The Rooster Who Spoke in the Ear of an English Lord

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Once upon a time, an English lord was comfortably seated after a long day

of debates in the London Houses of Parliament. He was served a glass of deep-colored red wine, which he brought to his nose to appreciate the aromas of ripe berries. He felt as if he were somewhere else, in a garden or in the kitchens where jams were being prepared. This fabulous bouquet, which flattered his sense of smell, filled him with happiness. After smelling it for a long time, he placed it back on a coaster that was nothing more nor less than a fragment of a barrel marked with a fleur-de-lis, the mark of the King of France, and a rooster, the emblem of the town and the wines of Gaillac. A year was engraved: 1766, a good vintage in Gaillac.

 

He picks up his glass again to bring it to his mouth and savor a sip, when the rooster begins to crow. The Lord can't believe his ears and wonders if he is truly in possession of his wits. The rooster, after crowing as if at sunrise, doesn't stop there; it begins to speak to him:

 

"Sir, would you like me to tell you the story and journey of the Gaillac wine you are tasting?"

"Of course," he replied, "I'll listen."

 

"You should know that Gaillac wines come exclusively from grapes harvested around Gaillac on the terraces or hillsides of the Tarn River. The Romans, when they settled in Narbonne in the 2nd century BC, discovered this terroir with soil and climate favorable to vines. They made Gaillac a showcase of their viticultural expertise for the Celtic peoples, including the Rutenes who lived there. After the fall of the Roman Empire and the barbarian invasions, the Benedictine monks of the Abbey of Saint Michel in Gaillac revived the production of quality wines following strict rules from the 10th century. The consuls of Gaillac kept them going by issuing charters in the 13th century. Thus, all foreign wine is prohibited to maintain a high level of quality of Gaillac origin. I was branded on the barrel whose consuls were sure of the origin and quality of the wine stored inside. It is a blend of typical grape varieties: Braucol and Duras. This wine is well known for traveling very far without deteriorating and even improving.

 

The lord not only takes a sip of this nectar but also the words of this rooster:

"So, explain to me how you arrived from Gaillac to London with your barrel!"

"My barrel was rolled onto the Quai Saint Jacques in Gaillac aboard one of the barges that go down the Tarn and then the Garonne to Bordeaux. The boatmen must be careful to avoid floating mills, perilous passages in the middle of causeways, and dams agitated by strong currents, called passelis. To help them, these flat-bottomed boats are pulled by men, horses, or oxen that trudge along towpaths along the rivers. Sometimes a sail is inflated when the wind allows it to facilitate the journey."

 

Arriving in Bordeaux only after Saint Martin's Day, that is to say on November 11, the barrels can be unloaded on the Quai des Chartrons, then stacked on top of each other while waiting to be reloaded onto sea boats only after Christmas for England. All these constraints are due to the jurats who administer the city of Bordeaux and who want to prioritize the shipment of their own wines because they fear our competition. Rightly so, because the English, Dutch and Flemish merchants know our reputation for quality wine from the "Haut Pays". Bordeaux merchants do not hesitate to mix their mediocre wines with Gaillac wines. This is why we are called "doctor wines" because we treat the weak wines of Bordeaux by improving them.

 

"I also remember buying wines other than red or black from Gaillac; I bought clarets and white wines that were just as good."

"Yes, Sir, you're absolutely right. The clarets that are popular in England are made from a blend of black and white grapes at harvest time. They are lighter in color than the reds and very fruity, just like the white wines that are made from traditional grape varieties like Mauzac, Loin de l'œil, and Ondenc. Some are sweet, others dry, and still others tickle your palate with their fine bubbles."

"I've had the opportunity to taste some," adds the Lord, "and they're very pleasant. But let's get back to our Gaillac wine trip to London. What's it like at sea when you leave Bordeaux just after Christmas?"

 

The rooster continues his story: "Seafaring ships, loaded with barrels, travel in convoy. They are escorted by warships equipped with cannons to avoid pirates and smugglers. We stop in Rouen where barrels are unloaded for transport to Paris by the Seine. As for me, I am still on board. I still have to cross the Channel and then go up the Thames before being unloaded at the port of London to arrive in your cellar at the bottom of a cart.

I was lucky enough to end up under a glass, rather than in the fire of your fireplace like many barrels of wine. This way, I can see all the wines you serve to your guests, and I am happy to see that you often serve them Gaillac wines, which you can also call Rooster wines..."