French with Nicole

Vendanges is the term used in France to identify the grape-picking season. Nearly every region in France produces wine, ranging from small local personal holdings to some of the world’s most acclaimed labels. In French, les vendanges is an activity that gets the entire community involved, particularly in areas where it is still carried out entirely by hand. Some harvests have introduced some machinery, but it still requires a reasonable-sized workforce. Harvesting is physically demanding, back- breaking and often done in challenging weather. Despite this, it is hugely rewarding. Every year, thousands of people across France volunteer to participate in the wine harvest, often in return for a meal and a place to sleep rather than a wage. Depending on the size of the vignoble (the vineyard), it can take up to two weeks to handpick all the grapes.  I still vividly remember the happy days spent grape picking at my father's smallholding. The day was punctuated by sociable pauses where

Recipe © Raymond Blanc / Photograph © Chris Terry This dish is best eaten while it’s still warm but can easily be made in advance and served cold. You can add your own twist to this recipe by adding your favourite vegetables, spices, smoked fish or cooked chicken. The Saint Agur   blue cheese gives a savoury note to the frittata and a little sharpness, making the whole dish balanced and delicious. Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes Serves 6 Ingredients 400g Jersey Royal potatoes, quartered 1 red onion, diced 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 3 tbsp olive oil 2 bay leaves 1 sprig thyme 1 sprig rosemary 1 pinch smoked paprika 1 pinch sea salt 120g chorizo, cut into small dice 100g  roasted red pepper, 1cm dice 150g Saint Agur blue cheese, 1cm dice 80g spinach, chopped 8 eggs, whisked Method Preheat the oven to 170ºC. In a medium 20cm non-stick ovenproof sauté pan with a lid, on a medium heat, sweat the potatoes, onion and garlic in the oil with the bay leaf, thyme, rosema

How long can I keep a bottle of red wine? Which wine should I buy to lay down? Questions we often ask ourselves. Some wine improve with age but contrarily to popular belief, around 90 % of red wine are meant to be drunk fairly young (2 to 3 years). There are also many influencing factors including: location, production and weather!  Here is a very simplified overview (this does not include all cepage) of red-wine aging potential.  Nebbiolo ~20 years Aglianico ~20 years Cabernet Sauvignon ~10–20 years Tempranillo ~10–20 years Sangiovese ~7–17 years Merlot ~7–17 years Syrah ~5–15 years Pinot Noir ~10 years (longer for Bourgogne) Malbec ~10 years Let's focus on a variety of cepage, some of them fairly unknown:  Cabernet Sauvignon :  highly variable because there is a wide range of quality levels and regions. Look for wines with deep colour, moderately low pH (e.g. higher acidity), balanced alcohol levels, and noticeable tannins. Merlot : become softer and often more smoky (think tobac