Our last day of the show proved to be as busy as Saturday, with lots of interest again. We discovered new business contacts with other traders who operate in the same area of Provence. We were lucky to be in good company around our stand with Arnaud's Language Kitchen, Siffler Publications and Parfum de France. Everyone had a great sense of humour and we hope to all keep in touch.
We were approached by a Chateauneuf du Pape fan who wanted to buy one of our posters.....well 'wine not!' It was the least we could do.
After a mad disassembling of our stand at the close of play, we made an early dash for the train. We had to lift all our gear up and down the platform walk over bridge and onto a crowded train to Clapham Junction where we just missed a fast one to Bournemouth! We boarded the next one half an hour later , and spent most of the journey wondering which end was going to Bournemouth and which end was splitting to Portsmouth as there was no carriage numbers, just information saying the first five were to Bournemouth! This wasn't our booked train and we were to told at Basingstoke by the conductor that we had a useless ticket and that we should be fined £90! Luckily he let it go this time.....maybe we'll take the car next year.
We would like to say thanks to everyone who paid a visit to our stand and we hope that we will see you in 2015
The France Show
Saturday 24th
Our legs are hurting now as we finish another busy day at the show. Plenty of interest again with some lovely comments from the visitors; especially from a young couple, recently married in France, who wish to broaden their horizons in the Rhone Valley. We hope that we will see a good response for later in the coming year. Our fellow exhibitors were all in good spirits today and shared a glass of Domaine de la Damase red with us at the end of business. We also had a visit from Charlottes' friends who gave us encouragement and a slice of some delicious brownies!!! Well we did give them a drink!
All in all another interesting day and tomorrow should prove to be busy too. We are networking with other trades here and our business is getting more exposure and it's nice to think that people are interested in what we have to offer. 2015 in looking good and maybe that bottle of Gigondas will be opened tomorrow!........
Our legs are hurting now as we finish another busy day at the show. Plenty of interest again with some lovely comments from the visitors; especially from a young couple, recently married in France, who wish to broaden their horizons in the Rhone Valley. We hope that we will see a good response for later in the coming year. Our fellow exhibitors were all in good spirits today and shared a glass of Domaine de la Damase red with us at the end of business. We also had a visit from Charlottes' friends who gave us encouragement and a slice of some delicious brownies!!! Well we did give them a drink!
All in all another interesting day and tomorrow should prove to be busy too. We are networking with other trades here and our business is getting more exposure and it's nice to think that people are interested in what we have to offer. 2015 in looking good and maybe that bottle of Gigondas will be opened tomorrow!........
The France Show
The France Show, Olympia 2015
We have finally arrived at the Olympia, London after a long but smooth journey by train with all our promotional material and information for the show. (Including a bistro table and two chairs courtesy of Clare!) Our hotel...well to say "to swing a cat!" is an under statement! Although modern, clean and having a terrific shower, comfortable bed....our stand at the show has more leg room!
After finding our way to the right entrance and avoiding the 'Toy Fair'! We were able to set up in our small but functional stand. At first we pasted up all our posters.....only to find we had lost our stand! So we removed some and decided on a more minimalist approach. Our table sat neatly at the back with our brochure stand up front with a nice display of lavender, the doors opened at 10am and with leaflets in one hand and a glass of red in the other we were ready!!!
We received lots of interest throughout the day with several customers looking to making future bookings. After many attempts to log on to the Internet we are now ready to show our website and possibly take payments this weekend. We brought along a bottle of Pierre Amadieu Gigondas 2006 as a prop for our table and it will be opened on celebration of a successful show on Sunday, so if you fancy a glass, then you need to get here quick!
We are situated in good company with like minded people. Apparently, Saturday will be busier.......
Thank you to all of our friends and colleagues who helped us to prepare for this exhibition.
We have finally arrived at the Olympia, London after a long but smooth journey by train with all our promotional material and information for the show. (Including a bistro table and two chairs courtesy of Clare!) Our hotel...well to say "to swing a cat!" is an under statement! Although modern, clean and having a terrific shower, comfortable bed....our stand at the show has more leg room!
After finding our way to the right entrance and avoiding the 'Toy Fair'! We were able to set up in our small but functional stand. At first we pasted up all our posters.....only to find we had lost our stand! So we removed some and decided on a more minimalist approach. Our table sat neatly at the back with our brochure stand up front with a nice display of lavender, the doors opened at 10am and with leaflets in one hand and a glass of red in the other we were ready!!!
We received lots of interest throughout the day with several customers looking to making future bookings. After many attempts to log on to the Internet we are now ready to show our website and possibly take payments this weekend. We brought along a bottle of Pierre Amadieu Gigondas 2006 as a prop for our table and it will be opened on celebration of a successful show on Sunday, so if you fancy a glass, then you need to get here quick!
We are situated in good company with like minded people. Apparently, Saturday will be busier.......
Thank you to all of our friends and colleagues who helped us to prepare for this exhibition.
September 2014 Tours
Thursday 25th Tour 2 Cairanne, Rasteau and Roaix
We decided to liven our senses a little with a visit to the senses tour at the cooperative of Camille Cayran in Cairanne. It was also an opportunity to gain a little knowledge, which can take seriously or lightly. We of course tried their wines afterwards!
At Domain Boisson it is a true family business as we met with both Bruno and Regis and their wives. We were pleasantly surprised that Yukiko recognised the Domain as one they tried back in the UK and was very excited to meet them in person and couldn't help but buy a bottle! Regis was so happy to meet them that he gave them a complementary bottle which really made their day!
From there, we drove through the hilltop village of Cairanne and over towards St Roman de Malgard for a taste of good french home cooking at Chez Claudette. We stayed with our clients to enjoy the ambience with them outside. We had the usual choice of starter from the salad counter and then for main it was a choice of duck or pork with sweet carrots, followed by a selection of cheeses and for dessert, Ile Flottante, ice cream or chocolate mousse!( all with a carafe of red wine of course!)
After this feast, we set of to Domain Charavin to taste their superb Rasteau CDR.
We then headed up again, through the village of Roaix, to our last cave, Doamaine des Escaravailles who are known for excellent quality Rasteau, Roaix and Carainne CDR. This proved to be a good choice as Chris and Yukiko bought a bottle about 6 years ago in the UK and not seen it back in the shops since!
It goes without saying that we tried all their reds and some of their vin doux naturel too!
Well it was the last tasting of a very interesting, adventurous and fun 3 days.
Thank you to Chris and Yuliko and to our friends at the caves
We will be putting a list of some of the wines we tasted on our website in due course.
We decided to liven our senses a little with a visit to the senses tour at the cooperative of Camille Cayran in Cairanne. It was also an opportunity to gain a little knowledge, which can take seriously or lightly. We of course tried their wines afterwards!At Domain Boisson it is a true family business as we met with both Bruno and Regis and their wives. We were pleasantly surprised that Yukiko recognised the Domain as one they tried back in the UK and was very excited to meet them in person and couldn't help but buy a bottle! Regis was so happy to meet them that he gave them a complementary bottle which really made their day!From there, we drove through the hilltop village of Cairanne and over towards St Roman de Malgard for a taste of good french home cooking at Chez Claudette. We stayed with our clients to enjoy the ambience with them outside. We had the usual choice of starter from the salad counter and then for main it was a choice of duck or pork with sweet carrots, followed by a selection of cheeses and for dessert, Ile Flottante, ice cream or chocolate mousse!( all with a carafe of red wine of course!)After this feast, we set of to Domain Charavin to taste their superb Rasteau CDR.
We then headed up again, through the village of Roaix, to our last cave, Doamaine des Escaravailles who are known for excellent quality Rasteau, Roaix and Carainne CDR. This proved to be a good choice as Chris and Yukiko bought a bottle about 6 years ago in the UK and not seen it back in the shops since!
It goes without saying that we tried all their reds and some of their vin doux naturel too!
Well it was the last tasting of a very interesting, adventurous and fun 3 days.
Thank you to Chris and Yuliko and to our friends at the caves
We will be putting a list of some of the wines we tasted on our website in due course.
September 2014 Tours
Wednesday 24th Tour 4 Beaumes de venise, Violes and Vacqueyras
We started the day at the Beaumes de Venise co-operative, where you can visit their Vinotheque, showcasing their older vintages and walk across a glass floor above their cellar!
After tasting here, we moved on to a small independant, Domaine St Roche, where we were able to show our clients the workings of their of aluminium vats, recently filled from their harvest. Stephane can now sit at his computer and watch the information from the vats to ensure temperatures and fermentation processes are at their optimum. ( he will still have to taste the wine during this time, of course!) After a couple of tastes straight from the vats, we went back to the cave for the degustation. We tasted their roses and reds and their delightful Beaumes de Venise Muscat.
It was now time for lunch, and what better location than the Chateau du Martinet in Violes. It is just like stepping back in time!
After lunch, we went to Domaine des Favards, where we found Celine busy in the cellars transferring the wine to ensure that the sediment was moved. It was this reason that Celine set up a tasting table in the cellar, so that she could keep an eye on her work and give us attention too! Thank you Celine:)
Our final stop was at Arnoux et Fils, in the village of Vacqueyras, they have a vast selection of wines for an independent, and the old cellars are still situated under the village.
We will be putting a list of some of the wines we tasted on our website in due course.
September 2014 Tours
We met our lovely clients at the Hotel Montmirail in Vacqueyras early Monday morning at the start of their 3 day tour with Raisin'your glass!
Monday 22nd Tour 3 Violes, Sablet and Gigondas
After discussing the itinerary with Chris and Yukiko, we set off towards Roaix following the roads through Gigondas, Sablet , Seguret and onward to Rasteau, alongside les Dentelles de Montmirail setting the backdrop to these hill top villages.
We visited a couple of cooperatives, one in Roaix-Seguret and another in sablet, and we had enough time to visit an independent in Gigondas before taking lunch at 12pm at the LaTable du Mas at the Mas de Bouvau.
 |
| Roaix-Seguret |
 |
| Mas de Bouvau |
The Grande Reserve AOC Gigondas Red and the Domaine Grand Romane AOC Gigondas Red were particularly liked and one of them, The Reserve, needed to be taken home with them today!
We will be putting a list of some of the wines we tasted on our website in due course.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)