Welcome one and all to my dabble in oenology. This is by no means the work of a professional in the business, but an amateur (in the purest sense of the word), intended to help my own evolution in the domain of wines, viticulture and oenology, as well as to encourage others to enter this fascinating world which may seem so intimidating and even pretentious to the uninitiated.
For my inaugural entry, I will write about a recent visit to an estate in the picturesque Saint-Emilion village on the right bank of the Gironde department, just a stone's throw north-east of the capital of Aquitaine; Bordeaux. Whether one is a fan of wine or not, I would recommend the visit of this magnificent small town, a true UNESCO World Heritage site, to anyone .
Château Guadet (formerly known as Château Guadet-Saint-Julien), for that is the name of the estate in question, is located in the center of the town on a road bearing the same name, rue Guadet, both namesakes of the Girondin revolutionary who lost his head in Bordeaux towards the end of the Terror in 1794, having been discovered hiding out in the cellars where the wines are sheltered. It is a rather nondescript property, with no signs or publicity alerting anyone of its existence; just a building with an old, blue door facing opposite the Caisse d'epargne bank. To even know that it's there, one has to contact the proprietor and schedule a visit, as Guadet only accepts visitors on reservation. The owner, Guy Pétrus Lignac, is only too happy to go over some of the rich history of his château, owned by his family since before he was born, as well of that of the town.
Lignac is an interesting and charismatic man, with elegant style and a baritone voice that would have not been out of place broadcasting on radio waves. He is a mod...
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