Wine Seminar "Bordeaux Wine" Experience Report

On a humid June evening, I attended a wine seminar, an event related to the recently opened Yokohama French Month. The theme of this event was "Wine of Bordeaux."
The venue was "CAFÉ de la PRESSE," an antique-like establishment that brings elegance and comfort. It's a place I personally love and often go to for lunch.

Some may think that the word "seminar" sounds too formal, but this is a win-win event in that you can enjoy both a full-course French meal and a wine lecture, and also gain knowledge about French culture and wine in a relaxed atmosphere.

I am a complete beginner in both wine and French, but I felt at ease knowing that there was an interpreter for French. I actually enjoyed the unique sound of French coming from the instructor. As for wine, he used a projector to show us the scenery of grape growing, as well as historical and tourist stories about the region, so I was able to gain comprehensive knowledge.

We had four types of wine this time. Each wine was paired with a different dish, carefully selected to create a perfect match.

By participating this time, I learned the four steps to drinking wine

Aspect: View
Nez: Smell
Bouche: to taste
General Impressions : Comments

I was able to consciously practice this.
First, check the color with your eyes, enjoy the aroma, and then put it in your mouth.

I think anyone would be able to get this far without any problems, but it was this last comment that really showed the high level of French culture.
Some people may think that drinking wine and commenting on it is a bit snobbish, but
Food inherently involves communication,
Use delicious food as a tool to share your ideas with others,
The best part is being able to communicate our emotions to each other.
There were many people at the venue who were in groups of two or four,
The metallic sounds of cutlery and tableware clashing together, along with everyone's conversations, created a lively atmosphere around the delicious food.
Although I was alone, I enjoyed the unique encounter with the couple sitting next to me, hearing about their trip to France and sharing our impressions of the wine.

And here is the food we had this time.

Needless to say, everything was incredibly delicious, and we were especially enchanted by the final dessert, which was much more refreshing than it looked. We were also surprised to see red wine coming out from the bottom!

The happy time passed in the blink of an eye,
In addition to the lecture, the couple shared with us information about wine and travel, which was also a great benefit. To commemorate our meeting, we took a photo of the couple.

When I told them I would be posting it on the web, I received some kind advice: "I want young people to travel a lot, see and experience many different things around the world."

I also strongly felt that I should save up some money and go to France someday.

There will be more food-related events at Yokohama French Month 2014.
By the way, I was unable to make a reservation last year, so I was able to participate after waiting a year.
This is a very popular event, so we recommend making your reservation early.

Future plans
■ 6/23 Special Cheese Seminar ※Ended
■ 6/26 Champagne Seminar ※Ended
■ 7/4 Wine Seminar "Port Wine" ※Ended