Day 21 - Bordeaux

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Today we are doing the wine appreciation morning. Find our way to the building, ring bell and greeted by a young guy Who asks where we are from. Ahh, Melbourne, they have very good wines there. Introduces us to Colas, our educator. Young guy again who looks like he has just got out of bed.

Another couple in a big room with a high table and stools around it. Looks like only 5 of us. The other couple are from the USofA. Wait for a while then he says we will start without the other woman. Eventually she arrives. We talk about all the wine regions of France and how they are all different, etc.

Start the tasting with a dry white - to wake the pallet up.... Sure does. Very tasty but not preferred by any of us. Then into the Reds. We taste a red blend (all bordeaux reds are blends). Then we have 2 glasses, one 100% cab/sac, the other 100% merlot. These are the main grapes of this region. After that we move to blending them. Big chemistry tubes and he blends 75/25 of both then a 50/50 mix. This resembles the 3 different wine areas of Bordeaux. Interesting method of tasting and shows how the blending makes a huge difference.

Last we do a blind tasting of 4 wines. 1 from the Loire, 1 from the Cote due Rhone, 1 from Bordeaux and the last from Burgundy. We have to identify which is which. Burgundy is easy, then the others a bit tougher. I get the Cote du Rhone but mix the others. Never mind, a good education session.

Back to the apartment, Chris has a siesta so I decide to do the washing - ugly part of travelling for so long. Luckily there is a coin laundrette at the end of our street. Washing done and we decide to catch a tram to some old jetty sheds that have been converted to boutique shops and eateries. The town is going off with red white and blue flags everywhere. All going to the fan zone to watch the Euro cup final (France vs Portugal). The tram we catch is full to busting, we squeeze in and 3 stops later they are all gone.

Wander along the river, nice breeze and not too many people around, all at the soccer screens. Find a place to eat and watch the people and sun go down. The view of the city is stunning with the old buildings forming an arc around a central square - both sides in symmetry. Very pretty sight.

We wander back towards the city, people going off everywhere, still nil all. Decide to find a bar closer to home in case there is any trouble. Get there and big TV screens all over the place, people enjoying themselves, then the worst thing happens. Portugal get a goal in extra time. The whole mood changes, not ugly, just deflated. We plan our getaway in case. No need. Game over, tears, etc. and we just disappear into the night and back home.

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