Relay, Games and Wine, Oh My!
With this year’s Olympics being held in Paris, France, one cannot help but think of wine and the potential to pair the games with wines while watching! The torch relay took route through one of the most iconic wine regions in the world. It makes sense that Tony Parker, the French NBA Hall of Famer, should join the Olympic torchbearers. He became a vintner himself, joining entrepreneur Michael Reybier as a partner of Château La Mascaronne. The torch relay commenced in Marseille, which is close to Provence, Bandol, and Aix-en- Provence, home to some of the best Rosés and then intertwined through wine regions, such as Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire, Bordeaux, Reims, and ending in Paris.
Although Coca Cola is the official beverage sponsor of the 2024 Olympics, it is no doubt that there will be a lot of wine flowing. What better way to cheer on your favorite athlete than with a French wine? The Olympics also give us a good reason to break out some bubbles to toast!
Tony Parker commenced the relay with thousands of others. Celebrating along the way must have involved a tasty Rosé, like one from the nearby Aix-en- Provence. To celebrate with one from this region, pick up a Chateau Vignelaure Coteaux d'Aix-en-Rose, Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and a bit of Vermentino. It is pale pink in color, with enticing floral and berry aromas, followed with flavors of citrus and cranberry. During the eighth stage of the relay, Gerard Bertrand, former French rugby player, who took over his family estate to become one of the most renowned winemakers of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, also brandished a torch. You might be aware of his Coté de Roses in the pretty bottle with the flower imprint on the bottom. Look for his Pinot Noir or Rosé. Stage 18 of the torch relay passed through the Loire, home to some incredible wines, both red and white. An incredible blend to pick up, as you cheer on your favorite team while enjoying dinner would be Domaine du Salvard Cheverny Rouge, or Pinot Noir, Gamay and Côt (Malbec). You’ll note aromas of red fruit, and compliments of earthy notes that precede flavors of toast, coffee, and tobacco, which would be wonderfully matched with a variety of food. Stage 45 included travel through the Avenue de Champagne—a UNESCO World Heritage Site designated in 2015, located in Épernay, with iconic wineries including Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouët. Keeping with the wine theme, torchbearers made their way to the Dom Pérignon statue in Sainte-Menehould for a fun photo op. To toast your and teams’ medal winning achievement try the Bauget Jouette Carte Blanche Champagne, with hints of fresh apples, grapefruit, plums and hazelnuts. Of course, the final stage was where the games are being held, in Paris.
With wine regions surrounding Paris from the North to the South and all points in between, the choices are practically endless for finding a wine to pair with your favorite game. Wine brings people together and builds connections
I could not live without Champagne. In victory I deserve it, in defeat I need it. – Winston Churchill
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