Médoc…

We certainly know this:-

The French make good wine.  (Ok, we all knew that already.)

But two burning questions we need answering:-

1. You have two bottles on wine to drink. Do you open the good one first, or the so-so one first?
   

2. Someone arrives for dinner and brings you a bottle of wine. Do you open it first before serving the wine you have already organised or put the gift bottle aside for later?
   

(Answers from a wine expert at the end)

Yesterday Stuart and I toured the Bordeaux region of Médoc - sampling wines, learning all the ins and out of viniculture, and er… sampling more wines. 😄

I won’t bore you with all the ins and outs as such save for a few fun facts:

There are two main grape varieties permitted in Médoc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

A nasty grape vine bug called phylloxera killed most French vines in the 1860s. It came from America. The solution? Around the world pretty much every grape vine plant is now a local vive plant grafted on to an American disease-resistant vine root. As is often the case, America being the problem and the solution. 😁

Wine is produced in three phases. Growing, fermenting, drinking. 😂

Wine-tasting is fun. 

Oh, and those answers according to a very well respected sommelier… 

1. Drink the so-so wine first.  (I’d personally do the opposite)
2. Always drink the guest’s wine first (again, I’d do the opposite)