So if the few hints I left yesterday weren’t enough for you to figure out, here it is. Yes, Kasia and I will be traveling to France this summer. Obviously we are very excited to visit a country that evokes such strong images of wine, food, culture and romance. After spending a few days in Paris, we will be heading out to the French countryside and two famous regions that you may already be familiar with.
The first is Provence, known for its rolling hills, beautiful estates and endless fields of lavender. It is also known for its hearty food and use of fragrant herbs in many of it’s regional dishes.
What it is lesser known for is its wine. Although not a wine powerhouse like Bordeaux or the Rhone Valley,
Provence is most associated with delicious rosés. They are said to make a nice counterpoint to the sharper flavours of garlic, herbs and peppers that are prevalent in the local cuisine.
Along with good dry rosés, Provence is starting to also produce increasingly notable reds. 
I am hoping that in our time there we will be able to discover some of these, as well as some great local cheeses and other delicacies.
Moving north from Provence (on the high speed train, of course), we will be heading to one of the most historic and very often overlooked regions of 
France.
Burgundy is a area most have heard about, but few could point out on a map. Located in the north-east, this area was once the home of number of Dukes. They are, of course, long gone, but some of their castles and estates remain. The province’s capital, 
Dijon, still retains a good portion of its medieval town wall.
Besides great mustard, the local dishes of Burgundy include coq a vin and boeuf bourguignon; both of which are made with local red wine. The beef is provided by Charolais cattle (see picture) which are the local breed. Another 
resident is the humble vineyard snail, which is used to make their famous escargot.
And what about the wine? Well, in Burgundy it is easy to know what varietals you are enjoying, as almost all reds are made from Pinot Noir, with the whites being Chardonnay. But just because the 
vines are all the same doesn’t mean that the end products will be. With some of the best wine-growing terroir in all of France, Burgundy can produce some truly amazing wines. I cannot wait to try as many of them as I can find/afford.
As mentioned yesterday, this trip is part of the reason I started this blog. I wanted to allow a decent lead-up to this major journey and do my best to bring all who care to read it along with us as we venture into the heart of France. I think the results are going to be great, and I will do my best to bring those moments to you here.
dustonthebottle 