Le Derniere Goutte

Have you been to Le Dernière Gout? If you're into wines you should stop by for their weekly tastings on Friday and Saturday afternoons at 6 rue de Bourbon le Chateau in the 6th eme. Metro Odeon.

 

It's the charming yellow-red shop on the corner.

 

Inside is just as warm and the staff could not be more friendly speaking all languages fluently.

 

The owner, Juan Sanchez is from New York so there's a relaxed atmosphere.

 

The building dates from the 18th century. The handsome Esher flooring is from the 20s though.

 

A big French county pitcher is for spitting at the tasting but most forgot about it.

 

I went to Le Derniere Gout (the last taste) to shoot Bob's portrait in his favorite Paris wine shop. He's been coming for close to 13 years

 

Bob is a Burgundy man.

 

He was in 7th heaven. He looks for wines he can't find back in Boston.

 

LDG will pack up your purchases for the plane home with expert care for a mere 12.€

 

Regulars were meandering in and out with gusto. The wines are bio-dynamic and mostly from small independent vigneron the owner knows and has visited.

 

Bob wanted to be painted standing next to the sign.

 

Later a beret was added.

The Burgundy bottle under his arm was my idea.

 

If you're with a wine person who wants to linger you can always go across the street to Henri Le Roux

 

For some gorgeous caramels

Or my favorite chocolate in Paris, Le Roux's 'caramel au fruit de la passion'

Back in Derniere Goutte a wine connoisseur could tell I had caramels on the mind and didn't approve. Uh oh. You know you're in a New York shop when you see a vintage trash can as part of the decor, though the staff missed this important detail. If you'd like to painted in your favorite Paris shop do let me know. Bon weekend PBers!

 

Carole Bouquet Sangue d'Oro

 Last night French actress Carole Bouquet introduced her wine at Alliance Francais New York.

 Just as beautiful as ever.
 

 I thought I spotted Bouquet at bistro L'Ami Louis last October but I was wrong.
 

 Much better to see Bouquet up close and taste her luscious liqueur, Sangue d'oro she makes on the tiny island of Pantelleria near Sicily.
 

 Golden like honey, 'with confit notes of bergamotte, cinchona and dried apricot.
 

 'A smooth mouth..the perfect blend of softness and fine length on the palate..' Try it!
 

 Bouquet chatted with John Mariani on her film career - she's 55 and has made 55 films. Acting doesn't stop for French women when they become 'une femme d'un certain age'. And national theatres, supported by the government provide additional work to films.
 

 Warm, natural, animated, Bouquet was not the Mona Lisa/sphinx I was expecting. 
 

 Her porcelain beauty is legend but working in the 007 film, For Your Eyes Only, was hell.
 

 Luis Bunuel's That Obscure Object of Desire was Bouquet's first entry into films at just 20 and mostly by chance and luck. Being a gorgeous beauty didn't hurt either.
 

 Chanel quickly came calling but Bouquet waited till she was 28 to step into the role of spokeswoman, so her acting would not be overshadowed.

 I thought this was Carole Bouquet in the newest Cartier lavish commercial, but it's a look-alike.
 

 Have you seen Odyssee de Cartier?
Fabulous!

Bouquet was wearing earrings almost as fab as her wine.

Merci Mme. Bouquet!

Picking Grapes in Alsace

I went to a book party last night and drank too much chardonnay, so I'm showing my grape picking ventures today...

October harvest in Riquewihr, Alsace, is one of the most beautiful anywhere. I got to stand on a hill and sling a pair of shears for few hours. My 'payment' - to sit at the long vineyard table and share a huge luscious lunch. Alsatian grape picking is a family affair. Every member shows up to help with les vendanges.

At Regaleali Vineyard in Sicily I just watched. The pickers sang, chatted, smoked, picked grapes in the most leisurely fashion. You can take cooking lessons here with Countess Anna Tasca-Lanza.

Tuscan vineyards are almost as beautiful as Alsace.

Napa Valley grape pickers don't walk.They race to get the job done.

In Burgundy they used to carry straw baskets/paniers on their backs. You'll find these at Fr. ebay. You'll find all kinds of wine-related goodies on ebay.fr. I should know. I used to spend hours and $ looking for still life objects and I've got a closet full of taste-vins to prove it!

19th century Bordeaux pickers...

Figures are more fun to draw than grapes...

I'm better at wielding a paintbrush than grape shears/secateurs. Some passerby on the Bordeaux La Route du vin insisted on taking my picture back in the day when I haunted the vineyards.

Lordie...

Sherry-Lehmann

It's 3am hen in your closet you stumble on bits of your past you forgotten.

In one of my 9 or 10 past lives I used to illustrate wine catalogs for New York Sherry-LehmannI've always been influenced by Toulouse-Lautrec's drawings.

And for this Xmas catalog...
I did many direct take-offs from Lautrec's lithographs....

Lautrec was in fact influenced by the influx into France of Japanese woodblock prints. These too have long been a favorite of mine

Another take-off...

Last night I watched a favorite French farce -

Prete-Moi Ta Main / I Do - How To Get Married And stay Single

In it, the lead actress, Charlotte Gainsbourg (who I plan to come back as) while visiting her perspective inlaws impresses them...

By correctly identifing the wine as Bordeaux and from Chateau Latour. I might get the appelation but never the exact chateau even though I've sat in their vineyards and drawn the famous La Tour...

I've drawn onsite at Chateau Margaux too, but don't expect much from me at a blind tasting.

My pen is way better than my nose anyday of the week...

What will you be drinking this holiday?

No one draws animals like Lautrec
This Champagne hound is a distant relative of T-L's I hope

BON WEEK-END!