Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/889690
OPPOSITE: Wine barrels at the Château de Rayne-Vigneau. TOP: Roquetaillade Castle, an amazingly preserved masterpiece of medieval military architecture, which has been owned by the same noble family for over 700 years. MIDDLE: Wine tasting at Château Léoville Poyferré in the Médoc. ABOVE: The marina in Pauillac. V&V Hospitality & Media Services 53 colours in the lounge and the stateroom decor to the service on board. AmaDolce features spacious staterooms, most with French balconies. In-room facil- ities include marble-appointed bathrooms, complimentary entertainment on demand as well as internet and Wi-Fi service. On the Sun Deck, we find a fitness room, with walking track, sauna and whirlpool. There are two restaurants—the Chef's Table, to which guests are invited to dine once during their cruise, and the main restau- rant. AMA Waterways is the only river cruise line inducted into La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, one of the world's most prestigious culinary organizations, so we'll eat well. In the main lounge, wine lectures and nightly entertain- ment round out each day's full itinerary. This week, our wine hosts are Sandra and Anthony Bell, owners of Bell Wine Cellars in Napa, California, who will conduct wine seminars throughout the week. IT'S ALL ABOUT WINE Sitting in a favourable location at the 45 th parallel, Bordeaux is France's largest wine region, with amazing terroir. Morning finds us 40 kilometres south of Bordeaux in Cadillac, founded in 1280, to sample wines at Château de Rayne-Vigneau and to tour Roquetaillade Castle. This is Sauternes country. Our guide explains: "The Gironde and Ciron Rivers create specific weather conditions resulting in fresher, cooler waters, which create the mist and humidity that encourage the development of a fungus on the grapes. The plant reacts chemically to the fungus, which affects the taste of the wine, and the result is a 'rotten' berry. The berry juice evaporates leaving berries that resemble raisins, which are harvested one by one. The vinification process is carried out as usual and the juice within is the 'gold of Bordeaux.' Soils and subsoils make up the terroir, which affect variety. Saint- Émilion, which is necessary to create Sauternes, works well here. This area has been producing wine for 2,000 years so tra- ditions also play a huge role in the making of Sauternes. Since there is little juice in the berry, one plant yields about two glasses of wine versus a bottle elsewhere." Her final comment explains the prices. FALL/ WINTER 2017 DREAMSCAPES