Vinum Montis – A Journey Alongside Cécile and Germaine

THE EVENING’S TEXTS

First universe

Mood	Return to your roots
Place	Valais
Wine	Grandgousier Fendant
Food pairing	Croustilles de Sion and dried meat

Introductory note: A non-chronological story, like 5 tableaux, in the history of Cécile and Germaine. Let yourself be carried away by the story, and start tasting once the story has been told. Destinations and pairings can be found on the menus on the table.

The story begins in 1909. Cécile and Germaine, the two daughters of Léonide Maye, founder of the Cave Maye, discovered a photograph of Venice in a local newspaper. The gazette had been left on the family kitchen table, under Léonide’s round glasses.

Cécile, with a twinkle in her eye, turns to her sister Germaine with a jovial smile: ” Germaine, let’s explore Europe. Let’s go on an adventure and discover a thousand flavours. Let’s inspire Father to create different kinds of wine “.

Germaine was less daring and more reserved by nature. Yet they both had a boundless thirst for discovery and were keen to seize opportunities for far-flung travel, which were rare in those days.

A year later, in 1910, the two girls packed their bags and set off on their first trip, bound for Venice. They would later travel to Nice, Brighton, Orta and Paris.

Throughout their journey, they never cease to think fondly of their native Valais and the joyful moments shared over a Fendant Grandgousier and a valaisan cheese and meat board.

Tasting notes : This is what this wine evokes : the excitement of setting off on a journey, mixed with the simplicity and frankness of the tastes of the terroir that Grandgousier represents, the candid nature of the two great travelers.

Second universe

Mood	An invigorating, pearly mist from the sea
Place	Brighton (British town, Sussex)
Wine	TELEGRAM MY SWEET Assemblage Blanc
Food pairing	Yuzu pearls

Cécile and Germaine Maye were in England to present their wines to renowned importers, and visited the south coast, staying in Brighton. The proprietor of the Britannia Hotel, where they were staying, showed them around the Marina. When they arrived at the seafront, they discovered the immense, ebony-black rock, and let themselves be carried away by the lively marine smells, a mixture of seaweed and lemon.

Cécile sits on the edge of a rock, lulled by the waves breaking at the foot of the cliff. She turns to face the invigorating sea breeze. The water begins to bead on her face, in a thousand and one fresh droplets. Some land on her lips, making her smile.

She thinks back to the Yuzu pearls placed on an oyster that George, the innkeeper, had treated them to just that day at lunch. She turns around and notices that he’s watching her with a soft, shining gaze. Has he fallen under her spell? She bursts out laughing, he blushes. Cécile feels a multitude of butterflies fluttering in her stomach and enjoys this timeless, magical, fragile and enveloping moment.

Tasting notes : We wanted to highlight the MY SWEET white blend, which marries fantastically with the Yuzu pearls, their crisp, crunchy side surprising and invigorating at the same time. This freshness is evoked by the acidic, pearly notes of the following piece.

Third Universe

Mood	Lunch on the grass
Place	Nice
Wine	TELEGRAM MY SWEET Rosé
Food pairing	Dip with fennel and carrots

On a trip to the South of France for a wine fair, Cécile and Germaine Maye spend a few days on the Côte d’Azur. There, Germaine meets Howard, an American sailor on leave.

Cécile and Germaine head for the banks of the Rivière du Loup with a group of friends they met at the wine fair. Equipped with their picnic baskets, they spread out their towels on the sun-drenched pebbles. Glasses clink, the atmosphere is festive and a few couples begin to dance by the water’s edge. Amidst a burst of laughter, Germaine’s gaze meets Howard’s. In a teasing mood, she takes her cue from Howard. In a teasing mood, she snatches his hat and plops it on her head, taking a fresh sip of rosé and biting into a carrot stick. This encounter leads to a sweet exchange of telegrams between Germaine and Howard.

Tasting notes : the TELEGRAM MY SWEET rosé is a fundamentally festive and joyful wine. For us, it evokes simple moments of sharing, new encounters, precious moments that make us want to dance to upbeat music and gather around simple dishes and the jubilation of a moment with friends.

Fourth universe

Mood	Brasserie in Paris
Place	Paris
Wine	TELEGRAM Humagne Rouge
Food pairing	Grilled sausage on the go, Humagne Rouge jelly

In July 1921, Germaine and Cécile discovered the Paris of the Roaring Twenties. The city was transformed by Art Deco construction, and cheap brasseries were very popular.

The two sisters discover the Parisian nightlife. After an evening in the great theaters and concert halls, they wander through the heart of Paris. They stop off at this charming brasserie, the Café des Capucines, for a bite to eat after their show. They’re charmed by the sublime art nouveau decor and won over by the French specialties. After a few glasses of these delicious, charming wines, a group of music-loving Parisians pull out an accordion.

A few notes are enough to plunge Cécile and Germaine into a sweet nostalgia. All they have to do is close their eyes to recall the man in the gray beret, a rolled cigarette in the corner of his mouth, the hubbub of the brasserie, the late hour and the moon shining on the cobblestones, the tears of wine on the sides of their glasses.

Lulled by the music, their minds wander – back to their travel memories, then recalling their childhood memories with Léonide, then dreaming of their next destination. For a moment, they let themselves be enveloped in the gentle melancholy of Paris.

Tasting notes : We wanted this experience to evoke sweet, nostalgic Paris, brasserie fare, the pleasant fatigue of a late evening, suspended in time. The jelly is made with Humagne Rouge from our winery.

Fifth universe

Mood	We love the opera
Place	Venice
Wine	TELEGRAM Pinot Noir
Food pairing	Chocolate crunch with cocoa nibs

In May 1910, Cécile and Germaine travelled to Italy. They toured the vineyards of Piedmont before settling in the heart of Venice.

Cécile had heard of the lyric operas that were so popular in Venice. She convinced her sister to go to the Venice Opera.

They discovered the frenzy of the crowds at the Opera’s gates. Ladies dressed in feathers, roses and sparkling tiaras. Their husbands or lovers, their sideburns trimmed and moustaches groomed, helping the ladies to put on shawls of the finest fabrics.

Suddenly, the room plunges into profound silence. Cécile can almost hear her own heartbeat. The limpid voice of the opera singer breaks the silence. Crystalline notes crackle the air. Cécile feels her pulse quicken. She becomes aware of the unique and extraordinary experience she is about to have.

Tasting note : We wanted to mark two high points for the music : the audience crowding in front of the doors, then a sort of suspended moment in time with the crystalline voice of the opera singer breaking the silence.

This surprising experience is underscored by the harmony between the very bitter crunchy chocolate, the sweetness of the matured Chamoson ganache and the TELEGRAM pinot noir, which adds a hint of bitterness and underlines the sweetness of the ganache. An extraordinary experience, with a climactic ending that plunges us into the feeling of surprise, turmoil and wonder that Cécile felt at the heart of this Italian opera. A real treat for the senses!

Credits
Music: TIKOM (Thierry Epiney)
Text: Léa Piccard
Reading: Marie-Claire Cavin Piccard
Photography: Eric Guillaume