I discovered a new wine from two of the south bay's bests, the Basin and Manresa. Pineau des…read moreCharentes is a dessert wine made from Saint Emlilion (or Ugni Blanc) mixed with Cognac. It has a great golden color and has a great fruit finish. If you're looking for something with the essence of a Tokaji or Sauternes without the price tag, a Maison Brillet Pieneau will do the trick.

I've been traveling to paper museums, and this particular museum is not necessarily the best for…read moreexplaining making paper, but its exhibition space is devoted to the art of paper. The particular exhibition April to December 2018 anticipates the centenary of the end of World War I, which will be commemorated November 11. The paper sculptures of WWI soldiers and the women they left behind are in the exhibition space. Not to be missed is the 12-minute film (English subtitles) created from these paper sculptures in a masterful stop action animated film. It is charming as well as tragic. A nice small boutique includes colorful graphics from the era when the factory rolled out cigarette papers after it became fashionable in 1850 France to "roll your own." The machinery on the first floor of the mill is signed, and there are some English translations. One sign notes the "master of the paper," Jacques Brejoux, who is in residence at another historic mill in the countryside: Moulin du Verger. He is still actively working on handmade paper and book restoration. (Call for an appointment to tour that mill.)

What a great way to spend an afternoon! We had lunch here first. A salad with blue cheese and ham,…read moreyum. Then leg of duck with mashed potatoes and a crusted tomato. Dessert was an interesting apple pie. Then we learned about cognac. We had 4 different cognac's form different areas around Cognac. We got to try and smell each and decide our favorite blend. Then we made a 500 ml bottle of our mix, corked and then sealed. It's a big recommend!

The steph had my tail do an excellent job. How can you find the taste for your pallet. We will most…read moredefinitely come back and visit.

This is a review of my pre-Covid visit, and it was a special visit, so I am really grateful for…read moreeverything I could see and hear, but not sure if on a normal tour it's the same. I will not describe the Cognac preparation process, or the history of this famous manufacturer. I will confine myself to two aspects that impressed me particularly in the visit. The first is the activity of the many tasters, who twice a day taste an incredible number of samples, to evaluate for example whether or not each one can become an excellent Cognac in 10 years! The second is the huge size of the cellars: rooms and corridors full of history. A really enriching visit!