed for me and though delicious and very impressive now I will recommend to our customers in Cleveland Park to buy them and hide them so as to reap the full bounty that these wines will surely give up after many more years of cellaring. Some things simply should not be rushed and this is a great example. You will be handsomely paid back more than in full for your foresight, patience and diligence. Trust me on this : don't lose this golden opportunity to buy some while you still can and then put them away somewhere safe from prying eyes and hands and fingers that don't want to wait.
I got some nice pictures of Francoise like this one above when she was relaxed and not aware that I was taking pictures without my flash on. The Canon does not make a sound when you snap a picture and so people may think you are taking a picture but they are not sure and that's when they are the most relaxed and like themselves. It's worth the deceit I believe. I hope that others agree as this is a very personal subject : the one of pictures of someone and whether they are flattering or not? I employ the tactic that as an artist many of the pictures fall into that realm and so therefore are permissible to include in these blogs as they speak of so much more than simply the subjects/people that I capture in these fleeting and wonderful and captivating moments in time when our paths come together maybe for the only time ever ...
I've already explained what Jean told me about his label and the emblems and coat of arms so I will not repeat myself and have you read on ... I like the label : classic, speaking of history and with color and charm, too.
I really did love the color of their white DOMAINE DE LA SOLITUDE Chateauneuf-Du-Pape here. That must be why I saved it to sip on gradually as I took all these pictures with it still in my glass. I guess I was not rushing to finish such a tasty treat. was I?
Sotiris smiles and reflects on something said in this picture of him above.
The picture above of Francoise is one of many that I took that are daring and completely artsy as I capture he head in miniature through the very bottom clear hole of my Reidel wine-tasting glass. I like it : her head as well as that of Jean come out tiny almost as if they were in some small round gold or silver locket with their pictures hanging around someone's neck as a keepsake?
These pictures that I took of Jean and Francoise ( their faces showing through the small circle at the bottom of my Reidel winetasting glass - like medalians or small miniature portraits that used to be worn/carried around someone's neck in a silver or gold locket ) are more artsy and I like their original angles and vantage points as they add something new and different than what most people would expect or be looking for. I hope that you enjoy them for their originality.
This is the end of Part Two of my blog entries here. What follows below is Part One. Enjoy and stay-tuned for Part Three that I will add tomorrow or later this week when I am back at the store once again.
This was a great serendipitous visit with you Sotiris ( Bafitis ) this morning as you brought to Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits with you to meet me owners Jean and Francoise Lanon of the DOMAINE DE LA SOLITUDE vineyard in Chateauneuf-Du-Pape region of France's southern Rhone valley. I enjoyed the visit and the tasting immensely as I think the three of us hit it off quickly and pretty much the rest was smooth-sailing from that moment on. I spoke to them in French and as with many people this caught them off guard and I think it relaxed them and certainly put them at ease. That is until I started to snap pictures and conjure up images with my French dialogue a the wines , this situation, the history of the property with the Italian clergy and popes all intertwined with Jean's narrative and my reactions to it as well as these excellent southern Rhone wines. I loved the white Chateauneuf-du-Pape and it was so smooth and silk and seductive, full-lipped and almost pouty but not - attractive to the max certainly with no noticeable bite. How could it : it was so fleshy as in those fleshy pouty lips that I referred to already.
Look at the color in the picture above of this DOMAINE DE LA SOLITUDE southern Rhone Valley red. It's a great way to start this whole blog. Of course I start this tonight on the day that I met both Jean and Francoise Lancon for the very first time because it is good to have a very fresh perspective as I do believe this blog will take three or so entries before it is actually finished. There was a lot discussed and enjoyed over this very short visit of ours. Pretty much once that I got a chance to get myself to the tasting table with all of my paraphernalia ( poster to sign, white piece of paper to sign and put their card on wit a piece of scotch tape that I brought, Canon digital camera, Reidel wine-tasting glass, etc.
Sotiris said that it would have to be quick as he had anther tasting/meeting scheduled and did not want to be late. Sotiris, why did you wait so long to inform me of this? You know that I like to take my time with interesting people like Jean and Francoise and that I want to linger over things/moments/taste-sensations and not be rushed!
I don't really blame you as you have to get them to see as any people as possible, I know that all to well. Your job is to expose them to as many people that will be inspired to buy their excellent wines from the fabulous 2007 vintage. How can I blame you. I don't. I understand completely, really I do. I did our job once and it was about sales as well as other things these encounters.
I appreciate that you did share them with me for as long as you did : thanks for that. I feel honored. I will order some of theses wines for Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits ( 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Washington D.C. 20008 , sales@clevelandparkwine.com, www.clevelandparkwine.com ) and know that we will sell them well as DOMAINE DE LA SOLITUDE is very well known and people will want to have some of these wines in their cellars. That goes without saying : the quality is fabulous, too. I really enjoyed my tastes of these five or so wines this early Tuesday afternoon, April 6th,2010 at the store in Washington D.C. our nation's capitol.
I am glad that t I started this blog entry tonight as I have so much to mention.They brought with them many fact sheets : they came prepared for me.
I am most interested in the recipe that Francoise has for her lobster and vanilla that she says goes really well with the white DOMAINE DE LA SOLITUDE Chateauneuf-Du-Pape. She described it with such animation, using both her hands and I have some of those photos here. Great facial expressions, too.
I have all the pictures to add of tasting the white Chateauneuf-Du-Pape tomorrow.
Overall I found the wines to be balanced and full of fruit and personality and individual character. They were all young and very much alive and great conversationalists on my palate. I could not / would not ever be bored tasting them. They engaged my palate and all my senses in a very wonderful/immediate way. Entertaining me and playing me without a care in the world. They already had paid their dues. Now it was simply time for fun, for seeing the world and strutting their stuff : plain and simple as that. I liked that quality in them.
That was the end of Part One of this blog. I see that I have more to add here with all these pictures and so stay-tuned for more tomorrow, Tuesday, May 4th, 2010. Cheers, TONY
I did these quick portrait ink sketches of both Jean and Francoise and gave them to them as parting gifts from me to them to show them my appreciation for the tasting and the time that we had just spent together. All I wanted was to have these pictures of them holding their sketches so that I would have a souvenir of them, too. Merci Jean et Francoise : revenez nous voir bientot. A la prochaine, TONY
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