I’ve been reading Jean-Claude Izzo, detective writer (also poet and other things) who lived in Marseilles and set some of his stories there; he’s sometimes said to be the originator of “Mediterranean Noir.” (I like stuff like this in times like these.) The books I’ve been reading were written in the 90’s.
Izzo seems to have been a big fan of food and wine. In the books, --specifically, Chourma, the one I am reading now–he discusses Provencal wines. I wondered if folks knew of them. (Despite having spent some time in the area, in fact in the late 90’s, they are not familiar to me.) He speaks well of a 1988 Domaine des Beates from Coteaux d’Aix and he calls Chateau Sainte-Roseline the greatest of Provencal reds.
Obviously, that last is news to me, but wondered if there was anything to what he was saying.
I’ve never had either. Generally I’ d think of Tempier or maybe Simone as greatest Provencal wines, But risky taking wine advice from novels (I wrote authors of a well-known series after their protagonist demonstrated his refined tastes and enormous wealth by drinking the 1992 Petrus- maybe not best vintage). But interested in the novels. I’m a heavy mystery reader, and always looking for new. With lack of library and bookstores have been organizing mystery trades, but pickings getting slim. Don’t like e-readers, but might have to submit.
Thanks for your thoughts on the wines, Dale,
I agree seemed like strange choices, but who knows. I think you would like the books, known collectively as the “Marseilles Trilogy.” He knows the city well and there’s a dose of old time lefty-ism to boot.
I don’t like e-readers either; good luck finding them. (Sometimes there are pdf’s floating around the web, but probably more for academic books.)