The Blaye Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC)
is set to undergo substantial modifications following the homologation of its updated production specifications
The appellation has officially adopted a name change to “Blavia,” referencing the ancient name of Blaye, a decision approved by the regulatory body according to Terroirs du Monde Education
This move honours the region’s history while signalling a fresh direction for its future
The geographical area now includes the commune of Val-de-Livenne
formed by the merger of Marcillac and Saint-Caprais-de-Blaye
Vineyards must be situated on parcels identified based on criteria established by the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO) as of 30 November 2023
The previous provision for an immediate proximity area has been removed
Significant changes have been made to the grape varieties permitted
Cot N (Malbec) has been elevated from an accessory to a principal grape variety
The combined proportion of principal grape varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot and Cot) must now constitute at least 85% of the vineyard
an increase from the previous requirement of 50%
Restrictions on the use of accessory grape varieties
Vineyard planting regulations have also been updated
The spacing between rows is now set at a maximum of 2 metres
The requirement for spacing between vines in the same row has been removed
Each vine must occupy a maximum area of 1.67 square metres
calculated by multiplying the distance between rows by the distance between vines within a row
The updated specifications prohibit substantial modifications to the subsoil morphology
or elements ensuring soil integrity and sustainability
Chemical weeding of headlands and total chemical weeding of parcels are banned
Operators are now required to calculate and record their Treatment Frequency Index (TFI)
enrichment (chaptalisation) is now prohibited; previously
The release date for consumption has been adjusted to 1 April of the second year following the harvest
Transitional derogations concerning planting densities and the appellation area have been removed
Control measures have been strengthened at various levels
granting the INAO increased oversight to ensure compliance with the updated specifications
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ShareSaveCommentLifestyleSpiritsUncorking Vintage 2022—Bordeaux Right BankByTom Mullen
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights
travel and lifestyle from a base in FranceFollow AuthorSep 29
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Vineyards in Sainte-Colombe commune in Castillon
The 2022 wine vintage from Bordeaux in southwestern France is renowned for exceptional balance and quality
I was outside of France for months during the spring of 2023 when these wines were initially tasted
Now that wines from this vintage have been initially aged and bottled
I recently tasted more than 90 wines from multiple appellations to provide this broad overview
Growing conditions in 2022 were typical for Bordeaux with regards to unpredictability
A cool April was followed by dry days after July
Yields were average or diminished with relatively
Vintage Bordeaux 2022 red wines are generally of a consistently elevated quality
elegant tannins (not as spectacularly creamy as some from the 2023 vintage)
bright acidity (not as prominent as the majority of wines from the 2021 vintage)
with shining fruit (although only a small percentage having the deep dark flavors of the 2018 vintage; and few with the brightness and energy from the sun drenched 2015 vintage)
The tannin/acidity combination provides aging potential that may comparable to Bordeaux wines from vintages 2016
Many wines from this vintage can be enjoyed now and will also still shine with quality and bright acidity decades into the future
For the sake of article brevity, some tasting notes are referenced to my VinoVoices website
A 65/35 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc aged 14 months in amphorae as well as in new barrels and concrete vats
with soft and creamy tannins and acidity as fresh as a windswept shoreline
red cherries and Christmas cake with vanilla
Pair with lamb with mint sauce or even angel food cake with chocolate frosting
14.5% alcohol in this 75/25 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc
A statured set of initial dark aromas of cinnamon crisp
Brilliant and deft acidity enveloping lush plums
Pair with wagyu beef or a chocolate parfait dessert
Petit Verdot blend that aged for 18 months in oak
farmers from central France who successfully forayed into the Bordeaux wine world with prowess at rapidly learning how to produce quality wines
crackling first aromas that include maple syrup
A full and easy Grand Cru mouthful that is rich
easy to drink and with a range of flavors—including red cherries and peppermint on the finish
15% alcohol in this Merlot dominant wine which also includes Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
On the nose this is a steaming blackberry tart fresh from the oven
neat and subtle acidity and flavors that include fudge
raspberries and molasses as well as some black pepper
Pair with a pepper steak or a poke bowl with ginger and cilantro
A rollicking assemblage of flavors that include black fruits
or a vegetarian risotto with mushrooms and black peppers
delicate fruit flavors that include raspberries
An elegant stream of light juice with low key tannins
flavors that include raspberries and sparky acidity
but also consider tuna sushi for an unusual but delicious combination
For the following wines, see the tasting notes at my VinoVoices website
14.5% alcohol in this Cabernet Franc/Merlot blend
From a vineyard that is surprisingly located within the city of Libourne
and yet also within the Pomerol appellation and named after the family of producers who also own Château La Dominique in Saint-Émilion
full-bodied wine with flavors that include strudel
cherry tart and even some mint lozenge on the finish
Pair with roast duck and applesauce or cous-cous with mango chutney
with less than 10% of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
gravely and slight petrol initial nose followed by aromas of dark plums
Initial attack is brisk with sharp acidity
followed by a mid-palate of dark strudel and meatloaf flavors
Elegant finish in a complex dense wine that can be paired with pumpkin muffins or butternut squash and rosemary risotto
A Merlot dominant wine that includes Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that aged 16 months in French oak
syrupy rich aromas of red and black licorice
rounded and agreeable set of fruit flavors with citric acidity
flavors of brownies and devil’s cake—fluffy light in the mouth with a keenly persistent length and a finish that endures
Pair with wild game or with Asian fare that includes both ginger and soy
80/20 Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon blend fermented in oak barrels
rich mouthful with honey mid palate and a silky finish
60/20/20 Sauvignon Blanc/Sauvignon Gris/Sémillon blend aged 30% in French oak and 70% in stainless steel for seven months
Crisp acidity on a slightly tart mid palate with flavors of honeydew melon
Pair with vanilla ice cream to provide contrast between acidity and creaminess
80/20 Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon blend aged five months in stainless steel
Mouthful is contrasting—both rounded and sharp
Flavors include green apples and applesauce
Pair with a creamy risotto to gain contrast between the wine’s acidity and creaminess
45/55 Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon blend aged nine months in partially new French oak
A honey and pine assembly of aromas that also includes bruised pears
Slightly tart but also creamy in the mouth
Pair with ice cream lathered with butterscotch sauce
14% alcohol from a wine estate that began producing in 1802—two years before Lewis and Clark set off on their trans-America exploration journey
launched by President Thomas Jefferson who visited Bordeaux and raved about its wines
Holy Smoke aromas of cherries and molasses and pine nuts
followed by flavors redolent of rounded red cherries from the Merlot
fresh and with a sliver of complexity on the finish and a mid palate that includes red plums
Pair with an array of cheeses that include compté
Vineyards at Chateau Marquis de Vauban near the town of Blaye
this 75/20/5 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec blend aged one year in tanks and kicks out a bucketful of red and black and orange fruit aromas—think raspberries—as well as balsamic and sage
Brimming with generous fruit flavors that include black and red cherries and blood oranges
linear tannins and clean enveloping acidity
grilled lamb or a tabouli salad with soy sauce
A 14% alcohol and 85/15 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon from 25-year-old vines from Luc Schweitzer and sons Ludovic and Richard
Boisterous but focused aromas that include red cherries
fresh raspberries mid palate and a voluptuous and sexy caramel apple strudel finish that just keeps on giving and transforms the dimensional attack into a more memorable complex set of flavors
grilled shiitake or cep mushrooms or Mediterranean mezze
The label says ‘le Vin des Amis,’ or the wine of friends
13.5% alcohol in this wine from 30-year-old vines with aromas of a forest trail
bubbling fruit flavors that include black and red cherries
milk chocolate and raspberries with slight black pepper on the finish
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Stéphane Heurlier
a pine grove and lusciously fresh red cherries
Well balanced mouthful that combines crisp acidity
beautiful red fruit and flavors of caramel chunks and some sage and cumin and dark licorice on the finish
Pair with a meat stew that includes sliced carrots
70/20/10 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec from 25-year-old vines from the Baudet family
coriander and a slab of cooking chocolate as well as baking spices—nutmeg and cloves
A delightfully juicy and easy drinking wine with generous and rounded acidity as well as flavors of German chocolate cake
red cherries and apple strudel on the finish
Pair with four cheese lasagna or an orange sorbet dessert
A 70/30 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend aged in cement and steel tanks for a year
A bright broth and froth of persnickety flavors that jump out from the glass
and a bottle labels that contrasts to the traditional images of a château
Aromas of minestrone and mocha and melted hot chocolate; red cherries and salt water taffy and toffee
A rounded mouthful of suave tannins embracing red fruits and chocolate with menthol and anise on the finish; complex and elegant
This could be taken for a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru during a blind tasting
this 100% Merlot is made just over a mile away from the town of Blaye
Aged in older oak barrels as well as in stainless steel and concrete tanks
Aromas dripping with red cherries and a touch or orange peel
A fresh and chirpy monofilament of delightful Merlot—well balanced with suave tannins and sizzling but not boisterous acidity
Pair with melon and ham or grilled sirloin steak
A 70/30 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend that is 13% alcohol from sixth generation winemakers
A beautifully delicious and well-integrated red wine that is bristling with red fruits and dark licorice and spices and waiting to be paired with steak with peppercorn sauce
100% Sauvignon Blanc aged nine months in barrels from Vignobles Raguenot
Slick and slippery oily mouth feel with flavors of honey
Match with a slab of albacore tuna and sliced yellow peppers
The maker recommends pairing with foie gras and fried scallops
A blend of fourths of Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc/Malbec/Merlot that aged for 18 months in French oak
sultanas and black cherries with a hit of peach
Easy drinking though somewhat tart acidity on the finish
Mid palate churns with red and black fruits and a rounded tannic profile
80/20 Merlot/Malbec blend from 35-year-old vines aged 12 months in both French and American oak
A bramble patch of fresh and varied aromas that include cedar
Beautifully balanced and well-rounded mouthful of red plums
Bright acidity sticks to your cheeks and tongue and will incite you to pour another glass
Pair with meatloaf or Asian cooked beef with sesame seeds
or with scoops of vanilla and butterscotch ice cream
90/10 Merlot/Malbec blend with 14% alcohol
Aged in non-new French oak as well as amphorae
Robust and generous aromas pumping out of this juice—toffee
yet also a light and precise wine with mid palate flavors that include red cherries and vanilla with a unique butterscotch finish
and acidity bathes the assembly with lip licking energy
Pair with bulgur and with either comte or cheddar cheese
Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec aged 18 months in French oak
A meld of sweet fruits and tobacco aromas with a hint of melted butter
well balanced acidity with attractive mid palate flavors that include black licorice
Compact tannins in this complex wine that will grow on you after the first mouthful
Pair with pumpernickel bread and fresh butter or a Nordic smorgasbord
70/20/10 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec blend from 25+ year old vines aged for a year or more in French oak
Bright and light as a spring morning aromas—crisp and delicate—including roses
A balanced mouthful billowing with rich flavors that include red fruits
Pair with cous-cous and mandarin slices or with a hot gooey brownie
Zinging semi acrid aromas of limes and gooseberries and white plums here
well integrated flavors—almost syrupy with honey-tinged richness
45/45/10 blend of Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon/Colombard
A delightfully light and rich balanced medley of subtle flavors from this biodynamic wizard producer
Pair with vegetables and cous-cous or with light cod with butter and roasted parsnips
Producer recommends pairing with ravioli with foie gras or marinated fish
50/50 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon from 50-year-old vines from this large right bank Bordeaux appellation
Classic Bordeaux profile here that could be right or left bank because of the constituent percentages of grapes—rounded from the Merlot and taut with tannins from the Cabernet
Smoky aromas include juicy red cherries and a slice of blackberry tart
Balanced on the nose and including a full mid palate
though tannins are still young and needing more age
Pair with pepperoni pizza or noodles with teriyaki sauce
For the following wines—see the tasting notes at my VinoVoices website
Gironde River flowing past the ancient town of Bourg
An 85/15 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend from 25 year old vines
rounded mouthful of billowing red fruits that includes red plums a well as mint brittle and sultanas
Creamy tannins and classic balance and poise from vintage 2022
Pair with meat lasagna or even a dessert of apple strudel
14.5% alcohol in this wine from 25-year-old vines from Lucie and Stephane Donze in Lansac
Rounded and almost tropical strength aromas that include lychee
generous and juicy mid palate with lush and bright red and orange fruits with some mocha on the finish
Pair with hummus and tabouli or bulgur and red peppers
who tends his vines according to phases of the moon
red cherries and slight menthol on the finish
A 13.5% alcohol blend from the commune of Tauriac
Plump plums and a cherry bitter delight in the mouth
This wine is fruity with energetic acidity and low key tannins
Like drinking an Italian cherry breakfast tart
fruit and vegetable combination will both contrast to and complement this wine’s acidity
An 70/30 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend from the hills of Bourg and aged in oak for one year
Low key notes of a dusty trail with some sage
An unusually silky wine with brisk acidity
rambunctious fruit and dark licorice with a long finish of raspberry tart flavors
Pair this with lightly cooked red meat or goat cheese
A 60/30/10 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc from 35-year-old vines that aged one year in barrels of which a third were new oak
smoky bacon crisps and a juicy blackberry pie fresh from the oven
A deliciously compact and balanced wine with firm tannins and oozing with berry flavors—including blueberries—as well as coconut and raspberry jam mid palate with a long black cherry finish
Pair with peppery spicy meat balls or a creamy vegetarian four cheese lasagna with some Asian spices
An 80/20 Merlot/Malbec blend from Lansac commune in the beautifully hilly Côtes de Bourg appellation from 35-year-old vines
An emissary for the quality of some Bourg wines with a chewy meaty and Malbec spicy mid palate (Malbec is the signature grape of this appellation) with a confident blend of firm but succulent tannins
dripping fresh fruit and quiet but binding acidity
Pair with a wiener schnitzel and brussels sprouts
80/20 Merlot/Malbec blend from Bourg—the ‘spicy side of Bordeaux.’ Aged nine months in concrete
Amazing aromas of sesame and peanut butter
Pair with a vegetarian poke bowl with varied flavors and sweet sesame sauce
or with lamb shish kebab with red and green peppers
A 75/25 blend of Sauvignon Blanc/Sauvignon Gris from 17-year-old vines
green grass and limoncello and a streak of salinity
tingling with acidity but also creamy in texture
Needs a few years to better harmonize into a more unctuous delight
Pair with foie gras or honey drizzled feta cheese
the name is a palindrome and can be read backwards or forwards
like all Picoron wines it is made exclusively from Merlot grapes
maple syrup and boysenberries and a hint of red cherries
fresh red and dark fruits and some chocolate/cherry cake on the finish
Pair with a plate of charcuterie and cheeses or a plum clafoutis dessert
Stellar value from Frank and Glenda from Down Under and their stellar team in Castillon on the right bank
80/20 Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend in this 14.5% alcohol wine that aged for one year in 30% new oak and the balance in stainless steel
plump and rounded with delightful flavors of red plums and black cherries mid palate; oily mouth feel
Pair with blackened grilled meats or mushroom risotto
70/15/15 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon from 40 year old vines in this 14% alcohol wine that aged both in covered vats and new French oak barrels
Almost antiseptically clean aromas of red licorice
easy drinking with signature silky 2022 tannins and buoyant acidity that is less conspicuous than that of vintage 2021
delightful drinking with a mouth tingling finish
Pair with hummus and pita bread or butternut squash soup sprinkled with sesame seeds
80/20 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc aged in small conical stainless steel tanks for better parcel management
15% alcohol from fruit grown over blue clay parcels
Royal aromas akin to a Grand Cru Classe from Saint-Émilion
Beautifully soft in the mouth with deft but well-structured tannins
Assembled in a bath of brisk acidity with a lingering red cherry tart finish that will have you reaching to pour seconds for yourself and friends
Pair with lentil and beetroot salad or cheese ravioli with a white sauce
A 70/30 Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend 30 years old vines from the Meynard family
Aged for six months in barrels and stainless steel
billowing fruit in this well integrated package that highlights the merits of vintage 2022—balance
Pair with cheese such as comté or cheddar or even with linguini and marinara sauce
this 85/15 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 12 months in oak
Luscious and heartening aromas that are textured and evocative—think memory of a dark woodland trail
cinnamon and black pepper with an oily mouth feel and a finish that is lip tingling with mocha and strawberry jam
Pair this with a smorgasbord of charcuterie meats
A 60/40 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend from 45-year-old vines; biodynamic methods used to produce this wine that aged for 12 months in oak
swirling aromas—some petrol and anise and roasted chestnuts and bitter cherries
Lovely soft mouthful of well integrated flavors with rounded tannins and light
and a finish that includes dark caramel and black pepper
Pair with sharp cheeses or a spicy stroganoff to complement this wine’s dark complex flavors
70/25/5 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon aged in new oak barrels as well as demi-muid 600-liter barrels as well as clay amphorae before the juice is blended in cement vats
Clouds of soft aromas of red fruit and an evergreen forest
classic Bordeaux profile that blends fruits with an enhanced tannic backbone from the oak aging
A sharp bitter cherry attack followed by a soft pillow of beautifully juicy acidic red fruits that include the lightness of raspberries with the succulence of dark plums
Some chocolate and black licorice and soy on the finish
Pair with beef cooked in dark red wine or a salad of roma tomatoes
sliced soft cheeses and sweet basil leaves—Caprese style—but doused with black pepper
80/15/5 blend of Merlot/Cabernets/Malbec from 35-year-old vines
succulent and promising aromas that include red and black cherries
dorp licorice and a hint of balsamic and stroganoff
rounded mouthful of beautiful dark fruits such as blackberries as well as mocha and Asian spices; powerful finish of mint brittle and toffee
Bright acidity and low key but well structured tannins
Pair with a well balanced and complex dish such as a curry or mezze
75/25 Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend aged 16 or more months in new or one year old oak
Billowing dark fruit aromas of cranberries
A joyful Friday afternoon mouthful with a dark fruit mid palate and a creamy
Tongue tingling acidity and huddled tannins that keep this flavor matrix intact
Pair with andalouse sausage or a vegetarian minestrone with sliced carrots
For tasting notes see my VinoVoices website.
The Republic of Albania is a small country which borders the eastern side of the southern Adriatic Sea and looks towards Puglia, the heel of Italy. It has one of the oldest winemaking histories in the world.
Well-known for brandy production, Armenia is a small, landlocked country at the southern end of the Eurasian Caucasus – the mountainous region between Europe and Asia.
Austria is enjoying a renaissance as a modern wine producing nation. Grüner Veltliner and Riesling are the flag bearers
Azerbaijan is a small country located in the Eurasian Caucasus, on the western shores of the Caspian Sea. As in neighboring Georgia winemaking here appears to date back thousands of years.
Better known for its vodka and grain spirit-based production than wine, Belarus is a landlocked country in the north of Eastern Europe.
Belgium is better known for its traditional abbey-brewed beers than its wines, but this small northern European country does produce a small quantity of wine each vintage, mostly from
Bosnia-Herzegovina is a country in the east of southern Europe, also referred to as Bosnia and Herzegovina. It does not produce a significant quantity of wine, although it does have a few thousand acres of productive vineyards.
Bulgaria has a long history of viticulture, and its modern wine industry is introducing regions, grape varieties and wine styles.
The Crimea is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. It has a very long history of winemaking, dating back at least to the classical Greek period.
Croatia has been making wine for well over two thousand years. More recently, the last three decades have seen a steady rise in quality.
The Mediterranean island of Cyprus lies 50 miles off the coast of Turkey. In wine terms it is best known for the dessert wine Commandaria. However, a wider range of styles and grape varieties are coming to the fore.
Czechia (or The Czech Republic), the western half of the former Czechoslovakia, is better known for its beer than its wine, though the latter is also produced in reasonable quantities.
Denmark is one of the three northern European countries which make up Scandinavia. The brewing of beer dominates production of alcoholic beverages. The wine industry is in its infancy.
Estonia is a country in the Baltic region of northern Europe, far north of the latitudes in which grapes can reliably ripen. Estonian wine is a rarity, and the nation is better known for its beers and vodkas.
Finland is a northern European country located on the eastern side of the Scandinavian Peninsular. The majority of alcoholic beverages produced in Finland are beers and spirits distilled from grain, principally vodka.
France is arguably the wine world's most important country, and home to famed regions such as Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. For centuries it has produced wine in a wide variety of styles in greater quantity than any other country.
Georgia is one of the world’s oldest winemaking countries. The red grape Saperavi and the white grape Rkatsiteli are the key varieties grown here
Germany's best Rieslings are some of the greatest whites in the world, while fine wines are also made from a number of other red and white grape varieties. Beer brewing is also a key part of the culture here.
Greece has been home to a winemaking industry for at least three thousand years. Nowadays it combines tradition with modernity, using both native and international grape varieties.
Hungary's wine industry is best known for Tokaj and Bull's Blood. But its wine portfolio is much broader in terms of wine styles, grape varieties and regions.
Iceland is an island nation in the North Atlantic Ocean, located around 900 kilometers (550 miles) north of Scotland's Orkney Islands. There is little chance of successful viticulture being carried out on the volcanic island, and few have tried.
Ireland is an island off the west coast of Britain, and is divided into two distinct parts. The following description majors on the beverages produced in the Republic of Ireland.
Italy is the home of Chianti, Prosecco, Barolo, and more. It has a rich and diverse wine heritage and a bewildering diversity of both grape varieties and wine styles.
Kosovo is a region of south-eastern Europe, once an autonomous province within the former Yugoslavia. Until the outbreak of civil war, Kosovo had a substantial acreage of productive wine-bearing vineyards.
Latvia is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. The country once held the Guinness World Record as the world's most northerly commercial, open-air vineyard known as Vina kalns ('wine hill').
Liechtenstein is a tiny country hidden away among the Alps. In keeping with its dramatic geography, the country's most noteworthy vineyard is terraced into a rocky outcrop topped by the 1000-year-old Schloss Gutenberg
Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe between Belarus and the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north and Poland to the south. The country's best known alcoholic produce is its vodka.
Luxembourg (officially the 'Grand Duchy of Luxembourg') is a small nation in northern Europe covering just over 2,500 square kilometers (960sq miles). Only 1 percent of this is given over to viticulture.
Malta is a small island (25 miles / 40m long) in the central Mediterranean Ocean just 80km (50 miles) south of Sicily. Viniculture here dates back to the early 16th Century, when the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem arrived on the island, bringing with them centuries of winemaking tradition.
Moldova is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, and one of several former Soviet states in this region. Although relatively small, Moldova ranks among the most significant wine regions of Eastern Europe.
Montenegro is a small country on the western side of the Balkan Peninsula, with a coast on the Adriatic Sea. The wine industry here is best known for its intense, deeply colored red wine made from the Vranac grape variety.
The Netherlands is a country in northern Europe, often referred to as "Holland". The latter is the name of the ancient county in the western Netherlands, where the key cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague are located.
Norway is a Nordic country located on the western side of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Its eastern neighbor is Sweden, but it also borders Finland and Russia at its far-northern edges.
Poland, in Central Europe, is a new and perhaps surprising addition to the list of wine-producing nations. Although viniculture is very much in its infancy here, and has yet to make any mark on international markets, it is nonetheless under way.
Portugal has long been famous its Port, Madeira and Vinho Verde. But in the last decade or two it has gained acclaim for its new wave of rich, ripe, table wines, with reds from the Douro Valley particularly prominent.
Romania lies at the crossroads between Central Europe and South-eastern Europe. Its wine industry makes use of a broad portfolio of indigenous and international red and white grape varieties.
Russia is the largest country in the world, covering over 17 million square kilometers (6.5 million square miles), although only the country's southernmost lands are capable of supporting quality viticulture.
Serbia, in the south-east of Europe, is geographically the largest of the former Yugoslav states, and the most productive in wine terms. Serbian wine is not often seen on international markets, although there is no question that the country has the potential to produce world-class wines.
Slovakia's vineyards are mostly clustered around Bratislava and scattered eastwards along the border with Hungary. The eastern fringe of the Tokaj wine region lies in Slovakia
Slovenia is a small European country with a long history of wine production. Despite the cultural and political turmoil that has besieged the Balkan states over the past century, Slovenia has maintained its wine industry, one which has been particularly successful since the country gained independence from former Yugoslavia, in 1991.
Spain is home to more hectares of vineyards than any other country, and has a national wine output exceeded only by France and Italy. Though a wide range of wine styles are made, Tempranillo is by far the dominant grape variety.
Sweden is a country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in northern Europe. Winemaking here is very much in its infancy making up a fraction of one percent of the nation's total alcohol production.
Switzerland is not widely known as a wine-producing nation, largely because the Swiss keep much of their output to themselves. The white Chasselas grape is the specialty here, though Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot and Chardonnay all feature.
Turkey may well be where wine production first began, more than 6000 years ago, Today the country grows more grapes than almost any country on earth, though few are made into wine.
The United Kingdom is best known for its beer, cider, whisky, gin and other spirits. It also has a small wine industry which has undergone recent expansion, particularly with respect to sparkling wine production.
Ukraine is a large Eastern European country with a long but potted history of wine production although the country is more readily associated to the production of grain-based spirits (horilka).
Canada is famous for its high-quality ice wines, but powerful Cabernet blends and aromatic dry Rieslings are also key features in the country's wine portfolio
Mexico is renowned for its Tequila, Mezcal and beer. But wine has been made here for longer than anywhere else in the Americas. The Vitis vinifera vine came to Mexico with the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th Century.
The United States is home to many quality wine regions, though its global reputation still rides on the success of California and the Napa Valley in particular. Whiskey distilling and beer brewing are both integral parts of American culture.
Argentina is the largest producer of wine in South America. It is very closely associated with Malbec, its principal grape variety; in recent decades they have together risen to global prominence.
Bolivia has an extreme high-altitude wine industry, in which around 75 percent of production is devoted to red wine. Like other South American countries, its winemaking origins date back to the 16th Century arrival of the Spanish.
Brazil has a burgeoning wine industry led by its sparkling wines, though Cachaça is still its best known export beverage
Chile occupies a thin strip down the western coast South America and is home to an enviable variety of wine terroirs and styles. Capable of both quality and volume, it is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and its USP, Carmenère
Colombia is situated at the north-western corner of South America. Wines is produced, though the country's rum has a higher profile.
Ecuador lies on the Pacific coast of northern South America. There are only a few hundred hectares of vineyards; rum and beer are produced in much greater volumes.
Guyana is a country located on the Atlantic coast of northern South America. It is well-known for its production of rum and cultivation of sugarcane.
Paraguay is a landlocked, Spanish-speaking country in central South America. The country is more famous for its rum than its wines alhough it does produce more than seven million liters (1.85 million US gallons) of wine each year.
Peru is a Spanish-speaking nation in western South America. Pisco, a grape brandy, is the national drink. Table wine is produced in cooler areas.
Suriname is a country on the north-eastern coast of South America. Rum production dominates, but a small amount of winemaking does in fact take place, using fruits other than grapes.
Uruguay is the fourth-largest wine-producing country in South America, best known for red wines from Tannat. Wine grapes have been grown here for more than 250 years, although commercial vineyards were first established in the second half of the 19th Century.
Venezuela is, in terms of production of alcoholic beverages, very much a rum specialist. The bottlings from Diplomático and Ron Santa Teresa have gained particular acclaim around the world.
Belize is a small country on the eastern (Mediterranean) coast of Central America, bordered by Mexico and Guatemala. Its primary alcoholic product is, unsurprisingly, rum.
The Caribbean is not known for its wines (grape vines do not thrive in the tropical climate), though the region is the undisputed home of rum.
Costa Rica is a country in Central America, and sits on the isthmus between Panama (to the south) and Nicaragua (to the north). The country's key alcoholic beverages are beer and rum.
Guatemala is a small country in Central America, bordered by Mexico to the north and west, and Honduras, Belize and El Salvador to the east. Although it is far from competing with Jamaica, sugarcane and the rum produced from it are some of Guatemala's main exports.
Nicaragua, the largest country in Central America, is famous for its coffee, sugar, tobacco and bananas, and its rum. Given Nicaragua's location at the western edge of the Caribbean, it is hardly surprising that its key alcohol production comes from sugar, rather than grape or grain.
Panama is a long, thin country in Central America, famous as the land link between North America and South America. It is also home to one of the world's largest tropical rainforests, prolific banana plantations and, of course, the Panama Canal.
Australia is a leading wine producing country, both in terms of quality and scale. Vast in size, its climatic and geographical range offers versatility, though Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay lead the way
Fiji is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. There are over 330 islands (110 are inhabited) plus many hundreds more islets. In the sphere of alcoholic beverages, it is best known for its rum.
New Zealand is known globally for its aromatic Sauvignon Blanc whites, but it also makes a range of acclaimed cool-climate wines, from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to Bordeaux blends and Syrah.
Norfolk Island is a tiny island located in the Pacific Ocean, located almost exactly half-way between New Caledonia and the northern tip of New Zealand. Although technically part of the Commonwealth of Australia, (Sydney lies 1050 miles / 1700km to the south-west), the island has a high level of self-governance.
Tahiti, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, is one of the world's least-known wine regions. As unlikely as it might seem, grape wine is made on this tropical island, albeit in tiny quantities
China vies with several countries as the world's sixth largest producer of wine by volume. Its best producers are gaining international recognition, and its domestic market continues to grow
India is a rapidly emerging wine economy in terms of both production and consumption, with the potential to become a significant player. Whisky and spirits distillation has a longer history.
Indonesia is a Southeast Asian country made up of 33 provinces spread across more than 13,000 individual islands. Unlikely as it might seem, there are wines made in Indonesia: not from imported must or juice but from grapes grown in the island's small number of vineyards.
Israel has ancient wine connections, though its modern industry has mostly developed in the last few decades. The Judean Foothills and Galilee are the largest regions
Japan is famous for sake rice wine, though grape wine has been made there for several centuries. Beer and whisky production have also become established in the last hundred years
Jordan is a country in the Middle East (or Western Asia, as it is officially labeled by the UN) bordered by Iraq and Iran to the east, Syria to the north and Israel to the west. The country takes its name from the Jordan river, which since biblical times has been a vital source of water in this desert area.
Kazakhstan is a large trans-continental country: the vast majority of it lies in Asia, but its western extremities cross over into eastern Europe. Though it has a very long history of wine production, vodka is the principal alcohlic beverage here.
Lebanon has an ancient wine culture and a modern industry dating from the 19th century. Its vineyards are concentrated mostly in the Bekaa Valley, home to leading wineries Chateau Musar, Chateau Ksara and Chateau Kefraya
The Republic of Myanmar (or Burma) produces a minute quantity of wine, unlikely as that might seem to the outsider in this hot, humid part of South-East Asia.
Nepal, the land-locked country in the Himalayas, has been home to tiny plantings of wine-producing vines since the late 20th Century. The high-altitude Himalayan climate is not particularly suited to Vitis vinifera vines, so local wines are made from a combination of honey, plant roots, fruits and herbs.
The Philippines is a complex group of islands in Southeast Asia. While grapevines are not abundant, indigenous wines are produced from a variety of fermented crops including fruit, rice and honey.
South Korea is a country at the far eastern extremity of East Asia, situated on a large peninsula which juts southwards from north-eastern China.
Sri Lanka is an island off the southern tip of India, a satellite of the vast Asian continent.
Syria is a mid-sized country in the western Middle East (also known as the Near East), situated between the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea and the deserts of Iraq.
Thailand, formerly known as Siam, is located at the centre of the Indochina Peninsula. Perhaps better known for its beer, with brands such as Chang and Singha, there are also a number of rum producers with the wine industry beginning to gain international notice.
Vietnam is one of a number of East Asian countries which have appeared on the wine radar since the turn of the century. Although its growth is far from rapid and nowhere near as dramatic as that of neighboring China, Vietnam's wine production is steadily increasing.
Algeria is a large country in the Maghreb geographical region of north-west Africa. Though an Islamic nation it has a remarkably extensive area under vine. Though today much of this focuses on table grape production, it is still the second largest wine producer in Africa.
Cape Verde (officially Cabo Verde) is a small archipelago nation off the coast of West Africa originally colonized by settlers from Portugal in the 15th Century and has a long history of wine production.
Egypt is home to some of the oldest winemaking traditions on Earth, dating back to the third millennium BC, though the modern industry, confined to the Nile Delta, is very small.
Madagascar is a large island off the south-east coast of Africa. Spanning 13 degrees of latitude, from 12 degrees to 25 degrees, it lies almost entirely within the southern tropics creating an ideal climate for sugarcane cultivation and rum maturation.
Mauritius is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean about 2000 kilometers off the south-east coast of Africa. Known for its sugarcane crops, the country has a long history of rum production.
Morocco's wine industry retains a strong French influence over six decades from independence. Key grapes are Syrah, the Southern Rhone red varieties, plus Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Namibia is a country in southern Africa, bordered by the southern Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, South Africa to the south and Botswana to the east.
Nigeria, on the west coast of Africa, produces only very small quantities of grape wine. Wines made from pineapples or palm sap are more common in this tropical nation.
South Africa is a key wine nation, despite its isolated position. Pinotage and Chenin Blanc have been its signatures, but Shiraz, the red Bordeaux varieties, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are also widely planted.
Tanzania, despite not having an international reputation as a wine producer, is actually home to the second largest wine producing region in Sub-Saharan Africa (after South Africa). The history of wine production in the country is relatively recent and roughly grew in tandem with the independence of Tanganyika and its merger with Zanzibar in the 1960s.
Tunisia is a North African country with a long (if not consistent) history of wine production. Despite being a predominantly Muslim country, the wine industry here makes over 40 million liters of wine per year.
Uganda, in eastern Africa, produces little or no wine from grapes. The climate here is simply too hot, and there is no cultural tradition of winemaking. It does, however, have at least one producer making wine from hibiscus flowers.
Zimbabwe is rarely cited as a wine region of note, yet, since the middle of the 20th Century, the southern African nation's wine industry has been gradually growing and evolving.
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Read about the best known regional styles and find the most popular signature style wines.
The atypical form of the parcel gives multiple orientations and organized the different spaces. The building has four levels offering two terraces with privileged landscape views. On the ground floor, the wide reception area invites tourists to enter. On the upper floors, the offices are bathed in natural light and a large terrace extends the meeting room. The top floor offers a public viewing area that allows tourists to contemplate the Vauban Citadel.
© Arthur PequinThe stone blocks are delivered to the site ready to be laid. As this material, the installation technique is traditional: the stones are laid with a lift strap and a traditional mortar of lime and sand is applied between two blocks.
the architects wanted to demonstrate that it is possible to build while taking account of the social
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Blaye as a sub-region impressed our DWWA judges for the second year running
and this year the zone made it into our top 50 Best In Show with this excitingly deep flavoured 2018 blend of Merlot with 15 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon
This unoaked wine is a saturated deep purple-black in colour
timeless aromas of warm blackcurrant and black cherry fruits and sweet
it is every bit as generous as the colour and aroma suggests it will be: a torrent of pure fruit
and there’s an Atlantic nuance and freshness coming from the soils and skies which brings its own nascent complexity to this exciting young wine
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Italy’s sparkling wines are the perfect match for the celebratory gatherings that abound at this time of year, and the breadth of their food pairing possibilities might just surprise you.
Half a century of passion and commitment for a project that set a new benchmark in Rioja...
Good wine is something to celebrate but as any wine lover knows, good wine just gets better with age, so proper storage is vitally important...
Search for the Decanter China translation for the popular wine regions.
Volume 5 - 2014 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00831
This article is part of the Research TopicDevelopment of Executive Function During ChildhoodView all 39 articles
Based on the Dual Mechanisms of Control theory (Braver et al., 2007)
this study conducted in 5- and 6-year-olds
tested for a possible shift between two modes of control
which differ in the way goal information is retrieved and maintained in working memory
we developed a children-adapted version of the AX-Continuous-Performance Task (AX-CPT)
Twenty-nine 5-year-olds and 28-6-year-olds performed the task in both low and high working-memory load conditions (corresponding
Analyses suggested that a qualitative change in the mode of control occurs within the 5-year-old group
more graded changes were also observed both within the 5-year-olds
These graded changes demonstrated an increasing efficiency in proactive control with age
The increase in working memory load did not impact the type of dynamics of control
but had a detrimental effect on sensitivity to cue information
These findings highlight that the development of the temporal dynamics of control can be characterized by a shift from reactive to proactive control together with a more protracted and gradual improvement in the efficiency of proactive control
the question of whether the observed shift in the mode of control is task dependant is debated
The authors graded the transparency of task-cues (i.e.
the degree of association between cues and goals) and found that arbitrary cues made it more difficult for 5- and 6-year-old children to activate a representation of what to do next
the effect of cue transparency decreased in older children and adults
thereby suggesting that preschoolers’ struggle to translate arbitrary cues into task goals might reflect lower flexibility in comparison to older children
The nature of the changes contributing to the development of both the activation and maintenance of goal representations remains to be explored
The DMC theory makes a qualitative distinction between two modes of control engaged under conditions of interference
It is noteworthy that interference can be induced by either irrelevant stimulus information or irrelevant dominant responses
called “proactive” and “reactive” have different temporal dynamics and neural substrates
The use of a proactive mode of control involves not only the retrieval of a representation of the goal in advance of the stimuli requiring a response
but also the active maintenance of this representation in working memory in order to bias processing towards task-relevant information
the goal is retrieved “just in time,” after the occurrence of the stimulus and its representation is transiently maintained in working memory
is to reveal the pattern of differences between these two trial types
This pattern is considered as an index of the degree to which participants’ attention is drawn to the cue
Participants who use a proactive form of control engage in active preparation of their response to the probe when they see the cue
as the high proportion of AX trials creates a strong expectancy to give a target response it is detrimental to performance when the A cue appears and it is not followed by an X probe (i.e.
this situation is specifically costly in terms of inhibition because participants have to reject the tendency to give a target response to the Y probe
The high AX trials’ frequency also induces a bias to produce a target response when an X probe is not preceded by an A cue (i.e.
responding correctly to BX trials requires participants to actively maintain the B cue: because orienting attention towards B cue through active maintenance has the effect of inhibiting goal-irrelevant information
it aids participants to reject the strong tendency to give a target response to the X probe
The reverse pattern is expected in participants who have difficulty using goal-related information (i.e.
who exercise reactive control): they do not anticipate their response to the probe according to the cue and make their decision only after the probe display
Because participants using reactive control do not actively maintain the cue during the cue–probe delay
they do not need to overcome the strong bias that an A cue is followed by an X probe
the use of reactive control should lead to higher performance on AY trials
in order to produce a correct non-target response to X probes which follow an invalid cue (i.e.
participants have to retrieve the cue that they did not actively maintain in order to inhibit their tendency to give a target response when seeing the X probe
proactive control is typically evidenced by better performance on BX trials than on AY trials
while reactive control is reflected by better performance on AY than BX trials
It should be noted that performance on BY trials is not expected to differ between proactive and reactive participants
as neither the cue nor the probe is associated to a target response on this kind of trial
The authors used an adapted version of the AX-CPT paradigm with pictures instead of letters
Pupillometry measures and behavioral observations both revealed that 8-year-olds children engaged in intense mental efforts during the cue–probe interval
thereby suggesting that they struggled to actively maintain the cue in working memory
Younger children (3.5 years old) did not show any maintenance-related effort during this interval
but instead showed a reactive peak during probe display on BX trials
Although these data suggest a shift from reactive to proactive control during childhood
the turning point of these qualitative changes is unclear due to the large age gap (i.e.
the task used differed from the standard AX-CPT task in ways that might affect interpretations of the patterns of behavior
Not only did the task involve only two cues and two probes instead of the great diversity of letters referred to as B and Y in the standard AX-CPT
in contrast to the arbitrariness of the cue–probe associations in the standard task
here it was contextualized in a story (e.g.
a press on happy face is expected when Spongebob appears followed by the watermelon)
it is unclear whether performances on this task are directly comparable to those obtained with the standard AX-CPT
further data using a task closer to the standard one is then required to enable a comparison between performance in young children and data previously obtained on older ones
we expected to pinpoint the qualitative shift form reactive to proactive control
Following Lorsbach and Reimer’s (2010) observations in older children
we expected the differences between the two age groups to increase under conditions of high working memory load (long cue–probe delay)
we used an index of context sensitivity (d′) susceptible to provide a more graded picture of the extent to which children make target response to the X probe according to the cue presented ahead
One may hypothesize that sensitivity to cue information increases from the age of 5 to 6
As sensitivity to cue information can rely on proactive maintenance or reactive retrieval of the cue to guide response to X probe
we hypothesize a reduction of this sensitivity when the cue–probe delay increases because the high working-memory load in this case may hinder cue maintenance
SD = 0.26; 60% female) and twenty-eight 6-year-olds (M = 6.70
SD = 0.24; 56% female) were recruited from two French preschools and two French primary schools
Parental consent was given for all children
and the experiment was administered individually in a quiet room at the school
Most children were Caucasian and came from middle-class backgrounds
although no data were collected on race and socioeconomic status
Two additional preschoolers and one first-grader also began the experiment but were excluded from analyses because they were disturbed by an unexpected event in the room or they decided to stop the task while in progress
we made sure that all the participants could name each of the animals used as stimuli
AY and BX non-target trials consisted in 12 possible combinations of animal pairs
and BY non-target trials consisted in 132 possible combinations of animal pairs
Task instructions were provided to children as follows: “You will see animals on the screen; these animals run in pairs
one after the other (“ces animaux courent deux par deux
l’un après l’autre”).” In one set of animals
children were given the following instruction: “when you first see the hen (A cue) and then the cat (X probe)
otherwise press the red one.” For the other set of animals
they were told “when you first see the frog (A cue) and then the donkey (X probe)
otherwise press the red one.” Children were instructed to respond as quickly and accurately as possible
To ensure that they had memorized the instructions
they were twice shown 4 pairs of sheets of paper mimicking four successive displays of cue and probe combinations on the screen (i.e.
once before moving on to the computer training
children were questioned about the correct response button to press and were asked to justify their answer to test whether they remembered the rule
All children succeeded in recalling the instructions (showing the correct response button and justifying their response by recounting the rules)
All probes were framed by a fine black line in order to help children differentiate between cues and probes and decide unambiguously when a response was expected
a warning tone was played when responses exceeded a 1500 ms time limit
Seventy percent of trial were AX target trials
and each of the three kinds of non-target trials (AY
The pairs of pictures were presented pseudo-randomly; the number of AX trials in a row never exceeded four
Each delay condition involved a training phase followed by an experimental phase
The training phase included three blocks of 20 trials (14 AX trials
and two BY) and the testing phase included four blocks of 30 trials (21 AX trials
analyses on error rates are reported first
correct RTs and z-scores by age group and trial type
Two similar analyses of variance were run on error rates and mean z-scores
6-year-olds) as a between-subjects variable and delay (1500 ms short vs
5500 ms long) as a within-subjects variable
Age was found to have a significant main effect on error rates
indicating more errors in 5-year-olds (M = 7.4%) than in 6-year-olds (M = 4.8%)
The results also revealed a main effect of delay
with higher error rates at the long delay (M = 7.8%) than at the short one (M = 4.4%)
indicating faster response times for the short delay (M = -0.17) than for the long delay (M = 0.88 ms)
the Age × Delay interaction was not significant
error rates on AX trials significantly decreased with age
while latencies on correct trials remained stable between the two age groups
longer delays had a detrimental effect on accuracy and latencies on AX trials
following the same design for both error rates and z-scores
6-year-olds) as a between-subjects variable and delay (1500 ms
Because two 5-year-olds and four 6-year-olds produced wrong responses to all trials of one type (i.e.
all AY or all BX trials) in the long delay condition
their z-score for this type of trial was replaced by the mean z-score for their age group to increase statistical power
A main effect of age was observed on error rates only
revealing that 5-year-olds committed more errors (M = 23.2%) than 6-year-olds (M = 15.7%).Trial type had a significant effect on both performance measures
Children committed more AY errors (M = 31.9%) than BX errors (M = 17.8%) thereby revealing their use of a proactive mode of control
BY trials (M = 8.7%) led to fewer errors than AY
planned comparisons indicated that latencies were longer on AY trials (M = 0.77) than on BX (M = -0.15)
Analyses of response time patterns thus confirmed the above conclusion on error rates
The results also revealed a main effect of delay on error rates
revealing higher error rates at the long delay (M = 22.3%) compared to the short delay (M = 16.6%)
A main effect of delay on z-scores was also observed
with shorter latencies at the short delay (M = 0.07) than the long delay (M = 0.23)
only two interactions revealed significant
The interaction between age and trial type was significant on error rates
A Delay × Trial Type interaction was obtained both on error rates and on z-scores
no significant difference was observed between AY and BX trials (M = 31% and M = 25.9%
planned comparisons revealed that both 5- and 6-year-olds presented longer latencies on AY than on BX trials
the difference between latencies on AY and BX trials increased from age 5 to 6
The larger difference between AY and BX trials performance was due a difference between age groups latencies on AY trials: on this trial type
6-year-olds produced slower latencies (M = 0.90) than 5-year-olds (M = 0.63)
Latencies on BX trials (M = -0.09 and M = -0.21
respectively) and BY trials (M = -0.10 and M = -0.19
respectively) did not differ between the younger and the older age group
Performance of 5- and 6-year-olds on AY and BX non-target trial types
Considering that the lack of difference between performance on AY and BX trials in the 5-year-old group could not be interpreted
we explored their performance on these trials further in order to investigate whether there might be two subgroups with differing modes of control
We performed a median split based on the critical difference between the error rates observed in these two kinds of trials
It was plausible that none of the subgroups used a reactive mode of control
and that the average difference between AY and BX trials error rates would remain close to zero in both subgroups
the subgroups could differ in their mode of control: one could have performed the task using reactive control
in which case their AY-BX average should be significantly negative
while the other used a proactive mode and thus should have a significantly positive AY-BX average
below the median difference score) as a between-subjects factor and trial type (AY
We also tested whether this contrast between the two subgroups would persist when considering z-scores
A significant interaction between trial type and group was obtained
Both groups were slower on AY trials than on BX trials
planned comparisons revealed that the difference between latencies on AY and BX trials was larger in the above-median-group than in below-median group
in order to gain a better understanding of children’s proactive vs
reactive characteristics; we compared children’s speed of processing of the two subgroups through latencies on BY trials
This trial is considered as a baseline condition because both cue and probe are associated to non-target responses
Children shown to use reactive control were marginally slower in the more demanding condition (i.e.
in the long delay) than children engaging proactive control (M = 0.22
Performance of the two groups of 5-year-olds on AY and BX non-target trial types
age-related differences were found both on error rates and on z-scores
Error rates analyses revealed important inter-individual differences within the 5-year-olds group and altogether these findings shaped a developmental path towards an increasing efficiency of proactive control with age
Planned comparisons revealed more errors with the long delay than with the short one on AY trials (M = 36.9% and M = 26.9%
whereas error rates on BY did not differ between the two delays (M = 8.6% and M = 8.8%
planned comparisons showed longer latencies on AY trials with a long delay than with a short delay (M = 0.88 and M = 0.65
whereas z-scores on BX trials did not differ between the two delay conditions (M = -0.17 and M = -0.14
In order to assess the development of children’s sensitivity to the preceding context when presented with an X probe, the signal detection index d′ was computed (Lorsbach and Reimer, 2008, 2010) corresponding to a ratio between the proportion of correct responses on AX trials (hits) and the proportion of incorrect target responses on BX trials (false alarms)
It should be noted that this index does not indicate whether participants use reactive or proactive control to perform the task since false alarms on BX trials can be either due to failures in actively maintaining the B cue
or by a failure to retrieve B cue after the occurrence of X probe
the more efficiently the participant used previous goal-related information (A or non-A) to produce a target or a non-target response in response to the X probe
To compare whether 5-year-old children differed from 6-year-olds in their sensitivity to cue information
we ran an ANOVA on d′ values with age (5-year-olds vs
with larger d′ scores in 6-year-olds than in 5-year-olds (M = 0.39 and M = 0.31
showing larger d′ scores in the short than in the long delay condition (M = 0.37 and M = 0.33
the interaction between these two variables was not significant
results on d′ scores revealed an increase in children’s sensitivity to cue information between the ages of 5 and 6
all age groups showed reduced sensitivity to cue information under the long cue–probe delay condition
our findings reveal that the improvement between the ages of 5 and 6 reflects both qualitative and quantitative changes in control
the two groups of children demonstrated the engagement of proactive control
both on error rates and latencies when contrasting their performance on BX and AY trials
We recall that proactive control is reflected by worse performance on AY trials since maintaining cue information is detrimental in this condition due to the high frequency of AX pairs in the task that induces a strong expectation of a target response which then needs to be inhibited when the Y probe is displayed
Whereas this pattern was maintained when considering the older group of children
the picture was less clear-cut in 5-year-olds
who produced similar performance on both types of trials
revealed that this mixed picture was probably the consequence of inter-individual differences among this age group
quantitative differences were observed between younger and older children
6-year-olds appeared more sensitive to cue information in deciding whether or not to produce a target response
corresponding to an increased sensitivity index and less errors on BX trials
They also took longer than 5-year-olds in selecting the non-target response on AY trials
these results suggest that context information was better maintained and guided more closely responses in 6-year-olds
Further studies are thus required to investigate the extent to which proactive control in children is subserved by neural substrates similar to adults’ proactive control
the two subgroups contrasted here revealed marginal differences in terms of speed of processing
children shown to use reactive control were slower in the more demanding condition (i.e.
Although further investigation of their working memory capacities would be necessary
this finding offers a convergent pattern with the error rate analysis
We will discuss further the relations between mode of control and working memory when considering the effect of the delay between cue and probe
We now examine recent results published independently while this study was run that suggest that a shift between reactive and proactive control might occur one year later that is
a new question must be raised: could the differences between the two tasks used to contrast the two modes of control account for the one year difference to observe a shift across the two tasks
We contend that the 3-DCCS is more demanding in terms of active maintenance since the tridimensional stimuli trigger not only the currently relevant rules but also the two irrelevant ones
By contrast the AX-CPT makes proactive control easier to engage since participants do not encounter any stimuli during the cue-maintenance delay
as arising from difficulties to transform the cue into a complete representation of the goal
A more parsimonious interpretation of the lack of shift from one mode of control to another when contrasting the two cue–probe delays could be that
the two delays are either too much or not sufficiently demanding in terms of maintenance
The overall proactive control observed in the two age groups does not support the hypothesis of two delays that would be too demanding; however
this might be at least partly the case for the 5-year-old subgroup that was found to use a reactive mode of control in both delay conditions
one may assume that increasing the cue–probe delay without any additional information to process in the meanwhile is not sufficiently demanding to induce qualitative changes in control
It could be worth testing the effect of another form of WM load manipulation
namely varying the demand of a concurrent processing task during the cue-probe delay
the absence of a shift in the dynamics of control when lengthening the cue probe delay does not mean a lack of impact of this manipulation
More graded measures revealed quantitative changes suggesting that manipulating the delay does affect the working memory load
Children’s efficiency in using the cue information to guide their response to the probe appeared to be lowered with longer delay
when goal-related information has to be actively maintained
preschool age children can encounter difficulties to use it
without demonstrating the use of a pure reactive mode of control
These authors observed this transition one year later using a different task originally designed to assess flexibility
This décalage raises the question of the extent to which this reversal in the temporal dynamics of control depends on the task demand in terms of active maintenance of goal information
Future investigation of this question should lead to a more complex picture of the development of executive control than the probably too simplistic view suggesting that these two modes of control correspond to two developmental stages
Joanna Lucenet and Agnès Blaye designed the Experiment
Data collection was carried out by Joanna Lucenet
Joanna Lucenet drafted the manuscript and Agnès Blaye provided critical revisions
Joanna Lucenet and Agnès Blaye have all approved the final version of the manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest
The present research was funded by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) through grants to Agnès Blaye (ANR-07-FRAL-015 and ANR-ANAFONEX-BLAN-1908-02)
Special thanks to Maria Ktori and Sebastiaan Mathôt for helpful comments
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Citation: Lucenet J and Blaye A (2014) Age-related changes in the temporal dynamics of executive control: a study in 5- and 6-year-old children. Front. Psychol. 5:831. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00831
Copyright © 2014 Lucenet and Blaye. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY)
distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted
provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited
in accordance with accepted academic practice
distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms
*Correspondence: Joanna Lucenet, CNRS, Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, UMR 7290, Aix-Marseille Université, Pôle 3C, 3 Place Victor Hugo, 13331 Marseille, France e-mail:am9hbm5hLmx1Y2VuZXRAZ21haWwuY29t
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The five appellations under the Côtes de Bordeaux umbrella may be small
they are also well-made wines from historic vineyards on sunny hillside slopes
Boasting some of the highest elevations in Bordeaux
blending tradition and unique terroir—as individual as the families who work the land for generations
those are young winemakers with worldly training and knowledge
and a thoroughly modern attitude that gives this region its nickname
First created in 2007 with four appellations—Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux
and Francs Côtes de Bordeaux—the Côtes de Bordeaux region added a fifth appellation
Though originally formed as a collective for promotion purposes
each appellation has become known for its own distinctive personality
“Côtes de Bordeaux winemakers have the opportunity to mix things up
play and experiment,” says Yannick Benjamin
sommelier/owner of Contento Restaurants in New York City
and himself the son of a Bordelaise mother
“They are part of the pedigree of Bordeaux
but are family wines with a unique story and identity to each one,” says Jeff Harding
but proper first wines of an actual estate—often family-owned
The combined Côtes de Bordeaux cover 25,900 acres
compared to the greater Bordeaux region of 272,000 acres
it produces 9 percent (512,400) of Bordeaux’s 5,300,000 hectoliters
The combined Côtes de Bordeaux boast 989 small-production growers to Bordeaux’s 6,460
The Côtes de Bordeaux are known for agriculture on a human scale
“The light has historically been shined on the bigger properties
but there’s a humility and an honesty in the Côtes de Bordeaux—something soulful about the place and the wines.”
While ancestral methods inform the process
the vignerons combine tradition and modernity
“Farming is at another level here: They respect the traditions
The role of water dominates: Situated along the right banks of the historic Gironde
the appellations are also influenced by their proximity to the Atlantic Ocean
The five appellations take their names from “côte”—French for hill or slope—for good reason: the hillside vineyards
are the highest in the greater Bordeaux area
which results in fresh wines with high acidity
the Côtes de Bordeaux feature clay-limestone soils and some with sandy gravel that
along with generally maritime climate conditions and southern and/or southeastern exposures
there is abundant sunshine and less rain than the more Atlantic-facing appellations to the west
the Côtes de Bordeaux see 240 days of sun annually
With vineyards planted by the Romans in the second century
The boom for the Côtes began in the Middle Ages with the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry Plantagenet
which opened up the English market for the wines
Wine was transported by waterway to England and Holland and heralded as luxury wines long before the Médoc vineyard was established
With the end of the English occupation and ensuing wars
as imports capable of enduring transport to the Colonies
Viticultural development of appellations began in the 18th century
nestled among those remnants of French history
family-owned estates define the wine landscape
with an eye toward scalable agriculture that respects the ancient lands
Côtes de Bordeaux is the umbrella appellation
they are known by their regional names with “Côtes de Bordeaux” appended to each
The largest of the Côtes, and situated on the Gironde Estuary facing the Médoc area, Blaye occupies 6500 hectares across 41 communes
the soils are predominantly clay-limestone and to the north
maritime influence creates humid conditions
With 430 winegrowers and three cooperatives
Annual production is predominantly red with 250,000 hectoliters—about 90 percent of production; 15,000 hectoliters are devoted to white wine
Red grape varieties include 70 percent Merlot
The whites are dominated by 90 percent Sauvignon Blanc
followed by 10 percent Muscadelle and Sémillon
thin strip (60km long and only 5km wide) lines the Right Bank of the Garonne River
and traverses from north of Bordeaux to Langon
The hillsides slopes feature limestone soils covered with pebbly gravel on the peaks
clay-limestone at the middle and fine gravel mixed with silica at the foot of the slopes
The appellation is comprised of 2,200 hectares in 39 communes, with 230 winegrowers, and one cooperative. The average estate is 11 hectares, and total production here is 105,000 hectoliters of red wines. Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux is one of the only Bordeaux appellations requiring bottling at the château
Merlot is the dominant variety (55 percent)
followed by Cabernet Sauvignon (25 percent)
Nestled above the Francs Côtes de Bordeaux
Castillon is located 45km east of Bordeaux
Castillon is bordered by Saint-Emilion on the west
Castillon wines were called “près Saint-Emilionnais”
its 2,300 hectares are spread over nine villages
Three cooperatives and 230 growers produce 100,000 hectoliters of red wines
and 25 percent of the vignerons practice organic or biodynamic agriculture
An altitude difference spanning more than 100 meters gives Castillon a more varied climate and soil mix than its sister appellations
Alluvial soils on the edge of the Dordogne River transition to sandy-gravel-clay mixes
and then clay-limestone or marlstone on the higher hillsides
Microclimates here range from a humid maritime to continental on the higher elevations
Castillon is a Merlot-driven appellation with 70 percent of plantings devoted to the grape
followed by 20 percent Cabernet Franc and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon
Sharing the same limestone plateau as Saint-Emilion
AOC-designated in 1967, Francs was
the smallest and most eastern of the Côtes
and its proximity to Saint Emilion means it shares the renown fossil-rich limestone of its neighbors
Francs is small but impressively diverse: 435 hectares traversing three communes
with some of the highest altitudes of the five appellations
Due to its inland and relatively northern position it experiences a dry continental climate—cold in winter and hot in summer
the conditions are ideal for grape growing
It shares a limestone-clay soil profile with its southern neighbor
It is one of only two Côtes de Bordeaux appellations that produces red
and sweet wines made from botrytized grapes
managed by 41 growers and three cooperatives
Red wines dominate here—26,000 hectoliters of Merlot-driven (60 percent) wines
followed by 144 hectoliters of dry white and 50 hectoliters of sweet wines
Other reds include Cabernet Sauvignon (25 percent) and Cabernet Franc (15 percent)
with Muscadelle and Sauvignon Blanc each at about 20 percent of production
The newest, smallest, and most far-flung of the Côtes, Sainte-Foy, nonetheless has great diversity. Covering 350 hectares, with an average estate size of nine hectares, the 21 growers and two cooperatives cover the full gamut of red, white, sweet, and dessert wines.
Anchored by an intact medieval village, Sainte-Foy-La-Grande—a name that both belies and suits this small appellation—the vineyards are spread out over the communes, allowing for a diversity of microclimates, both maritime and continental.
Côtes de Bordeaux uses the same grapes as the greater Bordeaux region—Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and rarely Carménère—though Merlot is the dominant grape here. Approximately 97 percent of its production for all combined appellations is devoted to red wines, as detailed individually by appellation (see above). Just three percent of the region’s production is white, crafted from Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle, and Sauvignon Gris.
For the Côtes de Bordeaux umbrella designation, winemakers can make blends from different terroirs while respecting the AOC rules. The wines are packaged in traditional Bordeaux bottles, with many producers modernizing their labels to appeal to newer wine drinkers.
Wines from the Côtes de Bordeaux offer rich aromas with ripe fruit, roundness on palate with the velvety tannins characteristic of Merlot. They can be enjoyed young, but have enough structure for keeping in the cellar. The styles are versatile, Harding says, noting “Merlot is genius at pairing with vegetable dishes, as a bridge component for spices, root vegetables, nuts, lentils, and mushrooms.”
Part of the new focus on the Côtes is due to the energy infused into the region by its dynamic young winemakers. In this globally and progressively trained generation, enterprising young winemakers work alongside renowned oenologists, and with a growing number of women leading wineries, the future is bright—especially for female-centric wineries in this region.
“There has been an incredible resurgence in the last 20 years with a new generation of farmers who have come after working with other winemakers,” says Benjamin. “You get incredible terroir and the sophistication of the winemaker who has traveled, has been to oenology school, and has very strong global reference points.”
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Nestled up against some of the more famous appellations in Bordeaux
the Côtes de Bordeaux is a union of five appellations on the Right Bank that is known for making fruit-forward red wines
crisp refreshing whites and delicious sweet wines
What they all share is good value and an unfussy
the Côtes de Bordeaux includes wines made from the five separate appellations of Blaye
Francs and (most recently) Sainte-Foy as well the general Côtes de Bordeaux brand that allows winemakers to blend wines from different terroirs
All of the appellations lie on the Right Bank of Bordeaux along the Dordogne and Garonne rivers and their 950 wine producers account for half a million hectolitres of wine every year – that’s one in 10 of every bottle made in Bordeaux
making Côtes de Bordeaux the fourth largest red AOC in the whole of France
small properties that average around 10 hectares each
What this means is that as the younger generation takes over
they are bringing with them an enthusiasm and an attitude that sits well with contemporary tastes – and with an increasing amount of certified sustainable viticulture
That’s not to say these wine producers are new
the Côtes de Bordeaux has some of the oldest viticultural terroir in Bordeaux
with many châteaux dating back to the 12th century and earlier
There are Roman remains to be found around the city of Blaye
along with an UNESCO World Heritage citadel overlooking the Gironde estuary
Cadillac and Francs are full of historic châteaux and ancient churches that date back to the Middle Ages
the Côtes is largely a red wine-producing area with 97% of the wines produced here being red with Merlot the dominant grape
which can be blended with Cabernet Sauvignon
The whites tend to be Sauvignon Blanc blended with Sémillon and Muscadelle
the red wines being made predominantly with Merlot allows them to be more approachable at an earlier stage than if Cabernet Sauvignon was the dominant grape
The wines we have selected range in age from the 2015 vintage through to the 2019 vintage; but one of the beauties of the blending model favoured by Bordeaux appellations is that as vintages vary so a consistent style and level of quality can be achieved by varying the components of the blend and the winemaking process
From its aromas of raspberry and blackcurrant through to its rounded
well-made Blaye red with summer pudding flavours and a lick of cream
A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon that is unoaked and aged in steel
allowing the fresh fruit flavours to dominate
Buy from Jeromes Wine Bar
Elegant nose of red cherries and plums with fresh flowers a hint of spice
The palate is rich and with a good deal of concentration but nicely balanced by the smooth tannins and acidity that comes from the largely limestone soils on the property
A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
Buy from Fareham Wine Cellar
medium-full bodied Cadillac blend of 60% Merlot
and 20% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vinified in steel with staves
vanilla and smoky notes; the palate is structured with fruits of the forest flavours
Buy from Made in Little France
From the top 2016 vintage this attractive Castillon has fruits of the forest on the nose with vanilla and nutshell coming through from the 18 months ageing in two-year-old French oak barrels
On the palate the wine is delightfully light on its feet
precise and detailed with red and black fruits
a wash of citrus and fine-grained ripe tannins that will suit drinking with food
A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc
Buy from Clos Vieux Rochers direct
An elegant nose with mulberry and wild mint; the medium weight mouthfeel has real purity and elegance
A small percentage of barrel ageing gives this wine texture to allow for more cellar ageing
although it’s an excellent choice for food-pairing as it is
30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc
Buy from Wadebridge Wines
A complex bouquet of black fruits with toasty notes and spice – cardamon
black pepper and liquorice – entice you in; the medium-to-full-weight palate is juicy
Oak ageing makes this excellent drinking now or for keeping for the long haul
and 15% apiece of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
Buy from Red Fox Wines
fruity 100% Merlot with a bouquet that boasts red berry fruit (strawberries
red cherries with a touch of cinnamon spice
all helped along by the steel ageing that allows the fresh fruit to sing
Buy from Absolute Organic Wine
ripe cassis nose of this fascinating blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon with 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Carménère
you know that something different is going on here
well balanced with ripe dense tannins and bags of juicy black berry fruit
Buy from Château de Claribès direct
Ageing in a mix of Italian amphorae and French barrels gives this biodynamic
modern claret a twist and a good deal of complexity both on the nose and the palate where it has a fine-grained texture that makes it superb for food pairing
A rich blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc you pick up red and black fruits
dry Morello cherry finish that balances it perfectly
Buy from Majestic
Restored to its original splendour in 1996 this reliable estate consistently produces value-driven everyday wines like this hugely enjoyable blend of 70% Merlot
Nice register on the palate which will make it a winner with food
light on its feet too – you don’t feel the 14.5% abv alcohol
Buy from The General Wine Company
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With the excellent 2000 vintage now available
Ignored by the media and neglected by the trade
over the last decade the regions of Bourg and Blaye have been calmly improving their product and fine-tuning its value for money
This quiet revolution is exemplified by a new quality appellation in Blaye
and Bourg is likely to adopt a similarly enhanced winemaking code in the near future
in real terms they are hardly higher than a decade ago
https://www.decanter.com/features/premieres-cotes-de-blaye-248401/
The port of Bourg lies on a sleep slope at the point where the Garonne and Dordogne rivers meet to form the Gironde estuary
The compact vineyard of the appellation Côtes de Bourg stretches out behind it
with more than 15 communes in a single canton occupying some 3,850ha (hectares)
This countryside is more severely accentuated than the gently undulating Blaye
but it’s more intensely planted with vines
The soils are largely clay-limestone mixed with gravel over harder limestone rock
The essential variety is Merlot (55%) but blended with Cabernet Sauvignon (35%) rather than Cabernet Franc or Malbec (10%)
as might be thought appropriate for these soils
Some 50ha produce a Sauvignon-based white wine
North and east are the vineyards of Blaye which
The vineyards of the local appellations that cover the districts around the town are on clay and limestone soil
the clay-limestone and clay-gravel hillsides alternate with plateaux of clay and flint
though the vineyard plantation has grown from 3,480ha in 1991 to 5,800has in 2001
but a meagre 200ha of Sauvignon-based white wine vineyard exists today
The basic appellation is Premières Côtes de Blaye and the red vine encépagement is similar to that of Bourg
both Bourg and Blaye were major contributors to négociants’ branded Bordeaux reds
Most production never saw casks and was sold off in bulk
but as the better domaines have moved to château-bottling
most vineyards in both regions have been machine harvested and most of the wine reared in tank
but today cuvées are increasingly produced
Many of these are highly commendable and remain good value
although they cost a pound or two more on the shelves
higher quality appellation for the Côtes de Blaye
To be labelled Blaye tout court the grapes will
must come from a reduced harvest (a base of 51hl/ha in 2000 rather than 61hl/ha) and in new plantations from a higher concentration of vines per hectare (6,000 rather than 4,500)
A similar move is under discussion for white Blaye and Bourg is expected to follow
While the wines of Bourg and Blaye are largely similar
there is nevertheless a difference between the two
although this is more marked when one compares basic blends rather than special cuvées
The Blayes are less tannic and mature sooner – today the 1998s are drinkable
but they have more definition and more interest
https://www.decanter.com/features/cotes-de-bourg-248404/
can be quickly exploded by the reality of samples
In both areas there has been an influx of new owners from the outside and changes of generation on the inside
leaves are stripped to allow the fruit to ripen more efficiently
the date of the harvest has been postponed
the fruit is sorted to reject the substandard
new equipment and temperature controls have been installed and new oak has been introduced
but much of this is very recent and a comparison of the 1998 vintage with the 2000 is telling
Apart from Châteaux Grand-Barrail and Haut-Bertinerie
good whites include Château Charron and Cuvée Acacias
Clive Coates MW is author and publisher of The Vine
Metrics details
Working memory is a key component of human cognition and its development throughout childhood a major predictor of cognitive development and school achievement
preschoolers exhibit poor performance in working memory tasks
The present study aimed at testing different means to improve working memory performance in preschoolers
we tested the effect of abstract and transparent goal cues in a Brown-Peterson task performed by 4- and 5-year-old preschoolers
If the transparent goal cue helps to better maintain the instructions
it should lead to better memory performance
the goal cue during the retention interval
If the motor activity favors the active engagement of the children in the task
the finger tracking should lead to improvement in memory performance
Our findings were that 5-year-old children benefitted from a transparent goal cue when they acted on it
while 4-year-old children did not show any improvement
These results suggest that working memory performance can be improved in 5-year-old children when the task embeds elements that can scaffold the task goal
its potential role in working memory has been subject to much less investigation
Yet working memory tasks involve potentially costly goal maintenance during the delay between encoding and recall of the memory items
in particular when a secondary task has to be performed
Inspired by the literature in goal maintenance in task-switching
the aim of the present study was to examine how to improve working memory performance in preschoolers
preschoolers are known for their poor working memory performance
and finding ways to help them performing working memory task can inform us on the mechanisms that support their achievement
our study aimed at testing two types of manipulations
we examined how the degree of transparency of a goal cue (i.e.
contrasting an abstract to a transparent cue) that was introduced between encoding and recall can affect recall performance
we varied the active engagement of the children in the task by introducing a visual or a motor activity between encoding and recall
These manipulations lead to four different conditions performed by 4- and 5-year-old preschoolers to examine how working memory performance was improved
depend on the efficiency of goals maintenance
This may be particularly difficult for young children
mostly compatible lists favors goal neglect
hence an increase of the compatibility effect
suppressing the need for a verbal translation
were even more efficient at supporting goal maintenance than visual ones
Less than a handful of studies have explored the role of goal maintenance in working memory tasks
It is all the more surprising given that studies on executive control suggest that participants who are the most sensitive to the proportion of goal-reminding trials (i.e
conflict trials) are those with the poorest working memory capacity
it seems plausible that preschoolers’ poor working memory capacity might partially result from difficulties in maintaining goals
In an already old study, Istomina19 compared two settings of assessment of free recall to 3-to-7 year-old children
Children were either involved in a situation similar to a laboratory test condition
lists of items were presented and children had to recall them
the lists of items were presented as shopping lists and children had to go to a toy shop and asked for the items to another child playing the merchant
Preschoolers have better recall performance in the play condition than in the laboratory condition
It can be then suggested that the shopping game context have emphasized the task goal (memorizing for further recall) through the provision of a pragmatic relevance to recall
the overall context of the task can then provide some cueing that would help to maintain the task goal
In a similar game situation, Bertrand and Camos20 tested preschoolers’ verbal working memory
The task was also a shopping game in which 4- to 6-year-old children had to memorize lists of verbal items for further recall either immediately after the presentation of the items or after a delay
children had to walk straight to the toy shop or to wait seated in the front of the shop during the delay
Results indicated an increase in recall performance at all ages in the walking condition compared to the waiting condition
Among the different interpretations put forward by the authors
one is suggesting that walking being a goal-oriented motor activity
it may have improved goal maintenance in preschoolers and led to better recall performance
in line with studies on the development of executive control
suggest that when children’s memory capacity is assessed in a goal-supportive context
asking children to perform a motor activity oriented toward the goal may be critical in helping them to better maintain the goal
because children would be more actively engaged in the task
The present study tested this hypothesis by contrasting conditions in which children had or not to perform an action on the goal cue in the retention interval
This working memory task required to maintain information during a retention interval while doing another task
We deliberately chose a secondary task that captures attention (as in most working memory tasks)
thereby making the retention interval meaningful
as the retention delay corresponded to the time needed by the cue to follow its path towards the location of recall of the memory items (i.e.
display of a question mark on the right side of the screen) tracking the cue transformed a void and meaningless delay into a time necessary to accomplish a task-related meaningful activity
One of our aims was to assess whether a visual tracking was enough for children to be engaged in the memory task or whether a stronger engagement through the finger-tracking of the goal cue was preferable
Series of drawings were visually presented one by one on a computer screen with their auditory name
Children had to remember these series for further recall after a retention interval of a few seconds
a shape appeared on screen and moved from left to right
the end of its movement corresponding to recall time
The moving shape was either a geometric shape with no explicit link to the memory task or a transparent goal cue (i.e.
a school bag to carry the pictures to the recall point)
children had to track the moving shape either visually or with their finger
the latter requiring a more active motor involvement
The orthogonal crossing of these two variables (cue: abstract vs
finger) defined the four experimental conditions
Each child was tested in one of the four conditions
and a control condition similar to the visual tracking of the geometric shape
served as baseline to allow cross-condition comparisons due to the between-subject design of our experimental manipulations
Extrapolating from findings in executive control tasks
we expected that a transparent cue favors goal maintenance
preschoolers should exhibit better recall performance in the conditions involving a transparent cue
Regarding the way of tracking the moving shape
finger tracking requires more active motor involvement than visual tracking
This should be specifically critical in the transparent goal cue condition
Finger tracking is more demanding than visual tracking
and it should then be more detrimental for memory performance
because attention is more distracting away from the memory items
the finger tracking could be more beneficial than a visual tracking
recalling) through the virtual “transport” of the pictures (i.e
Finger tracking was thus hypothesized to enhance the benefit from a transparent cue in that the motor activity on the cue should provide continuous support to goal maintenance during the full retention interval
Performance was measured by the number of words correctly recalled
One 4-year-old and seven 5-year-olds were excluded from the analyses due to ceiling performance
Three 4-year-olds and two 5-year-olds outliers (+/− 2 SD) were also excluded from the analyses
Before analyzing recall performance in the experimental conditions
we checked that the groups assigned to the four different conditions did not differ a priori by performing an analysis of variance (ANOVA) in each age group on children’s performance in the control condition
it was important that the groups created by random assignation did not differ from each other to assess the effect of our experimental manipulations
To take into account this between-group difference
we introduced the score in the control condition as a covariate
and analyzed the recall performance in experimental conditions through ANCOVAs
Mean number of words correctly recalled in 4- and 5-year-old children according to cue (abstract vs
we suggested that actively engaging children in the task by asking them to act on the goal cue during the retention interval
could increase the beneficial effect of cue on goal maintenance and recall performance
the goal-oriented motor task may have oriented 4-year-olds attention away from the recall goal maintenance
the working memory improvement observed in 5-year-olds with a goal-oriented tracking echoes findings in the literature on gestural production
interpretation of our findings can also be put forward
The contrasted pattern of results between the 4- and 5-year-olds in recall improvement may inform us on differences about the working memory strategies the two age groups are able to implement
Actively tracking a transparent goal cue seems to provide an optimal context to trigger item maintenance strategies (such as verbal rehearsal or attentional refreshing) in 5-year-olds
It could be proposed that these children have these strategies in their repertoire
outside a context that scaffold the recall goal
this context was not enough to trigger item maintenance strategies
This could be due to these strategies still not yet available in the 4-year-olds’ repertoire
The alternative hypothesis of finger-tracking being too demanding for younger children must however be eliminated before any final conclusion
Although a methodological constraint of the present study does not allow direct age comparisons (see Method section)
the contrasted patterns obtained in 4- and 5-year-olds suggest age-related differences in preschool years
older preschoolers can improve their working memory performance with adequate manipulations
A goal-oriented motor activity involving a transparent goal cue that remains present during the full retention intervals allows to increase memory performance
the first to test the conjunctive impact of goal cues and motor activity on preschoolers’ performance in a working memory task
It showed that a transparent goal cue can positively impact working memory performance insofar as it is associated to a motor engagement that requires its continuous tracking
proposing a goal-oriented gesture on the cue is crucial to boost recall performance
This could have implications for educational settings
which could integrate some motor goal-oriented activity to scaffold memory in young children
One hundred and seventy preschoolers of 4- (83 children
Children were schooled in 6 different schools in Marseille (France) and surroundings
Informed consent was received from a parent or legal guardian for each child
Children also gave verbal assent to participate
Although individual demographic information was not collected
most children were Caucasian and from middle to high socioeconomic status backgrounds
reflecting the demographics of the geographical area
Data were collected from January to June 2016
The study was approved by the ethics committee of the University of Aix-Marseille
and was performed in accordance with relevant regulations
The experiment was organized in two 15-minute sessions
a 15-minute pause was introduced between the two sessions
one was dedicated to the control condition and the other to one of the four experimental conditions
experimental) was counterbalanced across participants
Three different experimenters (2 women and 1 man) collected data
two of them being blinds to the aim of the experiment
The experiment was built on E-Prime 2.0.10 (Psychology Software Tools) and ran on laptops in a quiet room in the children’s school
Control condition and the four experimental conditions in which the presentation of memory items was followed by the animation of either an abstract form
the cue is tracked visually or with one finger
Elements in the animation are not drawn to scale
The name of each memory item was recorded by a male voice and presented simultaneously to its drawing
two lists of items were created and each of them was assigned to one session
The presentation order of the lists was counterbalanced and the presentation order of the items within a list was randomized
This animation was different across condition
The abstract form and the question mark remained on screen until the end of the recall
To make clear that the card represented the memory items
the experimenter used real playing cards in the instruction phase
with the same card back and the same initial dimensions than in the animation and some drawings akin to the memory items on the other side
the experimenter told the child that she was going to see pictures on the screen and that the game was to keep them in her head to recall them later to the experimenter
the experimenter further specified during the instructions phase that these pictures were on cards similar to the ones placed in front of her
different instructions were given on how to track the cue
as children had track the cue either visually or with their finger
During the instructions phase in the transparent cue condition with visual tracking
the experimenter described the animation while it was running
The experimenter then asked the child to tell him what pictures was in the bag
If the child has some difficulties to answer
the experimenter helped by asking what the child had seen before
In the transparent cue condition with finger tracking
the experimenter also described the animation and told the child that she had to touch the bag and to follow it with her finger
the animation was triggered by the experimenter when the child touched the bag
In the abstract cue condition with visual tracking
the experimenter only told the child to look at the movement of the black rectangle (the term “square” was used to facilitate children’s understanding) and did not further comment on the animation
the experimenter asked the child to tell him the pictures she had seen before
In the abstract cue condition with finger tracking
the experimenter indicated to the child to touch and follow the rectangle with a finger
In the same way as in the transparent cue condition with finger tracking
the animation was triggered by the experimenter when the child touched the cue
We presumed that the time to touch the cue after its presentation on screen would differ across age groups
and especially in the transparent cue condition
for which there were several elements on screen to be explored
We then tested first children in the transparent cue with finger tracking to evaluate their time to touch the cue
4-year-olds took longer (1800 ms on average) than 5-year-olds (1100 ms)
to match the retention interval across the 4 experimental conditions
these average durations were added to the 6000 ms of animation
resulting a total delay of retention of 7,800 ms in 4-year-olds and 7,100 ms in 5-year-olds
Such a design with different retention intervals between age groups would not allow to assess any age-related difference in working memory capacity
as ample evidence has been already gathered on the fact that old children outperformed younger in working memory tasks
The aim of the study relied on the comparison between cue conditions according to the requirement to act on the cue
hence asking for same retention intervals between conditions but within an age group
Each experimental session was preceded by a training phase
Children had two trials of one memory item and one trial with two items
children involved in the finger tracking conditions received additional training during five trials where they tracked with their finger one object (different in each trial) moving in different directions
Data can be asked to the corresponding author
La représentation du but dans le contrôle exécutif chez l’enfant
Executive Function Development: Making Sense of the Environment to Behave Adaptively
Individual and age-related differences in children’s working memory
Verbal and visual-spatial working memory: What develops over a life span
The role of goal representation in preschoolers’ flexibility and inhibition
Setting goals to switch between tasks: effect of cue transparency on children’s cognitive flexibility
Use it or lose it: Examining preschoolers’ difficulty in maintaining and executing a goal: REPORT
When knowledge is not enough: The phenomenon of goal neglect in preschool children
The Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS): a method of assessing executive function in children
Working-memory capacity and the control of attention: The contributions of goal neglect
Switch detection in preschoolers’ cognitive flexibility
Inner speech as a retrieval aid for task goals: The effects of cue type and articulatory suppression in the random task cuing paradigm
The development of voluntary memory in preschool-age children
The role of attention in preschoolers’ working memory
The role of goal cueing in kindergarteners’ working memory
Motor skills in Australian children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
lighten working memory load when explaining math
Goldin-Meadow, S. What modern-day gesture can tell us about language evolution. In The Oxford handbook of language evolution (eds. Gibson, K. R. & Talleman, M.), https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199541119.013.0057 (Oxford University Press
Effects of acute bouts of exercise on cognition
Revisiting Snodgrass and Vanderwart’s object pictorial set: The role of surface detail in basic-level object recognition
A standardized set of 260 pictures: Norms for name agreement
BD2I: Normes sur l’ identification de 274 images d’objets et leur mise en relation chez l’enfant français de 3 à 8 ans
Download references
This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Agence Nationale de la Recherche [Binational grant SNSF-100019L_156521 & ANR-14-CE36-0011-01 to V
We thank the Inspecteur de l’Education Nationale of Marseille
The authors declare no competing interests
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
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France - Mark Cavendish nearly lost a shoe in the final stretch but kept his cool to win a rainy 11th stage of the Tour de France in a mass sprint Wednesday
easily beating Andre Greipel of Germany at the line to seize the leading sprinter's green jersey
French rider Thomas Voeckler kept the race leader's yellow jersey after the 104.1-mile trek from Blaye-les-Mines to Lavaur
Cavendish made the most of the last stage designed for sprinters before the race reaches the Pyrenees to claim his 18th stage win at the Tour
It's the most beautiful jersey in the world," said Cavendish
who got an assist from HTC-Highroad teammate Mark Renshaw
Cavendish's efforts were almost ruined toward the end when he hit the front wheel of Frenchman Romain Feillu's bike
"There were 10 of us close together and my shoe banged into his front wheel," Cavendish said
"My foot technically came out of the shoe - I had to reach down and slide the ratchet and redo it with 600 meters to go
I was lucky there were no swerves in the peloton
who took the green jersey from Philippe Gilbert of Belgium
Despite his impressive tally of stage wins at the Grande Boucle
the coveted sprint champion's jersey has so far eluded the 26-year-old Cavendish
11 points behind Alessandro Petacchi of Italy
and second by 10 points to two-time sprint champion Thor Hushovd in 2009
Cavendish pulled out before the Alpine stages in 2008 to conserve energy for the Olympics
Voeckler said he was expecting to lose his yellow jersey during today's 12th stage
which takes the riders on the first of a three-day trek across the Pyrenees with a punishing 131-mile ride over the legendary col du Tourmalet and finishing on top of Luz-Ardiden
The stage is likely to be a key moment of the race
a 6.15-mile ascent with an average gradient of 7.5 percent
With their minds already on the big mountain battle to come
three-time champion Alberto Contador and his rivals stayed comfortably in the pack and didn't take any risks
who has been hampered by crashes this year
trails Cadel Evans of Australia and Andy Schleck of Luxembourg by 1:41 and 1:30
which might be more united than Contador's one," Voeckler said
and his teammates are doing an amazing job for him."
The stage came alive after 8 miles when six breakaway riders - Ruben Perez Moreno
Lars Boom and Andriy Grivko - pulled away under a light rain
The bunch started the chase before the intermediate sprint halfway through the stage
where Cavendish took seventh place ahead of Rojas
HTC-Highroad manager Bob Stapleton said intermediate sprints tired out Cavendish this year after race organizers changed the rules
There is only one intermediate sprint in each stage
with 20 points available to the rider who wins - as opposed to six points in previous years when there were more intermediate sprints
ShareSaveCommentBETAThis is a BETA experience. opt-out hereLifestyleSpiritsVintage 2023: Bright, Creamy Right Bank WinesByTom Mullen
travel and lifestyle from a base in France
Wine appellations below are listed generally from north to south
View from new terrace at Château Petit-Village
80/10/10 blend of Merlot and cabernets from old vines
Malolactic fermentation carried out in barrels and wine aged 24 months in oak
Easy drinking with creamy mid palate flavors of red fruit and even oranges
A 79/17/4 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec from 35-year-old vines
A yin/yang dark/light assembly with flavors of dark chocolate and molasses oscillating with mint crisp and raspberry juice
A wholesome full mouth assembly that is satisfying and balanced
Somewhat linear finish and a few more years will make it optimal for drinking
a 60/30/10 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon
fresh and elegant aromas of dark chocolate
Somewhat creamy and exceptional tannins and crackling acidity
A 70/30 Merlot/Malbec blend from Corinne Chevrier
cassis and red plums with slight pine on finish
Tannins tucked below a more prevalent bath of acidity and fruit
Pair with a bowl of strawberries and chunks of Toblerone
FOR the following, wines, tasting notes are here
From the renowned 13th generation winemaking Chéty family of Bourg
a 60/25/5/10 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc/Malbec
14% alcohol from this appellation that tags itself the ‘spicy side of Bordeaux’ due to its higher inclusion of Malbec than any other Bordeaux appellation
A bright mouthful that combines red fruit with eucalyptus tones
A satisfying drop from the beautifully undiscovered hills of Bourg
Very drinkable now and will age well for decades
An 80/10/10 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon
Light and fresh spring aromas of bramble bushes
raspberries and some scents from an herb garden
Mid palate a rollicking fun and joyous assembly of red and black fruit
lusciously creamy tannins and zipping acidity
Creamy and balanced and harmonious with a long red fruit length
Classic wine that helps elevate Canon-Fronsac to an admirable and respected status
Winemaker Damien Landouar at the top of his craft here
A 90/10 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc to be aged 18 months in oak
Only 13.4% alcohol although the power may give a sense of more
Snappy first nose and aromas of raspberry juice
Full bodied mouthful of dark pleasure here—chewy licorice
slabs of grilled lamb coated in balsamic and textured spices that include black pepper and red pepper on the finish
Somewhat extracted and layered with tannins that are bare and forthright and flushed in an acidic bath
A 74/20/6 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon
Grapes selected from the edge of the plateau of Pomerol with dense planting over deep gravel soils with clay subsoils
Quite the gentle and harmonious floral aromas that include roses and lilacs
as well as aromas of red and black cherries
A harmonious and succulent beauty with a textured and meaty mid palate with flavors of figs
Squeaky acidity that prods your salivation in this tasting rodeo
Blend of 65/25/10 Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon from the second highest point in Pomerol with ample clay
Includes a precise and clean first nose and radiant
complex and layered multiple aromas that include those of blueberries
This vintage aged mostly in 400 and 500 liter barrels to provide better roundness and better flavor integration
crisp and vibrant acidity with flavors of tangerine slices
toffee and licorice in a full bodied wine with a creamy length
Slight eucalyptus as well as crunchy acidity and blueberries on the finish
Consider pairing with a T-bone steak or a blueberry pie
Fresh raspberry aromas as well as a creamy fudge cake and saltwater taffy
A dense and compact chocolate layer cake embedded with red and black cherries and chewy brownies
Delicious three layer assembly here with creamy tannins
tingling acidity and a cocktail with maraschino cherries on the finish
88/12 blend of Merlot /Cabernet Franc that ages for 14 months in oak (15% new) from six coopers
This second wine is made from the younger vines on the estate
Sparky and balanced aromas also include dark plums
Coherent package of dense dark fruit flavors that include cassis and plums as well as some flavors of morels
textured tannins in this wine with heft and excellent structure with a chewy dark caramel/black licorice tingling finish
Drinkable now but even better after 2 years
Complex and balanced aromas of spring florals
Bounteous and beautiful open flavors of blue fruit and shortbread with glitteringly supple acidity and light textured tannins
sparkling mid palate includes the signature 2023 shimmering and commanding acidity
Consider pairing with Szechuan beef or a caramel dessert
Crisp and mature and structured aromas of figs
raspberries and even a sliver of mangos from the acidity
coherent delivery of dark mature black fruit
chewy fudge and even a streak of pear juice
Exceedingly well balanced and with remarkable tannin/acidity tension
Pair with lamb chops and mango chutney or a rice pilaf and grilled winter vegetables
A dark and formidably delicious elixir mid palate here—with flavors of a honey coated duck breast
spicy rum with slices of oranges and a key lime and cherry pie on the finish
Tannins are tight and textured and acidity is brisk
Not certain if this is more vineyard or cellar we are getting here
but the overall effect is layered and attractive
fresh aromas of bright young red fruit that includes wild strawberries
raspberries and yellow plums as well as tarragon
spicy and textured mid palate; a coherent assembly of acid and tannin as well as fruit with a black pepper kick
Pair with pasta and tomatoes and ample fresh herbs or with a ghoulash that includes shallots
this may even contrast and pair beautifully with oysters doused with Mignonette sauce
As bright and as high quality as the same wine from 2020 vintage
as layered and fresh as the 2021 vintage and with still firm
but even creamier tannins than those of the 2019
70/15/15 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon that ages in barrel for one year
A bright and coherent mid palate with a touch of black licorice and black pepper darkness
Flavors sail through the finish with spry acidity
but the mid palate is gripping and the acidity will have you salivating for another glass
A tribute to the Saint-Émilion satellite appellation of Lalande
Pair with teriyaki coated shish kebab or tomatoes stuffed with cous cous
80/15/5 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon from decades old vines and aged 18 months in primarily new oak
Earthy and black cherry aromas as well as hazelnuts
A coherently focused and densely beautiful mid palate with chewy textured tannins
full throttle flavors in a wine that is commanding and appears to be sailing to a known destination
Even higher quality than 2021 and more tightly focused
though with the same meaty mid palate as the vintage 2020
onions and red peppers or a butterscotch parfait dessert
Complex and harmonious aromas include roses
Crisp and unusually harmonious integration of fruit with tannins and acidity
As Hubert de Boürd explained regarding changes to winemaking techniques when necessary: “We are agriculturalists; we are not dogmatic.”
85/10/5 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc from Axelle and Pierre Courdurié
This couple are no strangers to fending off 3:00 am frost by placing candles between vines
Opens up beautifully after minutes in the glass
Creamy tannins (signature of many 2023 wines) and sparking acidity are well integrated
Coherent strands of flavors include raspberries and Dorp licorice mid palate as well as slight salinity
A drop of nutmeg and Swiss roll on the finish
90/10 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc from 30- to 50-year-old vines
As Hubert de Boürd explained during tasting
young vines can produce great wines—but not consistently
Huge aromas of juicy fruits that include sliced red cherries
as well as a hint of blueberries and slight peppers—black and white
I was unable to sample the 2022 vintage due to being out of the country then; however this is the best Carillon I have yet tasted
A chewy but sleek mid palate with textured tannins
Slight well integrated tannic nip at the finish
Beautifully prolonged length and vibrant acidity with freshness partially derived from the edge of the Saint-Émiliion limestone plateau
“The density of the Cabernet Franc adds freshness
vibrancy.” Bring on the grilled steak; for vegetarians
Note the 2024 vintage will be certified organic
This 60/40 Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend includes commanding and shouldered aromas with pronounced black pepper and a bouquet of herbs as well as tar
Soft tannins in this full bodied wine with an unusually full and juicy mouthful mid palate of cherries and cumin with a rainbow and a somewhat attractively chunky finish of black pepper
black pepper and a streak of raspberry juice
vibrant and tense acidity and an earthy mid palate that will make you salivate for steak au poivre
curried lamb or even a bowl of sliced dark plums
Monlot comes through again with crisp fruit and elegant tannins
From winemaker Denis Pomarède and owner Xavier Jean—an 84/11/5 Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Petit Verdot blend
with whole berry vinification used for the Petit Verdot
Aromas of a countryside bramble patch as well as cherry juice
Well assembled layers of diverse flavors—prunes
beautifully structured classic wine with salient acidity and tensely controlled tannins
Elegance in stride for this confident winner
Perky raspberry and red cherry aromas followed by some orange sorbet
A lovely wine—bright cherry and strawberry notes in springy acidity and with deliciously enfolded creamy tannins
Pair with a smorgasbord with multiple flavors of meats
A happy wine that appears to have been made without effort
100% Merlot vinified in 500-liter barrels and aged for 20 months eventually in the same oak from the Allier/Tronçais/Bertranges forests
Spring bouquet of young red fruit including raspberries as well as heather
Exceedingly suave tannins and a crunchy mid palate with piment de esplette pepper on the finish
The most well integrated Calicem yet (although I did not taste 2022)
75/20/5 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon aged in barrels and steel for 18 months
black peppers and the desire to be paired with an open fire grilled duck breast
From the creative and industrious and experimental Alloin family
Light and creamy mid palate with fresh fruit that includes not only red and black fruit but also a slice of kiwi fruit in the acidity
Consider pairing with a fruit compote dessert or a main course of poultry cooked with oranges and Asian spices
A well-integrated set of flavors and textures here—grilled cepe mushrooms
Pair with a goulash or stir fry vegetables doused in soy and sprinkled with poppyseeds
60/40 Merlot/Cabernt Franc blend to be aged 18 months in new oak from Gregory Naulet
A succulent package of nuttiness mid palate
with layered flavors of gorgeous black berries and mocha
Gripping bright acidity and a delicious raspberry and crunchy dark licorice bite on the finish
Pair with cuisse de canard and glazed oranges
This 80/13/7 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon includes husky aromas of oranges
A lusciously integrated package of aromas and coherent and deep flavors partially originate from a vein of blue clay
Coherent flavors of concentrated black and blue fruit and ripe red cherries
Complex and well integrated with elegant tannins
shining juicy acidity with slight orange flavor that tingles on the finish as well as mocha
Tannins envelope the flavors with a taut structure
Lush and integrated aromas of red fruit and slight pine
Crisp acidity; hearty but restrained tannins
90/5/5 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon from Jean-Francois Galhaud based in the center of the town of Saint-Émilion
This red wines includes aromas of red plums
elegant tannins and layered and bright red fruit flavors that include raspberries in an envelope of brilliant and sparky acidity
Jean-Francois recommends pairing this with a bowl of strawberries and sugar
Predominantly Merlot blended with Cabernet Franc
This is a fruit patch in the mouth—luscious blueberries and wild strawberries
Subduing and sublime acidity in this well integrated wine
This second wine from Monlot is now made by a new winemaker in touch with a different team of consultants
The aim here was to create a fruity and easy to drink wine
Pronounced red plums and blackberries mid palate but consistent in quality from previous vintages
A 65/35 Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend to be aged 14 months partially in amphorae as well as in new and used oak as well as concrete
Sleek and then billowing aromas of red plums
intense package of dark black fruit—reminiscent of vintage 2018—with crisp and brittle acidity and layered flavors that include milk chocolate
molasses and fudge mid palate and a mint snap on the finish
a deep and resonating set of dark first aromas—some petrol
A taut and compact and coherent mouthful of dense and delicious flavors—as concentrated as from vintage 2018 but with creamy tannins and shrieking acidity
think lava cake or black cherry tart or even a hit of balsamic marinated chunks of pork
A Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon blend from old vines from Coralie de Boüard
A spring profusion of soft and catching aromas—red plums
balanced mouthful with subtle fruits vying with some acidic tension
A catching and keeping finish and balance with signature creamy 2023 tannins
even light enough for confit de canard or even apple strudel dessert
70/10/10/3/3/4 blend of Merlot/Malbec/Cabernet Franc/Petit Verdot/Carménère/Cabernet Sauvignon that ages 12 months in barrels and tank
Attractive dark fruit aromas—black cherries included—as well as some nuttiness
A light bright and well integrated wine that is deliciously drinkable now and includes flavors of dark licorice
Well balanced with taut tannins and sleek acidity
Pair with oxtail soup or grilled duck breast
80/20 Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend to be aged 16 months in new and used oak
Succulent tannins and a gorgeous mouth feel; flavors of dark and red fruit and some milk chocolate
Red plums and textured crunchy bar on the finish
Pair with shish kebab that includes mangos
100% Merlot from Véronique and Jean-François Julien
Perky fresh aromas still bubbling with youth that include some fudge brownie
Well balanced rounded mouthful with powerhouse flavors that include licorice and—on the finish—dark fudge
Enticing and engaging new face of less tannic Castillon
From Glenda and Frank Kalyk this 100% Merlot is made from 30-year-old vines
a palindrome that reads the same forwards as backwards.) Four weeks of maceration with pumping over help provide a medium body and gentle extraction to this wine
mild and creamy tannins and a mid palate that includes a distinct and attractive melon lilt
vibrant wine that can age but is ready for drinking now
Consider pairing with butternut squash ravioli
70/20/10 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon
creamy flavors of milk chocolate ice cream
Reasonable tannins make this ready to pair with some dish with an Asian lilt
From Jean-Philippe Janoueix—this 50/50 Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend ages in amphorae as well as 500-liter barrels
Young sweet aromas that include earth and chestnuts as well as some tangerine juice and sage
Rounded dark mouthful of roasted chestnuts and red plum juice
strawberries and raspberries as well as some honey
Soft attack of plump juicy fruit that is kept by the aging in concrete; slight nuttiness and a pleasant tannic nip on the finish
Dripping with an acidity that enhances easy drinking
[Tasting notes here.]
60/20/17/3 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc/Malbec
cherry liqueur bon bons and slight sage/gorse
A delicious and delightful package of bright fruit and even some cocoa flavors with a catchy finish that includes a mint/caramel ice cream
creamy tannins and beautiful tension in the mouth
Truly a cave exploration with sparkling jewels on each passage wall
Consider pairing with high grade wagyu beef or a Moroccan tajine with bay leaves
80/20 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend from this right bank producer aged in barrels nine months
Jousting aromas of rich red fruit as well as some peaches and oranges from the acidity
fruit and rich with silky tannins and bright acidity
This is a cherry pie doused with orange juice
Vibrant flavors and a long finish that include figs and mocha
100% Merlot from Philippe Nunes to be aged 14 months in new and used French oak
as well as a hit of florals that include lilacs
Easy drinking plush fresh red fruit mid palate and a slick and textured mouth feel and some spices fresh from the garden on the finish—tarragon
Robust but invisible tannins and juicy black cherries and some butterscotch on the finish
Wow—a feisty spring wine busting with flavors here
and easy to drink with quixotic and springing acidity
From Charente-Maritime north of Bordeaux from Fabrice Papin
A Merlot/Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon blend from the right bank
Plush initial aromas of red cherries and strawberries and a spring garden bustling with vitality
A delicious light combination of bustling energetic red fruit flavors screaming for release inside a swaying bath of crinkly acidity
Not complex but coherent flavors focused on bristling red fruit
Unexpected surprise from this corner of Bordeaux
Pair with onion consommé and garlic bread or a Mediterranean mezze plate
From winemaker Damien Landouar comes this 93/7 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon with generous and varied aromas including blue fruits
harmonious expression of fruit and slight mocha
Beautifully integrated and semi complex set of layered flavors with pine on the finish
succulent acidity bathes components and integration is overall sleek
Consider pairing with mezze Mediterranean fare
FOR the following, wines, tasting notes are here.
Volume 5 - 2014 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00565
This article is part of the Research TopicFrontiers in the Acquisition of LiteracyView all 14 articles
An important aspect of learning to read is efficiency in accessing different kinds of linguistic information (orthographic
in addition to the integrity of such linguistic skills
early progress in reading may require a degree of cognitive flexibility in order to manage the coordination of this information effectively
Our study will look for evidence of a link between flexibility and both word reading and passage reading comprehension
and examine whether any such link involves domain-general or reading-specific flexibility
As the only previous support for a predictive relationship between flexibility and early reading comes from studies of reading comprehension in the opaque English orthography
another possibility is that this relationship may be largely orthography-dependent
only coming into play when mappings between representations are complex and polyvalent
60 second-graders learning to read the more transparent French orthography were presented with two multiple classification tasks involving reading-specific cognitive flexibility (based on words) and non-specific flexibility (based on pictures)
Reading skills were assessed by word reading
and passage reading comprehension measures
Flexibility was found to contribute significant unique variance to passage reading comprehension even in the less opaque French orthography
the data also show that flexibility is critical in accounting for one of the core components of reading comprehension
the results constrain the debate over whether flexibility has to be reading-specific to be critically involved in reading
Executive function (EF) serves as an umbrella term for the control functions that monitor the cognitive processing involved in complex, goal-oriented tasks (Miyake et al., 2000; Best and Miller, 2010). The “unity and diversity” view of EF (Miyake et al., 2000; Miyake and Friedman, 2012)
emphasizes a common underlying ability to maintain task goals (unity)
together with three distinguishable components (diversity)
inhibition of prepotent responses and updating of working memory representations
The differences between these outcomes will be explored in the sections to follow by examining the tasks used
the type of reading skill and the domain specificity of flexibility skills
Cartwright (2002) provided evidence for this latter claim by studying the cognitive flexibility of English-speaking second to fourth graders in relation to their reading comprehension. A general flexibility task (Bigler and Liben, 1992) was administered
requiring double classification of sets of line drawings of objects into a 2 × 2 matrix using visual (same color) and semantic (same superordinate category) dimensions simultaneously
Cartwright also examined a form of reading-specific flexibility
which involved classification of written words into a 2 × 2 matrix according to phonological (same initial phoneme) and semantic (same superordinate category) criteria
The results indicated that reading-specific flexibility contributed unique variance to reading comprehension beyond the (significant) contributions of age
pseudo-word naming and oral language comprehension
demonstrated that a group receiving a short training in reading-specific flexibility using the matrix classification task exhibited a significant improvement in reading comprehension at post-test
which was not observed among groups receiving training in general flexibility or in a control task (dominoes)
In a later study, Cartwright et al. (2010) showed that general and reading-specific flexibility both improved between 1st and 2nd grades and that this improvement was not explained by increases in decoding ability
While each type of flexibility correlated with reading comprehension
reading-specific flexibility again proved to be a robust and independent predictor of reading comprehension among these younger children
whereas general flexibility contributed no additional variance beyond reading-specific flexibility
Cartwright argues that this set of findings constitutes evidence that cognitive flexibility plays an important role in reading development
that the component most crucial to progress is domain-specific
Recently, Kieffer et al. (2013) found that flexibility in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test correlated with reading comprehension but not with performance in a task measuring letter and word identification among their Grade 4 readers from low-income backgrounds
The results of path analyses indicated that flexibility was a significant and independent predictor of reading comprehension beyond the control variables (letter/word identification
Flexibility also made an indirect contribution to reading comprehension via language comprehension
which the authors interpreted as indicating that higher levels of flexibility may confer advantages in reading for meaning
there may be less need for them to resort to other sources of information
raising the question of whether flexibility is critical for early reading comprehension in more transparent orthographies such as French
A second, and related, objective is to test whether flexibility influences the reading of words in isolation as suggested by Berninger and Nagy (2008). Developmental models of reading comprehension give a central role to recognition of the written words that make up the sentences, paragraphs and text to be understood (Gough and Tunmer, 1986; Perfetti et al., 2005)
Text reading comprehension is engaged by accessing the semantic code of words via visual recognition and the language processing mechanisms assemble these words into messages
The quality of access to word representations is critical within this framework and this dependence on the activation and manipulation of different codes (phonological
semantic) makes it seem plausible that flexibility could play a role in this key aspect of reading comprehension
we attempt to answer this question with a single word reading task that requires activation not only of formal codes (phonological
allows examination of whether flexibility contributes to reading comprehension via the recognition of words in isolation and access to their meanings
While Cartwright’s results could be considered as support for this view
the contrast between her reading-specific and general flexibility tasks were not entirely conclusive
participants had to sort line drawings of objects by color and by the superordinate category that the objects referred to
whereas in the reading-specific flexibility task
they had to sort words by their initial phoneme and by the superordinate category that the words referred to
two potential sources of difference were confounded: the tasks differ both in terms of sorting criteria (perceptual/semantic versus phonological/semantic) and the kind of stimuli to which these criteria are applied (written words versus pictures)
previous work remains inconclusive about which of the two features (stimuli versus criteria) is related to reading
our study manipulates stimuli while keeping criteria equivalent (phonological/semantic)
the present study aims to investigate three important questions: (1) Is flexibility necessary in learning to read orthographies that are less opaque than English
(2) Does flexibility play a role in word reading as well as reading comprehension
and (3) Is the flexibility that is associated with reading
The participants were 60 second-graders (36 girls and 24 boys) from five schools with a middle-class catchment area in Aix-en-Provence in France (mean age: 7.63 years; SD = 0.30 years)
In line with French Institutional and National regulations
in which it is explicitly explained that they can refuse to allow their child to participate without consequence for them or their child; and (4) children’s final enrollment was based on their own voluntary participation
There were three additional inclusion criteria: (1) native speakers of French; (2) a reading level at least at chronological age on the French standardized test, “l’Alouette” (Lefavrais, 1967); and (3) non-verbal reasoning skills above the 25th percentile using the Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices (PM47, Raven et al., 1995)
The Alouette test is standardized for children aged from 5 to 14 years and involves reading aloud a text of 265 words as quickly and accurately as possible
The text contains real words in meaningless but grammatically correct sentences
Performance is converted into a reading age according to a standardized procedure taking account both of total reading time and accuracy
Sixty pseudo-words between 2 and 6 letters in length (e.g.
pirda) were presented on a sheet of paper (10 pseudo-words per line)
All were regular with regard to grapheme–phoneme correspondences but 20 contained graphemes whose pronunciation was context-dependent (i.e.
s = /s/ or /z/; g = /g/ or /j/; c = /k/ or /s/)
The number of pseudo-words read aloud correctly within one minute was recorded
Word reading. Both the recognition and comprehension of words was assessed by asking children to read a list of 108 words silently and to circle any animal names (n = 50). Items were selected from the 1000 most frequent words in Manulex (Lété et al., 2004) and distractors came from semantic categories such as fruits
The word list was distributed across 18 lines of text (six words per line
Animal names increased in difficulty according to length and regularity of grapheme–phoneme correspondences
The number of animal names circled correctly within one minute was recorded
The error rate was negligible (M = 0.05; SD = 0.02)
The first assessed the comprehension of short passages of text
Children read each sentence aloud and then traced a route on a map (e.g.
Je vais du garage à la poste en passant par le parc [English translation: I go from the garage to the post office through the park])
Children could return to the text as often as they needed to
children read aloud sentences referring to action sequences and then mimed what they had just read (e.g.
je prends le plus petit rond et je le mets sur le sol [English translation: With the other hand
I take the smallest circle and put it on the ground])
This test evaluated comprehension of anaphors (e.g.
Je prends le grand carré avec une main et je le mets dans la boîte [English translation : I take the big square with one hand and I put it in the box]) and spatial terms (e.g.
Je le pose ensuite entre les deux ronds puis sous la boîte [English translation : Next I put it between the two circles then under the box])
a score was computed as a ratio of the number of correct actions to total time taken (in seconds)
Two double classification tasks were derived from those used by Cartwright (2002)
with the constraint of avoiding the potential confusion between the two types of differences that were present in the original versions of the tasks: (i) Word Flexibility – this was reading-specific as it involved the classification of printed words; and (ii) Picture Flexibility – this required classification of drawings and did not involve reading
Both tasks demanded the simultaneous processing of two dimensions: phonology and semantics
The experimenter first demonstrated the sorting of a set of 12 stimuli into a 4-cell matrix
explaining that sorting could be accomplished in two ways: According to what can be heard at the beginning of the picture name/word (phonological criterion) and according to the sorts of things the drawings/words referred to (semantic criterion)
She then double-classified the 12 cards into the matrix
commenting on her performance: As you can see
I’m putting all the things starting with /p/ (pear
peach) into this row; and all the things starting with /b/into this row …
I’m putting all the fruits … and in this one
Children then sorted five new sets of 12 cards and were asked to comment on each double classification
Two points were awarded for each correct double classification with both criteria described verbally; 1 point for evidence of double classification in either card sorting or verbal justification; and 0 for any other performance
Response time (in seconds) for each sorting trial was also computed
Performance was averaged across the five stimulus sets for each task and a flexibility score was computed as a ratio of accuracy to response time: (Acc/RT)*10
The children were tested in a quiet room within their schools over four sessions as follows: (1) Alouette reading
passage reading comprehension; (3) word flexibility
pseudo-word decoding; and (4) picture flexibility
The order of the last two sessions was counterbalanced
Table 1 describes participant characteristics and performance on the reading and cognitive flexibility tasks
Although z-scores are used in the regression analyses
untransformed scores are presented here for ease of interpretation
The children’s mean reading age (M = 94.65 months; SD = 7.34; Range = 85–119) was ahead of chronological age [t(59) = 2.89
picture and word flexibility scores (N = 60)
Correlations between variables are also reported in Table 1
As no significant correlations were observed involving chronological age or PM47
these variables were not entered in the final regression analyses
A preliminary series of regression analyses was also conducted
which established that inclusion of PM47 scores did not alter the pattern of results reported in the final analyses
Word flexibility scores correlated positively not only with word reading and passage reading comprehension but also with pseudo-word decoding; whereas picture flexibility scores did not correlate significantly with pseudo-word decoding
but showed a positive association with the two reading measures that involved the processing of meaning (word reading
Hierarchical regression analyses predicting passage reading comprehension with (A) word flexibility entered before picture flexibility; and (B) with picture flexibility entered before word flexibility
Word flexibility explained approximately 10% of the concurrent variance in passage reading comprehension over and above the more traditional linguistic predictors
after controlling for picture flexibility in Analysis B
picture flexibility failed to explain any additional variance regardless of entry position
Two new regression analyses were conducted with word reading as the criterion variable (Tables 3A,B)
Decoding was entered as the first predictor
accounting for more than 28% of the variance
Picture flexibility contributed 4.8% of additional variance when entered before word flexibility
did not add any explanatory variance when entered after word flexibility
Word flexibility explained an additional 10.4% of the variance when entered before picture flexibility and 5.7% of the variance when entered on the final step; hence
confirming the critical role of the reading-specific
Hierarchical regression analyses predicting word reading with (A) word flexibility entered before picture flexibility; and (B) picture flexibility entered before word flexibility
Our exploration of the concurrent relationship between cognitive flexibility and early reading had three main objectives: (1) to investigate whether flexibility is involved in learning to read an orthography that was more transparent than English
the French orthography; (2) to examine the type of reading skills that are associated with flexibility
word reading and/or reading comprehension; and (3) to clarify whether domain-general or domain-specific cognitive flexibility mediates any such relationship with learning to read
but phonological-semantic flexibility in the specific context of written words
our contention is that this simultaneous maintenance of two perspectives may be a critical component of developing reading skills due to the need to coordinate the multiple types of information contained in print
Of course, in order to conclude that this task difference is critical, it will be important to rule out the influence of other differences between the two studies. Other differences include the reading measures used. Monette et al. (2011) employed a composite score based on word reading
and reading comprehension items from the French version of the WIAT-II administered in a group setting
whereas our reading tasks were administered individually and included the standardized Alouette reading test and separate assessments of specific literacy skills
Our intention was to obtain as accurate a picture as possible of the literacy skills that were related to flexibility and to exert control for other more well-known predictors of word reading and reading comprehension such as decoding ability; however
how far this objective was achieved remains to be established empirically
As cognitive flexibility develops relatively late
our future work will include a longitudinal component to examine the coordination of phonological and semantic information in reading in relation to emerging flexibility at key points throughout preschool and elementary school
which should offer some causal insight into the role of flexibility in reading acquisition
these data contribute to the recent and rapidly growing field investigating the role of EF in reading acquisition
Flexibility in coordinating the processing of phonological and semantic information emerged here as a significant correlate of second grade word reading and passage reading comprehension in French
cognitive flexibility had greatest power as a predictor of comprehension
over and above traditional linguistic skills
when the matrix classification measures involved the manipulation of written words rather than pictures
Further research is required to explore our conclusion that the predictive value of this type of flexibility is a consequence of the need for an orthographic reading procedure that simultaneously generates phonological and semantic codes for subsequent processing to achieve comprehension
The authors would like to express their gratitude to the children and staff at the schools who participated in this research
Assessment and development of executive function (EF) during childhood
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working memory and executive functioning in preschoolers: longitudinal predictors of mathematical achievement at age 7 years
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Roles of Attention shifting and inhibitory control in fourth-grade reading comprehension
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Helping children apply their knowledge to their behavior on a dimension-switching task
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MANULEX: a grade-level lexical database from French elementary school readers
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Citation: Colé P, Duncan LG and Blaye A (2014) Cognitive flexibility predicts early reading skills. Front. Psychol. 5:565. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00565
Copyright © 2014 Colé, Duncan and Blaye. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY)
*Correspondence: Lynne G. Duncan, School of Psychology, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, UK e-mail:bC5nLmR1bmNhbkBkdW5kZWUuYWMudWs=
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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We wanted to diversify and bought a vineyard in Blaye in 1992
It was my husband who first managed the vineyard
I took part in it from quite a distance at the time
Corinne Chevrier says there is now a lot of “Girl Power” driving winemaking across Bordeaux
Why and how did you choose a career in wine
We can say that I didn’t really choose this profession
I knew the difficulties but also the happiness that we could find there
I had no choice but to continue what we had set up and
How did you learn the skills you need as a winegrower
My husband was an engineer and I had a sales degree
We were first followed by an oenologist who taught us a lot
I helped my husband in the cellar and in the vineyard for everything that was manual
who taught me how to drive the tractor when his father retired in 2010
Explain your current role with regard to the wines you produce
the scale of production and the style of wines you make
when I took over the controls of the liner
I followed the recipes like in a restaurant
but very quickly chose to add my own touch
we don’t want to drink the same wines anymore
We are ageing in vats to recover the fruit and we just invested in amphoras
which seem very promising.Our property has 12 hectares in production
What do you find most rewarding in your role
I’m delighted when customers come to see us and buy some of our wine and recommend it to their friends
It’s what gives me the energy for each day
Corinne Chevrier and her mostly female team at Château Bel-Air La Royère where she only has one male employee
It’s like a sword of Damocles over our heads
How have you found it as a woman working in the role you have as a winemaker
It was easy for me to settle in well as a woman winemaker in Blaye
Bordeaux wines are produced by family-run estates
husband and wife work together: she deals with administrative matters
sometimes works in the vines; he runs the vineyard and the cellar
This scheme tends to disappear as a lot of women settle by themselves
I can say that we need to know everything and be able to hire qualified employees if we need
It is not always an easy tasks but thanks to modern tools
What advice and support would you give to other women who want to work in wine
We often lack self-confidence and I think we should do
Corinne Chevrier says she has learnt winemaking by working in the vineyards and the experience you get from one harvest to the next
What would you like to see the industry in general do to be more inclusive
Women are having more and more of a say whether it is in viticulture
It may be necessary one day to put on parity policy otherwise there will only be women 😉
We are real people: you have a man or a woman behind the bottles
We love welcoming guests as visiting other vineyard and improving ourselves
Do you consider that these measures are being taken and
Some winemakers have launched informal individual initiatives
Do you see yourself in a leadership role as a woman in the trade – if so
what steps and influence do you hope to have
I think my female colleagues in Blaye and I are part of a great group
We can talk about our different points of view; we call our group “Girls Power”
I hope this will encourage other young women to become winegrowers and come and meet us
What have been the latest steps and innovations that you have introduced in your wines and vineyard to improve their quality
It was previously in Integrated Pest Management
We are experimenting with Malbec and Merlot I hope to buy others next year
I would be delighted to continue to train young people and more particularly young girls to become winemakers
It is not always easy but finally what a pleasure to give birth to a new child each year…
ShareSaveCommentLifestyleSpiritsThese Siblings’ Wine Brand For China Also Sells Hospitality In FranceByTom Mullen,
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about wine, travel and lifestyle from a base in FranceFollow AuthorJul 08, 2023, 05:21am EDTShareSaveCommentChâteau Borgeat de Lagrange in Blaye, Bordeaux, France
On a Saturday afternoon in July I met Estelle Borgeat outside Le Sobre wine bar and restaurant in the city of Bordeaux in southeast France.
Estelle—a French woman fluent in English and Mandarin—spent five years living in China where she and her brother Tristan developed a market to sell Bordeaux wines. Three years ago she returned to renovate a château they purchased in the town of Blaye (pronounced BLYE) in Bordeaux in southeast France. This was Château Lagrange—listed in 1872 as producing a wine then classified as a First Growth for the local Bordeaux appellation.
We ordered glasses of Bordeaux white wine. Estelle then told her story—essentially one of helping decipher French culture for others.
‘I went to China in 2015 and joined my brother who had been there for seven years. We work well together and had this idea of working in wine. Our family had been involved with wine for generations in the Médoc region—but that stopped at my grandfather’s generation and skipped my parents. So I never knew those wineries, but I think we have that in the blood.
‘The wine brand concept works well in China because it’s a new market. Wine is relatively new to their routine, so people identify quite easily with a brand. Our brand has a range of different wines and prices and styles. We have fourteen wines, so people can select really different kinds. They are still buying a Maison Borgeat wine but can have a light and fruity red, or a bold and oaky Médoc.
‘I arrived in Blaye, Bordeaux, after five years in China. That was quite a culture shock. Just going from very city life to the countryside. But I actually love it. I would not be able to go back to city life now. We bought the château and renovated it quite a lot. We also have an old winemaking building we want to renovate. Our idea is to recreate the original vineyard and winery, because it used to be a very well-known in Blaye.
The 2022 ‘1856’ wine is a bright, light, easy drinking wine with flavors of blackberries and raspberries and some oranges on the finish. Maison Borgeat produces up to 80,000 bottles per year.
‘Another wine we do not produce in house, but have been selling for eight years is Maison Borgeat Les Civilles. An explosion of fruits and some violets. Every year we change the label image—each vintage includes a different painting from my grandmother, who painted a lot as a hobby. Seaside scenes usually. The name Les Cevilles is the name of a house we had on the seafront, but is also the name of an ocean and estuary sea food.
‘I actually just got my winemaking degree a couple days ago. I learned everything about vineyard management and enology. Am very excited. I wasn’t expecting the diploma to be so difficult because I don’t have a scientific background. I studied commerce, economics and languages. So going from that to agriculture was quite a challenge. Enology is a lot of biology and chemistry.
‘I feel passionate about the whole idea of the project because of the environment/ ecosystem of having the château with vineyards and the estuary and recreating what it used to be like in the 19th century. Trying to bring it back to its former glory. It’s beautiful.’
January saw some 30 independent French winegrowers come to London for a tasting at the Vinyl Factory in Soho
The tasting’s claim was French Independent Winegrowers = Wines with personality
And it was definitely true: a roomful of winemakers showing 200 wines with new cuvées
indigenous varietals and interesting use of winemaking techniques
including low sulphur and carbonic maceration with Carignan
From an aesthetic point of view I also loved the tasting booklet
looking a bit like a mini Crack magazine or something you might find on the music scene
“How does it feel when you find the right one?”
Incidentally the French Independent Winegrowers is an association with over 7,000 members promoting the profession of vine growing and creating wines with personality
There are five membership criteria that means a grower has to farm their own vineyard
bottle on their own estate and sell their own wine
Below are some of the wines that I discovered at the tasting and are available in the UK. For a full list of the winegrowers present click here
(represented in the UK by French Bubbles)
The lovely Mathilde Bouillac presented her wines to me
Jean Pierre took over the family property nearly 20 years ago
acquiring new land which they were able to plant with their own vines
Cold pre-fermentation maceration in stainless steel tanks
The palate is intensely fruity with fresh blackcurrants and redcurrants
Bouillac creates cuvées that are created from Bordeaux’s slightly more forgotten varietals: Malbec and Petit Verdot
Two varietals that are often shoved slightly aside by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
The Malbec here is allowed to shine in its own right here
Les Mains Sales is an allusion to how the wine is made
The Bouillac winemakers chose to focus on Petit Verdot and Malbec in their nursery
whereas in this region Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon may be popular
but aren’t necessarily the correct choices
(represented in the UK by Inverarity Morton)
that is highly focused on its production in the Côtes-du-Roussillon (also producing wine across the world) with some fascinating wines; I love the direction this company is moving in
The climate here is ideal for producing wines without sulphites
The schist stores heat at night to ensure homogenous maturation of the bunches
figs and lots of herbs with a little spice and some violets on the finish
Lovely aromatic wine with a fresh yet rather powerful body
(represented in the UK by Yapp Brothers)
An exceptional range – every single wine impressed me
Violets and zingy frozen raspberries as well as some fresh blackcurrant and a little garrigue on the finish: a very long finish
Carignan old vines (100% carbonic maceration)
Very impressive wine; a wine that leaves a lasting impression
Francs and Sainte Foy bring together a collection of dynamic winemakers at the forefront of Bordeaux’s spirited and environmentally-conscious wine scene
Their success on a certification level is to be celebrated
as are their efforts with the brilliant 2020 vintage in which there are plenty of wines to recommend in both red and white styles
This tasting covered almost 160 wines from the five appellations with the final selection detailing 100
though we could have included many more if space would have allowed
This is a vintage that has delivered a generous crop of wines demonstrating fruit purity
freshness and aromatic appeal for both the reds and whites
A run of great vintages saw 2018 producing full bodied and opulent wines with excellent cellaring potential while 2019 delivered freshness and elegance
concentrated fruit and good acidity levels
with both approachability and capacity to age
Cadillac and Francs produced an array of exceptional wines but there are brilliant examples to be found everywhere
A small selection of white wines were also included
reflecting the 5% of overall production dedicated to this style
While many are mouthwatering and lively on the palate
there are a number that are rich and full with unctuous textures perfect to age or to pair with hearty meals
Fragrance and aromatic intensity is also at the fore
with the vintage providing excellent conditions for slow ripening and perfect grape maturity
Vineyard locations on hills (or côtes) provide ideal soils for quality winemaking with a range of terroirs across the five appellations
Limestone dominates in Castillon and Francs where Cabernet Franc accents Merlot -the main grape used across all appellations – while clay and gravel feature in Blaye
Cadillac and Sainte-Foy where Cabernet Sauvignon is also used in the blend
Petit Verdot and Malbec appear in small percentages throughout
Proximity to the ocean (Blaye) as well as the two rivers; Garonne (Cadillac) and the Dordogne (Castillon/Francs/ Sainte-Foy) also affects the resulting style
The majority of estates in Bordeaux’s second largest appellation – with close to 1,000 producers – are small and medium- sized and often family owned
run by multi-generational vignerons or by a collection of new
each keen to demonstrate the best of their know-how and reflect their unique vineyard terroirs as well as work as consciously and harmoniously with nature as possible
having labels that demonstrate these practices is increasingly important for winemakers as is finding new innovative initiatives to showcase the best of the Côtes
sulphur-free bottlings as well as the use of amphora
This is a region that is constantly evolving and pushing the limits of respect for the land and quality winemaking
This was a thoroughly enjoyable tasting with such an array of fantastic wines representing great value for wine lovers across the Côtes de Bordeaux
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A comparatively short jaunt around Southern France begins in Blaye-les-Mines
a picturesque town situated on the banks of the river Tarn which numbers the Cathedral of Saint Cecilia
the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum and a "painfully beautiful" giant crater (the legacy of a a once-thriving open coal mining industry) among its tourist attractions
a small medieval town which stands on the left bank of the Agout
it boasts a monument erected in memory of Dame Giraude de Laurac who was thrown down a well and stoned to death during the wars of the Albigenses in 1211
"More lumpy roads through the Tarn but not as grim as the day before," writes Guardian cycling correspondent Will Fotheringham in our indispensable interactive guide to the Tour de France
"The sprinters and their teams will be eyeing this one
It's short and should be fast and controlled and Cavendish will be the favourite."
Although magnanimous in defeat after being overtaken by his former team-mate André Greipel in yesterday's closing metres
Mark Cavendish is certain to be pumped for revenge in a stage that represents one of very few remaining chances of glory for the Manxman in this year's Tour
Video: View highlights of yesterday's stage above
Mark Cavendish @markcavendish: "Just took the surgical dressing of my saddle sore
#aaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhh Maybe shaving just my legs isn't enough."
Mark Cavendish @markcavendish: "Had dinner with warriors I call my teammates
Incredible how they stay upbeat after riding so hard all day & I don't finish the job #legends"
Greipel rode it perfect & got speed by running up on me"
The gizmo above is our link to Citizenside
whose goal is "to create the largest online community of amateur and independent reporters where everyone can share their vision of the news by uploading photos and videos for fellow reporters to see." In short
it's lots of photographs from the Tour de France
so feel free to explore by scrolling through using the arrow keys
Thomas Voeckler (France/Europcar) 42hr 06min 32sec 2
Luis Leon Sanchez (Spain/Rabobank) +1min 49sec 3
Cadel Evans (Australia/BMC Racing) +2min 26sec4
Fraenk Schleck (Luxembourg/Leopard) +2min 29sec 5
Andy Schleck (Luxembourg/Leopard) +2min 37sec 6
Tony Martin (Germany/HTC-Highroad) +2min 38sec7
Andreas Kloeden (Germany/RadioShack) +2min 43sec 9
Philippe Gilbert (Belgium/Omega Pharma - Lotto) +2min 55sec 10
Jakob Fuglsang (Denmark/Leopard) +3min 08sec
Full standings ...
Stage 11 so far: With 79 kilometres down and 88 to go
a group of six riders has broken clear of the peloton and opened a gap of 3min 18sec
Tristan Valentin (COF) and Jimmy Engoulvent (SAU)
the peloton is being pushed along by a tailwind and the intermediate sprint is looming
2.10pm: The escape party pass get their knees pumping for the intermediate sprint
2.11pm: "Not sure I can remember a day in the Tour when the three main jersey holders honoured their jerseys as much as yesterday
with the maillot jaune and vert attacking together on the last climb and the maillot a pois fighting through injury," writes Graham Fulcher
who is somehow able to see the screen of his computer monitor despite having gone all misty-eyed
"Hoogerland will definitely lose the polka dot jersey on Thursday and Vockler will lose yellow in the Pyrenees
However Greipel's win yesterday could really compromise Gilbert's chances of keeping the green jersey as well
Despite what they said yesterday there has clearly been tension in the Omega team between Gilbert sprinting for points and Greipel for the win
Had Greipel lost to Cavendish again yesterday Gilbert would have had justification for asking for the strategy to be switched solely to him
When (as I expect) Cavendish takes the stage today the gap between he
Rojas and Gilbert could narrow significantly
The question will then be how many points does Cavendish lose to the others on intermediate sprints in mountain stages."
Today's Tour de France coverage has gone from late to farcical - due to having to field a phone call
I managed to miss the bunch as they completed the intermediate sprint
I'm fairly certain I saw yesterday's stage-winner Andre Greipel flash past the line first of the green jersey contenders
How the green jersey contenders fared in the intermediate sprint: 7th: Cavendish (nine points)
In other news: AG2R La Mondiale rider John Cadret failed to sign on for the race today
He was the first man to be shelled out the back of the peloton on the final climb yesterday and has not been riding well
the gap between the six-man breakaway group and the peloton is 3min 16sec
It will be astonishing if this stage isn't decided by a bunch sprint finish
@fmk_RoI: "@BGlendenning How bout some news from back of peloton 2day? Last chance 4 lanterne rouge contenders 2 buffer up b4 mtns "
Infostrada Sports @Infostrada2012 "Cavendish claims green jersey if he wins today's #TdF stage and if Gilbert does not finish in Top 5 and Rojas does not finish in Top 2."
The good news is that my knee was fine this morning when I woke up
but it was fine all day and I had no problems
I think my easier-than-normal rest day on Monday paid dividends today
I would have done almost three hours' riding
but the pain in my knee meant I turned back after 20 minutes and spent most of the day in bed reading my book and actually resting
About a half an hour before the start today it started lashing hailstones
We all dived for the cover of the team bus and were busy changing our sunglasses to clear lenses and putting on rain jackets when Maxime Bouet said he still had to go and sign on
some of the big riders would just sit on their buses until the last minute if it was raining and ride off without the crowd having the opportunity to see them in the flesh signing on before the start
Article continues ...
Omega Pharma-Lotto rider Andre Greipel is now back on more mundane duty at his team car
stocking up on water bottles for his team-mates
It's always interesting to see how many bidons a rider can stuff down his shirt before heading back to the peloton to hand them out; somebody once told me the riders have an ongoing competition to see who can carry the most and the record is 16
Last year this site was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site."
He looked pretty clean over the last week-and-a-half."
the gap between the six-man breakaway and the peloton is coming down - it's currently 2min 37sec
3pm: Nothing to do with cycling department: News Corporation has withdrawn its bid for BSkyB
there are only some many reeled-in breakaways that a man can watch
Tomorrow we'll finally get a chance to see who's in good form
and to see the pack being reduced to a dozen riders with everyone going off the back
Have a feeling my fellow Evans will struggle and that Andy Schleck should take a big stride towards his first TDF tomorrow."
3.04pm: "Stefan Schumacher 'der Rad-Schumi' also 'looked pretty clean' during his disastrous Beijing Olympics
bang to rights for Pantani-esque amounts of doping
which he subsequently denied (think he even still does) with a really irritating 'lawyering' of his language," writes David Hindle
as several Guardian lawyers with shotguns surround my desk and stare gimlet-eyed down the barrels
daring me to divulge any more of the content of David's email
3.10pm: It's raining quite heavily as the six-man breakaway continue on their way to Lavaur
with just 1min 38sec between them and the peleton
3.18pm: "I can't get Eurosport over here in Jersey (the new one)
so I'm curious how AC Jimbo is doing as presenter of the Tour?" asks Alex Langlois
"Handing out sledgehammer puns like a domestique delivering bottles
I'd love a break from the Phil N'Paul show every now and then."
Well it's funny you should ask. The Eurosport I watch at home has coverage, interspersed with footage of my podcasting colleague James Richardson broadcasting from a studio with a burly German expert and a bloke with a mullet
but the Eurosport I watch here in the office just has the coverage
because I haven't seen much of AC Jimbo this year
I can tell you he got both Nicolas Roche's name and that of the newspaper he writes a column in wrong in the space of one sentence on Sunday
3.23pm: The escape party of Perez Moreno (EUS)
Tristan Valentin (COF) and Jimmy Engoulvent (SAU) are going about their business well
working excellently together to keep the gap between themselves and the peloton at a fairly steady 1min 25sec with 27km to go
3.25pm: "Have to agree with James Evans," writes Matthew Lysaght
I fancy Evans to make light work of Schleck (A) - he just seems to want it a little more this year
as if he knows it's his last real chance to win it
Cav today - and then he shall be transferred out of my Fantasy Tour team." How fickle you are - I bet he won't be transferred out of Page 3 stunnah Peta Todd's Fantasy Tour team
Peta Todd @petatodd: "Well today is a bit different at work..
3.34pm: Rabobank's Dutch rider Lars Boon pushes the breakaway group down a descent through driving rain
Sean Kelly points out that they're about to turn into a headwind which should put a stop to their gallop
The gap stands at 1min 16sec with a little over 19 kilometres to go
If the breakaway can make it to the 10km To Go banner with the same gap
one of them would have a good chance of winning
David Harmon reckons they've a 50-50 chance of making it
Lampre and HTC-Highroad are all putting men on the front of the peloton
the breakaway group are 49 seconds clear - that gap is getting smaller and smaller
the peloton drives on through torrential rain
with a couple of HTC-Highroad riders putting the hammer down
The six riders in the breakaway are continuing to work well together - they could conceivably get away with this if they can delay the inevitable end-of-stage cat-and-mouse games for as long as possible
3.44pm: The peloton is strung out in a long line
with the entire HTC-Highroad team leading from the front
"Speaking of getting names wrong Barry," writes my smug podcasting chum James Richardson from his plush Eurosport studio
"That might be Magnus Backstedt you're referring to
3.47pm: Just 9.4 kilometres to go and the gap between breakaway group and peloton is is down to 30 seconds
which almost certainly won't be enough for one of the half-dozen escapees to prevail
3.50pm: "Your commentary is getting as banal as something out of NOTW," writes Anna Corrall
"I couldn't care less about Peta Todd; it may be nice to actually get some commentary on the cycling rather than her daily routine." Cheers Anna
it's always nice to hear from people who take the Tour de France so seriously they rely on written online reports from websites not hugely renowned for their Tour de France overage for their updates
3.54pm: I'd tell you whether or not it's still hammering down with rain in France
but Anna Corrall probably isn't interested in hearing bland pleasantries about the weather
All she wants to hear is that some men on bkes are cycling fast
Lars Boom makes a break for it and puts a few seconds between himself and his fellow escapees
3.57pm: The riders in the peloton catch up with five of the six escapees and have Lars Boom in their sights
but eventually gives up the ghost upon realising the jig is up
Garmin and HTC-Highroad get their respective trains doing the locomotion as their riders cycle on in formation
A couple of the HTC riders have already hollered "enough"
Closing stages: Mark Cavendish takes the stage by more than a bike-length after another excellent lead-out from Mark Renshaw
It looked as if he might have shot his bolt too early
but it turned out to be a textbook finish when Andre Greipel was unable to pass him despite having got on his wheel
That win puts Cavendish in the green jersey
4.04pm: To celebrate Mark Cavendish's 18th stage win on the Tour
the TV director cuts to a helicopter shot of a nice French chateau
Anna Corrall would be unimpressed with that kind of frippery; they could be showing some cyclists ..
Mark Cavendish compliments Andre Greipel on a "technically perfect" sprint-finish yesterday
thanks his team-mates for another fine job of work and then explains that he won today by just "going for it after he got such a good lead-out"
He also explains that accidental contact he made with Romain Feillu 500 metres from the line meant that his shoe came undone and he had to lean over to tighten it ahead of his stage-winning finish
Upon being informed that he's ridden himself into the green jersey he looks genuinely surprised and delighted
4.11pm: "Enough about the cycling Barry," writes Luke Remsbury
"There's been no Peta Todd update now since 3.34pm
Has the pull-along trolley launched a break
Peta Todd @petatodd: "Mid-transformation ..."
I can confirm that she is happy with the obligatory donkey/cow shots
but only if they last for under 5 seconds," writes Gareth Jones
"She did make a comment about the quad-bikes-for-bicycle-wheels shot earlier on in the Tour as not being particularly green
Yellow jersey: Thomas Voeckler (Team Europcar) 45hr 52min 39secGreen jersey: Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) 251 pointsPolka dot jersey: Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil-DCM) 22 pointsWhite jersey: Robert Gesink (Rabobank) 45hr 56min 40sec
Full standings ...
Pesticide use by winemakers is under extra scrutiny in Bordeaux after several school children were briefly hospitalised by suspected exposure to fungicide from a nearby vineyard
Vineyards owners in Bordeaux are being reminded to use pesticides carefully near to residential areas
A junior school in Bordeaux‘s Blaye region saw 23 pupils affected by nausea and headaches on the morning of 5 May
following fungicide spraying in a next-door vineyard
Some of them were taken to a local hospital and put under special observation
although symptoms faded within 24 hours and all returned to the school
An investigation by Aquitaine’s food and agriculture body
together with the region’s health agency
found the children’s symptoms matched those of pesticide exposure
Although the fungicide in question is legal and commonly used
it was applied in an ‘inappropriate manner without taking sufficient precaution of the surroundings’
It is thought remnants of the fungicide drifted across to the school on the wind
‘The difficulty is a general one across rural communities in France,’ Francois Hervieu
‘Tensions can arise between the local residents and the agricultural communities who live and work alongside them
and mildew and oidium is a serious problem across French vineyards
but the difficulty is finding a compromise that works for both sides.’
The Villeneuve case is especially sensitive
because one of the two owners of the vines being sprayed is the commune’s mayor
There has been no decision yet on whether legal or civil proceedings will follow
have agreed to a request by Aquitaine Prefet Michel Delpeuch to redistribute advice on safe vineyard treatments
They will also recommend building hedges around vineyards close to schools
and that producers spray out of school hours
Last month, a former French vineyard worker who sued her chateau employer over illnesses allegedly caused by pesticides won her case, in what her lawyer said could set a precedent
billionaire founder of Alibaba and owner of Château de Sours in Bordeaux
has added Château Perenne in Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux to his portfolio of wine estates in the region
The sale, which was completed last month for a reported €16 million, will see this 64 hectare estate, planted with mainly the Merlot grape
Ma, who is China’s second richest person and founder of online retailer Alibaba, caused a stir in Bordeaux earlier this year after announcing he had bought Château de Sours
announced in 2015 that that he was looking to sell his 13 non-classified Bordeaux estates while adding to his four classified properties of Pape Clement
‘This continues our strategy of moving our emphasis away from wines that have a consumer price of €8 and below. I am still looking to buy further classified estates within the Bordeaux region,’ Magrez told Decanter.com
Perenn is also used for the vines that went into the Gerard Depardieu’s wine Confiance – as a long time friend of Magrez
The estate comes with extensive grounds and an attractive château building that dates back to the 1870s
Ma did not buy the estate under his own name but through Château de Sours
the Entre deux Mers property that he bought in February 2016
Renovations at Château de Sours itself are ongoing
with Ma also securing several neighbouring buildings that he is due to turn into his own personal residence
Ma has since formed a partnership with several other Chinese owners in Bordeaux to create a négociant company
Ma’s personal fortune is estimated at US$21.5 billion according to Forbes
the Classified Growths of the Médoc and Saint Emilion showed their 2011 wines at the Petit Palais in Paris
following similar tastings at the Covent Garden Opera House in London
and numerous cities across the US and Asia
Approaching two and a half years since harvest
and around six months to one year after bottling
it’s always an interesting time to revisit wines
to weigh up whether your first thoughts about them were right
but the general reaction to the retasting has been positive - not wines for the ages
but some great drinking pleasures to fill glasses while waiting for the 2009 and 2010s to open up
Decanter's Stephen Brook's said he was 'pleasantly surprised'
James Suckling said 'a very good vintage - with some outstanding wines'
Brook's drew particular attention to quality in Pauillac and St Julien
'But these are rich estates with the means to ruthlessly select.'
He's quite right in this - for classified chateaux
what vintages such as 2011 mean is rolling up their sleeves
throwing resources at their vineyard workers and harvest teams
and discarding substandard grapes when they get them in the cellar
The process of blending the wines is more difficult in these vintages
in these years where the weather patterns demand vigilance
for estates that don’t have such secure bank balances or access to overdrafts
It means that to really understand any vintage
nothing beats heading to the smaller appellations such as AOCs Bordeaux
as I completed a tasting for Decanter magazine of over 150 wines from 2011 across the Cotes de Bordeaux
The Côtes comprise 10% of Bordeaux wine by volume
with 1,000 winegrowers spread across four beautiful areas lying to the Right Bank of the Dordogne and Garonne rivers around the towns of Blaye
Previously bottled as individual appellations
the four regions grouped together from the 2009 vintage onwards
hoping to increase their economic muscle and brand recognition by sharing resources
the Cotes saw just 10% of their wine exported outside of France
That figure has doubled today to just shy of 20%
we are a world away from the glamour of Classified Bordeaux
Visit an estate here and you're likely to be met by a family member (the average property is between 37 to 50 acres
meaning that most don't need a large team to take care of things)
so you can also hope for beautiful views into surrounding valleys
And you'll almost certainly be offered red wine; the production here is 97% red (mainly from Merlot)
with the whites concentrated largely around Blaye
while those from Francs come from one of Bordeaux’s smallest appellations and offer perfect
But all are joined together under the Côtes de Bordeaux umbrella
and in good vintages offer easy-to-enjoy wines that can be excellent value
There are famous names in these appellations – Domaine de l’A from Stéphane Derenoncourt
Chateau Montlandrie by the legendary Pomerol winemaker Denis Durantou
home estate of professor and wine consultant Denis Dubourdieu
There are also several new Chinese owners in here* – Steve Loo at Chateau Lagarosse in Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux for one
making excellent wines that are largely sold in Asia
But the beauty of these regions is in the discovery of little-known names as well - and the view they give to the heart of a vintage
That it was a year that was too light on fruit in some instances
and so wore its oak ageing too heavily if used as compensation
But that many estates produced brilliantly drinkable bottles
without the resources of big-name Bordeaux
the faults of a vintage are less able to be smoothed over
the result offers further proof that many were too quick to write off this vintage in its earliest days
Form an orderly queue (I’ll be right there alongside you) for an affordable wine from the legendary Denis Durantou of Pomerol’s l’Eglise Clinet
and has been steadily replanting the vineyard ever since
but there are still some old vines among the new
This is a winemaker who knows how to rein things in
but it would benefit from a good half an hour of opening before tucking in
everything that you want a petit chateaux to achieve
I am a long-time admirer of winemaker Thierry Valette
who easily makes some of the best wines of Castillon
They are a little more expensive than many other Côtes de Bordeaux
but I have found them to over-perform challenging vintages on many occasions
aged for 8 months in oak (15% new) and 6 months in cement tanks
Stéphane Derenoncourt and Julien Lavenu (who bill themselves on the bottle as Les Trois Origines)
alcohol is high at 14%abv but this tastes excellent
aged in oak for 16 months (one third new oak)
Owned by Steve Loo and his Hong Kong-based company Carlico
this Tabanac estate has seen plenty of investments since the new team took over in 2011
Steven Blais is the consultant (from Michel Rolland team)
There has been a clear and conscious effort to flesh out the wine
perhaps they have overused the oak (staves would be my guess) so imagine this might dry out within five years
and this style of wine is not made for sticking in a cellar
Clear layers of fruit - ripe blueberries and crushed raspberries
It’s a modern with all that is good and bad about that
and for me this is more enjoyable than the higher powered Cuvée Princesse from the same team
And a white…Chateau Haut Bertinerie AOC Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2012 Excellent Sauvignon nose
best varietal flavour of any white wine in the tasting
The wine offers lovely crisp gooseberry and cut grass flavours
*Chateaux owned by Chinese owners in Cotes de Bordeaux: • Blaye: Château de la Salle, 25 ha • Cadillac: Château Bertranon at Sainte Croix du Mont (also has vineyards at Rions), 45ha Château du Grand Moueys at Capian, 170 ha Château du Grand Branet at Capian, 2.8 ha Château Lagarosse at Tabanac, 33 haChâteau de Pic at Le Tourne
44 ha Château Lezongars at Villenave de Rions
39 ha red and 6 ha white Domaine du Tich at Donzac
a total area of approximately 48 ha): Château Lucas Château de L’estang Château Bona Fides
Jane Anson is Bordeaux correspondent for Decanter
a history of the First Growth wines (October 2012 Editions de la Martiniere)
the Bordeaux and Southwest France author of The Wine Opus and 1000 Great Wines That Won’t Cost A Fortune (both Dorling Kindersley
Anson is contributing writer of the Michelin Green Guide to the Wine Regions of France (March 2010
and writes a monthly wine column for the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong
Accredited wine teacher at the Bordeaux Ecole du Vin
with a Masters in publishing from University College London
Click here to read all articles by Jane Anson>>
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Italy’s sparkling wines are the perfect match for the celebratory gatherings that abound at this time of year
and the breadth of their food pairing possibilities might just surprise you
Half a century of passion and commitment for a project that set a new benchmark in Rioja..
Good wine is something to celebrate but as any wine lover knows
A unique project from the Ontañón Family
that draws both viticultural and poetic inspiration from the voices of the River Duero
Namratha Prashanth is one of the handful of women making her own brand of wine in in France
But that is exactly what Namratha Prashanth has been doing for the last four-odd years
and also sells the Solicantus Blanc from Entre-Deux-Mers
Prashanth launched the wines in France in March 2020
can be found in several European cities and are headed towards the United States
where they will be available towards the end of this month
grew up in Bangalore without the remotest connection to wine
Her first tentative exposure to it happened while studying hospitality after high school
“It was not a happy marriage,” says Prashanth
Her ambitions and attempts to be financially independent were routinely strangled by her husband
She says she furtively attended French classes at the Alliance Française in Bangalore to seek respite and to keep herself occupied
I became completely immersed in French culture
who spoke to this magazine last month over a video call from her home in Bordeaux where she stays with her 15-year-old daughter Shloka
The fascination with France grew when she landed a job as a backend specialist in the French language with an IT company in Bangalore
which sent her to Paris for a month’s training.
“I was very insistent about this job and persuaded my husband to let me take it up
and I really needed to have my own identity.” Prashanth couldn’t stay at her job for long due to pressure at home; in the middle of 2015
when her husband sabotaged yet another employment opportunity that came her way
she took her daughter and her dog Casper and left home
with the help of her sister and brother-in-law
Prashanth signed up for a Wine & Spirits Education Trust Level 2 course in Singapore and then
moved to Bordeaux to study wine marketing and management at the business school INSEEC
While studying at INSEEC, Prashanth interned for five months as the ambassador of Château Siran in the region of Margaux
where she conducted guided tours and tastings for tourists
“I was there pretty much the whole growing season
and an eighteenth-century castle,” says Prashanth
who arrived at the train station on a cold morning in May
“I stayed in a small cottage and the windows of my bath opened out to the Margaux vineyards
but soon got used to the silence and darkness.”
she healed and found a way forward for herself — and that involved setting up a wine investment business with the help of her brother-in-law
as she worked her way through the formalities of setting up her company
she met Corinne Chevrier of Chateau Bel-Air La Royere at a wine expo
is known for making excellent Merlot-Malbec blends
“At the time I was working on a private label for a London-based investor, so I knew the ins and outs of creating a brand and designing a label
She invited me to taste her wines and visit her vineyard. We just hit it off
I asked her if I could learn the ropes of wine making at her vineyard and she said why not,” says Prashanth
who would often visit Chevrier’s vineyards in Blaye
she asked Chevrier if she could make her own wine at the vineyard and things took off from there
Chevrier and Prashanth collaborated to create Solicantus
seeking inspiration for the label design and saw this Salvador Dali painting at an exhibition there
That kind of provided the foundation for the design,” says Prashanth
The name derives from Latin for soil (soli) and melody (cantus)
The Solicantus red has been favourably reviewed by several websites dedicated to wine
Decanter magazine describes it as “easy to drink and a good example of a Blaye red in an excellent vintage across the Right Bank”
textured with density from the mainly Merlot blend.” The wine is a 90/5/5 blend of Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec and has been aged for 18 months in French oak
“The structure of the wine comes from the Cabernet Sauvignon
and the elegance from the Merlot,” says Prashanth
A woman from India setting up a wine business in France and then making her own wines — how tough was it
Everybody thought “she’s a woman with a daughter back home
I’d like to think of it as an unlikely achievement.”
Ella Billet
Yann Arthus-Bertrand BordeauxPour rendre hommage aux hommes et aux femmes qui travaillent le vin et témoigner de son amour pour les vignobles
le photographe et reporter Yann Arthus-Bertrand dévoilera une série de portraits dans les Jardins de la Cité du Vin du 2 juin au 30 septembre 2022.
L'exposition "Vignerons" portée par Yann Arthus-Bertrand et par l’appellation Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux sera accessible dans les Jardins de la Cité du Vin de juin à septembre
Pour découvrir l’intimité des Vignerons de Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux
le photographe français a installé durant trois jours
un studio photo géant au cœur du vignoble et plus de 70 portraits de vigneron(ne)s de l’appellation Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux ont été réalisés
ils rêvaient de disposer d’une belle galerie de portraits
Il a posé dans le vignoble la toile de fond devant laquelle il a photographié tant de célébrités
vignerons et vigneronnes du cru sont venus en famille
et vous saisiront par leur authenticité et leur générosité
VigneronsDu 2 juin au 30 septembreJardins de la Cité du VinEsplanade de Pontac, 134 Quai de Bacalan, BordeauxPlus d’informations sur www.vin-blaye.com
Un spectacle gratuit de 500 drones en lumières va éblouir le ciel bordelais cet été
Ce musée emblématique fermé au public depuis des mois va rouvrir sur les quais de Bordeaux
3 jours d'animations culturelles et festives à Darwin pour célébrer la littérature à Bordeaux
author of The Home Sommelier and wine expert with Classic Drinks
Brigid's recommendations are; Cremant de Bordeaux Ballerin
Cotes de Blaye ‘The Steps’ Merlot/ Cabernet Sauvignon €20
Developed by Square1
Anne Sophie
Tel pourrait être le crédo de cet événement qui investit Bordeaux pour sa 13é édition
ce sont quarante-huit vignerons qui s'invitent dans quarante établissements bordelais pour faire découvrir leurs vins pour notre plus grand plaisir
Autour d'une première dégustation gratuite
on échange à bâtons rompus avec celles et ceux qui ont façonné notre nectar préféré. Pour sûr
Blaye au comptoirLes établissements partenaires iciJeudi 7 et vendredi 8 Février de 11h à 00h (selon les établissements)Plus d'infos ici
Soirée Tartiflette à volonté
Dj sets au comptoir de LuluComment mieux commencer le weekend qu'autour d'une délicieuse tartiflette dans une ambiance hivernale ?
tartiflette à volonté et Dj set pour éliminer
c'est le programme que propose le Comptoir de Lulu associé à l'association Les Apprentis Chefs
Thanks God it's Weekend et où mieux qu'au Wooosh peut-on le débuter
Avec un Happy Hour qui ferait partir ton boss en pleine réunion
un étage restaurant et un dancefloor underground
le petit dernier de la rue de nos sorties nocturnes - Piliers de Tutelle - a su imposer son style et insuffler un vent de fraîcheur sur nos nuits bien trop rôdées
on démarrera donc le weekend comme il faut avec le groove
les beats additicfs et nappes torturées
ce Dj ancien membre du crew toulousain MADfest prend grand soin d’associer
Le Wooosh Vendredi 8 Février de 22h30 à 2h00 8 Rue Pilier de Tutelle, BordeauxPlus d'infos ici
ce spécialiste du gâteau cheminée a l'idée merveilleuse de proposer un brunch du lundi au samedi et ce
pour le plus grand bonheur des aficionados et des lève-tard
un brunch unique à 20€ comprenant : deux boissons chaudes
jus pressé ou smoothie de la belle maison Meneau
pancakes accompagnés de sirop d'érable
nutella ou bien du muesli bio ainsi qu'une pâtisserie maison au choix dont le fameux gâteau cheminée
brouillés) accompagnés de bacon ou de saumon. On déguste ensuite les saveurs du moment comme la fondue de poireaux savora au lait de coco et toast ou bien les blettes béchamel à l'encre de seiche à la cardamone pour les audacieux
L'atelier Toqué230 Rue d'Ornano, BordeauxBrunch le samedi de 8h à 14h
45e édition du Jumping International de Bordeaux
Et c'est une odeur d'écurie qui envahira une nouvelle fois le Parc des Expositions du 7 au 10 février
L'émotion sera au rendez-vous avec un programme bien sellé : on assistera à l'incontournable étape Coupe du monde de saut d’obstacles FEI Longines mais aussi à une autre Coupe du Monde avec la finale FEI Coupe du Monde d’attelage. Côté sensations fortes
on s'illuminera devant le Devoucoux Indoor Derby
on retrouvera le Salon du Cheval de Bordeaux avec plus de 200 exposants et le spectacle grandiose Nuit ibérique dans lequel on retrouvera des chevaux ibériques du Cadre noir de Saumur
45e édition du Jumping International de BordeauxParc des Expositions de BordeauxProgramme ici Billetterie iciPlus d’infos ici
Vide dressing musical au café Mancuso
Le sous-sol du premier café audiophile de France se transformera en vide-dressing géant ce samedi
De Maje à Zara en passant par Ralph Lauren
Cette activité se fera dans l'ambiance cosy et musicale de cet ésthétique café hybride dont on dévore chaque miette et déguste chaque goutte. On y court toutes
Pour la 7e édition consécutive
ce tremplin destiné à valoriser les talents des habitants
de tous âges et de tous horizons musicaux s'adresse aux artistes compositeurs interprètes
travaillant seuls ou en groupe et n'ayant pas encore signé de contrat avec une maison de disques
Du rock à la chanson en passant par le slam
tous les styles furent représentés durant ces huit soirées de sélection
Il est aujourd'hui temps de nommer les vainqueurs lors de cette dernière soirée à l'inébranlable Rock School Barbey. Entrée libre et gratuite
Tremplin musique des 2 rives - Finale à la Rock School Barbey18, cours Barbey, BordeauxSamedi 9 février de 20h30 à 00hEntrée librePlus d’infos ici
Direction le soleil des Caraïbes dans le tout nouveau bar à cocktails et tapas de la rue Borie
c'est un vent de fraîcheur et de gaîté qui souffle sur le calme et gastronomique quartier des chartrons
cosy à souhait parfaitement chiné
des cocktails étonnants soigneusement préparés par un duo pétillant
la crème des tapas à dévorer ou savourer sur des canapés type ottomane brodée et une programmation endiablée : il n'en fallait pas plus pour que le nombre d'aficionados l'A2 bar se démultiplie
on shakera du popotin sur de la sasla et du dancehall jusqu'à en faire fumer le parquet
Soirée Caraïbes au bar A2-àd2ux35 rue Borie, 33300 BordeauxSamedi 9 février de 20h à 2hPlus d’info ici
Nos Ptits Potes ont un an et pour l'occasion ils invitent Mistthom pour souffler leur bougie et enflammer le bateau des bassins à flot
Au programme : l’exposition des dernières productions des scientifiques artistes de la bande
les DJs Hazare et Vilmonde pour nous faire frétiller sur des sets groovy
house pétillants et bien calibrés
Un véritable melting pot(es) de talents. Ça dépote
Aperoboat Les Ptits Potes Quai Armand Lalande, 33000 BordeauxSamedi 9 février de 19h à 23h45Entrée librePlus d’info ici
Promenade-grand nettoyage sur la presqu'île d'Ambès
découvrir la presque'île d'Ambès
En profiter pour réduire les déchets
Suite aux grandes marées fin janvier
beaucoup de déchets se sont échoués au bord des rivières
C'est là que nos amis de Surfrider Gironde proposent de se retrouver pour une nouvelle édition des promenades-ramassages. Au programme : convivialité
repas façon auberge espagnole, photos
Grand nettoyage au bord de la Garonne AmbèsRDV à 10h30 Route du Burck à la hauteur de l'arrêt bus "Le Marquis"Samedi 9 février de 10h30 à 15h30Plus d’infos ici
Pas encore rassasié de ton déhanché du samedi soir
Ça tombe bien c'est le Club Dimanche au Krakatoa ! Une occasion d'aller groover comme il se doit avant de commencer une nouvelle semaine
Le Krakatoa remet ses habits de lumière pour nous faire une fois de plus danser toute la journée
Aux platines, le collectif À l'eau et Super Daronne s'occuperont du son
vinyles à chiner et initiations au roller sauront t'occuper
Alors chausse tes plus beaux patins et viens kiffer sur la piste
une cinquantaine de paires seront disponibles du 37 au 45 en prix libre
Au fait, l'entrée est gratuite
tout ce qu'il faut pour passer un dimanche "comme sur des roulettes!"
Roller Disco KrakatoaDimanche 10 Février de 13h à 18h3 avenue Victor Hugo - Mérignac Tél.05 56 99 60 38Entrée libreInscriptions iciPlus d'infos ici
corrosif et loufoque montrant un trio de femmes (dont Emma Stone) qui crèvent l'écran, ou encore Dragons 3
Plus d'infos ici
Ce parc de 30 hectares avec lac protégé est le plus beau de la métropole bordelaise
Plus de 100 châteaux ouvrent leurs portes tout le week-end pour les JPO de Saint-Emilion
Les 5 plages les plus proches de Bordeaux