Madame Ghislaine announces some truly unique approaches to her exciting line-up of premium wines at the Louisiana Renaissance Festival!

Three new and exciting ways to explore wines include a deep dive into the concept of Terroir, an exploration of unusual varietals that you may never have tasted before, and finally a look at historical wines and their significance to history's famous and infamous characters. 

Madame will also offer classical tastings of old world and new world wines, and the most popular of all - the final weekend "Best of the Season."  (The "Best of the Season" seatings usually sell out in September - a word to the wise!) Madame also serves an elegant tasting plate of fruit, cheese, and bread. She and that Scottish lightskirt Bonnie McKinlay will delight you with some special surprise tasting items selected to compliment the wines.

And those of you who agree that the wine tasting is the best entertainment value at any faire will be delighted to know that entertainers including Marc Gunn, Vince Conaway and others will be there for your pleasure. And we believe the Queen will again make the wine tasting a stop on her progress around the faire – accompanied of course by the charming Lord Dudley. 

The schedule of tastings by Madame Ghislaine: 

Louisiana Renaissance Festival 2010 Wine Tasting Event

Week One:  Classical European Selections  
Taste European wines at their most characteristic - but as always, Madame Ghislaine will surprise you with new ideas about them.

• Cava – Penedes - Spain
• Riesling – Germany 
• Pinot Grigio – Italy
• Chenin Bland – Loire – France
• Pinot Noir – Burgundy – France
• Rioja or Ribera del Duero Temperanillo – Spain
• Montepulciano or Chianti – Italy

Week Two:  Terroirs Revealed   
The idea of “terroir” – that wines are the expression of the soil, climate, method and even culture of a particular place - is explored as we taste varietals that demonstrate this important concept.  Oh, and Madame Ghislaine has a couple of secrets up her sleeve.

• Cava – Spain
• Sauvignon Blanc – Napa – St. Helena
• Sauvignon Blanc – Napa – Rutherford
• Pinot Noir 
• Pinot Noir
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Tokaji

Week Three:  New World Wonders
If Madame Ghislaine had known how spectacular wines from the Americas and Pacific Rim would be, she would have told Columbus and Captain Cook to hurry up!  She’ll be just as impatient to share these wonderful wines with you.

• Sparkling Wine – Tasmania
• Sauvignon Blanc - New Zealand
• Chardonnay - Chile 
• Australian Chardonnay
• Pinot Noir – Willamette Valley
• Pinotage – South Africa
• Malbec – Argentina
• Vin de glaciere – New Zealand or Canada

Week Four:  Varietal Encounters
Join Madame in an exciting exploration of lesser-known varietals.  No chardonnays or cabernets here – discover new aromas and flavors in wines worthy of attention.  So many wines – so little time!  Trust Madame to help you find new favorites.

• Prosecco - Italy
• Gewurztraminer - Germany
• Viognier – France or US
• Alberino – Martin Codax – Spain
• Temperanillo – Spain
• Pinotage – South Africa
• Petite Syrah 
• Moscatel de Setubal – Portugal – Bacalhoa or similar

Week Five:  Back in Time
Taste wines of historical importance and reference – and you’ll know why these wonderful flavors are still with us today.  Find out why wine was infamously important to the Duke of Clarence, Napoleon Bonaparte and other celebrities of the past.  Yes, there are stories and secrets – and Madame knows them all!

• Champagne
• Pinot Blanc 
• Rhine  “Rhenish”
• Hippocras – hand made by Mme. Ghislaine
• Hermitage Rhone – Thomas Jefferson’s favorite wine
• Burgundian Powerhouse – “When Petrarch wrote to Pope Urban V, pleading for his return to Rome, he noted that one obstacle to his request was that the best Burgundy wines could not be had south of the Alps” 
• Vin de Constantia
• Malmsey

Week Six:  Season’s Best
Celebrate another wonderful season of wine and revelry as Madame brings you the best of the season as determined, no, not by democratic processes but by Madame and Her Majesty the Queen! 

Price includes wines, food (plenty for lunch), entertainment and a souvenir champagne flute.

Don’t wait and be disappointed – almost all of the seatings sold out last year. Get your tickets now!

Wine tasting tickets are $40 per person. Each date has limited seating available and each date normally sells out in advance. Festival admission tickets must be purchased separately, and are also available through our QuickPrint ticket system.

Wine tastings begin at 1:00 PM and last approximately 90 minutes