The sun is shining in the south of France so jump through the glow of your computer screen and come with me for a day out. Take some time to fill your eyes with beauty once again. Hmm, that makes me think of the winery at Château Planères near St. Jean Lasseille. Today is the perfect day to discover both a venerable building and a long tradition of wine-making by the vignobles Jaubert & Noury. Let’s go; the drive will be gorgeous! Yes, I know, our roads are small and my neighbors all have degrees in “how to drive like a Frenchman”. Don’t worry, I’ve earned mine too. Hang on! With a sharp turn we go over the tracks down toward the main road. See that little post painted yellow and marked D8? France is divided into “Departments” so we have “Departmental” roads and this is road # 8. Yes, you’re right; it’s like a county road and rarely takes a straight path. You can see why – although we are on the Roussillon Plain, the landscape is seldom flat. That’s why I love driving around here so much. The breathtaking panorama unfolds in delightful ways as we come around corners and crest small hills to see the next vista or glimpse the sea just a few miles away.
As we leave our village, the road climbs to a softly sloping ridge. We stop at the junction and the plain drops away leisurely to reveal an agricultural scene punctuated by towns and villages that share those trademark red tiled roofs. The sense of tranquility is deep and only the telephone poles and power lines remind us that this is no landscape painting by Van Gogh. If your eyes are sharp, you can just see the wrought-iron bell tower that crowns the center of the next town. It seems like every town or village has a uniquely styled tower. Look to your right; can you see that distant round red brick tower rising from the tiny blocks of buildings? That’s Perpignan, our main city, about 10 or 15 miles from here. Many of the fields between the villages and the city are planted with grapes. In spring the rows of trimmed little trunks are budding with silvery green tufts that will become the summer’s broad green leaves. On a late summer’s day, we are surrounded by the activity of bringing in the harvest while, in autumn, a patchwork of burnished colors dazzle our eyes. The show continues until the year’s end when the winds of winter blast every branch bare. If it’s the season of frost, workers are burning the branches they’ve trimmed and we see thin plumes of white smoke rising at intervals across the landscape.
Our car winds through the countryside and soon we turn into the signposted drive that rises as it curves through deciduous trees and a scattering of oaks. Soon the road emerges to open fields and we see the rows of grape vines ahead where the Château sits like a queen at the center of the vineyard demurely cloaked by surrounding trees. Don’t worry, I’ll slow down so you can take a photo of the picturesque collection of stone buildings and workshops ahead. Isn’t the house beautiful? (This is our photo) I love that classic French style of using red brick to accent the window frames and corners of the stone building. The tall windows give it a sense of grandeur. Let’s park under these Plane trees next to that old well. I really like the wrought-iron arch of metallic grapes and leaves on the ring where the bucket would hang.
The light green wooden front door stands open and we step inside the hall to admire the old-fashioned tiles on the floor. The door to the left is closed, but the opening to our right leads us into the tasting room. We admire the display of wines and the many awards and medals they have won. A pleasant faced young lady comes in and smiles at us. She must have heard us talking, for she speaks to us in English that is charmingly colored by the accent of her native French. She steps behind the curving counter to our right and without us asking, brings out two glasses from a hidden shelf. “Would you like to try our wines?” she inquires and we chime, “Oh yes, please!” We swirl the glasses and inhale the bouquet that is released. It echoes the moment one summer when this liquid elixir was born in the grapes shinning like clusters of jewels beneath the Mediterranean sun. Please enjoy your wine without worry for I will taste but not drink today. I’ll discretely use the “crachoir” (French for spittoon) so I can drive us safely home again. (Check out their wall of awards!)
As we sample a taste of each wine made here, the lovely lady informs us that all the grapes are tended and picked by hand. Save for the introduction of stainless steel vats, the wine is still made as it has been for seven centuries. Each successive glass of wine is more complex and now she tells us a story about the corner of the vineyard where the soil is poor and the sun is brightest. The hollow of the hill shades it in the morning and keeps it cooler than the rest. These harsh conditions make a very fine wine, but only a very small part of the harvest comes from this special corner of the vineyard. This limited production under the label of “La Coume d’Ars” is poured and we inhale its exquisite, delicate perfume released by the cork from its 5-year slumber. The dark ruby red color is rich as we hold it up to the light. Her story comes to an end while we nod and savor the light aftertaste of the wine. Then we thank the kind lady as we make a few purchases.
Outside we walk around the superb group of buildings, built to last for generations. The pale green of the wooden shutters, patterns of the local stone and the attractive ironwork ornamentation beg us to take photos.(I love these old tile floors!) We don’t let the charming château down and begin to feel a little bit like artists ourselves as we wander the grounds and the edges of the vineyard snapping far too many photos. Occasionally, one of the workers waves and smiles while walking by. All too soon, the sun has moved toward the West and we realize it’s time to say goodbye.
We wind our way home again and the afternoon sun plays across the fields. It comes to rest on the Alberes Mountains where the oak trees catch the golden light and look as soft as a terrycloth robe tossed aside by a giant before stepping out into the calm expanse of the Mediterranean Sea. (Come see the view !)
What a day out it has been and here’s the sign for our village! Let’s get home and make a sumptuous dinner to compliment the wine we’ve bought. Hmm, I’m sure you’re right; I meant that the other way around. We sit down to dinner and as we make a toast, we hold our glasses up to the light to admire the rich colors once more. We smile as we remember the lovely day we’ve had visiting Château Planères. “Santé“, dear friend! I hope you join us next time and taste the south of France. Perhaps you can join us for A Classic French Soup to Warm the Soul!