Reason we live here #2

I was going to put a higher number in the title, but then I just couldn't bring myself to do it. So while it's not the number one reason we live here, it's very close. Living within reach of a wine producing region is great; I've lived in Upstate New York, Washington, DC, and San Francisco, CA, all close to wine production.

I think these might be côt (a.k.a. malbec) grapes.

But now I'm living among the vines. The growers and wine makers are my neighbors. I watch the transformation of the vineyards through the seasons of the year from my windows. I walk among the vines nearly every day. I know the sights, the smells, and the tastes (yes, I pluck the occasional grape) of the vineyard. I share it with dogs, cats, pheasants, foxes, and deer.

And I drink the local wines, almost exclusively. The Touraine region is rich with wine styles. Red, white, and rosé. Dry and sweet. Still and sparkling. The local varietals include gamay, cabernet, côt, sauvignon, chardonnay, and chenin. There are also several old varietals grown around us with less familiar names like pineau d'aunis and grolleau.

Many of the people who grow grapes and make wine in this region descend from generations of winemakers. A lot of them are small and medium sized producers. When you visit a winery here, you will likely be talking to the winemaker or a member of the family.

It's a very interesting and a rather delicious place to live. You can read what I wrote four years ago about our wine country lifestyle here.