Tuesday, December 20, 2011

A big bottle

I remember the first time that I saw one of these roadside wine bottles in France. It was 1989 and Ken and I were driving through Saint-Emilion down near Bordeaux. There they were, these huge bottles advertising the local wine. Of course I just had to take a picture of that!

That bottle might last me a while... but it wouldn't fit in the car.

Now I know they're not rare things, these roadside bottles. The one pictured above is in Champagne just as you enter the town of Cramant. And, of course, we had to stop to take some pictures!

I can't think of any large bottles in our immediate vicinity here in the Cher Valley, but I think there is one in Vouvray up on the Loire, and I have seen giant sculptures of grape bunches here and there along the roads.

And you thought France was all snooty and tasteful.

14 comments:

  1. Walt - here in Oz we also have big things too. Big Pineapples, big bananas, big crocodiles, even a huge earth worm. Very, very classy.
    There must be some very clever marketing people out there - NOT!!!

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  2. You are right about the Vouvray bottle, seen it many times, but this bottle looks about a third bigger! Champagne, eh?... to our taste the Vouvray methode trad. is much nicer anyway... so doesn't need such a large bottle to promote it!!

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  3. Is it a 3D thing or just a flat board? Taste, price and 'Elf 'n Safety would surely not permit glass.

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  4. I have never heard of this and I love it. But, even when kitschy, France is obviously a bit snooty and tasteful. First, it's a bottle of champagne, afterall. And, second, look at the charming curving brick path with the splashes of flowers.

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  5. Well, we have a big ketchup bottle nearby (actually, it's in Illinois, so I'm not putting that on St. Lou!).

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  6. We have driven past that particular bottle so many times in the past.
    Must go back to champagne country some time......

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  7. Love this! Have never seen such in France, but remember seeing many huge black bulls in the Spanish countryside which were very cool.

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  8. Last night while I was working the front desk at my local boutique hotel of employment, one of the guests came down and asked if she could have a bottle of champagne in the morning. Serendipity. The Yellow Brick Road ends in the bubbly.

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  9. There's a similar bottle in the village square of Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil, promoting the red local wine by the same name. It's slightly tilted and there is wine (coloured water, actually) flowing out of it in the underlying basin. You should go and see it the next time you visit Amy! Btw, please give her my regards if you see or hear her.

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  10. Looks tasteful to me. What size is your new monitor?

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  11. I'm happy to be the first:
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WALT!

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  12. 'Zut' Cheryl! :)) I wanted to be the first ... But I guess Ken was. Happy Birthday Walt!! Many happy returns, and enjoy your 'steak au poivre' lunch. Martine

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  13. leon, not to mention those shrimp on the barbie.

    tim, I like the local sparklers as well. Champagne is different and it's still one of my favorites.

    lesley, it's a 3-D thing alright; you can walk right 'round it. But it's certainly not glass.

    mitch, and not a virgin in sight.

    judy, oh, I've missed that one!

    jean, one of these days! :)

    evelyn, I remember seeing those bulls, too!

    ron, do you keep some on hand for just such occasions, or does somebody have to go out and find it?

    martine, I will do that! And thanks for the well wishes!

    starman, it's about 25" diagonal, wide screen. I'm looking forward to getting it.

    cheryl, merci!

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  14. starman, ooops. Sorry, the monitor is 21.5 inches. I rounded too far up!

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