In this six-minute video clip, our young vigneron from the Chinonais goes to the U.S. to try to sell his new-style wines. He goes to North Carolina, where he knows a Frenchman who's working there. He packs a bag of rocks that he has gathered in his vineyard in Panzoult to show the Americans what kind of soil his grapes are grown on. For him, those rocks explain the mineral quality of Chinon red wines. Along the way, he says things that are funny to me. For example, he says N.C. is a very wealthy state (it's actually number 39 out of 50 in terms of per-capita income) where people enjoy fine cuisine.
The fast-food culture hasn't reached N.C. yet (is there any American state where fast food isn't a great share of the people's diet?). To try to sell his wines, he ends up going to one of North Carolina's best known restaurants, the Angus Barn, a steakhouse between Raleigh, the state capital, and Durham, where I went to college. I had a couple of dinners there when I spent four years in Durham, 50 years ago. I don't think I drank much wine back then. I couldn't afford it. My first trip to France was in 1970. I drank wine but it probably wasn't Chinon wine.
Oh, that will be interesting to watch later on today (no time while I'm just having a quick read with breakfast, before leaving for work). It's interesting to follow his travels.
ReplyDeleteYea NC the fine cuisine is probably bbq ! and wealthy state ....hardly
ReplyDeleteWe all live in a world of stereotypes. Each state is different in its own ways, but yes fast food is in all of our states- still I am always surprised to find French wines in the better grocery stores in Alabama.
ReplyDeleteThis was very interesting Ken. I was trying to figure out what year it is but it's hard to tell. Maybe pre-2010?
ReplyDeleteMy best information (Windows metadata says that I acquired the video in April of 2012. You might find this web site (link)" interesting.
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