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I’m involved in the field of history, so obviously traces of the past are part of my interests. I find traces of ancient customs in modern life fascinating, while I do not pretend to be nostalgic of the past either. It’s just intellectually fascinating to think of the longevity of old customs. It’s a medieval heritage in America, it’s fascinating !Québec was in its core an Ancien Régime French society, fundamentally. We have had a manorial and feudal lifestyle, and people, even in Québec, often do not realize how much it still colors Québec nowadays.Textbooks in Québec pretend that the Ancien Régime in Québec was abolished in 1854. This information is FALSE. The way abolition was done left to the peasants two options with regard to agricultural lands : either they would pay 17 years of manorial rent to their former lords to acquire them, or they would keep paying a rent and so the lords would keep being the proprietaries of those. The majority of the people chose the second option, therefore in reality, people kept paying a manorial rent to their lords the same way they did since the 17th century… until the 11th of November 1940. In 1940, the Québec State bought the lands of everybody across Québec and people had to pay a special municipal tax to pay their debt to the State. These debts were completely paid in 1970. Therefore, there are still people alive today that remember that the generation of their parents would go the the lords’ house and pay their manorial rents, before 1940. The historian Benoît Grenier interviewed descendants of lords and descendants of censitaires across Québec that gave their own memories of actually experiencing the Ancien Régime right in the XXth century.Caution : being lord does not mean being noble, it’s not the same thing. Most of the manorial families are not nobles. Québec also has its own nobility, but they may or may not have been involved in this manorial regime. For example, the former premier Philippe Couillard is noble, but I think his family had no fiefdoms or domains for many generations. Reciprocally, many families that did have domains were not noble in any way.A) Architectural remnantsIt is unfortunate but touristic agencies do not sell to people tours of anything related to the manorial heritage of Québec. Québec is literally covered with buildings that were clearly part of a manorial and feudal society and it is one thing that really sets apart Québec from the rest of North America. You don’t even have to venture far from urban centres to finds material remnants from our Ancien Régime.Manorial houses (sometimes called “manors”, but this a calque from English. It’s the house of the lord, where people had to pay their taxes every 11th of November)(The manorial house of l’île aux Grues.)Banal watermills (ban is an old Frank concept that means the authority of the lord, like in the word banlieue. Lords had the exclusivity of mills, thus industrial development, and for this reason the mills they used to perceive taxes are said to be “banal”)(Banal watermill of Les Éboulements)Banal windmills(Pointe Claire’s banal windmill)Manorial bench (the family of the lord was due its own bench in the church. The lords also had the privilege to be buried under the bench, in the “crypt”.)(Manorial bench in the Saint-Michel de Lotbinière church in Vaudreuil-Dorion)The planting of the mai (every May, people would plant a leafless tree in front of the manorial house and shoot on it with their rifles. In 19th century Québec, this custom was extended to the militia captain and the « bourgeois » in the fur trade.)(Mai planting in Montmagny)Crypts/Underground cemeteries (since the manorial family was entitled to be buried under the church, some manorial families had their own cemetery under the parochial church.)(The underground cemetery of the Masson family, the last dynasty of Terrebonne.)The lordship of Beaupré(The lordship of Beaupré, an outfitting business and a wood reserve for sylviculture now. There are also wind turbines there. There are 55 states across the world that are smaller than this lordship. The Séminaire de Québec is still lord of that place ever since the 17th century !)You can find such things everywhere, but strangely, it is not much stressed by touristic guides. You have a route des fromages or a route des vin but there is no route des manoirs or a route des moulins for example. I’m quite sure many tourists could be interested to explore this heritage.B) Living historyAs I explained, manorialism remained a living culture until 1940. The manorial families kept being called “lords” by the local populations and they kept observing some cultural habits from the past.If you are interested in this living history, you can visit the Musée de la mémoire vivante in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, that is located in a replica of the manorial house of the Aubert de Gaspé dynasty. The interviews conducted by Benoît Grenier can be watched there.There are still several traces of this culture nowadays.In 2013, the dynasty of Vaudreuil, the Harwood-Lotbinière family, had one of their members buried under the church of Vaudreuil-Dorion.In 2016, Armand Poupart, descendant of the dynasty of Saint-Ours, was buried under the church of Saint-Ours.There are still manorial families that live in their ancestral manorial house.While the majority of the Masson dynasty of Terrebonne is gone from Québec, Amélie Masson-Labonté still lives in the region of Montréal. She’s the last representative of her family in Québec.Until recently the Sulpicians (lords of Montréal) still considered they had rights (lods et ventes) to be paid whenever there was a mutation of property in the Old Montréal. They probably lost that right by prescription but there are good reasons why they could have believed they still had such rights, because the abolition process in Montréal was different from the rest of Québec.The Wendat indigenous of Wendake are still de jure lords of Sillery, and so there was negociations with the City of Québec about their rights over this lordship. It did the headlines a few years ago.At some point the Kanien’kehá:ka nation became the lords of Sault-Saint-Louis, and this is reflected in the modern Kahnawá:ke, that has almost the same borders.The Dessaules manorial family still is present in the region of Saint-Hyacinthe, their former lordship.The Campbell family is still present in the region of the Bic, their former lordship.There are still descendants of lords that were called themselves lord by the locals.There are still people that remember of their parents paying or receiving the manorial rents (before 1940).The Collège Saint-Sacrement in Terrebonne is actually the last manorial house of the Masson family.The last manorial house of Beauharnois, the one of the Ellice family, still has an intact half left in Beauharnois. Jane Ellice was also imprisoned by the revolutionaries in 1838 there and this was when she painted some of her famous paintings.The last manorial house of the Pangman family of the lordship of Lachenaie is currently being repaired in Mascouche. It was abandoned for several years.The “new mill” in the île des Moulins of Terrebonne is the last remaining banal mill of the place. It was used to card wool.Marie-Josée Raymond, a descendant of the Dessaules family of Saint-Hyacinthe :Interview of Peter, Robert, Liane, Elizabeth Harwood-Chartier de Lotbinière, Olivia Pontecorvo, Poème Carvalho, all representatives of the Harwood-Chartier dynasty of Vaudreuil, and also the priest Normand Bergeron :Interview of the priest Jacques Roberge of the Séminaire de Québec, who still are collectively lords of Beaupré, and also Jacques Laliberté (manager of the forests) :One aspect that is perhaps gone is the real feudalism, meaning the existence of vassal lords to the regular lords. We used to have this but I don’t think there remain any relationship of overlords and vassals now. However fiefdoms inside the lordships sometimes still matter in the sense that it created the modern municipal borders. The reason why La Plaine (sector of Terrebonne) is not the same city as Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines is because it was the fiefdom Sainte-Claire in the lordship of Terrebonne, and so it was apart from the rest. So while the vassal family that lived there is no more, the fiefdom inside the lordship still has some relevance and you can see it from satellite images.

According to James E. Wilson, in his fabulous book "Terroir" the complexity and variety of soil types in the Languedoc is attributed to the geological phenomenon known as the “Languedoc-Roussillon Symphony.” This slowly evolving collision of continents and bodies of water has perpetrated upheaval, creasing, and erosion, leaving a medley of sedimentation.Aesthetically, Languedoc- Roussillon wines unquestionably have a personality of its own— wild, unpredictable, characterful, ripe, and lush, with some of the headiest and most captivating aromatic profiles in France, often redolent of the herbs that grow profusely in the region’s native scrub (the garrigue), as well as of citrus groves and blossoms. Most of the area’s wines are ripe or very ripe reds, with high levels of alcohol and low levels of acidity. When carefully made, this gives them an easy, soft- drinking deliciousness and sensual allure, to which drinkers respond well.The Languedoc-Roussillon has plenty of different "Appellations" - I will not bother you with an explanation for each of them as it is quite complicated and the rules running each Appellation are archaic, obscure, political and not adapted to modern wine making and marketing. A lot of the region's most famous winemakers do not bother with them and just produce the best wines regardless of what the "rules" dictate, following the example of Eloi Durbach's Domaine de Trévallon and his humongous Vin de Pays...I will simply highlight here some of my favourites "terroirs" and within those my favourite domains and for each of them an example of a great bottle.Essential to this guide is Google Map I created here: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=217280527156038201897.0004ca372fe4b13329222&msa=0 with the location of each winery.Grès de Montpellier:Grès de Montpellier is composed of 5 sub-communal regions based around Montpellier. The vineyards are on gently undulating rather than overtly hilly land west of Montpellier. There is mixed terroir, with pebble drifts in some areas, and limestone and deep red, iron-rich soils in others.Château Puech HautOwner Gérard Bru has always been at the forefront of the Languedoc revival and employed some of the best consultant winemakers (Michel Rolland, Claude Gros, Philippe Cambie) as well as invested a huge amount in his domain. The results are sensational and the price-quality ratio unbeatable. Take for example the fantastic "Prestige" cuvee of 2010: 94/100 by Robert Parker himself and under $20!!! A Must-have.Special Bottle: Clos du Pic 2007http://www.chateau-puech-haut.com/page.aspx?id=12&url=fr/historiquePic Saint Loup:Pic Saint Loup is a very exciting wine region about 20km north of Montpellier. Over the past two decades Pic St Loup has established a very good reputation and is more and more renowned. Dominating the skyline here is the fabulous Pic St Loup mountain, a dramatic peak that rises to 638 m. The terroir consists of argilo-limestone and poor, stony soils. It's my opinion that some of the greatest wines that the Languedoc has to offer can be found around the slopes of Pic St Loup. There's a ton of great domains here and I could have also mentioned Domaine de Lavabre and Chateau de Valflaunés but had to be randomly editorial.Domaine de l’HortusThe dramatic sheer limestone cliff of the famous ‘Pic’ in Pic Saint-Loup provides a fitting backdrop to the wines of Domaine de L’Hortus, which are made, under the tutellage of Jean Orliac, by one of the most honest, likeable and talented wine-making teams that one could hope to meet. Monsieur Orliac has been farming the calcerous terraces and quartz-rich escarpments for over three decades and knows better than anyone the minutiae of its soil-structure. His particular love is the Mourvèdre grape; a relationship which even predates the variety’s current popularity.Special bottle: Grande Cuvée Magnum 2009www.vignobles-orliac.com/en/Chateau de CazeneuveAndré Leenhardt took over this domain which was actually abandoned(!) but built around a farm from the IX century, the whole domain is under the up and coming "Pic Saint Loup" AOC - they produce fantastic wines for great prices.Special bottle: Carline 2010http://www.cazeneuve.net/Presentation.aspMas BruguièreIsabelle and Guilhelm Bruguière's property is situated in the beautiful valley between the two peaks of l'Hortus and the Pic Saint Loup itself - like Domaine de l'Hortus. Both seemed to be using the hotter slopes of their domain for Mourvèdre and the slightly cooler ones for Syrah and Grenache. This estate is quite small, with 12 ha of vineyards, but produces benchmark Pic St Loup. The Arbouses is more aromatic and pretty, while the Grenadiere cuvée is quite structured and ageworthy. Viticulture is organic and wine is made in a mix of 'demi-muids' and old 'foudres' of 5000 litres.Special Bottle: Cuvée Vinum de Calcadiz 2001http://www.mas-bruguiere.com/Mas MortièsThe introduction of biodynamics on part of the vineyard also represents an important step in making natural wines. This approach is essentially based on observation and experimentation with traditional biodynamic techniques, and can only be carried out gradually over several vintages with careful analysis of the soil and plant response so that the best adaptation to the highly specific features of the Mortiès 'combe' may be obtained. The strictly controlled increase in the vineyard's surface area and the planting of old, uncloned, varieties are all decisions taken in line with these fundamental principles. Indeed, these are the conditions necessary for producing authentic wines in harmony with the Pic Saint-Loup area.Special Bottle: Mortiès côteaux du languedoc Pic St-loup 2008http://www.morties.com/morties-englishClos MarieThe twenty hectare (50 acres) property is situated in and around the village of Lauret, north of Montpellier and the vineyards are scattered around the terraces that rise from the village up to the sharp cliffs that form part of the plateau of the Hortus mountain. The soils are clay and chalky limestone, and all of the vineyards are continuously plowed to force the vines’ roots to seek nourishment deep down in the limestone bedrock. The domaine has been farmed using biodynamic principles since 2000, and no pesticides or herbicides have ever been used. The harvest is done manually. Yields for the various cuvees vary between 15-35hl per hectare. Some extremely good wines.Special bottle: Les Glorieuses 1999http://www.pic-saint-loup.com/fiche-domaine.php?VARdomaine=4L'Ermitage du Pic-St-LoupSoils from the Ermitage's higher-altitude vineyard slopes vary between the dominant marly limestone and dolomite, to red and white clay, to sand, schist, and round galets. The microclimate in Pic St. Loup is also particularly unique in this otherwise dry region. Though the summers are typically very dry, cool nights and winter rainfall allow for long ripening of the grapes and sufficient water supply. The brothers who own the domain keep their vinification as non-interventionist as possible. All of these special elements of their philosophy and methodology translate into wines with a purity of fruit, extraordinary delineation of layers, and a distinct sense of place.Special Bottle: L'Ermitage du Pic-St-Loup “Guilhem Gaucelm” 2009http://www.ermitagepic.fr/Terrasses du Larzac:Sandy, stony soils, red ruffes in horizontal layers: limestone marl with overhanging cliffs of Jurassic limestone. Closer to the Hérault, cryoclastic limestone deposits with terraces of shingle down to the river. The climate zone with the widest temperature variations, it enjoys relatively cool summer nights thanks to its distance from the sea and proximity to the mountainous Causse. As a result the grapes mature slowly and steadily, which is beneficial both to their colour and the wines’ aromatic qualities.This is the most exciting terroir of the Languedoc-Roussillon with some of the major domains established in the area but not claiming the "Appellation" (Daumas-Gassac and Grange des Peres) while the most up-and-coming young domains are spearheading the ascension of the area while being extremely popular with the famous wine critics (Robert Parker/David Schildknecht, Jancis Robinson, Andrew Jefford, etc…)Domaine de MontcalmèsThis up-and-coming domaine is run by the young Frédéric Pourtalié, who inherited 40 hectares from his father in the mid 1990s. Whereas his father sold all his grapes to the local co-operative, Frédéric, a former student of Laurent Vaillé at the indomitable Domaine de Grange des Peres, aims to make a top-flight Languedoc wine. From his vines in Aniane, Pourtalié achieves staggeringly low yields, between 10 hl/ha (for the Syrah) and 30 hl/ha (for the Mourvedre). Furthermore, of his 40 hectares, he only vinifies 10 hectares of the best vines. The main cuvée produced here is a blend of 65-70% Syrah with roughly equal percentages of Mourvedre and Grenache. Aged in one-to-three year-old barriques, the wine is dense, concentrated, and powerful, yet still balanced and complex.Special Bottle: Domaine de Montcalmès 2007http://www.domainedemontcalmes.com/Mas de Daumas-GassacEver seen the film "Mondovino"? (if you haven't get it right now) In this great documentary Aimé Guibert is featured prominently, partly why he is considered "legendary' but also because he built a huge name by producing excellent quality wine which really put Languedoc back into the conversation in the nineties. He also collects rare varietals and his main wine is a blend of no less than 32 different grapes!! The wines acquired a huge reputation mainly because of the phenomenal Cabernet-Sauvignon which come from very old (non-cloned) cuttings from some of the Bordeaux Grand Crus and special red glacial soils and cool micro-climate of the domain. Those wines are really made for ageing and some should not be drunk for 20 years so beware :)Special Bottle: Mas de Daumas-Gassac 1982http://www.daumas-gassac.com/La Grange des PèresThe MYTHICAL wine of the Languedoc, this wine has beaten countless Bordeaux Grand Cru in blind tastings across the world…and it cost ten to twenty times less! A monument, everything is exceptional about this wine.Special Bottle: La Grange des Pères 2001http://www.vins-languedoc-roussillon.fr/fr/grangedesperes01.phpLe Merle aux AlouettesOne of the best winemakers in Languedoc, Alain Chabanon creates very elegant and subtle wines. His Merlot are exceptional, hand picked solely in the morning, into small open weave basket. Vinification : Once hand sorted on tables, the grapes are gravity fed into vats. No yeast. Traditional vinification with alternating cap immersion and juice circulation. Five weeks’ maceration. Pneumatic pressing. Maturing : 36 months, including 24 in French oak barrels..This wine reached cult status when it beat a Chateau Pétrus in a blind tasting in England (see here http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/winenews1001.html)Special bottle: Les Boissieres 2001http://www.alainchabanon.com/merle.htmlLa Pèira en DamaisèlaOne of the top domains at the moment, a real discovery, incensed by Decanter.com's Andrew Jefford, a magnificent Mourvedre amongst others. Again a top wine for so much less than the equivalent Bordeaux or Bourgogne.Special Bottle: Matissat 2009http://lapeira.wordpress.com/Domaine D'AupilhacSylvain Fadat, of Domaine d’Aupilhac, is a pioneer of Monpeyroux, one of the top Languedoc locations for making wine. The areas nestles in the lower slopes of the 848m peak of Mont Saint-Baudile in the Cévennes foothills. He established his domaine in 1989, after five generations of grape growing. Fadat's first vintage was in 1989, but since then he has more than tripled the area under vine, planting a mixture of "improving varieties" and the traditional grapes. He has plenty of good material to work with. The Montpeyroux 'Le Clos' is a brilliant Mourvèdre and Carignan dominated blend that sees 30 months in oak. The straight Montpeyroux, also extremely good, is a blend of the usual five varieties. The 100% Carignan cuvée is a benchmark example of this variety.Special Bottle: Carignan 1999http://www.aupilhac.com/Mas JullienOne of the biggest names in the region, fabulous winemaker with probably one of the best white wine of the Languedoc. Some of his reds are legendary, his Mas Jullien is a rare blend of Carignan and Syrah (i.e 94/100 by Robert Parker...)Special bottle: Mas Jullien 2000No websiteClos du Serres4 varieties over 12 hectares on 15 different sites, each with a different soil and micro-climate, that is true winemaking: blending not only after harvest but over everything you do. Traditional Languedoc grapes: Cinsault, Syrah, Carignan and Grenache. Sebastien Fillon's wines with its floral refinement and perfect balance between flesh, extract and freshness, confirmed the rare combination of great skill and great terroir.Special bottle: La Blaca 2009http://www.leclosduserres.fr/accueil.phpCoteaux du Languedoc / Pézenas area:This area is more to the South to the Herault valley and features some great wines too.Prieuré de St Jean de BébianPrieuré Saint Jean de Bébian is one of the oldest estates in the Languedoc and now a benchmark amongst French wines - since 1125!! The old Mediterranean stock (cinsault, carignan) was jealously conserved and was joined by the “noble” varieties of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and the other traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape varieties of Roussanne, Marsanne, Clairette, Counoise, Bourboulenc and Grenache gris.Special bottle: Prieuré de St Jean de Bébian 2001http://www.bebian.fr/en/the-prioryDomaine les AurellesThis is a class act headed by Basile St Germain who was a mid life convert to wine production and started his vinous life working in Bordeaux and Chateau Latour. He decided to come to the Languedoc and produce a fine wine of his own, wines of finesse. He carefully selected his 12.5 hectares on terroir similar to that of the graves in Bordeaux. It is a refreshing change to see a top quality producer refraining from using wood with the vinification of reds and indeed it is only Basile’s white which is vinified in barriques. Very much a rising star, Basile’s philosophy is to strive for perfection working closely with nature using organic methods. His wines are the epitome of elegance and purity.Special Bottle: Aurel 2004http://www.les-aurelles.com/english/index.htmlDomaine les CreissesPhilippe Chesnelong is a gifted winemaker on a special land (graves villefranchiennes) in the middle of the Garrigues. A modern wine with a rustic edge, if that could ever be possible...Special Bottle: Les Brunes 2004http://www.les-creisses.com/Picpoul de Pinet:In addition to the seven subregional zones, there is another region which seems to lie outside this classification. This is Picpoul de Pinet, seemingly an anomaly, a small island of white wine production in a sea of red, Picpoul de Pinet has a reputation based on the white varietal Piquepoule that stretches back as far as the 17th century. Of the numerous communal zones, only Picpoul de Pinet applies solely to white wines, although whites are permitted under the Coteaux du Languedoc appellation. The reason is the terroir, which is a mixture of limestone, sand and clay, which is far more suited to the cultivation of white varieties than red. Only the Picpoul grape qualifies for the terroir - probably soon to have full appellation status - other white varieties, and all red grapes, go into Coteaux du Languedoc or vin de pays.Château St Martin de la GarrigueThis property has a reputation for producing one of the best examples of Picpoul de Pinet. The colour is a pale lemon-gold. It has a lovely nose, full of citrus and stone fruit, with mineral and floral character. Balanced, fresh, clean, but with a delicious fatness on the palate. Lovely acidity. It's packed with lime and peach flavour. There's even a touch of spritz on the finish, and some length. Like all Picpoul. its a fabulous price/quality/drinkability ratio.Special Bottle: Château St Martin de la Garrigue 2010http://www.stmartingarrigue.com/Domaine Félines JourdanClaude Jourdan runs this estate, which is located not far from Meze. The family purchased the property in 1983, changing the name from Domaine Félines to Félines Jourdan as they did so. Although the domaine is probably best known for producing one of the better examples of Picpoul de Pinet, there are also a number of red varieties planted here. This is because as well as owning vines on the hilly slopes inland, the family also own some on the clay soils, nearer the sea, which are much better suited to red than white varieties.Special Bottle: Félines Jourdan Picpoul de Pinet 2011www.felines-jourdan.comFaugères:The Faugères AOC soil is mainly composed of schist. This shist is metamorphic rock, the result of excessive pressure on clay deposits during the Paleozoic Era and the formation of the Massif Central to the North. Schist is characterised by its capacity to retain large amounts of water (up to a third of its volume) and its heat-storing properties, absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night. Faugères winemakers often say that their grapes "ripen overnight". Historically one of the more well-known Appelation of the Languedoc, it features some very good domains.Domaine Ollier-TailleferThe Domaine Ollier-Taillefer is a family-run business in Fos, a picturesque village on the high slopes of the Faugeres Appellation in central Languedoc. Brother and sister Luc and Francoise are the fifth generation of vignerons born and bred within the area of Faugeres. The vineyards face due south, lying at heights between 200 and 350 metres.They are set on steeply-sloping schist hillsides where the grapes are harvested by hand. Grape varieties planted are Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan and Cinsault for the reds and rosé wines and Vermentino and Rousanne for the whites. They apply the principles of "La Viticulture Raisonée". Since the 2001 vintage, their 30 hectares of vineyards have been officially certified "Terra Vitis". Rigorous checks are carried out each year by an independent organization to confirm their growing practices meet the Terra Vitis requirements.Special Bottle: Grande Reserve 2003http://www.olliertaillefer.com/Domaine AlquierOne of the top domain in Faugeres, with some magnificent Grenache - their Whites are also extraordinary although with Rhone grapes Roussane, MArsanne, Viognier, Grenache Blanc. The top red, Les Bastides is stylish, elegant and exquisitely poised, this syrah-rich red seduces with its almost Burgundian texture, demonstrating both the pedigree of the grape in this part of the Languedoc, and the skill of its creator.Special Bottle: Les Bastides 2004http://www.domainealquier.com/Domaine Léon BarralDeep in the heart of the Faugères appellation just outside the hamlet of Lenthéric, Domaine Léon Barral is a beacon of revolutionary winegrowing. Didier farms thirty hectares of vineyards, and this is no small feat. Incorporating biodynamic practices into a vineyard means working the soil rigorously, and with so much land to farm, it is fortunate that he has so much help. His workers of choice? A team of twenty cows, horses, and pigs that graze the cover crops in and around the vineyards. The simple act of grazing cultivates healthy microbiotic activity in the soil, bringing mushrooms, ants, ladybugs, earthworms, and other essential life forms, which add important nutrients while aerating the soil. This is the concept of sustainability at its finest, where the ecosystem creates interdependence between the animals and the vineyards.Special Bottle: Domaine Léon Barral Jadis 2007http://www.domaineleonbarral.com/Chateau la LiquièreChâteau la Liquière is one of the longest established and most significant estates in the Faugeres region. The domain comprises stony schist rich in iron, or grey schist, perfect terroir for both red and white varieties. There is manual harvesting and even a sorting table in use here.Special bottle: Chant des Cigales 2009http://www.chateaulaliquiere.com/La Clape:La Clape, meaning ‘a pile of stones’ in Occitan, is another very special terroir of the region. The first Phoenicians and Greeks arrived on the Isle of La Clape 25 centuries ago. It's because of this that the region is considered to be the true cradle of French viticulture. Bourboulenc was planted at the time; it remains an important grape in our vineyard to this day. Until the 11th century, La Clape was an island, known by the Romans as "Insula Laci", the Island of the Lake. It protected the port of Narbonne, very important at the time of the Empire.The limestone massif of La Clape presents an extremely rich flora and fauna with unique species found nowhere else in the world. The dry, hard climate is one of the sunniest in France with 3,000 hours of sunshine per year; 13 different winds currents blow across the land. There are too many good wines to name here as pretty much all of them are great (it's a small area) so don't hesitate to buy when you see the La Clape name (i.e. Chateau Camplazens, Domaine Maury, etc..)La NéglyHaving taken over his father's domain Jean-Paul Rosset started improving all his vineyards instead of sending his grapes to the Coop' - the massive trend of the last 20 years in the Region - Claude Gros is also involved as Consutlant and together they started to produce better and better wines, some of them really high class and with quite a high price tag for the region but the quality, and demand, are there! Those wines really embody the amazing qualities of the La Clape terroir, a unique combination of soil and micro-climate although most of their top wines fall under the Coteaux-du-Languedoc because of the outdated rules of the AOC...Special Bottle: Clos des Truffiers 2008http://www.lanegly.fr/accueil.htmlChateau des KarantesThe terroir of Château des Karantes is distinguished by its proximity to the sea and its South-East/East exposition. The inland side of the vineyard is surrounded by the cliffs of La Clape which protects the grapes from the ‘Vent du Nord’ (North Winds) while the cool breezes and humidity from the sea assures the balance and freshness of our wines. The soil is predominately Clay and Limestone and allows the production of rich, powerful and aromatic Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre based wines. At the entrance of the estate an area of sandy-silty soils produce delicate and elegant red and white wines. The White is sensational with its very unusual mix of Terret, Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, Vermentino and Roussane.Special bottle: Blanc 2007http://www.karantes.com/Château L'HospitaletGérard Bertrand is one of the most successful wine merchant of the region, some of his wines are "commercial" and for retail but he also has some gems in his range because of his beautiful domains and is extremely high knowledge of winemaking, his style is modern and cutting edge and he uses the most modern technologies. He won the title of European winery of the year for 2011 by The Wine Enthusiast, a leading Amercian wine magazine (http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/Web-2011/2011-Wine-Star-Award-Winners/). His white wine Cigalus are a real delight, very deep and complex featuring the legendary varietal Bourboulenc which origin is traced all the way to the Phenicians.Special Bottle: Château l’Hospitalet Grand Vin 2008http://www.gerard-bertrand.com/Saint-Chinian:The appellation is located at the southern end of the Massif Central (the area of low mountains in the center of southern France) and to the north of the coastal plains that drop gradually towards the sea. The terrain around the town of Saint-Chinian is of varying altitudes, from 100 to 300m. It is made up of lighter, looser schist soils in the higher areas and clay and limestone-dominated soils lower down. As is often the case, the most-respected wines are those made from vines grown at higher altitudes and with the superior drainage of loose soils. Carbonically macerated Carignan used to characterize Saint-Chinian's output but it is gradually being replaced by more-complex wines produced from Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre. The region has also seen an influx of young and exciting winemakers.Mas Des DamesA special wine by a special Dutch lady who abandoned everything in Amsterdam to come and make her own wine all alone! An amazing success story and a beautifully crafted end result. She kept the old winery—an old stone barn—and invested in a state-of-the art press and sorting table, plus she bought a handful of new concrete tanks. She is serious about sorting, discarding a significant portion of grapes in the more problematic years. Lastly, she sells off nearly all of her press wine to négociants, not wanting to impart any bitter tannin into the wine she puts into bottle.Special bottle: La Diva 2007www.masdesdames.fr/Domaine Canet-ValetteIndisputably the leader of the avant-garde in Saint- Chinian, Marc Valette’s powerful, warm, generous wines speak volumes about his passion and attention to detail. He treats his argilo-calcaire soil and vines only with organic substances and never filters or fines his wines. His winemaking relies on the principle of gravity, using a specially constructed cave on many different levels. He grows his fruit to maximum ripeness and, to respect the grapes and be in physical contact with his wines, he treads his grapes by foot in small 50 hectolitre casks. His love of wine is such that he needs to be touching, breathing and immersed in all aspects at all times. True passion.Special bottle: Domaine Canet-Valette, Maghani, 2001http://www.canetvalette.com/Les EminadesPossibly my favourite domain (behind La Grange des Peres of course) a really up and coming name. This spectacular-vista estate has been tended organically since the beginning in 2002, and they say they do as much "naturally" and by hand as possible. Their handsome old vines line up across dry stoney hillsides around the villages of Cébazan and Villespassan, mostly made up of senior-citizen Carignan (50 to 110 years old), Grenache (25 to 60 years), a splash of younger Syrah and some middle-aged Cinsault too.Special Bottle: Cebenna 2007http://www.leseminades.fr/Mas ChampartWhile the domaine started from just a simple, humble, stone farmhouse, they later added a winery and have expanded the holdings from eight to twenty-five hectares (sixteen of which are consecrated to vineyards, the remaining nine to arable crops and orchards). The terroir here is a patchwork of soils: steep slopes of clay and limestone (Mourvèdre), brightly colored marl (Carignan & Syrah), limestone (Syrah & Grenache) and lower slopes of clay and sandstone (Cabernet Franc). The Champart (the owners) live among their old vines on a gentle slope and have slowly started integrating more organic practices into their farming. Though the wines are easy to appreciate now for their inky complexity, they age extremely well and shine after some decanting.Special bottle: Causse du Bousquet 2010http://www.saint-chinian.pro/domaine-du-mas-champart,fr,8,35.cfmMas de CynanqueA rather new domain with a first bottle in 2004, a mixture of limestone and sandstone soil in St Chinian. They have some 100 year old Carignan, as well as 30 year old Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Yields are low, 20 hl/ha, around the cellar. The soils are deeper on the plateau, with less drought effect. He has been converting to organic viticulture and was certified in 2009, and he has planted white varieties, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Vermentino – he already had one hectare of 60 years old Grenache, both Blanc and Gris.Special Bottle: Nominaris 2008http://www.masdecynanque.com/MinervoisMinervois is an appellation for distinctive red wines from the western Languedoc in France. In general, the wines are more refined than the Corbieres wines produced just to the south.The appellation takes its name from Minerve, a town 25 miles (40km) from the Mediterranean coast and surrounded by the southern French foothills. As is the case with so much of southern France, there is archaeological evidence of Roman viticulture in the area. Mourvedre and Syrah are the predominant grape varieties used in AOC Minervois wines, constituting at least 20% of the blend.Domaine Anne GrosAnne Gros and her partner Jean-Paul Tollot, famous from their Burgundy estates, wanted a new adventure and they bought 16 ha. of vines in the Minervois, near St Chinian, built a new top modern winery in 2008 and now produce exquisite wines on a variety of different soils from limestone to chalk to sandstone and clay and with different vines ranging from 5 to 100 years old.Special bottle: Les Carrétals 2008http://www.anne-gros.com/en/minervois-3.htmlJean Baptiste SénatA legendary, rebel, Languedoc winemaker, his vines are a mix – Carignan, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsaut and a little bit of Syrah – some of them quite old (100y+ old Carignan). Sénat works organically, by hand, with natural yeasts, and without refrigeration, letting his casks (large and small) and subterranean vats find a natural balance. His pleasure in wine, he insists, comes from the “glissant” of a balanced, healthy wine.Special bottle: Le Bois des Merveilles 2007http://www.domaine-jeanbaptistesenat.fr/Domaine La Tour BoiséeA rather large domain in the Minervois with plenty of different wines, a lot affordable good wines and some exceptional wines as well.Special bottle: Plantation 1905 2007http://www.domainelatourboisee.com/index.php?la=enCorbièresThis is a large viticultural region in comparison with other local appellations or the subregional zones of the Coteaux du Languedoc. In fact it is the fourth largest appellation in all of France. There is a lot of average wine in this Appellation, same as the Fitou one, but still a few domains are doing things differently and produce interesting wines.La Voulte-GasparetsVery poor soils make for make favourable conditions here where the search for concentration and fruit is the goal, the place is so special it has its own appellation "Corbieres Boutenac".Special Bottle: Cuvée Romain Pauc 2010http://www.lavoultegasparets.com/Domaine Guilhem BarréDelicious wines, very drinkable, and full of fruit in the Cabardieres region. Entirely organic and non-motorized agriculture. Nothing added means a very pure, terroir wine, the region has cold nights and some altitude which fits the Merlot nicely for example.Special Bottle; La Peyriere 2010http://domaineguilhembarre.over-blog.com/Le Mas de mon Père de Fréderic PalaciosAnother hugely respected winemaker, he works alone on 4 ha. and embodies the definition of a craftsman. His white wine of 100% Chasan is incredible and a very rare varietal. Or his insane 100% Malbec another atypical sort for the region. He is the master of the "mono-cepage" with "C comme ça" 100% Carignan.Special bottle: "M comme je suis" 2010http://lemasdemonpere.chez-alice.fr/Cave d'Embres et CastelmaureAn enigmatic place, not a domain or single winemaker but different "vignerons" associated from a unique terroir with special micro-climate produces a very typical wine. Rustic, pure and true.Special bottle: Cuvée #3 2008http://www.castelmaure.com/LimouxIt was in 1531, one century before Dom Pérignon, that wines from Limoux stepped onto the world stage thanks to Benedictine nuns from the St Hilaire Abbey, a neighbouring village, who created the first sparkling wine in the world: La Blanquette de Limoux.The earliest written references to Blanquette de Limoux can be traced back to the lord of the region, “le Sieur d’Arques” who swigged down “flasks of Blanquette” to celebrate his victories.AntechA family domain mainly producing sparkling white wine. The grapes are handled and vinified in a way very similar to Champagne, and all three of the sparkling appellations are accounted for in the range. First up is Blanquette de Limoux, an appellation for sparkling wine defined in 1938, using the variety Mauzac with up to 10% combined total of Chardonnay and/or Chenin. Aged on the lees for nine months. The term blanquette describes a downy white covering on the underside of the leaves of the Mauzac variety; thus the grape is known locally as Blanquette, and hence the name of this appellation.Special Bottle: Antech Crémant de Limoux Cuvée Eugénie 2007http://www.antech-limoux.com/Sieur d'Arques Toques et ClochersThis domain took a huge gamble in the Sixties and replanted a lot of their vineyards with Chenin and Chardonnay and it pays off handsomely now. They created the label Toques et Clochers, a unique concept, which is a collection from 4 different "terroirs": Méditerranéen, Autant, Océanique, Haute-Vallée and 32 different "Clochers" which are usually one single winemaker/plot of land. Plot based selection, manual harvesting, and sorting are essential for the crafting of these fine wines. Their white Chardonnay are full of butter and vanilla and can beat almost any Burgundy for half the price! They really are special and a must-try for the Chardonnay lovers.Special Bottle: Clocher de Toureilles 2010- Autanhttp://www.sieurdarques.com/en/page/205-toques-clochersRoussillonRoussillon is the southern cousin of Languedoc and is situated at the foot of the Pyrennees and along the Mediterranean cost, it features some great natural sweet wines and now more and more modern table wines.Domaine du Clos des FéesCelebrated sommelier and wine journalist Herve Bizeul (Best Sommelier in France in 1981) established his estate in the Roussillon in 1999, converting his garage into a small winery for his first vintage. The 27 hectares of vines span 125 tiny sites in several distinct terroirs in Roussillon, some as much as 15 kilometers apart from each other. The myriad of subsoils ranging from granite to schist to limestone to small pebbles reflect in the incredible diversity of the vineyards that are planted with old vine (up to 100 years old) Grenache Blanc, Grenache Rouge, Syrah,Carignan and Mourvedre.Special bottle: Clos des Fées 2003http://www.closdesfees.com/en/home.phpMas AmielFor many years only fortified styles were produced at Mas Amiel, largely based on Grenache. Many methods are traditional, including the use of glass demijohns for maturing at least a portion of the harvest. The Maury Cuvée Spéciale is non-vintage, made from Grenache with a little Maccabeu and Carignan in the traditional style, and comes in ten and fifteen year old bottlings. There is also a vintaged Maury, a recent introduction, made purely from Grenache. This, in my experience, is in the modern style, being packed with fruit, texture and good body and alcohol. Another recent innovation is the development of a sweet Muscat de Rivesaltes, and the expansion of the portfolio beyond Maury and Muscat to include a variety of dry red and white wines under the Côtes du Roussillon appellation or as VdP des Côtes Catalanes. But their regular (ie non sweet wines) are also extremely good.Special Bottle: Mas Amiel Vin de Liqueur Plenitude Maccabeu 2002http://www.masamiel.fr/La Nouvelle Don(n)eThis young winemaker was a University professor, a biologist and oenologist, and trained in Burgundy on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in some of the best domains. Now on his own Catalan domain he applies organic agriculture and crafts some phenomenal wines using ultra-modern techniques. A huge talent for the future. His designs are modern, just like his wines.Special bottle: Cashmere 2009http://www.lanouvelledonne.com/Le SoulaIn the late 1990‟s, winemaker Gérard Grauby became aware that the nearby Agly Valley could offer great potential for making wines with the freshness and acidity imparted by altitude, while at the same time retaining a distinct southern French character. An ensuing search led him to a site of definite potential in the North-west of the Languedoc-Rousillon region, high up in the Agly Valley. Situated at an altitude of between 450m and 600m above sea level, with all that this implies in terms of cool climate and late picking, the soils were made up of decomposed granite washed over with limestone, similar to Hermitage. Largely abandoned to viticulture, the commune of St. Martin de Fenouillet seemed offered an extraordinary opportunity.Special Bottle: Le Soula 2008http://www.le-soula.com/le_soula/index.php?page=28Domaine de la RectorieBanyuls wines are made from grapes harvested in the early fall, when they reach a naturally high level of sweetness. The reds are fermented as whole berries. During the long maceration period, which lasts from three to six weeks, the naturally high levels of grape sugars are translated into a final alcohol level of more than 15%. The process of mutage (the use of sulfur or alcohol additions to stop must fermenting) is used to stop the fermentation process at the appropriate time, and establish a balance between residual sugar and final alcohol levels. Up to 10% pure alcohol may be added to the wines to bring them up to their target strength. All Banyuls wines are barrel aged for at least 12 months – 30 months in the case of the Banyuls Grand Cru wines.The term 'rancio' is applied to those Banyuls wines which have been subject to specific and intentional oxidative ageing. This takes place in oak casks of various sizes, and in large, basket-wrapped glass containers known as "bonbonnes", which are left open-ended to allow the wine to oxidize. Another term used in association with these wines is rimage – local dialect for 'vintage'.Special bottle: Banyuls Cuvée Doctor Camou 1992http://www.la-rectorie.com/Coume del MasCoume del Mas was started by the Gard family in 2000. Originally an agricultural engineer, Philippe Gard set about finding wonderful old vines around Banyuls and Collioure to make fine wines. This potential was soon realised, and the wines are now exported to over 20 countries, with very positive press reviews and awards. The specificity here is that they produce "normal" wines on the same terroir as the "vin doux naturals"Special bottle: Quadratur Collioure Rouge 2004http://coumedelmas.com/

Missouri for the state comes from the name of the river, which the anglophones found on French maps and recycled.The name of the river in French comes from the name of an indigenous nation in French, that we called Missourites or Missoarites. Apparently, those would be alternative names for a nation more famous under the name Natchez (a Siouan languaged nation), and Natchez would be from Niutachi, their autonym. It would be from a word in the Miami language, Wimihsoorita in spelling for English, that means “those who have canoes”. I think the Miami gave that name because according to Augustin Le Gardeur de Courtemanche, they didn’t know how to use canoes, so it was strange to them. When Courtemanche came to tell the Miami to come to talk about peace in Montréal in 1700, he said that they did not know how to navigate and the Wendat (or Wyandot, or Hurons) and Loups (Lenape) had to carry them on their canoes.You can have a detailed account just from reading Diderot’s Encyclopédie (1751) :Le Missouri [est une] grande riviere de l’Amérique septentrionale dans la Louisiane, & l’une des plus rapides qu’on connoisse. Elle court nord-ouest & sud-est, & tombe dans le Mississipi, 5 ou 6 lieues plus bas que le lac des Illinois. Quand elle entre dans le Mississipi, on ne peut guere distinguer quelle est la plus grande des deux rivieres, & le Missouri ne conserve apparemment son nom, que parce qu’elle continue à couler sous le même air de vent. Du reste, elle entre dans le Mississipi en conquérante, y porte ses eaux blanches jusqu’à l’autre bord sans les mêler, & communique ensuite à ce fleuve sa couleur & sa rapidité. Le P. Marquette, qui, selon le P. Charlevoix, découvrit le premier cette riviere, l’appelle Pékitanoui. On lui a substitué le nom de Missouri, à cause des premiers sauvages qu’on rencontre en la remontant, & qui s’appellent Missourites ou Missoarites.(If you ask, yes the spelling was modernized to be more pleasing to read today.)Strangely I could not find a translation of this entry in English, so I will do it myself :Missouri [is a] great river of Septentrional America in Louisiana, & one of the most rapid we know of. It runs north-west & south-east, & falls into the Mississipi, 5 or 6 leagues lower than the Lake of the Illinois. When it enters the Mississipi, we cannot tell apart anymore which is the biggest of the two rivers, & the Missouri does not keep its name apparently, because it continues to flow under the same air de vent [air of wind, I am not sure what it means]. Besides, it enters in the Mississipi like a conqueror, and carries its white waters to the other side without mixing them, & then communicates to this fleuve [more precise than the English word river] its color & its speed. The father Marquette that, according the father Charlevoix, discovered first this river, called it Pékitanoui. We substituted to it the name of Missouri, due to the first savages that we meet upon “climbing” it*, & that are called Missourites or Missoarites.*In French we go “up” or “down” on a river, because one side is upstream and uphill, and the other downstream and downhill. This is why for example we go “up” to Montréal from Québec City and go “down” to Québec City from Montréal.That’s nice when people write down stuff isn’t it ? You can know everything. Besides, it’s all public domain.