If you are craving for fine French wine and food, you should really consider the Languedoc-Roussillon region of south central France. You may even find a bargain, and I am sure that you'll enjoy yourself on our fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local red Syrah. Among the eleven wine-growing regions of France, Languedoc-Roussillon ranks fourth in total vineyard acreage. This area, which includes the Midi, (the home of the wine reviewed below) was traditionally known for producing ton after ton of mediocre table wine called vin ordinaire. But times change and in spite of global warming Languedoc-Roussillon has started to produce fine wine. Many give visiting Australian winemakers a lot of credit for this marked improvement. Languedoc-Roussillon is home to about three dozen grape varieties ranging from the widely known such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah to the quite obscure such as Aspiran Noir, Aspiran Gris, and Lladoner Pelot. If I ever get my hands on one of those rare grape varieties, I promise to review the wine. But until then I won't hold my breath. The wine reviewed below comes from the Carcassonne area. But a previous article (I Love French Wine and Food - A Midi Viognier) already reviewed this beautiful old city. So I thought why not examine the relatively nearby city of Toulouse, which strictly speaking is not part of Languedoc-Roussillon but is the capital of the neighboring Midi-Pyrenees region. You won't let this little detail stop you from visiting it, will you? Toulouse, France's fifth largest city and the fastest growing metropolis in Europe, was once the capital of the Languedoc province of France before the French Revolution abolished provinces. It is the capital of the French aerospace industry. The University of Toulouse is the second largest University in France. This beautiful city often seems more Spanish than French. They call Toulouse a pink city because of its redbrick buildings. Among the many sights to see are the Capitole/Hotel de Ville (Capitol/Town Hall) which, unlike most city halls, is decorated with beautiful paintings. The nearly eight-hundred-year old Eglise des Jacobins (Jacobin Church) displays many art masterpieces. It is the site of several music concerts in the summer. The city boasts several beautiful mansions called Hotels. The Musee des Augustins (Augustinian Museum) was once a convent. Make sure to see its collection of Romanesque sculpture and religious paintings. The Muse du Vieux Toulouse (Museum of Old Toulouse) lives up to its name. Fanciers of archaeology won't be disappointed with Musee St-Raymond (Saint-Raymond's Museum). As you can well imagine historic churches abound. Toulouse's best-known landmark is St-Sernin, the largest Romanesque church in the world. The list goes on and on. What a time scale applies in the old city; they call it Pont Neuf (New Bridge) and it was built in 1632. Before reviewing the Languedoc-Roussillon wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring beautiful Toulouse. Start with Garbure (Cabbage Soup with Poultry). For your second course savor Cassoulet Toulousain (Bean and Pork Stew). And as dessert indulge yourself with Violette de Toulouse (Violet Flower Crystallized in Sugar). OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price. Wine Reviewed Domaine de Salices Syrah 2004 12.5% about $13.50 Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. Grown on the vineyards around the gorgeous medieval town of Carcassonne, this Syrah is rich, ripe and very fruity. Aged for 11 months in oak barrels, the wine shows superb balance between the oak and fruit. Enjoy this delicious quaffer with grilled steaks, hamburgers, pasta with meat sauce or gourmet sausages. My first meal consisted of slow cooked meat balls in a tomato sauce with potatoes. The wine was spicy, powerful, and mouth filling. It was tannic, but in a pleasant sense. The next meal was whole wheat pasta with spicy meat sauce. The Syrah was both powerful and round. I tasted pepper and black fruit. The final meal involved store bought cold barbecued spare ribs with potato salad and roasted red pepper in garlic and oil. (I can't help it; that's the kind of food I savor, even more so with wines like this one.) The meat's congealed fat and thick tomato sauce made it very tasty. The wine cut the fat very well. It was very round and full, brimming with black cherries. The roasted red pepper brought out a tobacco taste in the wine. My first cheese pairing was with a French Camembert. This cheese really seemed to dilute the Syrah. It was still good, but not as good as on its own. The next cheese was a nutty tasting Swiss Gruyere. It seemed to flatten the wine, reducing its flavor peaks. The final cheese was a soft German Edam. This last combination was the best of the lot. The wine was almost as good with the buttery Edam as it was on its own. Final verdict. I like this wine and expect to buy it again. But I won't bother much with cheese pairing.
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