In MN, on my very last "Spring" 2009 wine tour visit.

Dear wine lovers,

For the last 15 years, I have been used to tour the US in order to promote wines from other vineyards. This time, I was so blessed to include Rouge-Bleu wines in the tour.

And another blessing arrived just by coincidence a week before I took off : Our Mistral red which already had been awarded by a Gold Medal in the Paris Agricultural Fair received a 91 points on the Wine Spectator !

Of course, this has brought even more excitement to this tour. Thank you to all of you who have joined the 14 wine events (tasting, lunch, dinner) and thank you so much for having supported our wines. Please find here pictures of the photo album and here is also a part of the signing sheet.

As those awards come very rapidly to us, I would like to express that I don't take them for granted. True is th at we have started our wine venture with an outstanding 2007 vintage, weather conditions that we have been able to magnify with our biodinamic farming, our very old vines and our traditional winemaking with concrete tanks.
We have worked as much to continue this quality level with the 2008, a cooler vintage which has already expressed its potential with our very fresh and elegant rosé (heavy file - takes a while to open). As for the 2008 reds, they need a little time to smooth down but will surely have the "good spirit" and a lot of character.

Cheers,

Jean-Marc Espinasse
Domaine Rouge-Bleu

Comments

[Bob & Angela Fowler]

By the time we arrived at the Los Angeles wine tasting the Mistral was already sold out; however, we did manage to snag the last three bottles of Dentelle. The Mistral is now back in stock and we look forward to sharing both with our family at Easter dinner this Sunday. We enjoyed chatting with you and,
hopefully, look forward to visiting your winery in person when we are in France this fall. Hope you have a great grape-growing season -- and get that rosé in the wine stores soon!

[Evelyn Jackson]

Congratulations on your award and your successful tour! I saw the article about you and Kristin in France Today and felt very proud of you both. You are remarkable, creative people. Keep up the good work!

[Kristin]

Jean-Marc,

I loved every photo. Your passion for winemaking, and delight in sharing your wine, are clear to see in these pictures. What a whirlwind trip!, and you haven't stopped since touching down in Marseilles almost one week ago (tractor work, deliveries, bottling, and rapt attention to all of us, your family). Many thanks to everyone who helped to make Jean-Marc's trip the best. He sailed right through this hectic tour thanks to several angels along the way.

[Sandra Seldon]

Dear Kristen,
I have been a frequent visitor to your site for several years. My husband and I rented a house near Courthezon two years ago May. We stayed on the estate of the De Gaillards (Ferme Du Montellier) in one of three homes on the property-the farmhouse, the two story home(where we stayed for a month) and the Chateau(occupied by Nazis during the war).
We frequented Orange-so close for newspapers and two wonderful restaurants-one the Forum, the other across from the ancient theatre-mainly because it had air c.-Hot in June.
I noticed your husband was coming to Richfield,MN. a twenty minute trip for us and we met him. I was surprised by the number of people there for the same purpose-as it was the playoffs for the NBA- a nationwide sports event. We enjoyed meeting Jean Marc and purchased a few bottles of wine. I was curious why he named his wine Mistral. When we were in France, the mistrals were blowing very strong-morning, noon and night!(for several days in a row) But I learned mistrals can be kind to grapevine. At market, many people were complaining and their animals were affected too.

[Sandra Seldon]

I could not finish with above comments so will continue. We spent several days in Chateauneuf-du-Pope and every day we had our breakfast and lunch and many dinners on the patio looking at Mt. Ventoux. I brought pictures of Mt. Ventoux when I met your husband. Many memories.
I enjoy your French Word-A-Day site and enjoy reading about your children-"For Goodness Sakes"is something we grew up with and it is so funny to read about their question on what it means!
Sincerely, Sandra Seldon-a devoted reader

[Kristin]

Hi Sandra,

Many thanks for your note, which I just discovered (after checking out Jean-Marc's latest post!). The places you stayed, and the restaurants, are great tips to know. I was just in Orange, day before yesterday, looking for a place to take my Mom for lunch. We settled for an omelette in the town's main square, where a statue of Raimbaud looks on. That was a great potatoe and onion omelette and, to share a tip of our own, a good deal: two terrace lunches at under $20!