Going to the country

le 2 octobre

Today Jill and I were invited to go to the “country” with our host family. I had been waiting for this invitation for a long time so as soon as it came I said “OUI! I would love to go!”. Their country house is in a village called Libourne which is basically a giant vineyard. Our host family spends every weekend here and i’ve always wondered why and after seeing this place I understood well. The house is huge with a room for almost every member of the extended family. It is decorated very rustic with French country charm and the exposed ceiling beams. If I understood my host mom’s mom correctly, then the house has belonged to the family since the year 210! I swear I heared two-hundred! There is a patio shaded perfectly for afternoon reading and relaxing. Across from the house is the “Chateau” where our host family’s son and wife make their own brand of wine. Patrick gave us a tour and I found it very interesting even though I still seemed asleep from that after-lunch nap. The whole place smelled like fermenting grapes fittingly! we learned about the machines used to shake the grapes off the vines, how they press the juice out of the grapes, saw the piles of left over seeds and grape skins, saw all the vats filled with the juice and how they rotate them, saw the bottleing station and it was wonderful! I think its very interesting how you go to college to learn how to make alcohol. I mean college is known for being a time with sloppy alcohol so i guess once you get your diploma you graduate to classy ones like wine. i obviously don’t understand the science behind it all but it is a huge industry. I’m planning on taking some wine classes here in Bordeaux so hopefully i will have a better understaning after that! Jill and I played with the family dogs, one of which was named cookie, in the vineyard and it was funny watching the dogs eat left over grapes on the ground!