You will be forgiven if you don't know the connection between Jacques Lousier and Chateau Miraval Clara Lua 2011. I didn't know either a few weeks back!
Jacques Loussier is a famous French musician who made his name "jazzeifying" classical music and he is very good at it. The recording featured is one of my favourite pieces of music and I listen to it often. It is also regularly featured on our local ABC Classic FM radio. Until quite recently, he was the proud owner of Chateau Miraval in Correns, Var, in Provence, where he was one of the first to have a so-called "Residential" recording studio. Sting and Pink Floyd recorded there, the later recorded The Wall album. A rosé is named after them and has won numerous accolades as one of the best "Rosé de Provence". I found their white wine Clara Lua researching a very unknown grape varietal, Rollé, also called Vermentino by the Italians, which is the basis of the "Bellet" AOC, a small appellation of about 15 wineries around Nice. Clara Lua is made of that same grape, although technically outside of the Bellet territory as well as some Grenache Blanc. Correns is the only village in France where all the grapes are certified organic. Tasting notes courtesy of www.vintagegrape.net: "Citrus fruits flavors of white flowers and roasted almonds; Uncommonly full body leaves an extremely long lasting flavor. Serve chilled with fish courses, pastries, or Foie Gras" Today I had it with Smoked Salmon and a mixed salad of green leaves, fennel, cherry tomatoes, bocconcinis and poached egg. It was not bad either with the goat cheese from Willowbrae Cheese. And a final note: Angelina and Brad are the current owners... Beautiful red dress, a full house and exquisite music were the hallmarks of Annne Sophie Mutter's second visit to the Sydney Opera House and her fabulous performance of three Mozart Violin Concerti. Her elegance and the silkiness of her playing as well as her conducting of the smallish ensemble of 28 musicians made it for an exceptional performance and a most memorable and enjoyable evening. She graced us with two encores, one with the orchestra, and a final solo which commanded a complete silence of the House, a rare treat! Not a cough in sight nor in sound. We were sitting a bit too far away though to enjoy all the intricacies of her playing but had the unexpected advantage to force our attention.
After such an amazing performance, Anne Sophie Mutter was gracious enough to sign a god 400 to 500 CDS and DVDs that Universal Music Australia was selling on the spot. And guess what? I did get a copy of her first ever recording in a stunning rendition on CD by Deutsche Grammophon, a treat! |
AuthorBorn in France, well travelled, relocated to Sydney in 1997. Archives
August 2019
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