The Ordre de la Dive Bouteille de Gaillac held its annual summer chapter the first Sunday of August. Our General Secretary Marc Lesk attended, along with a delegation from the Echansons de France.
The Gaillac vineyard, one of the oldest in France, stretches over 6800 hectares on both banks of the Tarn. Native grape varieties (Luenh de l’uelh – far from the eye, mauzac for the whites; fer servadou also called braucol, duras for the reds…) give the wines their distinctive character, as do those from neighboring regions (sauvignon, muscadelle, syrah…). Dry, sweet , sparkling white wines, and also reds and rosés are produced here.
As the chapter was held in conjunction with the Wine Festival, participants had the opportunity to taste wines from some fifty estates.
These included Château Labastidié, owned by the Conseil des Echansons de France, whose delegation was present,
Also on hand were several wine-lovers’ and wine-producers’ brotherhoods (Echansonnerie de Saint-Bourrou (Marcillac), Le raisin d’or de Sigoulès (Dordogne), Génération Geminian (Aude), and numerous brotherhoods promoting the gastronomic specialties of the South and Southwest of France.
3 regional personalities, along with Echanson Pierre Jobard, Deputy Curator of the Musée du Vin Paris (below right)
were inducted by Grand Chancellor Henri Plageoles.
The attending Echansons were given a guided tour of the InVINcible VIGNEron, a museum housing one of Europe’s most important collections of tools, antique objects and artistic works on the theme of vines and wine (over twenty thousand items). A description can be found here.
In addition to its vineyards and wines, the Gaillac region, known as “Occitan Tuscany”, has many attractions (bastides, ancient towns and perched villages, museums, boat trips on the Tarn and walks…) that invite you to discover !
