The Region of « Ile-de-France » (Paris and its surrounding area), was, until the phylloxera crisis and the end of the XIXth century, the leading French wine producing area. Urbanization has pushed away the vineyards, but the traditions are maintained. In particular, there are around 30 wine brotherhoods and wine-growing associations in this region. Almost all maintain a small vineyard and produce wine with the symbol rather than profit in mind. These brotherhoods and associations are grouped within the Comité de Coordination Ile-de-France des Confréries (COCORICO), itself a member of F.I.C.B.
COCORICO holds, on a biennial basis, a Symposium, combining academic, musical and festive events. This year, the Symposium was hosted in Bagneux (a town South of Paris) by the Confrérie Balnéolaise des Chevaliers de Bacchus.
The programme included :
– 3 conferences by experts and academics respectively on the new…of the vine (Céline Bourhis Lézier FREDON), the scientific aspects of taste applied to wine tasting (Pr. Gilles Revel of the Bordeaux University) and a talk on the lies and misleading practices around gastronomy (Dr. Jean-Paul Branlard Doctor in law) ;
– A procession in costume through the town which led the participants to the municipal vineyard (the Clos des Brugnauts maintained by the Confrèrie Balnéolaise)) where the banners of the wine brotherhoods present were blessed by the Vicar of the village, to the sound of the Saint Hubert horns;
– Two concerts, one with the Choral Kaleidoscope of Anne Périssé and the other confronting Renaissance and modern music;
– A gala dinner , during which the winners of the contest of the wines of Ile-de-France were announced.
A great example of how wine brotherhoods maintain the traditions and spread the knowledge and expertise on wine and vine!
For more details, see the COCORICO website:www.confreries-coordination-idf.fr/
Ruben Martinovsky, President of COCORICO and member of the Board of F.I.C.B., and
Michel Devot, Secretary General of COCORICO march along with Alan Bryden, President of F.I.C.B.
The procession through the town of Bagneux involved some 20 wine brotherhoods
The blessing of the banners of the wine brotherhoods in the vineyard of Clos des Brugnaults
The competition of the wines of Ile-de-France, and the laureates
The gala dinner and the surprise colorful cake of the 14th Symposium
Photos credit: Photo Club de Bagneux
