Tuesday, February 14, 2017
7:00 PM 8:30 PM
Tour of France in 7 Stages — Tour de France en 7 Étapes
Spread out over 7 classes, we will take a virtual tour through France, visiting each of the major wine regions (Burgundy, Rhone Valley, Southwest France, Bordeaux, Loire Valley, and Alsace) and sampling some of the finest classics, revealing mysteries, debunking myths, and discovering hidden treasures. At the helm is Gary Hulton, certified sommelier, Wine Educator and Francophile whose favorite way to enjoy France is to drive through it, tasting the food and drink, looking at the art and architecture, and becoming a part of daily life in the very different micro-cultures that define what it means to be French. In addition to tasting fabulous wines, we will learn to speak a bit of the language, explore maps, regions, menus, and especially the labels. As the French say, we will “changer les idées” (refresh your mind). Let’s fire up the deux chevaux and get rolling.
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Class 7: February 14th: Alsace, Jura, Savoie
Running North to South, these three distinct areas are protected by mountains and bump up against the borders of Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. Passing back and forth between Germany and France, Alsace shows its Franco-German heritage in its wines, their names and bottle shapes. It is the only wine region in France to prominently feature the varietal on the label. The Jura and Savoie regions are pockets of individuality. In the Jura we find rare grape varieties such as Savagnin, Poulsard, Trousseau, and Chardonnay, and a curious wine called vin de paille (straw wine). The Savoie region, with its heavy Alpine influence, produces some very interesting wines such as Chignin, made from Jacquère and Roussanne grapes. Other varietals include Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Mondeuse. We will taste some of the very good sparkling and dessert wines also produced in this area. The Savoie region, also known as Savoy, has a very long history. Somewhere in the middle of that story, the Duchy of Savoy was formed and lasted from 1416 to 1860, when our classification hero, Napoléon III, brokered a deal with Vittorio Emmanuel II of Italy, which effectively separated the region into what is now Savoie in France and Piedmont and Liguria in Italy. Please join us on Valentine’s Day to celebrate these three diverse regions. We’ll be tasting cheese and chocolate to sweeten this occasion d’amore!
LOCATION:
Mana Café
888 Newark Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07306
TIME: 7PM-8:30PM
PRICE: SINGLE CLASSES ARE $55
TO PURCHASE TICKETS FOR FEBRUARY 14, CLICK HERE
Discount packages for more than one class, or the entire program, are available. Please contact Marla Priest at mpriest@manawine.com for details.
