Today's WOTD was all about getting insider information. Upon learning that we were wine lovers, the family that owns our villa directed us to a small wine shop about 5 minutes away that just opened a few months ago. I went in and spoke to the proprietere, Francois, and we had a great chat about the local Rhone wines such as Chateaneuf, Gigondas, Vayqueras, etc. When I told him I was Canadian, he asked me if I was from Vancouver. This is quite unusual, as most people who learn we are Canadians ask if we are from Montreal. It turns out that Francois lived in Vancouver for several months, and not only does he play hockey, he is a Canucks fan.
After sharing our woeful memories of the playoffs a few months ago, Francois insisted that I try a bottle of wine that is made by a local producer named Elodie Balme. Francois told me that she has been making a name for herself because of her dedication and winemaking skills. She has several wines, but this one is her newest, and it is a 2009 Champs Libres. Apparently, this wine is unusual, as it is a "Vin de Table", and the Cotes du Rhone regulations specify that Vins du Table cannot specify a vintage, so the 2009 on the bottle may be an error, or an oversight of some kind. Francois said that this was his most underrated wine in his shop, and that the price of 11 Euros was an absolute bargain. The wine is 100% Grenache, which is a very popular grape that grows in this region because it thrives in the hot dry climate. We enjoyed this wine with some cheeses that we bought at a village market on Tuesday. Turns out that I had to agree with Francois - the wine was so good that I went back the following day to get another bottle. It always pays to get insider information - it may be illegal when buying stocks, but it is highly recommended for buying wine!
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