+NOBLE ROT+ >the fact that one can pay FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS for a bottle of +"CHATEAU d'YQUEM"+ ******************** GOLDEN BORDEAUX SAUTERNE >is because of a natural fungus known as "noble rot" and because the grapes >ARE PICKED ONE AT A TIME< (only 1 bottle per vine production) ********************************** this is like cutting your grass with >A PAIR OF NAIL TRIM SCISSORS< ********************************* +CHATEAU de MALLE+ >another sauterne vinyard near the precious d'yquem is that of the ancestors of the great director +LOUIS MALLE+ >you will know him as the director of a new orleans based film "PRETTY BABY" >about the photographer belloq< >DO NOT MISS MALLE'S GREAT (set in a french chateau) >LYRICAL FRENCH FILM "THE LOVERS" ************ +S Y N C H R O N I C I T Y+ ************************* +ALBRET / LAMOTHE+ >i have just discovered that the vinyard of one of the 4 top bordeaux wines +CHATEAUX MARGAUX+ ********************** >WAS ORIGINALLY OF THE ALBRET FAMILY MERGING WITH THE LAMOTHE FAMILY IN THE 12TH CENTURY **************** >this of course makes a synchronistic tie between the montberaud and lamothe families with the albret. ++++++++++++++++++++ +KINGS OF NAVARRE AND+ (french king louis 4th) +OF FRANCE+ note: if you make a bordeaux safari by all means stay in the chateau ********************************* +RELAIS DE MARGAUX+ formerly the chateau of the +ALBRET/LAMOTHE/MARGAUX+ >primier estate vinyards< ************************ +CHATEAU de ROQUETAILLADE+ (chateauroquetaillade.free.fr) (MAZERES/BORDEAUX) ************************ >this most amazing castle built by (in the 12th century) +CARDINAL GAILLARD de LAMOTHE+ (nephew of pope clement 5th) ++++++++++++++++++ +IS STILL OWNED BY THE+ +LAMOTHE FAMILY+ ******************* +VIOLLET-LE-DUC RESTORATION+ a magnificent cut-away perspective of this restored castle is on p. 86-7 of the guidebook +DORDOGNE @ S. W. FRANCE+ (eyewitness travel guide) ************************ (VIOLLET-LE-DUC WAS THE FATHER OF NEO-GOTHIC) >the castles reek with< +ATMOSPHERE+ ************** >ANTICIPATING ART NOUVEAU< ( antonio gaudi at barcelona ) ****************************** >ROMANTIC GOTHIC VISION< (shades of byron, shelly, mary shelly & dr. polidori on our lake geneva +NEAR CHATEAU GRUYERES+ (chateau chillon nearby) *********************** >creating/inventing< +FRANKENSTEIN/DRACULA+ >the gothic thriller< ***************** gene ray, san diego, california