by bus and we arrive at Château de
Buros in Escalans, an area known for
Armagnac and which feels like the
rural West Texas of my childhood.
I climb onto a flatbed trailer
attached to an old tractor. Behind
the wheel is Mr. Barrère, the mayor
of Escalans. He takes us to a
brush-covered labyrinth used to lure
and capture palombe on their yearly
pilgrimage to Africa. With ropes,
pulleys and nets, catching the birds
is about tradition rather than food.
Then it’s on to the mayor’s farm for
an introduction to courses Landaises,
a mix of gymnastics and bull fighting.
Specific to the region, it combines
artistry and athleticism rather than
10
bloodshed. I’m shown a part of
France I never imagined existed.
A fog covers Médoc, and there is
a chill in the early-morning air. Clad
in hot pink polo shirts especially
designed for vendanges, the group
boards the bus bound for Château La
Tour de Bessan. The fruit is ripe, and
we have a field to pick. Just as in
previous years, Marie-Laure Lurton
takes the sustainably-grown grapes
gathered by Fouquet’s for
fermentation, maturation and
bottling. In the spring, those bottles
are auctioned off at Fouquet’s in
Paris. This year, as in last, the money
raised from the auction will not go