TdF drinking list suggestions please

[sparky]

As we all know, July is TdF month, and in the interests of expanding my abysmal knowledge of French wine, I'm planning to drink French all the way through the tour.

So if I've got 21 days to cover, suggested wines to line up would be most welcome - preferably $30 or under if it's possible, otherwise I may as well buy a ticket and fly over for it.

Just in case Cadel or Mick get in front on a hill, a couple of higher altitude Aussie suggestions would be most welcome as well.

Look forward to your recommendations.

[Michael McNally]

Sparky

Sounds like a real test of endurance!

Don't forget it goes into Spain, Italy and Switzerland also. Not sure if you can get Andorran wine! I know very little about French wine so won't try to recommend anything. Guigal Cotes de Rhone is reasonable from memory.

Make sure you take those rest days when you get them.

Found this (I think pretty cool) clip of the Tour Route this year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwTUFNMTP-M

Salut

Michael

[Sean]

deleted

[sparky]

And what are you going to drink when Denis Menchov hits the front?

Or Boonen?

[griff]

OK then. DO you need producers?

Champagne: Pick a fave. May want to skip or consume perhaps at the end if Evans wins

Loire: So many! Muscadet would be nice with oysters. Dan's stocks one. Not many around but great value. A Sancere perhaps. Vouvray definitely Perhaps Bise or Bredif. Don't forget the reds with a Chinon perhaps. Don't know of any coming in to Oz.

Down south. Pick a Cote du Rhone. St Cosme or Delas from 2007 are both great. From Northern Rhone pick a Crozes Hermitage. Colombier maybe? Graillot would be great. A Jaboulet 2006 Baumes du Venise would be a nice dessert wine or pick me up.

Bordeaux. A non-bretty 2005 chateau puyguraud would be ideal.

Burgundy. DOn't know much about this. Maybe a Domaine Leflaive 2007 Macon as a white. Know less about good reds.

Try and get your hands on a Cedre from Cahors. And a Bouccase from Madiran. Gros Nore from Bandol may slip in under budget as well. That should cover the South West nicely along with a perhaps a Juracon. Jolys would be a good pick.

That should about do. Nice to get hold of a Jura but don't know of any here. Also a Rasteau fortified or a Banyuls. Not sure if they would come under budget here.

Alsace has many value picks. Find something screwcapped ideally as they suffer under cork sometimes. Hugel or Josmeyer or Trimbach are all easy to find. Maybe a Gewurz as well as a Riesling. Pinot Gris if you want to cover a lot of territory here.

Last but not least a Beaujoulais would be fun. Louis Jadot Beaujolais Village Combe aux Jacques is reasonably easy to find but DaveB knows of quite a few natural wines e.g. Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py and where to get them.

That's a good start. Plenty more I'm sure

cheers

Carl

[Sharkey]

Or match the wine with the nationality of the Yellow Jersey rider?

This could be very interesting, particularly in the early stages before the favourites really come into contention. With the prologue and then some flat stages early on it could be hard to find the required wine.

Some of the early yellow jersey contenders could be:

Thor Hushovd – Norwegian
David Millar and Mark Cavendish – English
Fabian Cancellara – Swiss
Yaroslav Popovych - Ukranian

And later in the race there would be a chance that the winner of the Giro, Dennis Menshov from Russia, could be in yellow at some stage.

For many stages of the race they either start or finish within a wine region, so you could try to find a wine from the most appropriate region. The regions the route appears to go through (in order) are Provence, Languedoc, Loire Valley, Alsace and the Rhone Valley. My knowledge of French wine is limited too, so I can’t make any recommendations, but it could be an opportunity to do a bit of research and try something different.

[dkw]

...you'd better also stock up with bottles of French water for those long stretches in the breakaways...

The team time trials look interesting - we only really started watching attentively three years ago, so haven't seen one in the TdF yet.

Dave.

[sparky]

Thanks Griff - that was exactly what I was after - a shopping list!

[Mark G]

Or match the wine with the nationality of the Yellow Jersey rider?

This could be very interesting, particularly in the early stages before the favourites really come into contention. With the prologue and then some flat stages early on it could be hard to find the required wine.

Some of the early yellow jersey contenders could be:

Thor Hushovd – Norwegian
David Millar and Mark Cavendish – English
Fabian Cancellara – Swiss
Yaroslav Popovych - Ukranian

And later in the race there would be a chance that the winner of the Giro, Dennis Menshov from Russia, could be in yellow at some stage.

For many stages of the race they either start or finish within a wine region, so you could try to find a wine from the most appropriate region. The regions the route appears to go through (in order) are Provence, Languedoc, Loire Valley, Alsace and the Rhone Valley. My knowledge of French wine is limited too, so I can’t make any recommendations, but it could be an opportunity to do a bit of research and try something different.

Don't forget one of the Schlek brothers- Luxenburg ... they're the smokeys on this TdF.

Unfortunately for me, out here in the boondocks of Margaret River, we can't get SBS2 - so for the first time in a decade I miss the tour

Watching highlights is cr@p as the fun is watching the french scenery go past and who's organising the peleton. I'm just hoping Cadel can actually climb with a bit of speed this year, he simply can't put a break on any GC contender during the mountains and he needs to. Also the Astana team is like an all star listing - can you imagine Armstrong being the domestique for Contador and Leipheimer? I just can't see an Astana rider winning it this year.

A good year for the tour as the field is open - here's hoping Mick and Cadel give it a red hot go...

Cheers

Mark G

[Mark G]

...you'd better also stock up with bottles of French water for those long stretches in the breakaways...

The team time trials look interesting - we only really started watching attentively three years ago, so haven't seen one in the TdF yet.

Dave.

Last one I saw Dave Zabriskie crash out on the last km on a wet road, lost the yellow and left the tour - the sprinters just absolutely hate them, watch how they'll protect Cavendish, Boonen etc. Teams like Astana could gain 30 secs for the GC riders if they put it together, Cadel could get a smashing.

Fun and games.

Cheers

Mark G

[Michael R]

Hi All

for those living in Sydney, the Syndey wine centre are doing at TdeF night, July 1.
All the wines will be from this years route (including Alsace & Burgundy).

Frustratingly I cant go, but would like to hear feedback if someone does as i know little about French wines.

[via collins]

Mark G, there's plenty for you to see.

I don't have it to ahnd, but the Tour edition of RIDE magazine lists all the days that will be broadcast by SBS1, and SBS2, and there's massive overlap.

Actually, SBS web-site will have details - I think you'll be happy with what you'll see.

Agree re: the Schlecks too. They are too good to be denied much longer...

[sparky]

OK, Griff's given me some excellent suggestions there which I just need to supplement with a couple from Northern Spain and Italy.

Any tips on Melbourne wine stores to help me out with the shopping list?

I was thinking Europa in East Melb or Prince Wine Store for the good stuff, and throw in a couple of Dan's off shore lucky dips for a bit of fun (and light relief)

I need to get organised!

[griff]

I had a reread of my post and thought I should clarify that Pierre Bise is from Loire but is Anjou and sweet whites (Layon, Charmes etc) and not Vouvray which it could be read as

Here is a nice Loire blog from the Regional Chair in the Decanter wine awards. Plenty of info!

http://jimsloire.blogspot.com/

cheers

Carl

[Mark G]

Mark G, there's plenty for you to see.

I don't have it to ahnd, but the Tour edition of RIDE magazine lists all the days that will be broadcast by SBS1, and SBS2, and there's massive overlap.

Actually, SBS web-site will have details - I think you'll be happy with what you'll see.

Agree re: the Schlecks too. They are too good to be denied much longer...

You've made my day, I'll chase a copy down as well as check the website. It really is the last hour or two of the stages that is the most critical and worth staying up for - more important at times than who actually wins the stage. That's what makes the TdF one of the greatest sporting events in the world.

Cheers

Mark G

[n4sir]

OK, Griff's given me some excellent suggestions there which I just need to supplement with a couple from Northern Spain and Italy.

Any tips on Melbourne wine stores to help me out with the shopping list?

I was thinking Europa in East Melb or Prince Wine Store for the good stuff, and throw in a couple of Dan's off shore lucky dips for a bit of fun (and light relief)

I need to get organised!

Seeing as our generous forum host Gavin operates an online wine store (see the top left corner of the page) in competition to what Moire is asking for, any replies should be directed to her via PM so you don't advertise his competitors.

Cheers,
Ian

[griff]

So what do people think with Gerrans out? Fair? TO make it wine related he commiserated with an Australian red apparently. Will have to find out which.

cheers

Carl

[seddo]

Sparkey I dont think you will have to worry about Boonen, I'm of the understanding he is out due to his penchant for cocaine. I feel for Simon Gerrans - winner of stage 15 last years TdF and won a mountain top finish of this years Giro - who knows Gerro may ride with Astana next year

cheers
Seddo