A few weeks ago we wrote about an open house at a local winery. It was a fine affair, with friendly workers and a food truck and cart rides through the vineyards.
There was another one today, even more local to us than the other — just at the end of our road, a five-minute walk.
This domaine is family owned, with several generations of winemakers living and working (or retiring) in the village. Each August they host an open house, where we can taste their wares and get a bit of a deal on wine — buy one carton (of six), get a bottle free.
We got an invitation in our mailbox and decided to check it out. It advertised lunch and entertainment, as well as tasting, and it didn’t disappoint.
About 120 people enjoyed a free multi-course meal (melon, pork chops, lentils, cheese, grapes, coffee) with ice cubes and water available (on a warm afternoon) to supplement purchased wine.
The old guard of the village turned out, and we discovered anew that a lot of people here are inter-connected or related. That man we sat next to for our first boules-and-barbecue this summer was the father of the current winery owner, and his sister is a lady who lives on our main plaza, next to the church.
There was a singer and her band, and people sang along to old Johnny Hallyday and Eddy Mitchell tunes. The event lasted for several hours on a Saturday afternoon.
As we were preparing to go, a member of the family came by to see if we’d had a chance to taste a special vintage, a late-harvest bottle of sweet wine made by the third (or fourth?) generation.
The kid (he really was; not even 20, by one guess) explained that the grapes sit on the vine until October, and they bottle only 100 half-liters of dessert wine with a kick — 16 percent alcohol. Served chilled, it’s perfect for an aperitif or with foie gras.
It was a bit pricey by Languedoc standards (12 euros!), and compared to his father’s varied range of reds and whites. But it’s always good to support young businessmen, especially in a small community.
As we wrap up the summer season, we have a few more barbecues scheduled, a few more aperos, before everyone gets back to real life. For now, we all await the harvest, which is expected any day now.
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