Modern Wine Making: Gaillac Wines

Visit to local Vineyard

Although the local traditions of wine making have started to die out, a new modern approach is being taken. Wine is being mass produced by large wine sellers. With the change, there are some positives. Wine has changed from being a simple table wine of low quality, to a wine rich in flavor. With wine being produced in large quantities for the public there are several factors that are considered. Wine varies in flavor due to the type of grapes that are grown, soil variety, and amount of water in the soil. Another factor that have been considered in wine making, is that changing seasons affect wine production. Grapes that are used before the colder seasons produce drier wines whereas grapes used from the colder seasons when the early frost comes produce sweeter wines.

Journal Entry: A Taste of Culture
On September 27, 2010, we visited one of the oldest vineyards in Gaillac! This was an experience like non other for me. We learned about how specific conditions can affect the outcome of wine. Some of these conditions include the type of grapes used, soil quality, amount of water in the soil, and the weather. The slightest change can make wine vary so much in flavor. A visit to a vineyard is not complete without a test of the final product. We taste tested four wines: a Rose, a White, a Dessert, and a Red. Wine tasting is more involved than I thought it would be. We were carefully instructed under Professor Gerry on the proper techniques in wine tasting. First, how does the color look? Secondly, what smell is present? Thirdly, don't drink but swish it around in your mouth and does it seem bitter, sweet, sour, or salty? Then spit and rinse with water. Wine is not something that you simply drink, but like any art, it is savored.


[Guided Tour, given on 27 September 2010, Chateau L'Enclos]

[Wine Tasting Class Conducted on 13 November 2010 with Professor Gerry]

A Tradition Still Holding as Strong as Its Taste: The Delightful Roquefort Cheese

The Delightful Roquefort Cheese
Courtesy of Melanie Dollar

Like the wine making of Ambialet, the production of Roquefort Cheese is a past time favorite. The difference with the cheese is the tradition is still being practiced. Cheese is critical in France. France alone has at least 500 varieties of cheese! Each region is known for its specialty in a specific kind of cheese. The region that Ambialet belongs to is known for its Roquefort cheese. Roquefort cheese has an interesting tradition on how it is made. This cheese requires sheep’s milk and the milk is matured into cheese in local caves between 6-12 months. When the maturing process is complete, it has recognizable characteristics that set it aside from other cheeses. It has a soft white color, some small holes like Swiss cheese with speckled spots consisting of green mold.

What is a meal without cheese?

It’s tradition that cheese is eaten at every meal. The locals here have a saying about a meal without cheese, “A meal without cheese is like a day without sunshine or a kiss without a mustache.” 

[Interviews conducted on 13 November 2010 with Mamie and Christiane]

A Disappearing Tradition: Local Wine Making of Ambialet

In so many villages and local communities in France, wine making was once a popular tradition. Ambialet was part of this popular trend at one time. Everyone use to make their own wine; however, it was not very good. When locals of Ambialet use to make wine, it was of lower quality and produced more easily. Locals use to make their wine stronger by distilling it and their expression for this strong wine was “rough and ready.”
Wine making is considered a good tradition, but in recent years it has begun to disappear. This change in a long standing tradition is due to a change in laws. A new license system is now in effect and people have to obtain a license to produce their own wine. Another factor feeding into this dying tradition is the license cannot be passed down to younger generations. As the older generations pass away, the tradition slowly disappears as a result of the new law and the younger generations are not upholding it.

Le Prieuré d'Ambialet: Monks who use to live at the monastery use to make wine where the cemetery is now!

  

[Interviews conducted on 13 November 2010 with Mamie and Christiane]