Gaillac Wine Country, Episode 315

<blockquote>This episode features our frequent and very popular guest Elyse Rivin. If you enjoy her episodes, please consider supporting her on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/elysart" target= "_blank" rel="noopener">Patreon</a>.</blockquote> <p>When you live in Toulouse, as Elyse and Annie do, taking a trip to Gaillac wine country is quite easy. But should you do it next time you visit France? Listen to this episode and decide for yourself!</p> <p>On this drive, Elyse visited two small towns, one is Rabastens and the other is L'Isle-sur-Tarn and in between they stopped along the <a href="https://www.tourisme-tarn.com/uk/">Gaillac wine route</a>.</p> <p>A lot of this follows the gorgeous Tarn river and it can easily be done as a day trip from Toulouse. But you need a car or bicycle or wheels of some sort to do this.</p> <h2>About Gaillac Wines</h2> <p>Elyse is not a big fan of Bordeaux wines and Bourgogne are generally too expensive. But she loves Gaillac wines because they are quite unique. But, of course, when it comes to wine you should drink what you like!</p> <p>Gaillac wines are the oldest ones in France. When the Romans arrived in this area they soon found out that they made good wine here with their own grape varieties. Some of these grape varieties are still around, most are not.</p> <p>The Romans were really good at creating trading routes. But when the Roman Empire fell, a lot of the wine economy of this area fell into great difficulties and they didn't export wine for a long time.</p> <p>Later when monasteries were established all around the South West, they started making wine and selling it. They used the ancestral grape varieties and brought in new ones. Starting in the 800s and 900s Gaillac wines started to make a name for themselves. Even kings wanted to import this wine! It helped that you could navigate the Tarn and the Gironde using a boat called a "gabare". This made it possible to take the wine by boat all the way to the ocean in Bordeaux.</p> <p>Once the people who controlled access to the