Author: fedornan

By its name, Cordes-sur-Ciel is perched in the sky. The 800 year old village demonstrates the styles of pre-Renaissance architecture and city planning. The Gothic buildings compliment the narrow, winding cobblestone streets. As we drove into the village, I immediately noticed the old battlements nestled into the mountainside above the surrounding landscape. After a short hike up to the top of the old village, I was left with a perfect view of the countryside and village below. The streets are dotted with artisans, craftsmans, and small cafes. I was especially taken by the shop of a master watchsmith and jeweler (Simon-pierre Delord), who had intricate, one of a kind, pieces inspired by the village in the sky.

The village was one of the first “bastides” or fortified medieval towns of the 13th century. Founded by Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse, the village was fortified to defend the Count’s northern territory from Cathar Heretics. The bastide would replace the town of Saint-Marcel, which Simon de Montfort had destroyed. The village would bring artists who were attracted by the natural beauty of the region. While the village would be near forgotten during the middle ages, it would be revived following the Second World War through the work of painter Yves Brayer. 

After leaving Cordes-sur-Ciel, we stopped at Domaine Gayard, an organic and biodynamic winery in the Gaillac region of Languedoc. In pursuit of biodynamics, the vineyard lands also cultivate orchards, olives, grains, truffles, aromatics, and pasture. The Gaillac region is of the oldest French wine producing lands dating back to the 2nd century as the Romans brought amphora production to the region. Some of the grapes cultivated by Domaine Gayard are of the ancient varieties that were found during the early history of the region. Considering that these grapes are landrace crops, crops which are native to and evolved with the region, they are suited to the region and its changes. Ancient cultivars are demonstrating to be resistant to climate changes and are suited to grow with little water and irrigation making this region one to watch for climate change response within the wine industry. 

Following our walking tour of the vineyard, we were given a tasting of Gayard wines. The tasting consistedof two white wines, an orange wine, and two red wines. The Mauzacwas characterized by green notes, like green apple. The Loin de l’Oeil was characterized with a particular roundness from the one year of French oak casking. Gayard’s orange wine features standard maceration and is characterized by the fermented smell and taste. The red wines were acidic and fully bodied with one aged in amphora.

Harris, Vanessa. “Cordes-sur-Ciel: Dramatic and Timeless.” Life on La Lune, August 31, 2019. https://lifeonlalune.com/2019/08/31/cordes-sur-ciel-dramatic-and-timeless/.

Office de Tourisme La Toscane Occitane. “Cordes-sur-Ciel.” La Toscane Occitane. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://www.la-toscane-occitane.com/visiter/villes-villages/cordes-sur-ciel/.

Photos taken by Nathan Fedornak March 15, 2025

Taken by Nathan Fedornak (3-10)

St. Pierre Tarbouriech sits in the heart of the Mediterranean oyster producing region. This region in France is famous for the Bouzigue oyster, which I find to be quite salty; to a non oyster enjoyer, they might taste like the time you accidentally swallowed salt water at the beach. However, the draw to this oyster farm and tasting room is the trademarked Tarbouriech oyster. Even if you’re not a fan of oysters, the addition of fresh lemon and cracked pepper compliment the Tarbouriech oyster nicely. The tasting room also offers wine pairings from local vineyards; the citrus notes in sparkling wine we were given paired well with the Tarbouriech oysters.

Taken by Nathan Fedornak (3-10)

The St. Pierre Tarbouriech oyster producers created a revolutionary technique to use a solar powered system to raise and lower the Tarbouriech oyster tables into the water. This process simulates the churning tides and gives the producers complete control of the oyster growth. While this does extend the production time, it produces more complex flavors and larger oysters favored by chefs throughout France and Europe. 

We experienced a wine tasting with the exceptional Hôtel Pinard. The wine bar specializes in natural wines, which are produced with either no or low sulfates (what gives headaches when you drink wine). There is a crisis of marketing and labeling surrounding natural wines; many miseducation consumers see the “Natural Wine” on a label and assume that the product will be a high quality. However, in truth it appears that many vineyards that claim to produce natural wines are actually putting a poor quality product into the market, thus lowering the consumer preference for the quality wines.

We tried six different wines: one sparkling white, two still whites, two reds, and one fortified red wine. From what I’ve gathered, the fan favorite wine was the “Domaine Peter Sichel – Montanha 2024”; for a red wine, it was very fresh with strong notes of juicy red fruit. I appreciate Hôtel Pinard’s goal to promote quality wines that the average consumer has not been exposed to. Their belief that ‘good wine is good wine’ is refreshing for an industry dominated by, and in my opinion held back by tradition. Our Sommelier described the importance of caring about local wines in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, as they are some of the true innovators in the wine industry. Despite the fact that Languedoc is the oldest wine region in France, its history has been characterized by cheap bulk wines. At the present, producers in Languedoc are on the forefront of the wine industry response to climate change as they research and implement new hybrid grapes and irrigation techniques.

Taken by Nathan Fedornak (3-11)

Attending tasting events with the field’s experts, whether that be the oyster producers or sommeliers, is a great way to grow your appreciation for new foods. Even if you have never tried raw oysters or drank much wine, learning from the experts is the best way to learn about the significance of regional foods.  

Food is a unique demonstration of art, culture, and a moment in time.  While everyone eats, few seem to truly appreciate what food means to them. Food captures emotions; how people feel when they cook and how they feel when they eat. Each meal takes time to produce and captures a piece of the world around it around. For example, eating fresh seafood in the summer calls back to the seasonal preferences and the freshest fish, citrus, and  produce captures the warmth and climate of the season. Part of the appreciation of food is the consumption. In a similar manner to live music, which a recording hardly does justice to the unique acoustics of the space and energy of the crowd, where we eat is just as important as what we eat.

Photo taken by Nathan Fedornak on…