Buying Winein France - Under Construction

Buying Wine in France

AN INTERVIEW with Isabelle Gosselin, owner of Les Caves d’Aligre in Paris Interview conducted by Susana Poveda

Buying

Wine

W with AN INTERVIE , owner of lin se os G e ell Isab in Paris. re lig d’A s Les Cave

in France

ucted by Interview cond Susana Poveda

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An interview with Isabelle Gosselin, owner of the Parisian wine shop, Les Caves D’Aligre. Interview conducted by Susana Poveda. Please share this pdf ! Download the recordings for free at…

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Track 2 Nous allons nous intéresser à1 We are going to take a look at

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une boutique de vins qui s'appelle2 Les Caves d'Aligre3 a wine store that is called Les Caves d’Aligre

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dans le douzième arrondissement4 à Paris (located) in the twelfth “arrondissement” in Paris

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pour savoir comment nous, les clients non spécialistes, to know how we, the non-expert customers,

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nous sommes conseillés pour acheter notre vin. we are advised to purchase our wine.

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Je suis avec Isabelle Gosselin qui est caviste.5 I am with Isabelle Gosselin who is a wine merchant.

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Email series: French oral gymnastics (helps you train your ear so that you can finally understand spoken French.) 1

Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. David Tolman, Publisher Toll free (USA) 1-888-259-9601 [email protected]

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s'intéresser à = to take an interest in. Here, we are going to take a look at this subject. s’appeler: literally, “to call oneself, to call itself.” appeler = to call, to call for. une cave = a cellar; (by extention) a wineshop. Note that cave is a “false friend.” If you want to say “a cave”, the French word is “une grotte.” un arrondissement: a city district. Paris, Lyon and Marseille are divided into arrondissements. un caviste: person in charge of the wine cellar in a restaurant or hotel. Also, a wine merchant, which Isabel Gosselin obviously is.

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w w w . F l u e n t F r e n c h . c o m – Real French interviews since 2001

Bonjour. Hello.

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Bonjour. Hello.

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On dit "caviste" et pas sommelière. We say “wine merchant” and not “wine waitress’

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Quelle est la différence ? What is the difference?

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Alors le caviste va choisir des vins et pour Well, the wine merchant is going to choose wines and in order

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les choisir, il les analyse. Il analyse leur équilibre, leur capacité to choose them, he analyzes them. He analyses their balance, their ability

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de vieillir. Il imagine tout de suite avec quoi ça va aller.1 to age. He imagines right away what (food) it will go with.

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Le sommelier, sa première fonction, c’est sur (As for) the wine waiter, his first function, it is on

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la dégustation pour se permettre de reconnaître les vins… tasting to allow himself to recognize the wines…

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Alors nous sommes dans votre boutique qui Now we are in your store that

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a pignon sur rue.1 Pouvez-vous nous la décrire ?2 is well established. Can you describe it for us?

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Alors c'est une petite boutique. Well, it is a small store.

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Elle doit faire3 une quarantaine de mètres carrés, à peine.4 It must measure about forty square meters, just barely.

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Eh bien, elle est couverte de vins des murs au plafond. Well, it is covered with wines from the walls to the ceiling.

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Bien sûr, les bouteilles sont couchées, c'est impératif : Of course, the bottles are lying flat, it is imperative:

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le vin doit toujours mouiller le bouchon pour que celui-ci wine must always wet the cork so that it (the cork)

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garde bien son étanchéité.5 C'est ce pourquoi les bouteilles keeps its tightness. That is why the bottles

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doivent être conservées couchées. must be kept lying horizontally.

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bien sûr, après, de les conseiller. Mais on2 n'est pas of course, afterwards, to recommend them. But we are not

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du côté du choix.3 On est plutôt du côté du pur gustatif. in the area of choice. We are more in the area of pure flavor.

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avec quoi ça va aller: literally, “with what that is going to go.” On… To make sure that we have not confused you with our translation of on as “we” : the idea here is that, when one is a sommelier, one is no longer in the area of choice; rather, one is worrying about flavor only. du coté de: used here to mean, “in the area of.” le côté = the side. See page page 19 for du côté de (in the area of..; over near...) and page 26 for le côté champignon et noix (the mushroom and nut aspect, the mushroom and nut taste).

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avoir pignon sur rue: said of a successful, going business, as opposed to one that is not yet established. Literally, it has its pignon (the triangular-shaped part of the wall that you see on the end of a building when you cannot see the roof (when the two slopes of roof are invisible because receding away from you, parallel to your line of vision)) on a main street (une rue) instead of a side street or path. To help you understand constructions with pouvoir: literally, “Pouvez-vous décrire” means “Are you able to describe” pouvoir = to be able to. Elle doit faire, literally, “that must make.” To give the result of a calculation, you can use faire. Exemples: ça fait = that makes, that measures. Deux et deux font quatre. = Two and two make four. à peine = hardly, barely. Literally, “with difficulty.” étanchéité: watertightness, airtightness. A barrier that is impenetrable can be called “étanche.”

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Et ils sont classés par terroir de façon à ce que1 And they are classified by region in order that

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le client s'y repère2 le mieux possible, même si mon travail the customer finds his way as well as possible, even if my work

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est, bien sûr, de l'orienter et de le conseiller. is, of course, to guide him and to advise him.

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Et oui, parce que très souvent, Why yes, because very often,

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nous n’y connaissons rien.3 Ici, n'importe qui4 we do not know anything about it. Here, anyone

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peut venir. La majorité de vos clients ne sont pas can come in. The majority of your customers are not

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des spécialistes du vin. Comment procédez-vous1 experts on wine. How do you go about

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pour les conseiller ? advising them?

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Je garde toujours à l'esprit2 que… on boit du vin I always keep in mind that… people drink wine

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pour se faire plaisir3. Donc ma première question, c'est for enjoyment. Thus my first question, it is

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d'abord, bien sûr, avec quoi ils vont l'accompagner : si c'est first of all, of course, what they are going to accompany it with: if it is

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pour l'apéritif,4 pour un dessert, pour un plat simple ou for the “apéritif,” for a dessert, for a dish (that is) simple or

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élaboré, pour un… recevoir5 son patron ou bien au contraire, elaborate, for a… to entertain one’s boss or quite on the contrary,

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de façon à ce que = in order that, so that. Grammar fans may notice that de façon à ce que is followed by a verb in the subjunctive, in this case, s’y repère. It is a subjunctive form of se repérer (to get one’s bearings; to find one’s way around.) s’y repère. As noted above, this comes from se repérer. What is the y doing here? It is a replacement for the idea of location. Instead of se repérer dans le magasin (to find one’s way in the shop), the idea is s’y repérer (to find one’s way there.) S’y connaître en quelque chose = to know a lot about something. Je m’y connais en mécanique. = I am well versed in mechanics. Note that, in fact, many of the customers are very knowledgeable. The reporter talks about neophytes because one of the goals of this interview was to show you that, in France, you can go in and tell the vendor that you know nothing and let them guide you to the right bottle based on your budget and the type of meal you are planning. n’importe qui = anyone. See another example on page 32. A tip for understanding this and remembering it: think of n’importe as meaning “has no importance; doesn’t matter” and compare the following: n'importe quoi (anything), n’importe où (wherever; anywhere), and n'importe quel (any one, whichever one).

pour recevoir une bande de copains. to entertain a group of friends (buddies).

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Et à partir de là, je vais… je lui demande ensuite And from there, I am going… I ask him, next,

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Comment procédez-vous pour les conseiller ? literally, “How do you proceed to counsel them?” garder quelque chose à l’esprit / garder quelque chose en tête: to keep something in mind. se faire plaisir: to please oneself, to do something that gives oneself pleasure. l’apéritif (l’apéro for short) is an important social custom. This is the time before a meal when one sits down away from the table and has something to drink and some small finger foods. After this snack has been finished, the family and guests move to the table to eat. You are more likely to be invited to a French person's house for a long apéritif than for a sit-down meal. recevoir: literally, “to receive.” Can be used to express the idea that one is entertaining guests at home or greeting and serving clients in a business.

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quel est son budget, parce que ça rentre en ligne de compte what is his budget, because that enters into account

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de noix1 qui se marient2 très, très bien avec ce plat. of walnut that pairs very, very well with this dish.

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pour tout le monde, quelle que soit1 la taille du budget, for everyone, regardless of the size of the budget.

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TRACK 3

bien sûr. of course.

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Et à partir de là, je l'oriente. Par exemple, And starting from there, I guide him. For example,

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vous me demandez, vous allez faire un poulet à la crème et you ask me, you are going to do chicken with cream and

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aux morilles, je vous orienterai, certainement, vers un beau morels, I will guide you, certainly, towards a beautiful

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vin du Jura qui va parfaitement avec les morilles, Jura wine, which goes perfectly with morels,

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Est-ce que parfois, c'est l'inverse qui Is it that sometimes, it is the opposite that

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se produit ?3 C'est-à-dire que je… Un client vient happens? That is to say that I… A customer comes

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chez vous,4 vous demande une bouteille de tel vin to your store, asks you for a bottle of such and such a wine

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et vous demande avec quoi il pourrait l'accompagner ? and asks you with what he could accompany it?

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puisqu'on retrouve dans le vin du Jura, qui est fait since we find in Jura wine, which is made

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à partir du cépage2 Savagnin, ces tonalités très morille, from the Savagnin grape, those very “morel” tones,

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très champignon, un peu fumées, sur un fond d'agrumes et very mushroom, slightly smoked, with a base of citrus and

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quel que soit/quelle que soit: whatever; whatever may be. Grammar fans may like the word-by-word breakdown: quel (which) + que (that) + soit (be). soit is a subjunctive form of être (to be). le cépage: the vine type. Note that, where an English speaker will refer to the grape variety, the French speaker will often refer to the vine variety. Note that le cépage comes from the word le cep de vigne (the vine stock.)

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Do not make the mistake of thinking that “noix” refers to an indeterminate “nut.” The different nuts have their own names. Noix = walnut. Noisette = hazelnut. Noix de cajou = cashew nut. Cacahuète = peanut. se marier avec: literally, “to marry itself with.” Often used when one is saying that two tastes or foods are being put together. See slightly different uses of the idea of marrying a wine with a food on pages 11, 12 and 18. Here is why we wrote se marient (plural) instead of se marie (singular): because we consider the subject of the verb to be both les tonalités and le fond. se produire: to happen, to occur. Literally, “to produce itself.” Compared to se passer, which also means, ‘to happen,’ se produire gives the feeling of something happening more suddenly. chez vous = to your home, to your place. The context will tell you whether “chez...” refers to the person’s home or to their place of work. See other examples of chez referring to a person’s place of work on pages 21 and 22 and an example of being invited “chez les gens” (to peoples’ homes) on page 9.

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Alors ça arrive1 de temps en temps. En général, Well that happens from time to time. Generally,

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j'avoue que c'est moi, emportée par ma passion, qui I confess that it is I, carried away by my passion, who

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me mets à2 lui dire : « Oh ben,3 vous savez, le Saint-Joseph sets myself to telling him, “ Oh, why, you know, Saint-Joseph

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va très, très bien sur le canard, le confit de canard4 » goes very, very well with duck, duck confit”.

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ou bien alors, « tel Corbières sur un canard aux oranges… », or else, “such and such Corbière with duck with orange sauce…”,

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Voila ! C'est plutôt moi qui… emportée par ma passion, There! It is more often I who… carried away by my passion,

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qui conseille le client dans ce sens-là. who advise the customer in that direction.

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Le plus souvent, vous avez Most often, you have

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des demandes précises ? C'est-à-dire « Ce soir, je specific requests? That is to say, “This evening I

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Alors maintenant oui, parce que mes clients Well now yes, because my customers

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me font vraiment confiance.1 Je l'avoue2 en toute modestie ! really have confidence in me. I say this in all modesty!

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Maintenant, ils [ne] se posent3 même plus d'autres questions ; Now, they don’t even ask themselves other questions;

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ils me foncent droit dessus4 et ils me disent : they come straight to me and they say to me,

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« Voila: bœuf aux carottes », « Lapin à la moutarde » ou… “Here we are: beef with carrots”, “rabbit with mustard” or…

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ou bien « Moussaka grec ». Voilà ! or else “Greek Moussaka”. That’s is!

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Souvent quand on est invité chez les gens,5 Often, when we are invited to people’s homes,

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on nous dit d'amener une bouteille. C'est vague ! they tell us to bring a bottle. This is vague!

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Alors oui. Ça, c'est toujours le petit problème, Why, yes. That, it is always the little problem,

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vais faire un gigot d'agneau. Avec quoi est-ce que am going to prepare a leg of lamb. With what is it that

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je peux l'accompagner ?5 » I can accompany it?”

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arriver: to happen, to come to pass. See an example of arriver à quelqu’un (to happen to someone) on page 25. se mettre à faire quelque chose = to start to do something. Literally, “to set oneself to doing something.” See another example on page 32: se mettent à bavarder. ben, an informal, spoken version of bien. le canard confit: conserve of duck; potted duck. Duck legs or breast preserved in duck fat. It is sold in tins in French supermarkets. Avec quoi est-ce que je peux l'accompagner ? To help you think in French like the speaker, keep in mind that peux (pouvoir) means ‘to be able.’ So, literally, Avec quoi est-ce

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que je peux l’accompagner means “With what is it that I am able to accompany it? faire confiance à quelqu’un = to trust someone, to put one’s trust in someone. avouer = to confess; to avow; to acknowledge; to own up to. se poser une question = to ask oneself a question. Compare to poser une question à quelqu’un: to ask someone a question. foncer (colloquial) = to go for it, to go full bore, to put the pedal to the metal. Here, the people are not floating around the store, hoping to find something on their own before asking their question. Instead, they walk straight to Madame Gosselin and ask their question. les gens: people. chez les gens = to people’s homes.

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parce que, effectivement,1 on [ne] sait pas ce qu'on va because, indeed, you don’t know what you are going

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manger : si c'est du poisson et que je vous recommande to eat: if it is fish and I recommend to you

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un Graves, en Bordeaux,2 qui est puissant, qui est lourd, a Graves, in Bordeaux, which is powerful, which is heavy,

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qui est charnu,3 ça [ne] va pas aller très bien. which is full-bodied, that is not going to go (with the dish) very well.

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Alors j'essaie de faire situer4 mon client So I try to get my customer to specify

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en lui demandant si c’est des amis proches ; si c'est by asking him if these are close friends; (and) if these are

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des amis proches, s'il sait un peu ce qui… ce qu'ils close friends, if he knows a little bit what… what they

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ont l'habitude de manger,1 si c'est des végétariens are in the habit of eating, if they are vegetarians

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ou bien si c’est, au contraire, des grands… or rather if they are, on the contrary, big…

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des grands amateurs de viande, ou… voilà. big meat lovers, or … there you have it.

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Sinon, si c'est plus… si c’est des repas plus… avec Otherwise, if it is more… if it is for meals (that are) more… with

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des gens qu'on connaît moins,2 des repas plus mondains,3 people who they don’t know as well, meals (which are) more formal,

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j'essaie de diriger vers des vins qui vont avoir une… I try to orient (them) toward wines that are going to have a …

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un éventail de mariages,4 si je peux dire, plus large. Voilà. a range of pairings, if I may say so, (which is) wider. That’s it.

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Comme certains vins de Loire : un beau Saumur-Champigny : Like some Loire Valley wines: a nice Saumur-Champigny:

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très élégant, très en finesse,5 petits fruits rouges confiturés, very elegant, very refined, small red jammy fruits,

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effectivement: Note that effectivement refers to something that was said previously and usually carries the added meaning of “yes, in fact.” Here, the fact that one doesn’t know what will be served was not stated, but was definitely understood. So Madame Gosselin says “effectivement” to agree, that, yes, that is the whole problem. See other examples of effectivement on pages 17 and 29. en Bordeaux. Here, the speaker is reminding us of which region the Graves appellation is, in case we don’t know. charnu: fleshy, thick. Related to la chair (the flesh). See another example on page 19. situer: to site, to situate, to locate. Here, Madame Gosselin gets the buyer to give her the context. The construction she uses is faire situer. To help you understand how the French express that one person is going to get another person to do something: the French often combine faire with other verbs to express the idea that one is going to have something done or make someone else do it. faire faire quelque chose = to have something done. faire venir quelqu’un = to have someone come. See a similar example en le faisant parler (by getting him to speak) on page 23.

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avoir l’habitude de faire quelque chose, literally, “to have the habit of doing something.” Compare to prendre l’habitude = to grow accustomed; to get used to something. connaître. Recall that to know something intellectually is “savoir.” And to be familiar with a person or situation is “connaître.” mondain: fashionable, urbain, sophisticated. un mariage (in the context of wine and food): a pairing. You hear this word constantly when the French talk about wine. The question is always, ‘If one were going to eat this dish or that dish, what wine would go well with it?’ See another example on page 20. en finesse: grammar fans may notice that this is an adverb instead of an adjective. The speaker could simply have said “fin” (refined); but the adverb “en finesse” gives a vision of movement. Here, we are working in an area instead of just being “refined.”

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une finale juste un peu relevée ! a finish (that is) just slightly spicy!

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Voilà, je me laisse emporter !1 Et donc… voilà : ça, So there, I am letting myself get carried away! And so… there: that

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ça se mariera avec beaucoup de choses. Donc c’est…. that will go with many things. So it is…

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On retrouve souvent ces vins-là You often find those wines

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quand je [ne] sais pas du tout avec quoi ça va aller.2 when I do not know at all with what (food) it is going to go.

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tout le repas1 ? Parce que sinon, ça revient2 très cher ! the whole meal? Because, otherwise, it becomes very expensive!

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Alors, d'abord je demande au client Okay, first I ask the customer

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s'ils sont nombreux.3 Si vous dinez en amoureux4 avec votre if there will be many (guests). If you are dining as lovers with your

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mari ou votre fiancé, je [ne] vais pas vous… vous pousser husband or your fiancé, I am not going… to push you

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à prendre trois bouteilles différentes parce que to take three different bottles because

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vous finiriez5 par rouler sous la table6 ! you would end up rolling under the table!

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TRACK 4

Évidemment donc ça va dépendre du nombre de Of course, then, it is going to depend on the number of

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Imaginons que je vienne vous voir : ce soir Let’ s imagine that I come to see you: this evening

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je fais un poulet… je ne sais pas… aux herbes. Mais mon I am cooking a chicken… I don’ t know… with herbs. But my

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repas va se composer d'une entrée, d'un plat, meal is going to be composed of a first course, of a main course,

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d'un dessert, de fromage. À chaque plat son vin ? Ou a dessert, and cheese. To each course its wine? Or

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vous essayez de… de proposer un seul vin pour (do) you try to… to propose one single wine for

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se laisser emporter: to let oneself be carried away. Compare to se laisser aller (to let oneself go) and se laisser entraîner (to let oneself be drawn in or pulled along; to succumb to peer pressure). ça va aller. In case you are unsure of the meaning here. The idea is that, “when I don’t know what food they are going to be drinking it with.” se composer de...: literally, to compose itself of....

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tout le repas: the whole meal. Compare to tous les repas (all of the meals) and to chaque repas (each meal; every meal). revenir can be used to mean “to amount to, to come to, to cost.” So revenir cher means “to be expensive.” Compare to le prix de revient (the total cost of the item, including the costs of the raw materials plus production costs.) être nombreux / être nombreuses: to be numerous. Compare the adjective être amoureux / être amoureuse (to be in love) to the adverb en amoureux: (to do something as lovers). Of course, if you don’t want to put the emphasis on the love, you can say “en couple.” There is also the expression être en couple, which means, ‘to be attached, to be seeing or living with someone.’ The speaker says finirez à but finirez par would have been correct in this case. Compare finir de… (To finish doing something) to finir par… (to end up doing something.) Regarding this expression, one of our translators remembered an old song: Boire un petit coup c’est agréable, boire un petit coup c’est doux! Mais il ne faut pas rouler dessous la table, boire un petit coup c’est agréable, boire un petit coup c’est doux.

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convives. Et puis ça va dépendre aussi… si vous mangez guests. And then it is going also to depend on… if you are eating

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en entrée du caviar et qu'ensuite vous faites... as a first course, some caviar and then you (serve)…

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un pigeon à la marocaine, je [ne] peux pas vous conseiller a moroccan-style pigeon, I am not able to recommend to you

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un seul vin pour ces deux plats : ça n'existe pas1. Je… only one wine for these two dishes: that doesn’t exist. I…

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Alors soit2 on choisit un plat qu'on veut privilégier. So, either you choose a dish that you want to privilege.

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Parfois on peut faire, si on veut, des demi-bouteilles. Sometimes, you can do, if you wish, half bottles.

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On peut trouver de très jolis vins en demi-bouteilles. You can find some very fine wines in half bottles.

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Ça, ça peut être aussi très agréable. That, that can also be very pleasant.

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Et puis, bien sûr, après, si on peut prendre plusieurs And also, of course, afterwards, if you are able to get several

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vins – ou si on veut –, et bien, je demande le budget et c'est wines – or if you wish –, well, I ask what the budget is and it is…

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le budget global qui va aussi décider de quel vin on choisit. the overall budget that will also determine which wine you choose.

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On peut trouver, en France, maintenant, des vins One can find, in France, now, wines

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Ça n’existe pas: literally, that does not exist. The speaker is saying that such a wine, one that could go with both of these dishes, doesn’t exist. Note that the French express “either... or...” with soit... soit... So then, you might ask, “Why don’t I see the second soit here?” Simply because the speaker introduced the alternative (two different half-bottles) with parfois instead of the expected soit. To better understand soit... soit..., see the example on page 19.


à prix très, très raisonnables – et quand je dis "très at very, very reasonable prices – and when I say “very

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raisonnable", c'est autour de 5, 6 euros la bouteille1 –, reasonable”, it is around 5 or 6 euros per bottle –,

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qui sont de très jolis vins, techniquement bien faits, et, which are very fine wines, technically well-made, and

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ensuite, qui sont… voilà : qui donnent beaucoup de plaisir, then, which are… there : which give a lot of pleasure,

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qui ont une complexité, de la longueur en bouche, which have a complexity, a long finish,

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une palette aromatique,2 qui sont suffisants an “aromatic palette” which are sufficient

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pour se faire vraiment plaisir.3 for true enjoyment.

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Ça veut dire que4 le prix d’une bouteille de vin That means that the price of a bottle of wine

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n’est pas forcément la garantie de sa qualité ? is not necessarily the guaranty of its quality?

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Notice that our translation includes the word “per;” but in French, 6 euros la bouteille is correct. une palette aromatique: to confirm that palette here has the meaning you are thinking of, yes, this is like the painter’s palette. We could have translated this also as, “an aromatic range.” We stray from the literal translation here to express what we think was in the mind of the speaker: that the bottle is going to be enjoyed among friends. Compare se faire plaisir (to do something to give oneself pleasure) with faire plaisir à quelqu’un (to cause pleasure; to do something that will give pleasure to someone else.). If someone likes the gift you gave them, they might say, “Ça me fait très plaisir.” Sometimes you will hear someone talk about a purchase that is more expensive than what they SHOULD have spent saying, “Oui, je me suis fait plasir.” vouloir dire = to mean, literally, to want to say. vouloir = to want. dire = to say

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On peut trouver des vins pas chers et très bons. One is able to find wines (that are) inexpensive (yet) very good.

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Oui, définitivement, on peut ! Voilà. C’est justement Yes, definitely, one is able to! That’s it. This is precisely

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l’intérêt1 de mon métier : c’est de savoir…. the interesting part of my job: it is knowing…

36

C’est ce que je dis toujours quand les clients This is what I always say when the customers

37

me demandent si j'ai les célébrissimes2 Château Margaux ou ask me if I have the very famous Château Margaux or

38

Château Pétrus – outre que la clientèle Château Pétrus – aside from the fact that the clientele

39

n’est quand même pas courante3 au prix où sont4 is nevertheless not common at the prices of (see note)

40


le Château Pétrus est un bon vin. Voilà. Château Pétrus is a good wine. That's it.

43

Moi, mon travail, comme je le vois, c'est, Me, my work, as I see it, it is,

44

effectivement,1 d’être capable2 d'aller dénicher des vins à tous indeed, to be able to go and find wines at all

45

les prix – donc aussi des petit prix –, mais qui [ne] sont pas prices – therefore also at small prices –, but (wines) which are not

46

forcément très connus3 et qui offrent pourtant, voilà, necessarily very well-known and that offer all the same, that’s it,

47

une richesse aromatique, de matière, une capacité à vieillir,4 a richness of aromas, of texture, an ability to age

48

qui soient5 de qualité. that are of (good) quality.

49

ce genre de bouteilles ! Mais qu’en plus this type of bottles! But in addition,

41

personne n’a besoin5 d’un caviste pour savoir que nobody has the need of a wine merchant to know that

42

1

2

3

4 5

l’intérêt de mon métier. Note that l’intérêt can mean “the interest” or “the reason for” or “the utility of.” An oft-heard expression is “Ça n’a aucun intérêt.” (There is no advantage to that. There is no reason for doing that.) célèbrissime: even more well-known and celebrated than célébre. A similar example: if something is rarissime, it is super rare. la clientèle... n’est pas courante. The speaker means that there aren’t many people who can afford these wines. courant: everyday, standard, ordinary. au prix où sont...: literally, at the price where (are found) these wines. Personne n’a besoin de… combination of personne… ne (no one, nobody) and avoir besoin de (to have need of). So to understand better, compare personne n’a besoin de... (nobody needs...) to tout le monde a besoin de... (everyone needs...)

1

2

3 4

5

Another example of effectivement used to mean, “indeed, in point of fact, as was mentioned previously.” See other examples on pages 10 and 29. D’être capable de… literally, to be capable of… Note that we did not translate this literally, because we worried that “capable” might have mislead you into thinking that the speaker doesn’t necessary go to the vineyards. She is saying that she does do this because she is able. connu: well-known. From connaître (to know, to be familiar with). une capacité de veillir: not all customers are looking for a bottle to drink with tonight’s meal. Others want to be prepared for future occasions; and a wine that won’t age well and therefore needs to be drunk very soon can’t be kept in the cellar for years until the right occasion presents itself. soient: an example of the subjunctive form of être (to be).

17

18


TRACK 5 Et concernant le champagne : souvent And concerning champagne: often

1

2

3

4

5

7

8

souvent, une bulle très fine. Là, c'est souvent le chardonnay often, very fine bubbles. Then, it is often Chardonnay

10

11

le champagne avec un dessert. » D'autres disent : champagne with a dessert.” Others say:

12

« Ah, mais c'est très difficile de marier le champagne et “ Ah, but it is very difficult to pair champagne with

13

le sucré. » Qu'en pensez-vous2 ? sweet taste.” What do you think?

14

qui domine, quelque chose de très léger, très aérien, that dominates, something (that is) very light, very aerial qui est forcément très facile en apéritif, puisqu'il est léger. which is necessarily very easy as an apéritif, since it is light. Et puis les champagnes où le pinot noir domine, qui And then also champagnes where Pinot Noir dominates, which va être à cent pour cent, qui va être beaucoup plus charnu,1 is going to be one hundred per cent, which will be much fleshier, beaucoup plus lourd, beaucoup plus... voilà. Et qui much heavier, much more… That’s it. And which

15

du champagne. Ce serait un peu long à expliquer parce que... of the champagne. It would be a little long to explain because…

16

suivant6 la façon dont le champagne est fait, based on the way in which the champagne is made,

17

vont mieux aller soit2 sur des desserts, mais des desserts.... are going to go better either with desserts, but desserts… comme un gâteau au chocolat, par exemple, soit alors, même like a chocolate cake, for instance, or then even pour manger, le célèbre Clos des Goisses, qui est un très (with the meal), the famous Clos des Goisses which is a very

18

1

2 3 4

5 6

l’apéritif (l’apéro for short) is an important social custom. This is the time before a meal when one sits down away from the table and has something to drink and some small finger foods. After this snack has been finished, the family and guests move to the table to eat. You are more likely to be invited to a French person's house for a long apéritif than for a sit-down meal. Qu’en pensez-vous? Similar to saying, Que pensez vous de cela ? To replace “de + something,” you can use en. et… et = both… and... l’encépagement: the mix of different varieties of grape vine planted on the different parcels. This word is related to le cépage (the vine stock variety (see the footnote on page 6.)) le dosage: the balance, the mix of the different grapes going in to the Champagne. suivant = according to; depending upon. Literally, following. suivre = to follow. See another example on page 30.

19

on va pouvoir avoir des champagnes qui sont très secs avec, one is going to be able to have champagnes that are very dry with,

9

on nous dit : « Le champagne en apéritif1 ou people tell us : “Champagne as an apéritif or

Ça dépend et3 de l'encépagement4 et du dosage5 That depends both upon the grape variety and upon the dosage

6


grand champagne, du côté de3 Mareuil-sur-Ay et qui great champagne, in the area of Mareuil-sur-Ay and which

19

se met4 même en carafe – c’est pas courant de mettre can even be put in a caraf – it is not common to put

20

1 2

3 4

charnu: fleshy, thick. Related to la chair (the flesh). See another example on page 10. Note that the soit here and the soit on the next line go together. soit... soit = either… or. soit is a subjunctive form of être (to be), so this is like saying, “be it X or be it Y.” du côté de = over towards, over by. le côté = the side. se mettre: literally, to put itself, to put oneself. Saying that that this champagne puts itself into a caraf is a way of saying that one can do it.

20


un champagne en carafe, mais il y en a – évidemment son prix a champagne in a carafe, but there are some – of course its price

21

est aussi dithyrambique.1 Et lui, par exemple, on le trouve… is also extravagant. And it, for example one finds it…

22

je l’ai vu proposer – je ne sais pas s’il l’est encore –, I have seen it proposed – I don’t know if it still is –,

23

je l’ai vu proposer en accompagnement d’un plat d’agneau, I saw it offered as accompaniment of a lamb dish,

24

voilà, au George V. that’s it, at the George V.

25

c‘est vraiment affaire de… il faut le connaître, c’est comme it is really a matter of… one has to know it, it is like

27

un vin, le champagne. Au départ c’est du vin et donc a wine, champagne is. In the beginning, it is wine and so

28

il doit être appréhendé pour le mariage comme on appréhende it must be approached for pairing as one approaches

29

un vin. Et il y en a pour tout le repas, de l’apéritif au dessert. a wine. And there are some for the whole meal, from apéritif to dessert.

30

partout en France ? everywhere in France?

2

Tout à fait. Ça fait partie1 des plaisirs aussi du… Absolutely. It is one of the pleasures also of…

3

du métier. Et en plus, c'est vraiment en rencontrant le of the profession. And what’s more, it is truly in meeting the

4

vigneron et en voyant comment il travaille chez lui qu'on vine grower and in seeing how he works in his vineyard that we

5

arrive2 vraiment à trouver des vignerons avec lesquels really succeed in finding some vine growers with whom

6

Donc, vous voyez que le champagne, après,2 So, you can see that champagne, (the next subject is),

26


on peut travailler plusieurs années. we are able to work (for) several years.

7

Parce que… ben, il y a des années plus ou moins Because… well, the are years (that are) more or less

8

bonnes. Alors, une très grande année, tous les vignerons sont “good.” So (in) a very great year, all the vine growers are

9

capables de faire du bon vin ; une année moyenne, capable of making good wine; (in) an average year,

10

c[e n’]est pas forcément le cas. it is not necessarily the case.

11

Donc, c’est aussi important, comme ça demande So, it is also important, as that requires

12

TRACK 6 Vous partez donc à la recherche de vin You go out looking then for wine

1

beaucoup de temps de sélectionner des vins, c’est aussi a lot of time to select wines, it is also

13

important de pouvoir trouver un certain nombre de vignerons important to be able to find a certain number of wine growers

14

1 1 2

dithyrambique: laudatory, eulogistic, extravagant. In case you are wondering, this is a rarely-used word in French. après (after) is being used here to express, “the next thing to know is that…”

2

faire partie de quelque chose = to be a part of something. une partie = a part. arriver à trouver: to succeed in finding, literally, “to arrive to find.” Arriver à faire quelque chose = to succeed in doing something, to manage to do something.

21

22


avec lesquels — on re-goûte tous les ans, bien sûr, with whom – we taste again every year, of course

15

le millésime1 —, mais, on sait qu’en général, … les vignerons the vintage –, but we know that in general,… the wine growers

16

vont produire un vin de qualité tous les ans. are going to produce a quality wine every year.

17

Quand vous conseillez vos clients dans votre When you advise your customers in your

18

boutique, est-ce que, parfois, store, is it that, sometimes,

19

vous faites preuve 2d'audace ? Ou est-ce que vous you are daring? Or is it that you

20

restez prudente ? Parce que les gens qui viennent remain cautious? Because the people who come

21

chez vous n'y connaissent rien,3 donc peut-être to your shop don’t know anything (about wine), so perhaps

22

ils n'ont pas envie4 d'être surpris. they do not wish to be surprised.

23


C'est en nouant1 la relation avec le client, en le faisant parler2 It is by building a relationship with the customer, by getting him to talk

25

sur ce qu'il aime, ce qu'il veut, ce qu'il cherche, le budget… about what he likes, what he wants, what he is looking for, his budget…

26

Il faut savoir sentir si on peut proposer un peu plus. You need to know how to feel whether you are able to propose a little more.

27

Parfois, je peux lui demander ouvertement, est-ce que c'est Sometimes, I am able to ask him openly, is it that it is

28

pour, voilà – c’est ce que je vous expliquais tout à l’heure —, for, so there – it is that which I was explaining to you earlier –,

29

quand c’est pour recevoir3 le patron when it is for entertaining the boss

30

pour demander une augmentation, c[e n’]est pas le moment to request a raise, it is not the (right) time

31

de faire dans l'original. Mais, il vaut mieux,4 dans ces cas-là, to try to be original. But it is better in those cases,

32

faire un grand classique : on prend un Saint-Estèphe, to (choose) a great classic : you take a Saint-Estèphe,

33

Alors, ça, c'est… c’est ben5… c’est l'art de mon métier ! Well, that, it is … well, it’s… it’s the art of my trade!

24

1

2 1 2

3

4 5

le millésime: year, date. In wine conversations, the vintage, the year of production. Faire preuve de quelque chose: literally, “to make (or give) proof of something.” Generally translated as, “to show.” So faire prevue d’audace, is literally, “to show proof of daring.” Ils n’y connaissent rien: They have no familiarity with the thing. S’y connaître en quelque chose = to know a lot about something. avoir envie de quelque chose = to want something, to have a desire for something. ben, an informal, spoken version of bien.

3

4

nouer: to tie. Related to the word un noeud (a knot.) Nouer une relation = to build a relationship. The idea is that forming a relation or friendship implies a link (a knot.) le faisant parler: in getting him to talk; by getting him to talk. This is another example of the construction used to express that you get someone else to do something: faire faire quelque chose à quelqu’un. See the footnote on page 10 for faire situer. recevoir des invités: to receive guests; to entertain. Compare to recevoir des clients (to greet, to see, to help the customers, the clients). The French also use recevoir if somone “gets hit” with something. Example: recevoir un balon de foot dans la tête (to get hit in the head with a soccer ball.) il vaut mieux = it is better...; one is better off... From valoir (to be worth) and mieux (better).

23

24



en Bordeaux, ou bien un Saint-émilion grand cru, voilà. in a Bordeaux, or either a Saint-émilion grand cru. That’s it.

34

Ou bien alors un beau Bourgogne. Or else then a good Burgundy.

35

Et puis parfois, et bien, il faut sentir que les gens And then, sometimes, well, you have to sense that people

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

Est-ce que ça vous arrive1 d'être collée2 ? Does it happen to you to be stumped?

1

De ne pas savoir quel vin conseiller ? Not to know which wine to recommend?

2

aiment des choses plus originales. Parfois même les clients like things (that are) more original. Sometimes, even, the customers

3

peuvent le demander : « Ben, je voudrais que vous may ask for it: “Okay, I would like that you

4

me surpreniez ! » Voilà : ils veulent découvrir. Or,1 en France, surprise me!” That’s it: they want to discover. And in France,

5

on a une telle richesse — et ça, ça reste notre we have such a wealth – and that, that remains our

6

point le plus fort —, on a une richesse et une diversité, strongest point – we have a wealth and a diversity,

7

qui sont dues à la diversité des sols et à la diversité that are due to the diversity of soils and to the diversity

8

des climats. Donc on a une telle richesse de vins qu’on of climates. So we have such a wealth of wines that we

9

peut toujours surprendre quelqu’un. are able always to surprise someone.

44

TRACK 7

Je crois que les choses où j'ai le plus tâtonné,3 c'est… I think that the things where I most hesitated, were… j'ai eu toute une… une bande, on peut dire – parce qu'ils I had a whole … a ‘gang,’ we can say – because they se connaissaient —, de clients japonais et notamment avec knew one another –, of Japanese customers, and specifically (pairing) with les poissons crus. Donc on a vraiment tâtonné pour voir quel raw fish. So we really looked around to see which vin pouvait le mieux aller avec tout ça. wine would be able to go best with all that. Mais on a fini par trouver. Donc j'ai relevé tous les défis4 But we ended up finding. So I have met every challenge jusqu'à ce jour ! up to this day! Alors avec les sushis, c'est quoi ? So with sushi, what is it?

10

1

2 3 4 1

Or: yet; whereas; but, now.

Est-ce que ça vous arrive: literally, “Is it that that to you arrives…” Note that arriver means “to arrive; to happen.” So arriver à quelqu’un means, “to happen to someone.” Example: Ça m’est déjà arrivé. (I have already had that happen to me.) See another example of arriver on page 8. être collé(e): to be stumped, lost for an answer. From coller (to stick on, to stick together, to glue together). tâtonner: to grope around, as if in the dark. relever un défi: to take up a challenge; to accept a challenge.

25

26


Et bien, il faut partir sur les vins du Jura, parce qu'ils Well, you have to go to Jura wines, because they

11

ont une certaine… ils ont beaucoup de fraîcheur, ils sont have a certain… they have a lot of freshness, they are

12

puissants, et ils ont cette espèce1 d'amertume qui tient2 strong, and they have this sort of bitterness that maintains

13

le goût très iodé3 du poisson cru. the very iodized taste of raw fish.

14

Ou alors, le Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh. C'est un vin Or else, Pacherenc du Vic-Bihl. It is a wine (which is)

15

peu connu qui vient du Sud-ouest. On est sur little known, which comes from the Southwest. We are into

16

des cépages originaux qui s'appellent le petit manseng et some unusual grape varieties that are called petit manseng and

17

le petit courbu dans lesquels on va retrouver4 cette légère petit courbu in which we are going to find this slight

18

amertume marquée par le côté champignon et noix.5 bitterness marked by the mushroom and nut taste.

19

Quel est votre touche personnelle ? What is your personal touch?

20

Est-ce qu'il y a un vin que vous préférez dans votre cave Is it that there is a wine that you prefer in your cellar

21


en ce moment ? Quel est votre… votre coup de cœur1 ? at this time? What is your… your favorite?

22

Alors, c'est difficile, parce que mes coups de cœur, Okay, this is difficult, because my favorites

23

ils varient tous les jours, c'est évident. they vary every day, it’s obvious.

24

J'aurai toujours un amour très particulier pour I will always have a very special love for

25

les vins du Languedoc, vu2 mes origines. the wines of Languedoc, given my origins.

26

J'ai un… minervois qui est tout à fait intéressant. I have a… minervois that is quite remarkable.

27

On est à Caunes, en Minervois, à côté d'une (For this one) We are in Caunes, in the Minervois region, next to a

28

carrière de marbre, qui existe depuis très longtemps, marble quarry, which has been in existence for a very long time,

29

puisqu’on s'en était servi3 pour le Petit Trianon. since they used it for the Petit Trianon.

30

Alors ce qui est intéressant, c'est que des bancs de Okay, what is interesting, is that outcroppings of

31

marbre vont affleurer4 jusque dans les vignes. Le vigneron marble will surface all the way into the vines. The wine grower

32

1 1 2 3

4 5

une espèce de = 1) a species of; 2) a sort of, a kind of, a type of. tenir = to hold. iodé: literally, “iodized.” If a French person talks about a smell or taste of iodine, they are referring to the ocean, ocean air, the smell of the sea… retrouver (literally, "to re-find") is often used to express that something that was seen earlier is showing up again. le côté = the side; the aspect.

2

3 4

un coup de cœur = a favorite, something one is really taken by, very impressed with. From le coup (the strike, the blow) and le cœur (the heart.) vu: given. Literally, “seen” from voir (to see). Compare to vu que (seeing as; considering that) and au vu de... (considering... Literally, "at the sight of...") le vu = the sight. se servir de quelque chose = to make use of something. affleurer = to surface, to show. affleurer gives the idea of something being flush with a surface. Compare to à fleur de peau (at skin level) and à fleur de terre (barely above the ground).

27

28


se rappelle même son grand-père en train de… even remembers his grandfather in the process of…

33


qui se mêle de cuir. C'est, pour moi, un très grand cru. which is mixed with leather. It is, to me, a very great wine.

46

C’était à la barre à mine qu’il fallait casser le marbre It was with a crowbar that one had to break the marble

34

TRACK 8

pour planter les pieds de vigne. Et ça se mêle aux in order to plant vines. And that mingles with the

35

sols de schiste qui sont les plus courants dans la région. Et shale-rich soils that are the most common in the area. And

36

ça oblige la vigne — qui est une plante qui peut creuser très that forces the vine – which is a plant that is able to dig very

37

profond, qui peut avoir des racines jusqu'à deep, which is able to have roots of up to

38

une vingtaine1 de mètres — ça va lui permettre— elle creuse about twenty meters – that is going to allow it – it digs

39

dans le marbre —, et ça lui permet de se nourrir2 de tous into the marble –, and that allows it to feed itself from all

40

les éléments minéraux qu’elle trouve. the mineral elements which it finds.

41

Et ça donne à ce vin une élégance et une structure And that gives to this wine an elegance and a structure

42

tout à fait particulières – (that are) quite special –

43

c’est très petits fruits rouges3 confiturés –, très suaves, (the wine is) very “small red fruits, jellified” – very soft,

44

Et vous conseillez aussi des bouteilles And you recommend also bottles

1

pour offrir, j'imagine. Ça s'offre beaucoup ! to give as presents, I imagine. (Wine) is given as a gift a lot!

2

Oui, c'est même un très joli cadeau. On est... là, Yes, it is even a very lovely gift. We are… now,

3

on arrive sur les fêtes et j'ai, effectivement, we are approaching the holidays and I have, indeed,

4

beaucoup de clients qui viennent choisir pour offrir soit à many customers who come to select (wines) to offer either to

5

des grands amateurs et amatrices. Et puis, c'est vrai que great wine lovers (male and female). And also, it is true that

6

les hommes étant très amateurs de vins et qu'on a... men being big wine lovers and that we have…

7

nous, les femmes, souvent, des difficultés à leur trouver we, women, often, (have) difficulty in finding for them

8

des cadeaux qui conviennent,1 et bien, c'est toujours gifts that are appropriate, well, it is always

9

épicés, poivrés, une finale légèrement fumée spicy, peppery, a finish (that is) slightly smoked

45

1

1 2 3

Compare une dizaine (about 10) to une douzaine (a dozen) and to une vingtaine (about 20). se nourrir: to feed itself, to nourish itself. fruit rouges: the “red fruits” are strawberries, raspberries, red currants...

convenir = to suit, to be suitable. This is a rare case of convenir all alone, without an à or a de. The version you will see most often in French is convenir à quelqu’un (to suit someone, to be suitable for someone. An example: Dix heures jeudi matin ; est-ce que ça te convient ? (Ten AM Thursday morning, does that suit you?) Compare to convenir de quelque chose (to agree to something, to admit something, to acknowledge something.)

29

30


un cadeau très apprécié. a much-appreciated gift.

10

2

Alors j'ai des clientes, par exemple, qui ont… qui sont So I have lady customers, for example, who have… who are

11

des femmes d’âge mûr1 et qui ont des fils mais aussi, en plus, middle-aged ladies and who have sons, but also, in addition,

12

des gendres et des neveux. Alors, voilà : on choisit sons-in-law and nephews. So that’s it: we choose

13

un certain nombre de bouteilles suivant2 le budget a certain number of bottles according to the budget

14

qu'on veut consacrer à chacun. that they want to spend for each.

15

Et, voilà : je fais des coffrets cadeau et je marque So there: I make gift boxes and I write

16

« Pour Pierre » en dessous, « Pour Jean », « Pour Jacques », “For Pierre” below, “For Jean”, “For Jacques”,

17

« Pour André ». Et c'est très... c'est une façon très agréable “For André”. And it is very… it is a very pleasant way

18

de faire des cadeaux. of offering gifts.

19


3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

TRACK 9 Pour initier vos clients, une fois par mois, To educate your customers, once a month,

1

13

14

15 1

2

d’âge mûr: of a mature age. mûr: ripe; mature. Do not confuse with mur (without the circumflex accent), which mean “wall” but sounds the same. suivant = according to; depending upon. Literally, “following.” suivre = to follow. See another example on page 18.

16

vous organisez quelque chose dans votre boutique. you organize something in your store. Oui, c'est toujours un moment agréable parce que Yes, it is always a pleasant time because ça permet des rencontres puisque les clients it allows people to meet each other since the customers vont prendre le temps. are going to take the time. Un samedi par mois, je fais déguster cinq ou six vins One Saturday each month, I have them taste five or six wines sur un thème donné. Alors ça peut être le bordeaux on a given theme. Well, that can be Bordeaux (wines) en général, mais ça peut être aussi, par exemple, le pinot noir in general, but that can also be, for example, Pinot Noir qui est un cépage, donc. Le pinot noir à travers les terroirs, which is a grape variety. Pinot Noir throughout the regions puisqu’on le trouve dans le bourgogne – c'est là son... since one finds it in Burgundy – That is its… son grand honneur –, mais aussi en Loire, mais aussi its great honor –, but also in the Loire Valley, but also en Alsace. in Alsace. Voilà. Donc on fait... on offre à ce moment-là That’s it. So we make… we offer at that time une dégustation. C'est gratuit. Ça se passe autour du tonneau. a wine tasting. It is free. It takes place around the barrel. On essaie d'expliquer un peu les vins, comment ils sont faits, We try to explain a little the wines, how they are made, les cépages, les sols, avec quoi ils peuvent se marier. the grape varieties, the soils, with what they can be paired.

31

32


Et ça donne souvent des moments très sympathiques And that often leads to very convivial moments.

17

où les clients, et bien, ensemble, se mettent à1 bavarder, when customers, well, together, begin to chat,

18

à échanger des recettes ou des idées ou to exchange recipes or ideas or

19

les problématiques parisiennes typiques – de parking (discuss) typical Parisian problems – of parking

20

ou autres –, et c'est très... c'est des moments très agréables. or others –, and it is very… they are very pleasant moments.

21

N'importe qui2 peut venir. Anyone can come.

22

Tout le monde est invité, oui, bien sûr. Everyone is invited, yes, of course.

23

Merci. Thank you.

24

1 2

se mettre à bavarder: to set oneself to chatting. See the footnote on se mettre à faire quelque chose on page 8. n’importe qui = anyone. Literally, “who is not important.”