 July 14 is BASTILLE DAY in France. On this day, the French celebrate the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. Bastille Day commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison and the start of the French Revolution in 1789. THE WINE Today the Tour de France started east of Beaujolais, south of Macon (southern Burgundy), and north of the Northern Rhône regions, and finishes in the Jura Massif—so many wines to choose from, reds, whites, and more reds. The race finished on the massive climb of the Grand Colombier in the Jura mountains. The Maconnais is the vineyard surrounding the historic town of Macon, bordered in the east by the Saône River as it flows south to meet the Rhône. They grow predominantly Chardonnay with a bit of Gamay and Pinot Noir. Chardonnay from the Maconnais can spend some time in oak, but the Maconnais also produces unoaked Chardonnay. Unoaked Chardonnay is lively, with a purity of aromas and flavors like white peach, yellow apple, and pear, with good acidity, and a fresh finish. These types of Chardonnay are refreshing wines. Great to drink on a hot summer day watching the Tour de France  Louis Latour Macon-Lugny. by Lisa Kolick Chardonnay from Jura is very different from the Maconnais. White, Rosé, and Red wines are made in the region. The reds tend to be much lighter and low alcohol than wines in the more well-known wine regions of France. The chardonnay I tasted was golden in color, with floral and apple aromas. The acidity was balanced with the fruit flavors creating a full-bodied texture and a long finish. Jura vineyards grow in several different soil types and a variety of elevations. I encourage you to ask your local wine store for wines from Jura. Enjoy!  Arbois Domaine Rollet Chardonnay, 2016. by Lisa Kolick THE RACE  Stage 13 Tour de France. by LeTour A.S.0. Today’s stage is all about the last 50km of climbing. He last 1km is the culmination of the entire Stage 13; also the shortest stage in the 2023 Tour de France. MICHAL KWIATKOWSKI won the stage ahead of Maxim Van Gils with Tadej Pogacar in 3rd and Jonas Vingegaard in 4th and Tom Pidcock 5th.
Pogacar takes the 4 second time bonus and a 5 seconds from race leader Jonas Vingegaard. Jonas Vingegaard is first and Tadej Pogacar is in second place. These mountain stages often decide the race. I am not sure about this year; it has been a race that I have not seen in my 50 years of watching the Tour de France. Today’s race highlights. Tomorrow is another day in the Jura and Savoie. Santé Comments are closed.
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