Visiting This Chateau "Counts"

So the ship had to dock in the city of Bordeaux because the timing of the tidal river wouldn't let us go to Cadillac or we would get stuck in the mud -- apparently potentially for days (!).

This reference is for

Mick Fisher, the

biggest Billy Joel

fan I know!

Better to need a longer bus ride than to be stuck in the mud.  So, no, that wasn't a big deal.

Our trip was to the Royal Chateau of Cazeneuve and do a toast with Sauternes wine.  Known as "liquid gold" by some, "Sauternes wine is made from Sémillon, sauvignon blanc, and muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot. This causes the grapes to become partially raisined, resulting in concentrated and distinctively flavored wines."  (Wikipedia).

I must note that "noble rot" is the "army intelligence" of wine oxymorons.  "Hey, your grapes are rotted."  "It's what we want, because it's a noble rot!"  "Oh, sounds great, pour one out for me!"

I am not a sweet wine guy.  Carol is not a sweet wine gal.  We try, every few years, to drink some sweet wine.  And we typically say, "Well, that's not as bad as I expected."  Which, when you parse the words, is not exactly a ringing endorsement.

Anyhow, the main attraction of the morning was the tour of the Royal Chateau of Cazeneuve.  And, we briefly got to meet our first royalty, the Count himself, when he welcomed us to what once was Queen Margot and Henri IV's castle.  

The chateau is a classified monument, which sounds like no one is allowed to know about it, not even the CIA, but it is actually a designation given to national historical sites by the French Ministry of Culture.  I'd be remiss in pointing out that "Ministry of Culture" sounds like something from "1984."

It's a good thing the USA doesn't have a Ministry of Culture, as there would be countless arguments over what should be designated a classified monument.  One example that immediately comes to mind is that the status of the game of cornhole would spark a huge fight.  We could have two divisions -- "high brow" and "low brow," with the latter serving those who have friends in low places.

Anyhow, Henri IV was the King of France.  King of Navarre (in modern day Spain) from 1572 and of France from 1589 until he died in 1610, Henri IV had two of the better king nicknames, "Good King Henri" and "Henri the Great." 

(Editor: So was he just "good" or was he "great?"  

Writer: He was one of the all-time great kings.  What Larry Stricking and Neil Norlack was to bus drivers, Henri IV was to kings.  Like Norlack, Henri IV was left-handed.  And Henri IV didn't even have Mrs. Selkirk to help out.)

The Chateau was in the family that still owns it since the 12th century.  With death taxes, I wonder how much longer the family can maintain it -- obviously it's now open for tours.  The Count is just a title and no longer an indication of royalty.  The family must be happy its ancestors kept calm and didn't lose their heads during the French Revolution.

The main chateau was built in the 14th century, while the earth and wood keep was built in the 11th century.  The last significant reconstruction of the castle took place in the 17th century.

The chateau tour consisted of many rooms, including a large gallery, an armoury, rooms for the Queen and King (they slept in separate rooms), the King's study, which includes a secret passage way, other bedrooms, a dining room, kitchen, trophy gallery, and the lower courtyard.  

We got to walk out on the battlements as well, and you'll see pictures of us in the next post.

The Sauternes toast was nice, but again, we're not sweet wine people.  You won't find any Sauternes served at our house.  Instead, you'll have to go to the house of a Count to do so.