So many reds so little time

The drive from Biarritz to Bordeaux was kind of cold so we actually had to get the jackets out of the car when we landed in Bordeaux. I really didn't mind about the change of weather as drinking vin rouge in 30 degree weather is not fun anyway.

We walked into the old town and I scoured the bistrodes because I wanted to see what a french onion soup actually was after eating about a million cans of it as a kid. Success, we found a bistrode with it! When it came out it looked like a normal soup except there was a floating island of molton cheese on bread, I guess this is the French version of a crouton.

We then went for a walk to the old docks which have been converted to a bar/cafe area. This looks out to the mighty Garrone river. When we were there I started to get a bit home sick for Brisbane as the river is a similar colour.

The mighty Garrone with its unfinished bridge

Bordeaux is known as "little Paris" because of the architecture

The next day we looked up where we could do some wine tasting. The place called Max Bordeaux seemed to come up quite a few times so we headed there. This was really great as they had a setup where you get an electronic card where you top up with Euros and then go around to each wine, press a button and have a 25/50/75 mL tasting. Also they had tasting notes beside each cabinet on ipads so you knew what not to try ie. 70% merlot blends.

Yay no talking to people to get my drink on

So we got to try a lot of wines that we couldn't normally afford. I think the most expensive one we tried was 600 Euros a bottle. That wasn't my favourite though. My favourite Bordeaux wine was only around 235 Euros a bottle. Pretty reasonable really. Also we tried some really nice Bordeaux whites which were all sem/savs, they were really full on with heaps of fruit and acid.

We wandered around a bit in the old town then noticed an English bar with a sign saying happy hour from 6-10pm so we went there to watch the olympics. After that we went to a Chinese restaurant because we were desperate for some green vegetables. We got a plate of fried rice, garlic broccolli and some ginger chicken and  a bottle of Provence rose. Although I knew it would have been bad compared to back home it was one of the best goddam meals of the trip. It was at this point I realised that so far the things I miss about Australia are friends, family and decent Asian food. That's about it.

Like the brissy river the Garrone is best photographed at night

The next day the sun was back out and it was looking like a European summer again so we thought it was the perfect day for a picnic. We went to the markets and picked up some local cheese and olives, then went to another store which sold cold Ruinart champagne and foie gras de canard. We then went and cained these delicious goods in the park which had massive wine bottles everywhere. I wasn't sure if you were allowed to cain champagne in Bordeaux but we didn't get arrested so it was ok I think.

"I want to be on you"

Mmm cheese and fois

After this we went to a wine tasting place that is run by the local Bordeaux council. (Please take note City of Sydney council). I use the word tasting loosely as they were actually just massive glasses of wine and I only got through a couple. I think this would be the best government job possible as when I was wondering where the waitress had gotten to her I spied her helping herself to some of the local produce. I guess doing quality assurance to make sure it was OK for the tourists to have.

Heidi with a Bordeaux white at the council wine bar

Really wanting to sample more quality wine for dinner we researched some more back at home where to go to and settled on Le Wine Bar. This place is run by 2 multi lingual Italians who are hilarious. When Heidi ordered a gwerstraminer one of the guys gave her the hot tip of pronouncing things in German, "you need to say it like a dobermen would, GVERST TRAGHMINNEAAR!"

They also had a assiete of meat which we ordered. It came out and with a ridiculous amount of fois gras which Heidi didn't help me out with. So I think my fois count for the day was around 300 grams. As well as some awesome Bordeaux reds (which I found de graves style seems to be my cup of tea), I had an Israeli Syrah which rocked.

We also met James who we invited to our table after hearing his Aussie accent, he was from Newtown but now lives in Melbourne. He was over playing in London for The Black Armbands then doing some travelling around by himself.