Tag: Wine and Wellness

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Bordeaux Châteaux to Retreat to 

My insider guide to where to retreat to in Bordeaux

The October wine and wellbeing retreat at Château Sigalas Rabaud in Sauternes is sold out. Sorry if you missed it. There are only five guest rooms so places weren’t going to hang around. 

Don’t worry, there are other options, Bordeaux châteaux have really embraced wine tourism, and it goes way beyond tasting rooms. Now, I can privatise some of the most stunning properties across the region. Could there be a better way to experience Bordeaux than staying in your own private château? Beautiful rooms, private salons, gardens and even pools, a private chateau allows guests to tailor experiences to suit exactly what they want. As well as meeting amazing wine makers and discovering their properties and wines, it might be morning yoga in the vines, healthy food and wine experiences or cooking classes after scouring local farmers’ markets, chef led dinners or just relaxing by the pool after a busy morning tasting. Here’s a selection of different Bordeaux châteaux you can call your own.

I’ll start with Château Sigalas Rabaud, where our October retreat is taking place. This beautiful 17th-century Chartreuse, is the smallest of the first classified growths in Sauternes. It is been home to the de Lambert des Granges family since 1863. Sixth-generation, Laure de Lambert Compeyrot took over in 2006. She has given the property a new lease of life not only creating stunning Sémillon wines but also five beautiful, en-suite guest rooms. The rooms, lounge and dining room have a family feel, an elegant mix of traditional, cosy and eclectic. Don’t miss the ‘shower in the tower’ in the Marie-Antoinette room, named after her grandmother. 

Her desire to welcome people to the estate is rooted in her passion for the wines. She invites guests to join her on the sunny terrace of the château for her favourite pairing, a glass of Sauternes with old Parmesan cheese, a ‘sweet aperitif’ by the lap pool near the vines or a morning cup of coffee made from beans aged in her Sauternes barrels. 

Sunset dining at Château Sigalas Rabaud

Keeping it in the family, Château de Ferrand in Saint-Émilion is run by Laure’s cousin Gonzague de Lambert, but you couldn’t be in a more different place. High above the sloping vineyards of the property, the château, built in 1702, is surrounded by a park with a unique collection of over 200 year old trees. It was acquired in 1978 by Baron Bich, creator of the Bic® pens and razors. Since 2010, his daughter, Pauline Bich Chandon-Moët, and her husband Philippe have brought Château de Ferrand into the 21st century with design-led technical, architectural, environmental and artistic renovations. Three beautiful guest rooms, a stunning private dining room are all decorated with art from The Bic Contemporary Art collection. Their private chef is on hand to create wonderful food and wine experiences. 

Château de Ferrand by day
and by night

Saint-Émilion is a wonderful base for a retreat, as well as the multitude of vineyards to discover, there’s the medieval town of Saint-Émilion with its many wine shops and restaurants. Nearby Libourne hosts a busy market three days a week, perfect for an outing with a chef to discover local produce. On the very edge of the village, Château Villemaurine, Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Émilion, is now home to La Villa des Vignes, a discreetly elegant hotel with four suites and seven bedrooms. Cleverly marrying tradition and modern luxury, there’s a nod to the limestone it’s built of and on.

The Village of Saint Emilion

The breakfast room and terrace perched above the vat room overlook the vines, as do a cosy salon, library and an indoor pool. All this a few steps away from the bustling centre of Saint Emilion. Guests can taste wines from all four family estates: Soutard-Cadet, Sansonnet, Moulin du Cadet and Villemaurine, in a private tasting room. It’s small enough to be ideal for a private group. More intimate groups might prefer the neighbouring Château Soutard Cadet, which has four en-suite rooms in a lovely house surrounded by vines. 

Château L’Etampe is another ‘family home’ we can privatise in the vines of Saint Emilion. As the wine making takes place at their neighbouring  Château Fleur de Lisse the property is now dedicated to guests with six double rooms, two suites, a heated pool and a billiards room. The Teycheney family invested in St-Emilion in 2015, the 19th century Château L’Etampe is one of three vineyards the family own. At Château Fleur de Lisse guests can enjoy elegant dinners or cooking classes in the dining room above the working cellar.

Château l’Etampe

A stone’s throw away is Pomerol, small but beautifully formed, producing some of the most prestigious wines of the region. At its heart you’ll find Château Beauregard. This Napoleonic chartreuse was so admired by the Guggenheim family that they built their own copy; Mille-Fleurs’ in New York.

Serenity at Château Beauregard in Pomerol

The five beautifully renovated guest rooms are a clever blend of historic and modern that Bordeaux does so well. A private salon, tasting room and dining room look out over the ancient terrace edged by two dovecotes. Cross the bridge over the small moat to a garden designed by Victor Louis, the architect of Bordeaux’s Grand Théâtre. The intimate atmosphere of the château contrasts with the spectacular new cellars dominated by monumental concrete vats and a glass harvest reception room is a perfect venue for a yoga class outside of harvest time!

a welcome tasting at Château Beauregard

On the left bank, Pessac Léognan is a terrific base if you want to explore the length and breadth of this large region. It’s also close enough to the city if you want a shopping break away from the vines. 

La Chartreuse de Haut-Bailly, is owned by the Wilmers family, owners of Grand Cru Classé Château Haut-Bailly. They spent three years renovating the property, opening their doors to guests in 2015 with four charming en-suite bedrooms and one suite – perfectly placed just half an hour from the city of Bordeaux, yet in the heart of the vineyards. A large terrace (another perfect yoga venue) overlooks the landscaped gardens and swimming pool. A salon and an elegant dining room host breakfast and dinners. House guests can also visit the fabulous new wine cellars at Château Haut Bailly and, for a change of scene, stay to dine at ‘La Table Privée’ in the family home.

La Chartreuse de Haut-Bailly
La Chartreuse de Haut-Bailly

For larger groups La Chartreuse du Château Le Thil, tucked away in the woods nearby, has nine double en-suite rooms and two suites. Alice and Bertrand Tourbier, owners of Les Sources de Caudalie (the 5* hotel and spa in the grounds of Smith Haut Lafitte) opened Château le Thil as a ‘lodge’ in 2013.  Stone stairways at opposite ends of the house lead up to two suites and nine tastefully decorated rooms using finds from local sales. The three ground-floor reception rooms open onto stunning parkland; a small lake and a garden classified as a ‘Jardin Remarquable’. It is a short walk (or bike ride) from the world-famous wine spa at The Caudalie hotel, that also has an excellent cocktail bar if you want a break from wine – it happens!  

Château Le Thil, a bucolic setting close to the city

The Tourbiers recently opened Les Sources de Vougeot in Burgundy after Les Sources de Cheverney in the Loire if you fancy venturing further afield.

The Médoc has no shortage of prestigious châteaux and here too there are some stunning venues for discreet getaways. 

Château Beychevelle in Saint-Julien, is known as the Versailles of the Médoc. The raised terrace (more stunning morning yoga) has an elegant staircase leading down to the gardens that run down to the estuary. 

Chateau with a view - Château Beychevelle
The view from the terrace of Chateau Beychevelle

Built in the classic Chartreuse style, a single-storey building with an ‘enfilade’ of rooms and towers at each end, it originally dated from 1565, then rebuilt in 1757 in its current style as a showcase for the status of its then owner, the Marquis de Brassier.  After extensive restoration, the 13 bedrooms and bathrooms are now as deluxe as the château is grand. You can dine in the splendid dining room and sleep in 18th-century elegance.

Inside the elegant salons of Château Beychevelle

The three pagodas of Château Cos d’Estournel  dominate the hillside approach to the appellation of Saint Estèphe. This iconic building of the Médoc, famous for its unique oriental architecture, inspired by the frequent voyages of owner Louis Gaspard d’Estournel to Asia in the 18th and 19th century. His obsession for the Orient earned him the nickname of Maharajah of Saint-Estèphe.

The iconic architecture of the cellars of Château cos d’Estournel

Michel Reybier purchased Cos d’Estournel in 2000. He transformed what was previously a museum, into La Chartreuse de Cos d’Estournel. Reybier owns the Michel Reybier Hospitality group, a collection of the luxury Reserve hotels and La Chartreuse doesn’t disappoint. Designed by Jacques Garcia as a family residence, the six bedrooms and two suites are all unique each with Carrara marble bathrooms. One suite even has its own fitness space. Guests have access to the owner’s library, dining room, lounge, terrace, indoor and outdoor heated pools and steam room. It’s perfect in the summer for a dip in the pool and in the winter for the log fires, but it has all year-round appeal due to the unique access to the spectacular cellars and wine tastings of Château Cos d’Estournel. 

Inside La Chartreuse de Cos

Les Ormes de Pez In the heart of the Pez hamlet, close to the village of Saint-Estèphe, this XVIII century ‘maison de maitre’ sits next to the Château Ormes de Pez cellars. Surrounded by its tree-lined park, it belongs to the Cazes family, owners of Château Lynch-Bages. It offers five double en-suite rooms and two smaller bedrooms, two living rooms, a breakfast room and a dining room that can host up to 14 guests. Visit between June and September to use the outdoor pool. 

One of the rooms of château Les Ormes de Pez

Chartreuse de Fonbadet.

The Peyronie family have been making wine in Pauillac since the 1700s. In 1950, Robert Peyronie bought Château Fonbadet, a property dating back to the 1820s. The dynamic fourth-generation Pascale Peyronie took over in 1991, having studied law and oenology. Her latest project is the transformation of her family home into a stunning five-bedroom ‘Chartreuse’.

The feminin energy of Château Fonbadet

No expense has been spared: there’s a spa room, suites featuring solid Carrara marble bathrooms and flooring, (no fewer than 48 tonnes of marble were used), and a park where contemporary sculptures are hidden amongst century-old trees. It’s a clever mix of classic Bordeaux style and ultra-modern luxury, with a very feminine signature.  On the edge of the Village of Bages and close to the Pauillac waterfront, it’s a spectacular base from which to discover the northern Médoc. 

The newly renovated Château Fonbadet

Spoiled for choice?

Intimate, grandiose or discreet, these architectural jewels, scattered across the region offer the opportunity for unique, private Bordeaux experiences. If you have a small group of friends, family or colleagues keen to discover a world of wine or wellbeing, or both (my speciality!) Let me know which one takes your fancy, we’ll make it happen.

To know more about what’s going on behind the scenes in Bordeaux,  sign up here so you don’t miss future blog posts. Please share with any friends and colleagues interested to learn more about the region, its people and of course its wines.

Concerned all this delicious wine might be affecting your liver? I can help: join  ‘7 weeks to Liver Friendly Lifestyle programme’  the online course that guides you towards a healthy passion for wine. 

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Laure de Lambert Compeyrot shares wine and wellness inspiration from Sauternes

Laure de Lambert Compeyrot is the owner and Director of Château Sigalas Rabaud, 1er Grand Cru Classé de Sauternes. If you are a regular reader, you will recognise her wines from previous blog posts. As she launches a zero-alcohol version of her wine, I chat to her about her vision of wine and wellness.

Laure will be co-hosting our wine and wellbeing weekend with me in October at her beautiful property. Join us.

Meet Laure

Could you introduce yourself and your role in the wine industry, please?

I am the sixth generation of the family at the helm of this property, which has been in the family since 1863. Today I manage the development of the domain; everything related to wine from branding strategy to wine tourism, including opening the château to guests.

I am also the president of La Route des Vins de Bordeaux en Graves et Sauternes, and more recently a municipal councilor for Bordeaux, overseeing links between the city and the wine business, as well as the promotion of wine.

What brought you to the wine business?

My career started in the world of art and culture. I worked at the Louvre des Antiquaires, then in publishing, before finally creating a logistics company with a friend. My family wine roots eventually caught up with me, and today I have the privilege of being 100% invested in Château Sigalas Rabaud as CEO.

Zero percent ‘Sauternes’ , a joint venture between Laure and Moderato

What do you love most about the wine business?

It’s an industry where we speak about the weather as often as international strategy; every day is different. It’s challenging and dynamic, but also an industry where personal contact remains so important.

What does the concept of wellness mean to you?

Wellness, or wellbeing, is about finding balance between pleasure, energy, work, sleep and sometimes a delicious butter sauce!

It’s being able to succeed whilst listening to yourself and to the people around you.

Welcome to Château Sigalas Rabaud

If it’s not indiscreet, how many times do you drink each week and do you limit yourself to a certain quantity of alcohol?

I taste a lot in my line of work, but when I drink it’s with a meal, with friends and family. For me, wine is profoundly linked to conviviality, gastronomy and sharing.

I don’t live with restriction; it’s about equilibrium. There are periods when I drink more through professional obligations, especially for tastings and wine fairs, and other times when I naturally drink less.

Has your attitude towards drinking and wellness changed over the years?

Yes, my vision has evolved over the years. I believe you can be passionate about wine whilst also having awareness and freedom about what and why you drink. It’s precisely this idea that led me to become curious about high-quality non-alcoholic wine: to offer other ways to share, not by opposing different worlds but by bringing them together to enrich the possibilities available to wine lovers.

Are there foods you consciously include or foods you avoid in your diet? If so, what and why?

I don’t follow a diet nor abide by strict rules. I love to cook, eat a balanced diet and share great food. In the family, we have always prioritised local produce, vegetables and fruit, either simply prepared or more sophisticated for special occasions. It’s rare for us to eat pre-prepared food.

Do you take any supplements? Which ones?

I’m not interested in ‘magic powders’ or supplements; I never take them! I believe in common sense, quality products and an excellent foie gras with a glass of Sauternes.

Do you exercise?

Yes, I do, either in a gym in Bordeaux or on a treadmill first thing before breakfast. At the château I’m always walking in the vines, at least 7,000 steps a day!

What are your biggest challenges to staying fit and healthy in your job? How do you overcome them?

In this business there are lots of temptations, the challenge is to resist excess becoming a habit. When I feel I’ve enjoyed myself a little too much, I pay attention – until the next dinner!

Do you set yourself goals, and do they help in your aim to stay well?

Yes, I like having an objective: a pair of jeans I want to be able to wear and a number on the scales I’d rather not reach!

Does the fact you are a woman help, or is it a hindrance in this business, or is it now irrelevant? If so, how would you pinpoint the changes?

Things have evolved enormously, thank goodness. More women have now found their place and feel confident expressing themselves, innovating and sharing their vision. For a longtime the wine world was a very masculine environment. Some of these habits and reflexes still exist today, with women still under-represented at some levels of management. Often it takes a photo of a meeting to make you realise women are missing. Where’s Charlie? 😉 But it is so much better than 20 years ago.

Do you feel there are different expectations in drinking culture for women compared to male colleagues?

Yes, and studies show this is the case.

Have you seen an evolution in attitudes in the business towards drinking in general?

Yes – especially in France.

Does it affect business socialising?

Yes it does.

How do you cope with wellness pressures when you travel, for business and pleasure?

When I travel, I try to keep things simple and balanced (that word again): sleep well, avoid escalators in airports, walk and take the stairs rather than the lift.

My trips are often synonymous with tastings, restaurants and a frenetic rhythm. After a few days of wine fairs and business trips, a bowl of soup, a long walk and a good night’s sleep feel like a luxury … and an obligation!

If you had just one or two top tips for women in wine wanting to stay well, what would they be?

Take time to reflect, meditate or stay calm in order to reconnect with yourself and with others. Stay true to yourself. If you’re in the right place, it’s because you’re meant to be there. Don’t take on others’ opinions if they are not your own. We are not obliged to accept the codes of men, or of other women, who have gone before us.

The ideal spot to indulge in wine and wellness

Is there anything else you would like to share about women in the drinks business or about wine and health?

Go for it – it’s exciting. It’s a demanding universe but one that is rich in human relationships. I believe that wine, when linked to gastronomy, sharing, conviviality and moderation, is an art de vivre, both culture and pleasure.

And keep enjoying wine! My father is 95 years old and has enjoyed wine daily since he was seven. 

Join us

If you’d like to meet Laure, discover her wines and beautiful property, please join us at Château Sigalas Rabaud, from 2 – 5 October 2026. There will be insider visits, exceptional wines and relaxed yoga. You’ll meet more women who inspire me, taste some of my favourite Bordeaux and discover how to enjoy them without compromising your health.

If you want to know more about what’s going on behind the scenes in Bordeaux do sign up here to be sure not to miss future blog posts. 

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Why I’m reinventing The Drinking Woman’s Diet

With January renewal in the air, I‘m riding the movement, revamping, updating and repackaging the Drinking Woman’s Diet online course. The Drinking Woman’s Diet  book was first published in 2018 and the online course was launched in 2022; it’s time for an update.

The course was created as an answer to readers who loved the book but needed a little encouragement to put the ideas into practice. Always happy to help!

Welcome back

For those of you already signed up to the online course, thank you. You should have received your invite to transfer, free of charge, to the new, all-singing, all-dancing website. If not, or if you’re struggling to sing back in please contact me directly. 

What’s in a name? 

We’ve changed the name to A Life Well Poured. As much as I love ‘The Drinking Woman’s Diet’, and we’ve had a lot of fun with it, the programme is definitely not a traditional weight-loss diet.

If it’s not a diet, what is it? 

It’s a holistic, liver-friendly lifestyle guide, tailored to women who want to enjoy wine but who don’t want to sacrifice their health. With everything we hear from wellness influencers, you’d be forgiven for thinking that’s impossible – that you have to give up alcohol completely to have any chance of being healthy. But, realistically, are you never going to drink a glass of wine again? No, me neither – and nor are most of my friends and certainly not my colleagues. 

The Pleasure Principle

I love a glass of wine and want wine to continue to be part of my life. It’s a choice I make in balancing pleasure and risk. The pleasure in sharing a delicious glass of wine with friends and food is important to me. A bit like driving a car, going skiing, eating cake (I’m not giving those up either). 

A Life Well Poured is not an excuse to drink to excess, but a guide to help you enjoy wine in moderation while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 

Like a fine wine, it’s all about balance: neither abstinence nor excess. A Life Well Poured shares research and advice to help you understand exactly what happens when we drink and how we can adapt our lifestyle habits to enjoy wine sensibly whilst keeping possible harmful side effects to a minimum. I don’t take good health for granted, I’m a yoga teacher and very well aware of the effect my lifestyle has on my practice – booze, sleep, diet, etc. Downward dog and a hangover do not mix well!

From understanding how our bodies process alcohol and why we as women – especially midlife women – struggle more than men, to thinking about how, why, when and what we drink and the roles it plays in our lives. This course will leave you with a deeper understanding of wine, how to drink and taste mindfully, how the food we eat (that’s the diet bit), the exercise we do and other lifestyle habits help or hinder our alcohol metabolism. 

Why me? 

Having worked in the wine industry for over 30 years, I’ve had a lot of practice in balancing my professional life with health and fitness goals. I also believe wine should be fun, not stuffy or complicated – it is, after all, a social lubricant. On this blog, I love sharing stories from Bordeaux, a region that can seem intimidating from the outside. These stories often include amazing women in wine, many of whom have been an inspiration to me for the original book, and now for the course.

A Life Well poured addresses serious issues about alcohol and health in a light-hearted, practical way, sharing how a healthy life can be enjoyed with some wine. 

What’s new?

The videos are clearer and there’s new content: PDFs, videos, and a new wine-and-wellness community where we can share our experiences, questions and progress. This community will have ‘en primeur’ access to new content, retreats and events, both virtual and in real life. You’ll still find the bonus videos from experts about yoga, lymphatic drainage, massage, meditation and more. As the web site is new, please feel free to share any glitches. I’m always happy to receive helpful feedback.

Knowledge increases pleasure and wine should be about pleasure, joy and sharing.Knowledge is also power to make the right decisions about your health and consumption habits. Ditch the guilt, I invite you to raise a glass to your good health. 

Discover the new website and sign up for the line course here, and please share this with anyone who would like to share our healthy passion for Bordeaux.

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100 years of Bord’eau

If you dine in and around Bordeaux, the mineral water may come to your table in a bottle that looks just a Bordeaux wine bottle; straight shoulders, clear glass (sometimes plastic) and in red or white – sorry red or blue – for sparkling or still.

This is Bordeaux water, or pretty close. La Sources des Abatilles is in Arcachon, about 60 miles west of the city of Bordeaux on the Atlantic Coast. At this time of year, it feels like Bordeaux, as most of the population decamps there for the summer. 

Around 4,000 restaurants, including 20 Michelin stars across the south-west of France, choose these bottles to grace their tables.

Origin

The spring was found by accident in 1923, when a petrochemical engineer was searching for oil. Instead an 8-metre-high jet of water spurted out of the ground at a volume of 70 000 litres an hour. The water had filtered down from the Massif Central mountains, taking 300 years for each kilometre of its journey. It’s this voyage through rock and sand that gives the unique minerality to the water. 

Upon the discovery of the mineral content and its therapeutic benefits, the locally owned company started bottling in 1925. They also built a hotel, created a park and a kiosk. In the 1920s these parks and gardens where the place to see and be seen in this elegant seaside town.

Taking the waters in the 1020s

Liver cure 

When the hotel closed, the precious water continued to be sold via Pharmacies. Its light mineral content, 354 mg/l of dissolved salts, puts it on a short list of French mineral waters with low mineral content: neutral for the body, easy to eliminate and great for detox. It was promoted for its health benefits, with studies showing it was excellent for kidneys, the liver and even gout – handy in a wine region. 

Take the waters 

Post-war, in the 1950s, it returned to its function as a ‘cure’, even reimbursed by French national health service – I do love the French. The Vittel water company took over in the 1960s, sadly closing the cure. When in turn, they were bought by Nestlé in the 1990s, they introduced the easily recognisable Frontignan or ‘Bordelaise’ bottle. They used the same mobile bottling lines you still see today at most Bordeaux chateaux. 

The Kiosk in the 1930s
and today

Since 2013, the water is in the hands of Jean Merlaut and Hervé Maudet. Merlaut (a great name for anyone in the wine business) is at the head of Taillan Group, a major French wine company and owner of several  chateaux, including Château Gruaud Larose, Château Dudon, and Malagar, as well as three wine merchant companies, in the Rhone, the Loire and of course Bordeaux, with Ginestet. Maudet specialises in selling wines to restaurants, which may explain how and why these signature  bottles now grace quality restaurants across the region, along with sponsorships for major regional sporting events. 

A Eau C

Mineral water or ‘Eau Minérale’, has a legal obligation in France to have a consistent and permanent level of mineral content without filtering, alteration or intervention from aquifer to bottle, and must be qualified as therapeutic by the ‘Academie de Medicine’. 

Today, Abatilles water is pumped from the aquifer that lies 472 metres below the sand in the limestone subsoil. Its geographical situation, surrounded by sand dunes with no agricultural activity, means there are zero  nitrates. Stored in the aquifer, the mineral elements have remained identical since testing first started 100 years ago in 1925. It’s basically an Eau AOC. 

Surrounded by sand dunes, pines and a stones throw from the beach

Sustainable 

To protect the precious source and the environment, the 50 people who work here pump less than 40% of the permitted volume. They have reduced the weight of plastic bottles, which are 100% recyclable, both bottles and caps, and are increasing the percentage of glass to plastic bottles, something they can more easily do with restaurants. Bottles are available in half and full bottle size in glass (33, 50 and 75cl) and bottles and magnums (of course) in PET.

The glass bottle range with the celebratory logo

This year Les Abatilles celebrate their 100-year anniversary with a new and discreet ‘100’ logo on the bottles, a limited-edition anniversary bottle only available at ‘La Source’ and a beautifully illustrated book of the history of the source. They remain open to the public Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m.-11.30 a.m., with a guided visit and, yes, a tasting directly from the source in the kiosk, upon reservation at the Arcachon Tourist office.

The limited edition collector bottle available at La source along with other 100 year merchandise.

Glass of water glass of wine 

In The Drinking Woman’s Diet, I underline the importance of alternating a glass of wine with a glass of water – what better water to choose than one from Bordeaux?  

Thanks for reading, please feel free to share with anyone interested in discovering more about Bordeaux. Sign up here to receive future posts directly to your inbox.  Read the new Green Edition of Bordeaux Bootcamp, and explore Wine and Wellness, with  The Drinking Woman’s Diet  or just say hi  here.

As well as this blog, I write for other wine publications and share my ‘healthy passion for Bordeaux’ through in-person and online classes. Contact me here to learn more.

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Olive oil – the perfect summer seasoning.

I’m going off piste to share another delicious liquid, Olive oil. Read anything about healthy eating and the Mediterranean diet will come up, but the Med is a big place, what they eat on a Greek island won’t be the same as in Northern Africa, the South of France or Sicily. But they all have common threads, lots of fresh, local veg, Olive oil and usually wine. We know all about wine, wineand2veg is the go to for veg info but what is it about Olive Oil?

 Olive oil consumption is said to have anti-ageing benefits, protecting against everything from heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer to brain health. But not any old olive oil, the magical elixir is Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). Olive oil contains healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, of which oleic acid, accounts for up to 80%. Research shows that this fatty acid has positive effects both cardiovascular and neurodegenerative and in controlling normal blood LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations compared to saturated fatty acids diets.

Polyphenols – again

 It’s not only the fatty acids, the health benefits of Olive oil are also due to polyphenols. I bang on about polyphenols a lot in The Drinking Woman’s Diet. Polyphenols are bio-active anti-oxidants found everywhere in the plant kingdom, created as protection against pests and diseases. Kale, beans, tea, coffee, spinach, and broccoli, tomatoes, apples, oranges, pears, olive oil, wine and many more are particularly good sources. We all need more plants on plates. 

It is estimated that olive oil and olives provide around 11% of the total polyphenol intake in a typical Mediterranean Diet. Oleocanthal seems to be the most interesting phenolic, its whose health claims are recognised by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). It appears to reduce the abundance of pathogenic bacteria and stimulating beneficial bacteria in the microbiome

Fruit oil or seed oil. Extracted from the flesh of a fruit, rather than a seed, Olive oil is higher in polyphenols. Seeds need less protection from bugs, fungus, etc. so they produce less polyphenols to fight them off. 

Bitterness and the cough test 

Polyphenols also make good olive oil taste great.  I’ve talked about bitterness and polyphenols on the wineand2veg website. Really good olive oil is often so bitter it can catch in the back of the throat making you cough. This characteristic is known as the cough test, the back of the throat is so sensitive to oleocanthal that top extra-virgin olive oils are rated on a scale of one, two or three coughs!

Wine and Olive compare and contrast

 Both wine and olive oil originate in Mediterranean climates, from plants with an ancient history. Their concentrations of biologically active polyphenols vary depending upon the variety and the ripeness of the fruit, where and how it is grown, how it is extracted and stored. 

Transformation Olive oil is less transformed than wine, it is simply the squeezed olive juice, separated away from water content to leave the oil. Wine is made by fermenting grape juice, the advantage is that alcohol produced during fermentation helps extract polyphenols from grape skins and seeds. Table olives have less polyphenols as the processing to make them edible (less bitter) destroys most of them, however the valuable oleanolic acid remains. Unlike wine that can improve with age, olive oil really needs to be used as fresh as possible and stored in a cool place away from light to avoid oxidation. 

Taste test Tasting methods and notes for wine and olive oil have lots in common, involving swirling, sniffing, slurping and swallowing. Wine doesn’t normally make you cough though! 

Synergy The synergy between Olive oil and food isn’t new,  foods interacting to create a sum greater than their parts is a characteristic of the Mediterranean diet and it seems to centre around Olive Oil. Fat soluble vitamins and polyphenols from food are easier to absorb and digest served with oil that helps preserve and absorb bio active polyphenols. The polyphenols in olive oil also protect food from oxidation during preparation and cooking.  For meat eaters, marinating meat in olive oil and herbs before cooking may reduce the impact of carcinogenic compounds formed when meat fats burn and caramelise. Drenching your steak in Olive oil before you pop it on the BBQ can help prevent some of the negative effects associated  with over cooking meat.

Burn point controversy Despite popular myths around smoke points, olive oil is good for cooking. The smoke point is higher than most domestic kitchens reach – if black acrid smoke comes off the pan – it’s too hot! 

Wine and olive oil

The magic of food and wine pairing goes a lot deeper than just the pleasure of making both the wine and the food taste better. We know oil reduces the perception of astringency in wine.  Research at Bordeaux university shows the interaction between oil and catechin, an important and astringent grape tannin, prevents the proteins in saliva binding with tannins. The most effective oil? Olive oil.

As well as wine and food matching making both taste better, it may also be better for us. Eating fat slows gastric emptying and slows alcohol absorption more than carbohydrates. When consuming wine with Olive oil laden dishes blood alcohol levels remain steadier. The synergy is even more interesting, research based on the interaction of the antioxidants in red wine and Extra Virgin Olive oil shows that consuming them together increased the absorption of the anti-oxidants from both. Both Olive oil and ethanol make polyphenols more bioavailable to the body. Never has the saying if it grows together, it goes together seemed more appropriate. 

Olive Groves in Bordeaux? 
There’s a few experimental olive plantings in Bordeaux, but it’s early days and I need to go taste them before recommending them to you, but some Bordeaux properties also own or work with olive groves further south. 

Some to try.

Château Lestrille in Entre deux Mers sells a delicious artisan olive oil from The Domaine Oulivie Montpellier, family run and sustainably farmed, just like Chateau Lestrille. My favourite is made from 100% Lucques olives, she also sells the delicious Lucques Olives themselves in her boutique in the village of saint germain du Puch.

Chateau Fleur de Fleur de Lisse in Saint Emilion, sells a delicious, single varietal, olive oil they grow in the South, it has its own AOP ‘Les Garrigues’ they also have an Elixir which is made from olives that have had the stones removed before pressing.

The Cazes family that own Château Lynch Bages in Pauillac also own a property in the south of France, Ostal Cazes, in the Languedoc where they produce Olive Oil as well as a range of wine.

Neighbouring Château Pichon Baron belongs to the Axa group, they also own Quinta do Noval in Portugal, that produces a delicious Olive Oil alongside their port vines. 

As well as Chateau Giscours in Margaux, the Albada family also own Caiarossa  in Tuscany with 6 ha of Olive trees spread across the estate alongside the vines and forests all cultivated to biodynamic principles. They produce just 700 half bottles of Extra Virgin organic olive oil each year. Some of it makes its way to Chateau Giscours where you can buy it along with the Margaux wines. 

These Olive oils might not be from Bordeaux but they are a perfect and deliciously healthy summer seasoning to serve alongside them.

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The Demon Drink or a Year of Magical Drinking? 

In 2018, I published The Drinking Woman’s Diet and I’ve been banging on about wine and wellness ever since. But now the conversation has changed and for the wine industry, not for the better. You can’t open a newspaper or scroll through social media without an article or report about the dangers of alcohol consumption. 

To top it all in January 2023, the WHO (World Health Organisation) pronounced that ‘No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health’. 

Wine consumption is down and this stark message will only accelerate the move away from alcohol. France is a dramatic example of the change.  Around 60% of Bordeaux sales are to the home market where, according to the CNIV (Comité National des interprofessions des vins des appellations) per head consumption has fallen from 100 litres per person pa in 1975 (admittedly a high starting point) to less than 40 litres today. This goes a long way to explain the recent government subsidies for uprooting vines across France.

In key export markets, wine prices are rising, partly due to increased taxation but also production and distribution costs. In her end of year review ‘The State of Wine in 2023’ in the Financial Times, Jancis Robinson said that ‘it is becoming painfully clear to those who produce and sell it that wine is a discretionary purchase’. Jancis also underlined the problems that this move away from wine to other beverages is having in Bordeaux, particularly the Entre deux Mers and Northern Medoc, interestingly both areas of Bordeaux that offer some of the best value buys of the region.

The Demon drink 

Despite traditionally considered a healthier option amongst alcoholic beverages, wine now seems to be in the cross hairs of the anti-alcohol lobby. As public messaging demonises wine consumption, the promotion of no and low options is on the rise, something we will surely see more of heading into dry January. 

The consumer is changing, a lot of young people are receptive to health messaging. I wrote about the clean wine movement a while back, while the wine industry rightly criticised the misleading health claims around ‘clean’ wine in their own echo chamber, the implied message that most wine isn’t clean, is dangerous. 

The new labelling legislation being introduced in Europe may help but the information about alcohol levels, which is what we are really concerned with here, is already clearly on the label. 

Nothing new

There’s nothing new about neo-prohibitionists and the wine industry isn’t completely ignoring them. As early as 1990, Women for Wine sense (WWS) was created by two leading Californian women in wine, Michaela Rodeno and Julie Johnson. The aim was, and still is, to increase wine knowledge as a counterweight to the anti-alcohol lobby they were already contending with. The premise being a better understanding of wine leads to more responsible consumption. It’s a successful organisation, a group from WWS came to Bordeaux several years ago and I’ve spoken at several of their events since. Their growing network of over 10 chapters throughout the US has a charitable arm that sponsors wine education for women in the industry.

Ten years ago, Europe created Wine in Moderation. Their social media campaign ‘’Cheers! Tips to enjoy a glass of wine while keeping safe‘ promotes ‘a message to encourage a moderate consumption of wine, and support wine professionals and consumers with positive and motivational words’. ‘Vins et Société‘ plays a similar role in France. Not exactly lobby groups for the industry but organisations that try to show a responsible face of the industry. 

In 2019, at the Fine Minds for Fine Wine forum in Bordeaux, it was brought to the audience’s attention that certain sovereign investment funds were actively disinvesting in companies linked to spirits production (following on from tobacco). Is wine next? 

The wine industry must communicate clearly around the subject and take a ‘reasonable’ stance before it’s taken for us, or taken away altogether . It’s not easy.  

In a recent podcast Areni’s Editorial Director Felicity Carter reported back from the Lifestyle, Diet, Wine & Health Congress where doctors, scientists and researchers examined the minefield of wine and health, and the challenges to the benefits traditionally thought to be linked to moderate wine consumption. The Congress was  organised by the  Wine Information Council, and, the Foundation for Wine and Nutrition Research. Carter discovered that the evidence around health benefits of wine or, at least  that it doesn’t cause harm, is complicated.  

Follow the science

As important as it is to understand the science, I’m not sure communicating around possible health benefits of wine is a great  strategy. The science can be contradictory and open to interpretation. Age and gender affect results and many studies rely on people self-reporting how much they drink, under reporting is an issue (lying about how much they drink). We know moderation is key, but the ‘less but better as part of a healthy lifestyle’ is a complicated and subtle message to promote, much more so than the “no safe level of consumption” message currently being shared. Differentiating between excess and the damage it causes and a healthy approach to drinking is a mine field. Make no mistake binge drinking is dangerous and the amount to qualify as a binge is probably less than you think.

Follow the money 

Increased criticism of alcohol was inevitable given the evolution of the wellness industry. Make no mistake it is an industry, according to the Global Wellness Institute Wellness it was worth $5.6 trillion in revenue in 2022.

Who are these neo-prohibitionists and why are they trying to suck the joy out of our lives? Is it a genuine concern for our health? Is it a desire to save the national health service from the costs incurred by alcoholics (please note – alcoholics not alcohol). Western populations are getting older and sicker, diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease are increasing but alcohol is not the only culprit responsible for this ‘Global Burden of Disease’. 

Is it easier to attack alcohol than sugar and Ultra Processed Foods (UPF)? Are the wine makers and booze companies less good at lobbying? The sugar and UPF industry seems to manage to maintain subsidies, or at least avoid criticism, for production of highly processed products such as high fructose corn syrup, a product as addictive as alcohol and much more ubiquitous. Are there lessons to be learnt? 

Felicity Carter warned that the wine industry should be wary of under estimating both the funding and the passion of those promoting a no and low model. With Booze branding expert, Erica Duecy, they have created ‘The Business of Drinks’  podcast exploring the big questions in beverage alcohol. A podcast that follows the money in drinks – their interviews with no and low company founders are enlightening. A lot of the motivation from founders of no and low also comes from personal experience, which makes them so passionate and evangelical about their message. 

Fighting talk 

Wine producers are passionate too and they need to share their passion. We know stories sell, personal stories even more so and there are so many great ones in the wine business. 

It’s no good putting our head in the sand and hoping that this too will pass. It might, but I doubt it. The stakes are high for the economic and also cultural importance of the wine industry, for all the alcohol industry. Spirits and beer are also part of the economic and social structure of their regions of production. 

We have amazing origin stories to tell, stories of history, nature, environmental and social responsibility. Wine is a wonderfully diverse and fascinating product from vine to glass, made by passionate people. Despite the anti-alcohol movement, travellers are embracing wine tourism, giving us more opportunities than ever to share the love.

The pleasure principal

Instead of talking about the health benefits of moderate wine drinking, let’s shift the focus to the pleasures of drinking responsibly. The pleasure of sharing wine and the stories around wine with friends and the social benefits that brings. Social drinkers have a better friend network, an important source of mental health. Social drinking is not the same as solo binge drinking whilst watching Netflix. 

We know moderate drinking can be part of a healthy lifestyle, ideally consuming wine with food such as the Mediterranean diet. Wine producers have so much to share, connecting their product to the place and to local culinary traditions that reinforce this positive message. Felicity Carter reported that the Congress talked a lot about the Mediterranean diet, how it’s possibly not wine alone that’s heart healthy, but its synergistic effect when paired with food rich in polyphenols. 

How to drink 

This is similar to the conclusion reached by Dan Buettner of Blue Zones fame. He concluded that social structure, often gathering around the table, enjoying sharing food and wine is one of the keys to living better and longer. It’s also about how, as well as what and how much we eat and drink.

What not to say. 

Irresponsible promotion around ‘Mommy Juice’, Wine o’clock and representing wine as a go-to stress reliver at the end of the day is not helping the industry. The anti-alcohol message, seems to be targeting women, perhaps in response to this irresponsible attitude to drinking. Women are traditionally more aware of and responsive to health messaging. There are also physiologically reasons, women metabolise alcohol more slowly than men and are more susceptible to harm from excess. 

The Drinking Woman’s Diet – time for a rebrand?

Time for a rebrand? 

When I published the Drinking Woman’s Diet it was inspired by friends struggling to get the balance right, to enjoy wine without damaging their health. It was intended as a practical but light-hearted look at how moderate wine consumption can be part of a healthy lifestyle. The title was perhaps misleading, despite my job as a wine educator I wasn’t trying to encourage women to drink, nor find an excuse for it. The landscape has changed, and as I’m now updating the book, perhaps it’s time for a rebrand as the discussion gets serious?  

This year, with wine maker Sally Evans at Château George 7 in Fronsac, we launched the Wineand2veg website. The objective is to look at how wine can be part of a plant based life style, how to match wine with veg. Drinking wine with food is protective in two ways, firstly, it slows the absorption of alcohol, blood alcohol levels rise more slowly, you get less intoxicated and there is less damage to the liver. There’s that possible synergy between plant polyphenols and those in wine, it’s a win – win. It’s also a way of engaging with consumers aware of the benefits of a plant based diet, showing that the wine world is open to them too.

The magic is in the wine  

I don’t drink wine because it’s good for me. I drink wine because I love it, I love sharing it with friends, I love the histories, the stories and the people behind the product.

Wine and wellness can work, but the messaging around pleasure and a shared passion is so much more engaging then either a puritanical dictum or a struggle to justify wine drinking for its health benefits. 

Let’s make 2024 the year we share our passion for the magic of wine? 

Happy New Year

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Wake up to Bordeaux wine tourism in 2023

After a dormant winter, everything wine tourism is now coming back to life. Messages in my inbox announce the latest wine tourism offerings for the upcoming year and there’s always something new. 

It’s important to mix things up on a wine tour, properties vary in wine styles, in architectural styles and in the way they receive you. You don’t want the same spiel about wine making and barrel ageing at every château you visit. Once you’ve got those basics under your belt, choose visits with different experiences to see what each property is doing differently and why.

Waiting to discover the new cellars at Pichon Baron

What’s caught my eye for 2023 so far? In a recent blog post I mentioned the fabulous new cellar at Château Balastard la Tonelle in Saint Emilion. There are more new cellars in Bordeaux to visit in 2023 including Château Pichon Baron in Pauillac opening up to visitors this Spring and Château Leoville Barton in Saint Julien not far behind.

Château Haut-Brion recently renovated “Le Chai Neuf”, the manor house at the entrance to the estate. Built in 1801 it is now Le Pavillon Catelan, in homage to the original owner the Marquis Jean-Antoine de Catelan. The four year renovation includes, reception rooms, a wine boutique selling wines from all the Clarence Dillon vineyards and a huge, vaulted cellar on the lower ground floor for tastings.

La Cave du Château at Haut Brion

Going green .This spring La Route de Bordeaux Graves et Sauternes launches the first low carbon wine road trip from Pessac Leognan, through the Graves into Sauternes and Barsac. Thanks to La Bulle Verte you no longer need a car to discover the region, take the train from Bordeaux and join an itinerary that links seven properties you can explore on foot or electric bicycle for tastings, lunches, dinners, picnics and even a siesta. Make it half a day, a day or stay longer overnight thanks to accommodation options along the route. Charging points are available for electric vehicles.

La Bulle Verte is no stranger to Bordeaux, they already offer their slow exploration experiences across the region including Château Prieuré Lichine in Margaux  and at Château Guiraud in Sauternes. Now Chateau Sigalas Rabaud, Chateau de Cerons, Château de Portets, Chateau Carbonnieux, Château L’Arrivet Haut Brion and Doisy Daene have joined the adventure.

Keeping it green

If you stay over, the Lalique hotel at Château Lafaurie Peyrauguey re-opened on 3rd Feb (just in time for a special Valentine’s day experience). 2022 was a great year for Chef Jerome Schilling, with a second Michelin star for the restaurant and the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF).  

Two star chef and Meilleur Ouvrier de France Jérome Schilling

Nearby Château Guiraud has also started work on a new hotel, it won’t be opened for a couple of years but in the meantime their Restaurant Le Cercle Guiraud will relaunch in June. It’s in the heart of the village of Sauternes, it will serve local products alongside the wines of the château and the other vineyards in the group, Château de Bachelards, Domaine les Aurelles, Château de Callac and a wine selection curated by Denis Verneau, le chef sommelier MOF de La Mère Brazier.

Le Cercle is just around the corner from the newly renovated Maison du Vin, the perfect show case to discover and taste wines from across the appellation.

Further North in Pessac Leognan, Château Leognan will open the doors of its new hotel  this year. Already welcoming guests with their restaurant and a few guest rooms, now you can choose from over 30 rooms in the chateau and the converted stables. 

There’s new accommodation in Saint Emilion too. Château Clos du Breuil, Classified growth is perched high on a limestone hill in Saint Christophe de Bardes. Renovated as a small almost Provencal style hamlet around a running fountain last year, a wine bar serves their wines and different food options. They have now finished renovating the gorgeous guest house overlooking the vines. With six suites, a gorgeous kitchen, sitting and dining rooms overlooking the vines and a billiards room. It’s available for rent as of mid-May and a perfect base for a group right bank wine tour. Never one to sit still, Benoit Trocard is also opening a four star hotel in the village of Saint Emilion this summer in partnership with Laurent Lartigue.      

Un petit air de Provence at Clos du Breuil

Wine walk. Work up a thirst with a 2 km walk around the village of Cerons. Guided by an app created by Château de Cerons, discover insider secrets you would otherwise miss. The 12th century church, the old ‘lavoir’, the carrelets on the banks of the Garonne where they catch the alose fish and their new plantations of different cereals used as green fertilizer for the vines now under conversion to organic certification. If you’ve worked up an appetite enjoy a picnic in the park. Choose your menu by colour, based on their wines: red, white, gold and orange – yes I said orange. 

Keeping wine zen. In Margaux Château Kirwan, as well as a cellar full of old vintages they are happy to share, join a cooking class including how to make colourful French macaroons, a wine and chocolate tasting with the delicious Hasnaa chocolates, discover wine aromas by making your own perfume and, this year, a new wine and sophrology experience. 

Wine and wellness A little further afield Les Sources de Cheverney reopened late January. From 12th to14th March  three days of ‘Ludipilates’ is a great way to start the year in the vines of the Loire valley.

Back in Sauternes, the doors to the Sweet retreat, wine and yoga weekend close in a couple of weeks, there’s still a few rooms left in June (2nd-5th) let me know now if you’d like to join us.

Ready for yoga at Château Sigalas Rabaud ?

 Food and wine. From March, Château Troplong-Mondot, home to the Michelin star restaurant Les Belles Perdrix, will host private table experiences once a week on Thursday nights. Held in the kitchen, this immersive experience includes rare and local products. If you can’t wait until then you can always get your hands dirty this winter with a visit that shows you how to both prune the vines and blend the wine. 

Château Malrome in the Entre deux Mers has a new Chef this season, Chef Gilles Demaure will be championing regional products at the Les Abeilles Restaurant. Chef Olivier at Château Malartic Lagravière in Pessac Léognan has added another string to his bow, with a grill version of his ‘Picnic Chic’ one Friday a month from May to the end of September as well as the ‘Gourmet break’ served at lunch time and cooking classes if you want to be more hands on.

Picnic chic at Château Malartic Lagraviere

Vertical or horizontal? Tastings that is, not the state you’re in afterwards! Many chateaux offer the possibility of tasting older vintages. These special tastings need to be booked in advance (I recommend booking all tours in advance to avoid disappointment). Two of my favourites are  Château Leoville Poyferre, where they offer the choice between 2014, 2015 and 2016 or 2008, 2009 and 2010 and pair them with cheeses or chocolates, from Hasnaa. At Château Cos d’Estournel alongside the G d’Estournel, les Pagodes and the Estournel Blanc, you can choose between a tasting of  2019, 2014, 2008 or 2020, 2016, 2009, 2005. At Chateau de Ferrand in Saint Emilion, a sommelier will take you through six vintages. 

A vertical at Château de Ferrand

Right bank – left bank. After a soft opening to visitors for a couple of months last summer, Classified growth of Saint Emilion, Château Grand Corbin is looking forward to opening their doors again this year with tastings, a boutique that offers international shipping and access to the Château gardens. As they are also owners of Château Cantemerle, Classified growth of Haut Medoc, they offer a  unique left bank right bank tasting of the first and second wines of both properties. 

Château Grand Corbin

Kids come too. At Château Marquis d’Alesme in Margaux children are as welcome as their wine loving adults thanks to Le Petit Marquis, a free treasure hunt organised for 6-12 year olds. Nathalie Perrodo who owns and runs the property is a young mum herself. There’s a visit and tasting option for grown-ups too and La Table de Nathalie offers simple, fresh and local food on their sheltered terrace surrounded by a herb garden, some of which might find their way into your lunch. 

Château Marquis d’Alesme welcomes children of all ages.

Townies. Open for 7 years now, The Cité du Vin has just renewed and updated their exhibitions. It re-opened on 4th February with a new interactive multimedia permanent exhibition highlighting both the natural environment and the people behind the bottles.   Bordeaux 360° takes you on a virtual voyage across the Gironde tasting from an oyster fisherman’s village in Arcachon to a chic Bordeaux rooftop as well as across the vineyards of the Medoc and Saint Emilion. 

Wine and design. I usually start The Wine and Design Tour at the Bordeaux Decorative Arts Museum. It’s a cool space split between a 18th century bourgeois Bordeaux residence and an old prison with exhibitions that are just as innovative. It has just closed for a 2-year renovation. It’ll be worth the wait.

Meanwhile in 2023, the amazing and diverse cellars of Bordeaux are ready to welcome you, whether you are spellbound by their architecture or by the wines they produce. 

 Please sign up here to receive future blog posts delivered directly to your inbox. To learn more about Bordeaux, read Bordeaux Bootcamp here. 

Watch the free Daily Detox webinar here, buy your copy of The Drinking Woman’s Diet  or discover the new online 7 days to a Liver friendly Lifestyle  here and join me 2-5th June for The wine and wellness Sweet Retreat.

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Sources de Caudalie reaches across France 

As Les Sources Hotel Group announces the purchase of five historic hotels in leading wine regions, I look at the origins of these pioneers in wine and wellness tourism and discover their exciting plans for the future. 

From wine to welcome 

First there was wine, Daniel and Florence Cathiard bought Château Smith Haut Lafitte in 1990, starting a new life there after moving from Eastern France. They are pioneers of wine tourism in the region, after three years renovating the estate, they moved into an 18th century chartreuse in the vines, dedicating the chateau buildings to wine production and wine tourism. 

They have nurtured the estate of 87 hectares, producing red and white Pessac Léognan wines, farming sustainably on the Graves terroir and winning critical acclaim for their wines.

Inspiration

The inspiration for hospitality came from their desire to share their new home. They opened the vineyard to visitors seven days a week, for tours, tastings and workshops and quickly found the best way of sharing their wines was around a table, with food, the traditional way Bordeaux wines are tasted. 

They opened the Les Sources de Caudalie hotel and spa in the grounds of the chateau in 1999 to do just that and allow guests to stay a while. 

A family affair

Their two daughters have followed in their footsteps, each on their own path. In 1995 Mathilde Thomas-Cathiard and her husband, Bertrand, founded Caudalie, a hugely successful, international cosmetics company, originally inspired by and created from the byproducts of wine making at Château Smith Haut Lafitte.

Alice Tourbier-Cathiard and her husband, Jérôme, now run two hotels, the original Sources de Caudalie, in the vines of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, and Les Sources de Cheverny in the Loire Valley. 

Jerome and Alice Tourbier Photo Credit Marie Pierre Morel

Les Sources de Caudalie started with 29 rooms, a restaurant and the original Caudalie Vinothérapie® Spa thanks to the spring waters found 540m below the estate.

Now, the hotel is a 5-star village of six buildings, all inspired by local architecture and built from local and recycled materials, with 61 rooms and suites and a Palace category. There’s a house on stilts in the small lake behind the chateau and the 1500m2 spa is built to resemble the traditional tobacco drying barns of the region. The three restaurants include the two star Michelin La Grand’Vigne** under Chef Nicolas Masse. 

Redecorated this Spring by decorator Delphine Sauvaget, the hotel is a clever blend of homely and luxury, a warm family atmosphere but with palace standards –  quite a combination to pull off. 

In 2013, they opened La Chartreuse Du Château Le Thil. A 1 km walk away through the vines, this 18 century château is now a lodge with nine rooms and two suites. My wine tour guests love to privatise this property, hidden in its beautiful park full of ancient trees. It offers a unique French château experience, decorated in the French country chic mix of contemporary and old furniture. 

The pool at les Sources de Caudalie Bordeaux Credit Marie Pierre Morel

After a brief flirtation with the Paris region at Les Etangs de Corot, Alice and Jérome returned to their first love, the vineyards, opening Les Sources de Cheverny in the Loire Valley in 2020 (perfect timing!) reopening post lockdown in Sept 2021. A traditional chateau deep in the forest that won its first Michelin within a year of opening. 

Alice wants guests to be able to see vines from their window, remaining close to nature as part of their sustainable philosophy. 

Wine and wellness tourism 

Les Sources stays true to its original objective of offering guests a relaxed environment to discover wine. Each hotel is a shop window for its region as passionate sommeliers demystify local wines, giving enthusiasts the words to describe what they sense and the space to be confident doing so. Restaurants with their excellent wine lists, cellar visits, tastings and cooking classes are all part of this wine adventure.

If wine runs through their veins so does wellness with their Caudalie spas with the grape-based products and treatments and other wellness activities from cycling to yoga. 

Les Sources de Cheverny

The success of Sources de Cheverny has given Alice and Jerome the confidence to launch an even more ambitious project. They have just signed the purchase of the hotel chain Les Grande Etapes de France, fulfilling their ambition to welcome guests across the leading wine regions of France, and some of the most beautiful. 

History in their hands 

The purchase will add five hotels to their portfolio, all stunning historical properties. Two in the Loire, Château d’Artigny in Montbazon and Choiseul in Amboise, two in Alsace, Château de l’Île in Strasbourg, and Château d’Isenbourg near Colmar and finally the stunning Château de Gilly in Burgundy. Burgundy and Bordeaux will be familiar to most wine lovers. Alsace perhaps less so? This region on the French German border runs along the Rhine with and is home to spectacular white wines, dominated by Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat and Pinot Grisand picturesque vineyard villages along the wine route . Château d’Isenbourg has its own 5 ha vineyard. four major grapes used for the wines of the region; Riesling, Gewurtztaminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris

Rising to the challenge 

It’s an ambitious project. The hotels are all already functioning, with the capacity necessary to welcome wine tourism groups, but there’s detailed work to be done to bring them up to Les Sources exacting standards. 

Alice loves this planning part, working out how best to share the region, the local culture, food, wine and history with guests. Practically, how to integrate into these unique and historic buildings necessities like air conditioning, the spas, wine bars for tastings alongside both gastronomic and more simple, local and traditional food. As Alice says, you can’t eat Michelin star cuisine every day of your stay. 

And they do want guests to stay, to take the time to discover these regions, their wines and their wine makers. Reflecting that original philosophy. 

Working with the same architect as for Les Sources de Cheverny, renovation will start next year (2023) on the 16th century Château de Gilly (already a 5 star hotel) in Burgundy and Château d’Isenbourg in Alsace. The objective is to reopen these historic buildings and gardens again in 2025.

Château de Gilly

I’m particularly excited by the renovation of Château de Gilly in Burgundy, I’ve stayed there a few times, touring with French Wine Explorers and loved the location, the gardens and the vaulted restaurant. I’ll also be visiting Alsace again for a wine and biking tour. I’ll see you there.

Inside the Château de Gilly

If you’d like  to read more, please sign up here  to receive future blog posts directly to your inbox. You can learn more about Wine and Wellness, by signing up for the free Daily Detox webinar here, buy your copy of The Drinking Woman’s Diet here or discover the new online 7 days to a Liver friendly Lifestyle  here. Thanks for taking the time to read this, I look forward to your feedback.

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Does wine have a dirty little secret?

I’m a member of the AWE – Association of Wine Educators, an organisation whose members I highly recommend if you are looking to join wine classes in the UK, or even further afield. 

We recently discussed the phenomenon that is Clean Wine. Wine and wellness is a subject close to my heart since publishing The Drinking Woman’s Diet.

The Drinking Woman’s Diet

2020 The ‘invention’ of Clean Wine? 

A trade mark for clean wine?

Cameron Diaz’s launch of Avaline as a ‘clean wine’ created a lot of column inches last year. The trade knows what clean wine means – not much – but as damning and sarcastic as the trade has been on social media, the reaction from consumers has been positive – lapping up the ‘clean delicious wine’ quite literally. 

Avaline are not alone 

The Good Clean Wine Company also started in 2020, selling their wines, I quote: ‘minimal intervention, few to no additives, and more natural processes, they’re considered and affordable wines that let you choose easily, live freely, and feel good’.

Does it do what it says on the label?

Dry Farm wines has been around for a little longer and is more transparent. It distributes mainly European wines from small family vineyards that are not irrigated – dry farmed. They talk about natural rather than clean, and their claims are more precise: low sugar (they say Sugar Free qualifying it as 0-0.15g per glass), low alcohol (under 12.5% alc/vol), and additive free, all backed up by lab tests. 

I quote from the website, ‘The only way to really know what is in your wine is to send a sample to an independent lab to analyse it. ‘

Dry Farm Wines, tested and transparent?

Negative by implication.

These statements are more than marketing handles; by calling their wines, natural or clean and new, they imply the rest of the industry as dirty or unnatural. Words like honesty imply dishonesty; transparency implies that ‘normal’ wine has something to hide. Dangerous stuff. 

This is an extension of the booming clean food and clean beauty trend. The owners of The Good Clean Wine Company are both from the beauty industry. It had to happen and the pandemic has only accelerated it. 

Green washing? 

As opportunistic as this seems, what goes into wine is a valid concern for some, often younger, consumers – a demographic that wine producers are keen to engage with, especially the traditional producing regions (France, Spain, Italy) where local consumption is decreasing. 

The sustainable trend was brought into focus at the two-day online Sustainable Wine Conference in November 2020. 1100 participants attended, including 700 grape growers and wine makers, retailers, logistics firms, and the wine trade in general.

Their research found that :

Younger drinkers are more open to sustainability in wine.

Gen Zs have a stronger perception that sustainable wines will be better quality.

Millennials lead the way in terms of purchasing sustainable and environmentally produced wine and 9 in 10 are willing to pay more for them.

Younger consumers are significantly more engaged with sustainability, view it as increasingly important to protect the future, and have a strong affinity towards sustainable wine certifications.

75% of trade respondents feel that the demand for sustainably produced products has increased over the past five to 10 years; and slightly more think it will increase in the next 5 to 10 years.

One session was dedicated to Misinformation in wine: How transparency and science can change the debate on ‘clean’ and ‘natural’ wine. The speakers included AWE member Richard Bampfield MW, Anne Jones of Waitrose & Partners, Felicity Carter now editor in chief of the new PIX platform and their magazine The Drop) and Wellness guru Liz Earle MBE. You can listen to the discussion here.

When America sneezes

The examples above are American, but the trend for natural and clean wines is strong in the UK and Europe too. Wine making legislation in Europe is stricter than in the US, just take alcohol labelling. EU regulations permit a tolerance of plus or minus 0.5 per cent; looser US regulations allow a tolerance of plus or minus 1.5 per cent of alcohol for wines under 14 per cent alcohol, and plus or minus 1 per cent for wines over 14 per cent. This hardly inspires confidence so a reaction is perhaps understandable. The definition of organic also varies from country to country.

Market driven? 

There’s nothing wrong with good marketing and wine hasn’t always shone in this field. Dry Farms talks about ‘ Keto & Paleo Friendly, Vegan and Low Carb Friendly’. Occasionally they mention taste! They both make claims about lack of labelling legislation, the number of additives allowed to be used in wine (70 or 76 depending on the site,) etc. 

This appeals to a desire to understand what is behind the label. These may be new drinkers or drinkers that perhaps don’t already have brand affiliation, or drinkers who have never really given much thought at all to where the wine comes from.  This is also an affluent clientele.

They are selling a dream of healthy, artisan made wines sometimes, ridiculously, even hangover free. They use bio-hackers and influencers such as Tim Ferriss, as ways to market. It also helps when an international film star co-owns the company. Underlying that the purchasing decisions of the younger generation are more influenced by social media, rather than labelling.

Wine business 

Dry Farms is an interesting business model – although they do profile the odd wine maker on the site, there is no catalogue. The consumer does not have a choice of which wines they buy, only by colour, red, white, rosé or sparkling and how many. They select the wines for mixed or single colour in cases of 6 or 12 delivered to you door every month.  It’s a subscription model, another ‘right-on’ marketing trend. 

Avaline does reveal the names of the wine makers they work with except for their red where they say: ‘The winemaking family respectfully asked Avaline to keep their identity confidential’. So much for transparency! 

Wine and wellness

There is a Californian wellness vibe behind these products, and the wine trade dismisses this at its own risk. The global wellness economy is currently valued at $4.5 trillion (2018 data). The industry grew by 6.4 per cent annually from 2015–2017, from a $3.7 trillion to a $4.2 trillion market, nearly twice as fast as global economic growth (3.6 per cent annually, based on IMF data). Revenue growth leaders from 2015–2017 (per annum) were the spa industry (9.8 per cent), wellness tourism (6.5 per cent) and wellness real estate (6.4 per cent).

Wine and yoga in the vines, not only in California!

Wine and health

Wine traditionally enjoys the reputation of a healthy option as far as alcoholic beverages are concerned. Most producers are keen to promote wine as part of a healthy and responsible lifestyle. Health issues are even more front-of-mind given the pandemic. 

Clean wine’s claims bring into focus the health benefits, or otherwise, of wine and alcohol. But can wine ever be considered good for us? It’s a debate the trade needs to take seriously. The sober curious movement is a concerning trend for the industry. Dry January, Sober October and the increase in non-alcoholic options are important trends. The rise of ‘low and no’ alcohol options are all in response to this. 

Alongside the wellness trend there is also a neo-abstinence trend, especially in the US. In 1990, Women for Wine Sense was created by wine makers in the US with the stated aim of improving wine knowledge through education as a counterweight to the anti-alcohol lobby. Their premise is a better understanding of wine leads to more responsible consumption. The success of this organisation has been phenomenal; they now have a network of 10 chapters and growing throughout the US and a charitable arm that sponsors wine education for women in the industry.

Ten years ago, Wine in Moderation was created in Europe. Their social media campaign ‘’Cheers! Tips to enjoy a glass of wine while keeping safe‘ promotes ‘a message to encourage a moderate consumption of wine, and support wine professionals and consumers with positive and motivational words’. ‘Vins et Société‘ plays a similar role in France. Not exactly lobby groups for the industry but showing a responsible face of an industry that is essentially selling a drug. 

And that is a very controversial statement. Purposely so. I believe the wine industry must communicate clearly around the subject and take a ‘reasonable’ stance. If not it may be taken for us. 

At the Fine Minds for Fine Wine forum in Bordeaux, it was brought to the audience’s attention that certain sovereign investment funds were actively disinvesting in companies linked to spirits production (following on from tobacco). The world of high finance may seem a long way from an artisan wine producer – less far from Diageo and LVMH perhaps? The wine trade can’t hide its head in the sand. 

These trends go further than marketing to a subset of rich Californian Millennials looking for guilt free tipples.

Where to go for the answers? 

Pseudo-science peddled by clean wine merchants is seductive as are headlines about wine being good for your heart or brain or waistline, but this is not the answer. Do your research, studies in the press are often misquoted.

Understanding the label

The purchasing decisions of the younger generation are more influenced by social media and media rather than labelling. We know wine labelling can be complicated and certifications (vegan, organic biodynamic sustainable, etc.) are multiple and change from country to country.

I quote from Dry Farms, ‘By law, wine is not required to have a contents label on the bottle. This is based on an ‘old’ agreement between the wine lobby and the US government. As one of the only major food groups without a content label, consumers are left in the dark about what is in their wine.’

Knowledge and information are the best adversaries of ‘Fake news’.  We all know the frustration of looking up information on specific wines for tastings and the dearth of information on many producer websites. I sympathise, we know that many wine producers are neither tech savvy nor time rich. 

With mixed messaging around wine and health, and in the absence of clear communication and labelling from producers (understandable given the complexity of the issue and the size of many producers) where do you go for information? 

The Sustainable Wine forum debate raised the challenge of getting more precise yet accessible information out to influencers and lifestyle journalists about what sustainable production really is. 

For many, wine has the advantage of being perceived as a natural product, but I think there is an urgency to get in front of fake news and give a clear message. 

The AWE is putting together a database of resources with just such information about the important questions that are raised. 

I would love to have your feedback about where you go to get reliable information of the wines you are drinking. Or if you even care? 

An version of this post was first published on the AWE Website.

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A Sip of Wellness.

It’s been a while since I wrote about wine and wellness. What could be a more perfect way to come back to the subject than with a certified sommelier and yoga teacher?

Please meet Joanna Piotrowiak, MBA, Certified Sommelier, yoga teacher and founder of Sip of Wellness.

Joanna, please introduce yourself and your role in the wine industry.

Originally from Poland, I lived in Hong Kong for over a decade & I am now writing a new chapter. If I’ve learned anything during the last 18 months through Covid, it’s that life is unpredictable so as I strive to grow my business, I am also waiting to see where to base myself next. Making yourself available can sometimes open up new opportunities so staying open grants us the possibility to new things that life may bring us.

As a Certified Sommelier & yoga teacher, I am also the founder of Sip of Wellness, a business that combines three of my passions: wine, yoga and wellness.  Thanks to these passions, I decided to create an original wine tasting concept, blending wine education with yoga philosophy through the awakening of energy centres called ‘chakras’ that are linked to the key senses that we use during wine tastings.

What brought you to the business and how long have you worked here? 

I would say there are two main factors that have had an impact on my journey into the wine industry. Firstly, it was my granddad’s house wine that I was helping to make ever since I was a child. The grapes grew in his garden, the wine was very sweet and quite strong. It made many of our family’s gatherings very joyful 😉

Secondly, food. One of a life’s essence for my family. My grandma was a great cook who was often hired to cook at weddings. My mom learned all her tricks and unsurprisingly become a great home chef.  Since food and wine are closely related, my parents slowly began to explore wines. It’s worth mentioning that it was beginning of the ‘90s when wine consumption and knowledge in Poland was quite low so my parents were ahead of time. Eventually they invested in a winery in Sardinia while I decided to pursue an MBA program. I wanted to go to Asia, to a country with an exciting wine scene where I could learn and develop a career. Hong Kong was an obvious choice. 

During the MBA I did an internship at a local wine distributor specialising in boutique producers from Italy where I finally got a full- time job as a Sales Executive.  I’m a bit of a nerd hence after completing WSET level 2, I wanted to deepen my knowledge and above all get closer to people with whom I worked therefore I enrolled to a Certified Sommelier program conducted by Court of Master Sommeliers. During intense study time I was offered a position at Berry Bros. & Rudd where I ended up running the Wholesale Department and being a member of International Leadership team.  I will be forever grateful for the experience at BBR since I met some of the best & most interesting wine makers, buyers, Masters of Wine and travelled to wine regions. 

What do you love most about the wine business? 

People and how wine brings them together.  Thanks to stepping into the wine world, I’ve had the luck and opportunity to meet passionate and inspiring people.  Not much can compete with sharing a bottle of wine with those who appreciate it the most.  One more thing is how it allows you to visit some of the most beautiful places in the world! We are lucky that vineyards are planted all over the world and the landscapes are always different. I will always remember a breakfast overlooking Shiraz vines in Swartland (South Africa) or hiking in Cinque Terre among the vineyards on the steep hills.  For any wine lover, a landscape of vineyards & vines brings a smile on a face. 

What does the concept of Wellness mean to you? 

For me it is a  balance between a passion that is related to alcohol and a passion that in a traditional version talks about body purity. 

The journey to my concept of wellness started when I was still working for BBR. With a life filled with wine tastings, late night dinners and juggling the need of clients, it came to a point when I felt that I needed to find a way to recharge. Simultaneously, a number of things happened in my personal life. All this combined, I realised I was a little burnt out and needed to find a way to re-connect with my inner-self. 

I travelled to Nepal where I did a trek in the Himalayas along with daily yoga & meditation practice. It inspired me to continue walking the path of self-awareness. Therefore I returned shortly to deepen my practice & knowledge about yoga. It was March 2020, and the start of Corona virus. Just like many, the pandemic changed my experience and my life forever. With lockdown restrictions in place, what was supposed to be 6 weeks turned into 3 months and 200 hours yoga teacher training turned into 500 hours.

With such experience I knew that I had to somehow combine two opposites: wine and yoga. Yoga is a very powerful tool that definitely helped me to define my wellness and how I wanted to take care of myself going forward at the same time wine industry was still very close to my heart and I just needed to find a way to bring them together. And I did by creating Sip Of Wellness.  My intention is to encourage to seek for your own definition of wellness because at the end of a day it’s a  choice to do what makes you feel good physically and mentally.

On average, how often and how much do you drink? 

It really depends but on average is 4-5 times per week. However, I do pay attention to include ‘dry’ days during the week which I enjoy.  If I they don’t happen, I feel the difference above all in my quality of sleep and overall well-being.

Has your attitude changed to drinking and wellness over the years? 

Due to some sleep deprivation, I’ve noticed that ‘dry’ days help me to sleep better therefore I’ve learned to say ‘no’ even to a glass of wine over dinner.  It was hard at first because I like to cook and wine often accompanied me. 

Do you think the wine trade has changed or is changing its attitude to wellness or drinking culture? 

Definitely! For instance, this blog and your book.  It is also something that I aim to convey with Sip of Wellness. The wine business is wonderful, but we need to be aware of its long-term side effects. How we can take care of our health and what we can do to maintain a healthy balance. 

Are there foods you consciously include in your diet? If so what and why?

I need to start with saying that I’m a foodie. Cooking, dining out, food blogs & podcasts are my passion. Unfortunately, few years ago, my gut has become sensitive and since then, I need to be careful with gluten, diary and…alcohol.  Needless to mention the last one is the biggest challenge 😉

I’ve heavily reduced meat consumption and while I was a proper vegetarian for few months, I realised that with my love for food, I would not be able to maintain it and it would limit me hence I opt for the very trendy felixitarianism which in my opinion is the most sustainable for long term. 

My guts’ sensitivity requires regular supplements intake to strengthen my immune system hence vitamin D, magnesium, glutamine is part of my daily routine. Magnesium supports my sleep as well. 

Do you exercise?

Regularly. I’m an ashtangi and the traditional style requires a daily practice. However, since I like other activities, I practice ashtanga 3-4 times a week and then I alternate between running, hiking (Hong Kong has introduced me to this activity and I immediately have fallen I love with it) or other styles of yoga. My newest discovery is a yin-yang yoga which combines powerful & strengthening poses with restorative ones. 

I like how Ashtanga teaches me discipline and self- observation by constantly repeating the same sequence. Concurrently, due to its quite demanding physical aspect, I’m able to enhance and maintain physical condition. In the last couple of years sport activity has become essential to my everyday well- being. It is also part of my daily wellness. Staying active makes me feel better and no shame to say- looks better. 

Does that fact you are a woman help, or is it a hindrance in business or is it now irrelevant? 

When I first joined the industry, it was much more male driven then it is right now.  I’m a feminist in heart who believes that no industry should be one sex dominant. Obviously wine industry, due to its most common challenges such as long working hours, irregular schedule or travelling, seemed more bearable for man.  However, when it comes to the essence like wine knowledge, we women are as good if not better 😉 Luckily, there has been a shift in the last years and in particular for wine and wellness, women seem to be more active advocates.  Probably because we are more careful with our weight, health and overall life balance. 

If you had just one or two top tips for women wanting to stay well, what would they be? 

As one of my yoga teachers said: ‘first me, then others’.  Start with taking care of yourself in order to be able to be good in all your other roles.  It translates to doing more of what makes you feel good mentally and physically. 

Follow Joanna on instagram to see where her adventures in wine and yoga take her next.

If you enjoyed this post, please  sign up here  to receive future blog posts directly to your inbox. If you would like to read more about Bordeaux, buy your copy of Bordeaux Bootcamp here, to learn more about Wine and Wellness, you canbuy a copy of  The Drinking Woman’s Diet here. Enjoy the read.