Sancerre, although so near ( You can see Pouilly sur Loire from Sancerre ) is in the Cher departement ( # 18 ) .
The area makes only whites ( unlike in Sancerre ) : Pouilly sur Loire wines are made with Chasselas, and Pouilly Fumé Appellation wines are made of Sauvignon, also called "Blanc Fumé", that's why the Appellation name.The Domaine Didier Dagueneau (phone: +33 (0)3 86 39 15 62) has a 12-hectare surface altogether. 75 % of the wine is exported.
We arrived in Saint Andelain on a hot july afternoon. A rolling stove had some vineyard shoots and leaves burning in the back of the chai. We first were shown the vineyards, which are scattered in several plots around Saint Andelain.
First : A vineyard plot far from the Domaine, but the first in importance. Several people were working there in the july heat. The elder son of Didier Dagueneau, Louis Benjamin, was doing some plowing between the rows. This plot is a bit over 3 hectares in surface and the "Cuvee Asteroide" comes from there. The Cuvée Astéroide is made with grapes from non-grafted-vines ( 10 ranks on the border of this vineyard plot ), meaning non grafted on american rootstocks : They are fragile and need permanent supervision, but until now, except a few losses, most of the vines are OK [ Picture above left ]. It is actually close to another village named Saint Laurent L'Abbaye, 
but it is still in the Pouilly Fumé geographical zone.The soil is composed with ludian silica clay, also called "chaille roulée". In the middle of the vineyard, there is a windmill, not to make electricity, but to force air circulation on the plot when necessary : When there is a risk of freezing, stoves are brought there under, and the windmill is activated to circulate warmer air over the vineyard. To decide when to act, a small wireless meteorological unit is sending signals from the lower part of the vineyard about essential data : Temperature Humidity Rain quantity Wind speed This monitoring system is connected to cellphones at critical times (winter & spring) for the vineyard .
We met him with Jean Louis , a friend of mine who happens to be a friend of Alphonse too . Both fly planes and know each other for a long time . Several persons joined , including Pascal Jolivet , a Sancerre wine producer , his wife , a couple of swedes who happened to walk by , and Cynthia , a young woman from New York City who works for Wildman & Sons, an importer . 
on the plateau . Savennières is a tiny area but a major white wine appellation . This village is located south west of Angers on the north bank (right bank) of the Loire , on the slopes to the river bed .
The loire in a far away past had a much larger bed and the slopes along it show the geological imprint of it .
We ring the bell at the massive door to the 
The feeling on the cour side (where we enter) of a city mansion like people in the past had in downtown Angers , and the feeling on the jardin side , where space is open and goes down to a Loire riverlet wich is mostly dry in summer , but fills up the other seasons (7 meters level increase) and that was used in the past to bring wine as far as Nantes and Saint Nazaire .
The place is known to make wine (according to old papers here) since the middle ages . It was called at the time " le Fief des Vaults " .It is now "Domaine du Closel" , in honour of Bernard du Closel who was mayor of Savennières between 1919 and 1956 , including in the hard times of the german occupation .
The Domaine has vineyards on 17 hectares , 13 of wich are in the Savennières appellation .
A small path leads us from the chateau grounds to the vineyard . The soil shows its schistic nature , especially in the end of the plateau , where the ground is covered with big schist stones . 
In the past , people working in the vineyard came from afar and there was no easy way of transportation to bring them back home each evening .
They simply ate and slept on the spot , and these shelters were built to accommodate them ;
Some are very elaborate constructions , built in the 19 th century 
, with all the comfort of the time : real windows , fireplace , roof windows and to say it shortly , a dignified architecture... others are very primitive buildings , rather some kind of shacks .
In the Valencay wine region , wich is one of the Appellations of Loire Valley wines , Loges de vignes are a common feature when you visit the place .
Some have been restored by their owners , some with the help of the state , through the regional administrative body .
Long neglected , the best architectural remains of the life in the vineyard in the 19 th century is now displayed as an asset both for the wine producers and the regional tourism industry .
I don't know a lot of these shelters , but here are a few pictures , all taken in the Valencay region .
I also took pics of very ordinary vineyard shacks , as , who knows , maybe they will be also considered soon as remnants of a more recent era .
opened the first store in Paris .They were the first to sell wine by the bottle and not by larger wine measures as it was usual back then . They also delivered at home , and offered a wide range of french wines . They also introduced the ritual "Beaujolais Nouveau" in Paris.
to introduce their "petites récoltes" series . These are bottles from unknown producers , simple traditional wines , priced very affordably . These "vins de Pays" , or country wines can thanks to Nicolas , meet a wider audience.
to drink with .
But you can also enjoy wine by the glass , choosing from the list on the blackboard on the wall behind the counter, about 15 different wines selected with care among quality obsessed winegrowers .
The exact location of this wine bar is 3 rue Jouye Rouve in the 20 th arrondissement (ph: 01 43 49 39 70 ) . This is a small street on a light slope on the hill of Belleville in the northeast part of Paris . Best way to reach it by subway is to go out at Pyrenées station , walk down the slope rue de Belleville , it is the second street on the left . The bar is left hand at a short distance .
If you want to eat , it is advised to call . If it is already full in the beginning 
of the evening , you may have some room later , like 10 pm .
The menu list is short but quality of the food is guaranteed and staff or owner will help you find the right wine to go with it . Noon price for lunch is very affordable .
The place is not large , but has the right volume for a wine bar/restaurant . Decoration is simple and fine , art works on the walls , wood , old mosaic tiled floor, authentic touch .
The sidewalk is very narrow in this street and cars are parked on both sides , so they don't have tables outside, but they can open widely the door-windows at the bar level .
located 8 Bd des Filles du Calvaire in the 11 th
Arrondissement ( Metro: St Sebastien Froissard) , or access also at 99 rue Amelot .Ph 01 47 00 25 86 . Need to reserve with a phone call . Pictures above and left show the two accesses .
Cartouche is a legendary figure , the nickname of a famous thief and highwayman that roamed the region in the 17 th century . This cooper's son going by the real name of Louis Dominique Bourguignon was born in october 1693. After a tumultuous youth and some time in the army , he heads a band of thiefs and robbers , more than 200 of them , men and women , operating in Paris and the region . According to his romantic legend that was strong even in his life time , he had a rich love life and many women . Enjoying the sympathy of ordinary people , he evaded capture and , when caught at last , escaped first , was caught again and executed nov 27, 1721 at the age of 28 (on the wheel).
The relation with the restaurant is he spent time in this house .
The restaurant's chef is Rodolphe Paquin . His refined cuisine uses best quality ingredients . As he says , even the wine used to make the delicate dark sauce of one of our dishes is an excellent wine .
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