Check out the Highlights of January here
“Serendipity, such a nice sounding word for what it means: a fortunate accident.”
On one cold January morning, this girl was off to an Heirloom.
I woke up, packed my bag and took the train from Bordeaux all the way up to the Médoc region. I was set to visit one of the chateaux that will be featured in the Sunday Blast series.
It was very sunny but cold. After what seemed a short ride, I got off the train at Moulis-Listrac and walked for about 45 minutes to get where I wanted to go (tune in to the Instagram stories this Sunday to learn more about the new Sunday Blasts…)
But, guys, was it worth it! Not only for the fresh air, the views and the blue sky, but also for the unexpected, beautiful museum I run into during my walk back to the station: the Museum of Arts and Crafts of the Vine and Wine.
If you ever have time to kill waiting for your train in Moulis-Listrac, I recommend this one! Part of the Château Maucaillou, the museum is open to the public since 1987 and offers visitors a complete view of “wine life”: vine utensils, wine tasting and obviously the work of the vineyard and cellar until the precious bottle-filling moments. So much history! It was very authentic.
I learned about cork-making and the manufacture of barrels, glass and labels. The guide explained that there are two types of woods, male and female, and that both contribute to the creation of the corks you see on wine bottles (especially female).
I also learned about the different diseases that may affect the vineyards, such as chlorosis and dryness;
the different insects infecting the vines,
and the results on the grapes and leaves.
At the Museum of Arts and Crafts of the Vine and Wine I also saw for the first time the machines used to get rid of such diseases (in the photo below, the “sulfateuse” or straddle tractor).
The museum is open every day of the year except on January 1st, so if you ever go wine-tasting in the Médoc region of Bordeaux make sure to check it out! They also offer visits to the cellar + wine-tastings (which I didn’t do for lack of time).
I wish you guys a museum-filled year! And remember: in museums (& wine) we trust.
