LOUP FRANCART



Rouge, transparent, cristallin, pur,/ Que vous regardez en soulevant le verre,/
Que l’on admire d’un œil gourmand,/ Qui résonne de sons grêles et harmonieux,/
Qui enchante le regard avant le palais / Et que vous portez à votre nez/
Pour en sentir les effluves, douces,/ Chatoyantes, légères comme un parfum,/
Avant d’en prendre une gorgée, petite,/ Froide ou tiède, que vous laissez couler/
Avec ferveur, dans votre bouche/ Pour la malaxer et ronronner/
Jusqu’à en extraire l’ensemble du fruit,/ De la banane à la framboise,/
Des bois d’olivier aux arbousiers,/ Et laisser mourir en vous/
Les derniers arrière-goûts, fragiles,/ Du nectar que vous avez amoureusement/
Ouvert, éventé, effeuillé, humé,/ Et finalement savouré.
Quelle étrange religion que celle-ci ! …/… Read More »

By LINCOLN SILIAKUS

Daniel J. Berger, dapper wine enthusiast and blogueur, lined up two real personalities to show us around Montmartre in Paris last Sunday.

Francis Gourdin and Raymond Lansoy

Originally from the south, Francis Gourdin has been the official Paris City oenologist for 30 years, and is therefore responsible for the tiny cult vineyard, Le Clos Montmartre, on the north side of the hill just under the monstrous Sacré-Coeur Basilica built during the architecturally-challenged late nineteenth century.

Raymond Lansoy is a local author from just up the road who looks just like a Montmartre author should.  Let’s just say that he looked as if he’d slept in his clothes.  His grandfather frequented the adjacent Lapin Agile singalong bistro which was also popular with Picasso and the other usual suspects.

Back then when Picasso was hanging around, the authorities wanted to plonk a building on the plot, a good hundred metres across.  That project failed and it became a children’s playground instead.  The artists over the road worried that another project was inevitable, brought in a vigneron they knew from the Beaujolais. Read More »