With food and wine having pride of place, France is a hedonist’s paradise. For me, it was more of a linguistic paradise. I came here with little more than a passing appreciation for the country’s gastronomic wonders and a palate in dire need of shaping and schooling. Nearly seven years and considerable progress later and I wonder how I ever managed to nourish myself before I moved given such limited food preferences. As proud as I am to say that living in France has broadened my tastes in invaluable ways, there is one area in particular where I remain shamefully unenlightened.
Le vin – the country’s lifeblood, its prized elixir and, according to my father-in-law, the only thing worth drinking – continues to escape me. I have a few trusty favorites but ask me to articulate why I enjoy them or where they fall in the vast spectrum of varieties and I’ll struggle to tell you. But I’m optimistic. Next weekend I’m off to the Loire for the open house at the Château du Petit Thouars, a 30-acre vineyard in the village of Saint-Germain-sur-Vienne that has been in the du Petit Thouars family since the 17th century. My goal is to…
