Bordeaux

And changing one's life...

I was going to leave my post about Bordeaux until the end of our summer travel series. But a woman we met there is walking around in my head most days. So, I will tell you just a bit today.

Our modest accommodations during our four-night visit.

Vineyards and Wineries

We stayed in a 19th-century villa in Lugon et l’Ile du Carney, about 30 minutes outside the city of Bordeaux. The villa had been in the owner’s family for three generations. The current occupants rented out a single room in the turret that was accessed through the opened door behind Denise and Onix in the photo above. We were surrounded by grapes …

That’s “our” villa off in the distance.

The current owner of the estate gave us a private tour of his very small winery. We purchased six bottles.¹ It was very drinkable…but not remarkable.²

If you are in the area, we recommend you visit!

Sunday Morning

After hiking through the vein rows Sunday morning, we decided to spend the day visiting wineries. We didn’t realize many would be closed, and others required a reservation. As we turned back on one single-lane country road after another, I called and left a message for the owner of Château George 7 … I thought this an odd name for a winery but Google said they were open. We pulled into the driveway and passed a woman and two young couples inspecting grapes on the vine. We parked and sat in the car … discussing what we should do. The woman walked to our car window and tapped. We explained we had left a message³ and she asked if we wanted to join the tour. We jumped out of the car and enjoyed a lovely Sunday afternoon.

Sally, the owner of Chateau George 7 explains the winemaking process.

We were impressed when we learned that just 10 years earlier, she didn’t know much more about wine than we did. She was 52, and her children had flown the nest. She had worked in corporate consulting but wanted a new adventure. She began studying winemaking at the Wine and Spirits Education Trust and traveled to Fronsac. There, she found a hidden gem in the village of Saillans. It was a bit rundown (actually it was a dilapidated tractor barn), however in 2015, she purchased the property, planted vines, and began renovating the building. Leveraging the expertise of two local experts, her first vintage (2018) gained rave reviews, earning a score of 94 points in 2020. She opened her new château in 2020 with a renovated and newly equipped winery nestled in a parcel of sustainably farmed vines⁴

You can enjoy a snack or lunch as well.

The young couples had opted for lunch as part of the tour. We sat on the back patio and enjoyed a wine tasting. I cannot recommend the George 7 highly enough.⁵ But as good as all of Sally’s wines are…what I found more interesting was her story. Her decision to create a second half of her life that would be as rewarding and exciting as the first half. A decision to jump off the deep end, alone and in her 50s.

As we talked, I thought this woman should write a book. It turned out she has … it is called Make the Midlife Move. A Practical Guide to Flourish After 50.

Wine with a view.

It made me think of our decision (in our 60s) to change our lives. To open our minds to the unfamiliar and a bit of discomfort … and to learn new things along the way. It made me think about the many readers who contact me and ask “how” as they wonder if they can. If you are unsure what your dream should be … if it is possible … and what are the actionable steps to make it happen; permit me to recommend Sally’s book. You can buy the softcover on Amazon.es, and the paperback or Kindle version on Amazon.com/uk or Amazon.com. And remember my favorite Haruki Murakami quote:

Até na próxima semana, beijinhos,

Nanc

1. Necessary supplies for a four-night stay.

2. We did not come home with any bottles.

3. We didn’t tell her it was just 5 minutes earlier.

4. Okay, 2020…not everything went perfectly.

5. They ship to Portugal, so if you are wondering what to buy me for Christmas this year …. you can order it here. Email me, and I will send you our exact address.😉