The Auswine Forum

A chance to drink some wine to align to the stages this year (and there's more opportunity in France - including the now becoming traditional time trial in a wine region, with IIRC Burgundy this year's stage).

Stage 1 from Florence to Rimini certainly goes through (chianti) rufina, and perhaps past a few other chianti regions, whilst the run in to the finish goes within a km of the amazing San Patrignano project, so I might crack a bottle of their avi if I can find one in the wine fridge.

Stage 2 goes the reverse direction from coast to Bologna, also passing through Pianoro whose little truffle festival we so loved, and then through Rastignano where we were staying. As we cycled to the truffle festival, we can say we've ridden part of this year's route ourselves . Wine? Lambrusco is more aligned to Emilia to the west, rather than this route through Romagna, but at least is widely available. If you can find some Albana (ideally passito, the reason it became Italy's 1st white DOCG, but that was still a surprise/controversial), the prime area is en-route. I've got 1 or two bottles from around nearby (but not en-route) Forli, Predappio to be precise.

Stage 3 probably holds the greatest interest, ending in Torino, but passing through two Barbaresco villages (Neive and Barbaresco itself) and passing some very well known vineyards. As well as that I'll be looking out for Corneliano d'Alba in the Roero wine region where we stayed before, and I even have a wine from there now.

Ian, can I assume you will be providing tasting notes and photos to support this? It looks fascinating.

Cheers, Allan

Hi Allen
My Nokia not good for pictures unless they're of a level below cave paintings
Regards
Ian

p.s. I'll probably have to play catch up, as I'm out today for a countryside walk and eating in a pub. Such bad planning!

well that idea is on hold - looks like Covid's put me in the 'broom wagon' for a while

Whilst any thought of drinking wine remains firmly off my agenda, today's stage well worth watching for anyone with Burgundy leanings. Starting in Macon and heading put via Prissé and La roche vineuse, heading up through some of the more everyday wine growing areas, before passing through Givry, and Rully, passing near Mercurey, before heading through Chassagne Montrachet and Meursault. It skips past Beuane to end in Dijon.

Stage 7 (tomorrow's individual time trial - now becoming known as the wine trial) then starts in Nuit St Georges, going through Chambolle-Musigny, Morey St. Denis (passing some vineyard names even I recognise like La bonnes mares and clos de tart), then onto Chambertin (passing through clos de beze and Griotte) before finishing in Gevrey Chambertin.

I always like the 'sense of place' I get from visiting wine regions, and especially walking through the vineyards. This however may still give some enjoyable context to drinking wines, seeing where the grapes grow, and hopefully sticking in the memory next time you open a bottle from there... or even an excuse to drink such a bottle whilst watching.

p.s. 35