Domaine La Grange english

Merry Christmas!

We wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

News from Tanzania

We are always full of admiration for the verve with which Gabriele and Ulrich Winkler have committed themselves to their life's work Asante Tanzania. La Grange and Weinkontor Freund make a small contribution to this: every year a donation from the sale of the Lions wine Tradition Sélection goes directly to this great aid project.

This is the last informative newsletter of the Winklers:

(Ulli and Gaby Winkler)

It was due to the pandemic that Gaby and I were last together in Tanzania at Easter 2019. In the fall of 2021, after an interruption of two years, Gaby was finally able to travel to Tanzania again together with her friend Ingrid Echterhoff. In April 2022 we were able to continue our routine easter visits. This time our friends Petra & Stephan Wecke accompanied us. Petra and Gaby flew 2 weeks before us, Stephan and I then started almost two weeks after the two.
Together with us traveled the dentist Jochen Ruschhaupt from Bielefeld and the technician Bastian Siebbrand. The two of them were supposed to finally set up the equipment for the small dental clinic at the Rhotia Health Center, because the boxes that had been stored there since 2019 were waiting to be used for their intended purpose.

Through regular email communication, however, we were well informed about the status of the individual projects during the long Corona break. But of course it was time to inspect everything on site again, to solve problems if necessary and to check and plan further projects. In the following, we will now briefly report on the current status:

The Ayalabe School

(School lunch at the Ayalabe School)

For many years we have been working very trustfully with the principal of the Ayalabe Primary School/Karatu Magreth Qamunga. We regularly buy food for school meals, school sweaters, notebooks and school supplies. This time, a conversation revealed that many girls stay home during their periods out of shame because families cannot afford underwear or hygenic items for their daughters. The young girls then miss several days of classes, which further marginalizes them. This issue is not discussed in the families and the girls are left completely alone. Fortunately, they confide in the principal. We then decided that we would first buy 400 panties, 100 leggings and 50 packages of sanitary napkins, so that the supply for the next few weeks is secured. We also purchased 400 plates, 400 spoons, stainless steel buckets and ladles for serving food at noon.

(New material for school lunches)

In this context it should be mentioned that we were able to enter into a partnership with the catholic parish Heilig Geist Bielefeld/Dornberg, which will be financially involved especially in the projects around the Ayalabe Primary School. With a used laptop from our stock we were able to facilitate Magreth's administrative work at the school.

The Tumaini School

During the Easter vacations it was unfortunately not possible to meet all of our sponsored children from Tumaini School, as most of them were at home with their families for the holidays. However, by chance we met the three girls from Endabash when we visited our kindergarten and sewing center there. Leonia Francis (6th grade) and Anna Wilhelmi (5th grade) have been supported by ASANTE since preschool and it is a great joy to see how great they have turned out. They speak good English and are both always at the top of the class rankings. Little Anjelina is in 1st grade and will surely be as successful in Primary School as her two role models.

(Some of the children we sponsor)

At Tumaini Secondary School we met six of our 12 sponsored children, who admittedly are no longer children at all, but have matured into young self-confident teenagers. At the end of this year, some of them will leave school with good grades, which will qualify them to study at a university, college or technical school. They cite medicine, law, teaching or engineering as their career aspirations. Whether and how ASANTE can get further involved in this has yet to be determined.

The kindergarten in Endbash & the training centers for seamstresses and carpenters

These three projects are located in the Catholic community of Endabash. The respective parish priest is responsible on site. After the extremely active and hands-on priest John was unfortunately transferred, his successor had none of John's energy and empathy. He, too, was transferred again and with the new pastor Emanuel things are a bit better. Thus the kindergarten presents itself splendidly under the leading sister Rosi and her assistant. A total of 27 children are intensively cared for and encouraged there. The kindergarten materials, which were purchased about 8 years ago, are maintained and continue to be used. The knowledge imparted is gratifyingly good - not only play is on the agenda, but also the first basic mathematical skills and an introduction to the English language are taught. The training school for seamstresses is also 75% full. Teacher Petro teaches the young women so much within a year that at the end they have the ability to independently make shirts, jackets, pants, dresses etc. and to sell them on the surrounding markets. This activity strengthens the self-confidence of the young women and gives them a new perspective on life.
For the last 2 years we have not been satisfied with the development of the training school for carpenters. Currently there is only 1 student there, with a capacity designed for 10 students. The teacher in charge is overburdened with the task and the parish priest unfortunately does not take care of this project properly. We have asked our friend Alex Mushi to act as a "headhunter" so that we can find a new director of education for this area. Then we hope to restart this training project for young men in the fall of 2022. Until then, we will not be spending in this area - we will report on how this project continues to develop.

 

The Massai Kindergarten & Standard I + II in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Although located in the middle of nature and 3 hours by car from the next town, this project is running outstandingly and shows that with the right selected Tanzanian management staff an incredible amount is possible. The responsible teacher Danny o'le Telele, of course a Maasai, has been with us for 8 years now. Together with his deputy Matthias and the two teachers Neema and Pascalina, they manage the kindergarten with a total of 55 Maasai children as well as the two primary school classes Standard I + II with a total of 36 children. What makes the work of the teachers so extraordinary is their great cheerfulness and empathy, which leads to concentration and intensive cooperation among the children. You can really feel that kindergarten and preschool is a great experience for everyone. The level of achievement that is reached is far above average. Many Maasai bring their children from far away to have them taught in the ASANTE TANZANIA kindergarten. This time we had among other things many pedagogically useful games and materials in our luggage. In addition, the teachers had requested raincoats, which were tried on immediately, although it was very warm with 28 degrees and the rain had not fallen for months.

(The teachers in their new raincoats)

I was more than impressed by the perfect bookkeeping of Danny and Matthias. All receipts were available, income and expenses were entered in Excel tables and were up to date. The parents now also regularly meet the obligation to pay a manageable school fee. Occasionally, 1 - 2 goats have to be sold for this purpose. However, thanks to the good results of the children and the convincing work of Danny and his colleagues, this is accepted. A planned building project for the expansion of the school, in which friends from Prague also wanted to participate, has been postponed for the time being.The current Tanzanian president would like to resettle a large number of the Maasai currently living in the Conservation Area, as their numbers have risen sharply in recent decades.

This meets with strong resistance from the Maasai, who live as semi-nomads. There is no solution in sight for the time being. For the time being, however, all construction measures have to be stopped. However, we will thoroughly renovate the kindergarten, which was opened in 2014, so that the structure can continue to be preserved.

 

The Rhotia Health Center

Readers of our previous newsletters know well this hospital run by Catholic nuns. ASANTE Tanzania had already started in 2012 to systematically improve diagnostics and therapy in the various departments. The laboratory was completely reorganized to meet current requirements. Among other things, a digitalized X-ray department was set up, a blood bank was established, a tuberculosis ward was structured, an ultrasound department was established, and the possibility of writing ECGs was also created. All technical equipment is maintained with care and repaired when necessary, also with the help of ASANTE. Thanks to these measures and many capable employees, this hospital has now reached a very good level of care.Further investments, for example in the laboratory area, are planned. It is always a great pleasure for me to meet former colleagues.

 

The dental clinic at the Rhotia Health Center

(The new dental clinic)

The special highlight this time, however, was the construction and commissioning of the small dental clinic. The donated equipment had been stored in Rhotia for almost 2 years now. Until now, the Corona Pandemic prevented the technician and the dentist from traveling. But now it could finally start: Already a few hours after their arrival, the technician Bastian Siebbrand and the dentist Jochen Ruschhaupt set to work. By the evening, everything was structured. The following morning (Good Friday) the engineer and friend Doug Ommanney, together with the Tanzanian contractor Alex Mushi and an electrician met to discuss which adjustments still had to be made. Work continued non-stop on Saturday and Easter Monday. In fact, everything was ready for use on Monday evening.

(Handing over the new dental clinic)

At the end of August 2022, Jochen Ruschhaupt flew back to Tanzania to continue training the dentist and to further build and expand the dental practice. Jochen Ruschhaupt does this work in his spare time! He deserves great respect and thanks for this. This practice is the only dental practice within a radius of 150 km and is available especially to patients who otherwise could not afford dental treatment.

 

Last but not least:

During our visit to the Rhotia Health Centre, we were told that the ancient Miele washing machine had unfortunately finally given up: it washed only at lukewarm temperatures and finally not at all. Unfortunately, spare parts could no longer be procured. So the sheets and towels had to be scrubbed by hand for weeks with the help of root brushes. Here, too, we were able to lend a helping hand. Thanks to the great proceeds from this year's golf tournament on June 25, 2022, we were able to provide a good but perhaps not equivalent replacement in the form of a professional washing machine from Electrolux.

(The new washing machine)

Afterwards, we received expressions of gratitude from many sides. After all, word of the problem spread just as quickly as the good news about the purchase of the new washing machine.

Finally, we would like to thank all the friends and supporters of ASANTE Tanzania e.V.. Without your generosity, help and commitment many of the projects could not be realized. We are therefore in a position to provide long-term, reliable aid - in places where there are few alternatives to aid.

In this sense a heartfelt

"ASANTE SANA "

Yours Gaby & Ulli

Prat Bibal - our most beautiful vineyard

Prat Bibal the most beautiful vineyard of La Grange; it looks like an ancient green amphitheater.

In this vineyard we harvest the grapes for our red wine Tadition Prat Bibal (called the black sheep).

The Prat Bibal vineyard is not only beautiful, it is also exemplary from an environmental point of view. It is surrounded by hedgerows and olive groves, where insects and birds abound. They protect our grapes in a very natural way by simply eating pests and pollinating the flowers of the grapes in spring.

The soil at Prat Bibal is a colorful mosaic of different rocks, which were shaken up by the Cadablès volcano directly opposite the winery ages ago. This diversity of the soil is the prerequisite for us to make quite complex, exciting wines at La Grange, such as our Prat Bibal.

La Grange is favored by nature, a true paradise!

Gold for Icône 2019 and Édition 2019

The judges of the Concours des Grands Vins de France in Mâcon were very enthusiastic about our two Castalides wines Icône and Édition. They awarded both of them a gold medal. The Concours des Grands Vins de France in Mâcon is one of the oldest and most recognised wine competitions in France.

The Castalides wines

The Castalides are the mythical water nymphs who guard our 5 wells at La Grange. This abundance of water is an immeasurable treasure, especially in times of climate change, and must of course be guarded. Our vines benefit from it: with their long roots they reach these springs and are thus always sufficiently supplied.

The wines of the Castalides line are our top products.

The grapes come from the oldest vineyards and the vines have very little yield. Our cellar master Eric Thomas pays special attention to these wines and uses all his skills to produce truly top quality products.

Eric Thomas

The gold medals are another proof of his skills! Chapeau Eric!

Asante Tanzania - Newsletter between Christmas and New Year 2020

Many of you might know that La Grange supports the 'Asante Tanzania' project with donations from the sales of our 'Tradition Sélection Lions'. For those of you who are interested, here are the latest news from Tanzania:

 

Newsletter between Christmas and New Year 2020

 

Dear ASANTE-friends,

‘Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, 'It will be happier.' (Alfred Lord Tennyson).’

We could all do with more happiness and with more health, especially. This has become exceedingly clear throughout the last year. And so a difficult and challenging year lies behind us all and ASANTE wasn’t spared it’s share of difficulties. Unfortunately we had to attend to our friends in Tanzania from home, as both the trips we booked had to be cancelled due to Corona-restrictions. The first wave prevented my husband's easter-visit and the second wave prevented my visit with my friend Ingrid. We really hope that a visit around easter 2021 will be possible but we’re not very optimistic.

And yet ASANTE is alive. We are very lucky to be well-connected in Karatu and most of our projects continue to evolve.

Of course the pandemic obstructed our work and some scheduled projects had to be postponed: The dental surgery at Rhotia Health Center is not yet completed because the dentist Dr. Jochen Ruschhaupt and his technician couldn’t take the trip. In a very time-consuming process the complete equipment had been dismantled professionally at Bielefeld. It was packed into crates and shipped by air to Tanzania to be installed in the rooms that were all ready. As soon as travelling is safe again the two will be on their way.

During the last couple of years a good cooperation has been established with the tour organizers Studiosus. Travel groups visit Rhotia Health Center and guests as well as the tour operator sponsor different projects in Rhotia with generous donations.

The remodelling of the dental practice has been possible due to donations made by Studiosus. They also prepared the digitalisation of the radiology department doing paperwork in a week-long process, guided by Ulli. In late summer 2020 the high-resolution monitors for the professional visualisation of x-ray pictures have been delivered.

Luckily we have a very well-trained x-ray mechanic who can tend to patients from a large catchment area. The quality of the x-ray pictures is now known far beyond Karatu.

We are in close contact with our friends and neighbors Gabriele and Doug who are helping us advance the projects in Rhotia. A couple of weeks ago a swiss friends of their’s, Corina Cabalzar, helped us establish a cooperation with a very generous donor from Swizzerland. This will allow us to buy an ambulance and to build a large pharmacy in the near future. We’ll report on that. Corina had been doing volunteer work as a nurse at the Rhotia Health Center during her holidays, guided by our wonderful sisters Verona and Blasia.

At the beginning of the first lockdown in spring we were especially worried how Tanzania would deal with the pandemic. We are astonished to find that only 508 cases have been reported for the whole country up do date. Enquiries from our Maasai-teachers from Ngoile in Ngorongoro revealed that noticeably large numbers of patients suffered from strong coughs, fevers and fatigue – many more than usual during the rainy season. There are not Corona-tests and nobody knows which pathogen really is responsible for this.

In April I sent warning notices to all our friends telling them to wear masks, keep their distance and wash their hands more often. Advice not easily to follow when you live in a small round hut with sheep and goats and 10 children beneath the same roof and when there are no sewing machines to make masks and water is so precious you are glad to have some to drink and cook.

In the end we sent money and our teacher in charge, Danny, got water buckets with taps, desinfectant and soap so there could be at least a semblant of a hygenic concept at our ASANTE Tanzania Ngorongoro kindergarten. Years ago we equipped the kindergarten with a water pipe from the jungle and containers to collec rain-water, so there is almost always enough water. Lessons continued undisturbed, excepting some short breaks prescribed by the government.

We are grateful that everything went smoothly and that our four teachers didn’t lose the courage to teach children at the end of the world who would otherwise be herding sheep. Just like us, they believe in the importance of early childhood education and face this exhausting challenge on a daily basis. Great!

A couple of days ago I received photos from the children’s graduation ceremony. After two years of preschool they will now be going to the public primary school in the lower village. They would much prefer to spend their primary school days at our facility. But we are not registered as a school and education is compulsory in Tanzania so they have no choice.

They send greetings to the ASANTE family and thank us for all the things we made possible for them.

This short report about our doings during this strange year shows you how we stay on top of things despite difficult times. Without your support we would not be able to do that and I was especially happy that at the year’s end, when so many face financial difficulties, some additional donations came in. This will facilitate next year’s work. Thank you!

Let us stay optimistic and take Oscar Wilde's advice: ‘Everything is going to be fine in the end. If it's not fine, it’s not the end.’ He didn’t say that things might take a little more time sometimes until everything is fine…In that sense we want to thank you for your loyalty and we hope that the new year might bring more happiness than the last. Warm greetings from us and our teachers from Ngoile,

Yours Gaby and Ulli Winkler

 

 

The new La Grange olive oils - An interview with Rolf Freund

Aside from wine, more and more winemakers also produce olive oil. What makes a good olive oil and what should we be mindful about when it comes to the additional business of olive oil? These are some of the questions we asked Rolf Freund, owner of La Grange winery in southern France, while we tasted his new olive oil.

Mister Freund, when did you start your olive oil production? And what led to that decision?

'There is an olive grove close to the La Grange winery, on a slope called Sabatier. It's home to approximately 350 trees, interspersed with large sandstone blocks. When I visited this slope last, three generations of the Pailles family were sitting in the grass between the trees, eating baguette with paté, dinking wine and gazing at the shiny olives they had just harvested. They told me what olive varieties they were growing and were in raptures about their very own olive oil.'

And that's when passion struck you?

'I immediately fell in love with the idea of making my own olive oil. During the next couple of years we planted more and more olive trees on the slopes of the winery. We waited impatiently for them to mature and to start growing olives. Then, six years ago, the project really gathered momentum when the Pailles family asked if we wanted to buy their olive grove. We did and that was the beginning of our La Grange olive oil.'

What made you change and expand your olive oil range this year?

'We met Eric Martin. He is one of Frances experts for olive oils and has an estate in Ardèche. That's where he produces the best and the most famous french olive oils. We tasted his oil, he tasted ours. The vigor and the purity of his oils were impressive and it became clear that our oil also has more potential that was yet to be exploited. So we asked Eric to help us produce high end olive oils. He worked out a detailed plan and since then our trees are pruned differently, we use different fertilizers and we follow made-to-measure procedures during harvest and the processing of our olives.'

It's a long way from olives to a finished olive oil ready for consumption: What are the crucial factors in producing a high end olive oil?

'The first and most important factor is the time of harvest. We want to produce olive oils that are healthy, meaning that they contain few free fatty acids. We wanted to produce oil that is well protected against oxidation and stays fresh and young for the longest time possible. To reach these goals the olives have to be harvested really early on, when they are still green. These green olives give our oil a maximum amount of fresh green aromas.

The second decisive factor is the immediate processing of the olives. At La Grange the olives are harvested by hand. We harvest much earlier than all the estates surrounding us. The oil mill opens earlier in the year just for our sake and we are the only ones who deliver olives at that time of year. We deliver each morning's harvest to the mill in the afternoon, all neatly stored in small cassettes. Because the olives are green the yield is very small. For the Olivière Variety we need 8 kg of olives to produce one liter of oil.'

This is the moment the oil is most stressed...

'Every minute counts now! After pressing the oil is immediately filtered so that the lees won't influence the taste and the freshness. The quality of oil decreases rapidly due to oxidation because contact with oxygen increases the number of free fatty acids, and thereby the oils taste.The olive oil looses freshness and storability – a very important criterion later on in the selling process. After pressing the oil is immediately stored in small stainless steel tanks and covered with an additional layer of nitrogen to protect it from contact with oxygen. That way freshness and purity are preserved. For bottling we use dark bottles because the oil becomes rancid quickly when in direct contact with sunlight.

We tend to associate olive oil with mediterranean cooking, sunkissed and delightful. So how is it doing in the rather conservative german oil-market?

'Although olive oil is proven to be healthier than sunflower oil, german cooking uses little olive oil. We use less than one liter per person per year in preparing our food. That makes about 0,8 L per person per year. The italians use ten times that amount. In Spain they consume our yearly olive oil ration in only a month. The per person intake of olive oil is about 1 L a month(!) in Spain. So you could say there is potential for healthy living in Germany.'

Is it true that those who consume an increasing amout of high-quality wines also consume high-quality olive oil?

'Surely there is a connection. Most of the the olive oil that is sold in the german food retail sector comes from large producers and is priced accordingly. The individual, top-level olive oils made by small producers are being sold in delicatessen shops, in shops that specialize in wine and the gourmet-shops in the internet. It really is an advantage when the producer also makes wine. The good associations the consumer has towards the already established wine-brand are easily transferred toward the diversification, in this case the olive oil. These considerations surely play a big role for the winemakers. It's worthwhile to tell every wine-buying client 'do also try the olive oil ... of La Grange... for example. '

What difference in taste may the consumers expect from the new La Grange olive oil range?

'A good olive oil has to have three characteristics: It has to be fruity, bitter and it's finish nees to be peppery. Our new Sélection Variétale has an expressive personality. It's like a basket full of ripe fruit. You can find aromas of artichoke, banana and hazelnut. The oil we used to produce also showed good fruit aromas. Only they were not as diverse, not as harmonious as we find them in the new Sélection Variétale. Harmony is really the central theme here. The fruity aromas mix with stimulating bitter tones, accompanied by a invigorating pungency at it's finish. And all these tastes flow together in great harmony.

To this you now add the single-variety olive oil 'Variété Olivière'?

'Exactly. Variété Olivière is more vigorous and has more aromas of green than of ripe fruit. There are mostly aromas of green tomato, basil and of almonds. Invigorating bitter tones and a peppery tang make for an aromatic taste with a beautiful clarity and freshness. The La Grange olive oil has become more aromatic, more pure and healthier. The amount of free fatty acids is the most important factor determining the quality of olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil may only contain a maximum amount of 0,8g free fatty acids per 100g olive oil. Previously the La Grange olive oil had 0,3g free fatty acids. The new oils have top values: Sélection Variétale has 0,21g, Varieté Olivière has only 0,15g of free fatty acids per 100g.'

How and with what dishes do you personally prefer to consume olive oil?

'I'm not only a fan, I'm in love with olive oil. Some evenings I eat nothing else than baguette steeped in olive oil. Heavenly!

In our kitchen we prepare every dish with olive oil. We fry our meat in olive oil, sweat flour, make dressing for salads, all with olive oil.

We use Sélection Variétale for meat and vegetables, Variété Olivière for fish, poultry and salad. The oil seems to magically magnify the taste of fish and poultry. When served, we add a dash of olive oil on top of it, as a wonderfully healthy seasoning. A good olive oil makes cooking more fun, healthier and more refined. '

Thank you for the interview, Mister Freund!

La Grange will become even better

We have a additional consultant.

(from left to right: Thomas Raynaud, Pierre Fonteneau, Rolf Freund, Kyriakos Kynigopoulos, Nicolas de St.Exupérie)

From now on the renowned winemaker and consultant Kyriakos Kynigopoulos from Burgundy, and his right hand, Pierre Fonteneau, will set new accents at La Grange.
Kyriakos Kynigopoulos is one of the most known wine people in France. The magazine Terre des Vins declared him winemaker of the year.

Our long-standing consultant Jean Natoli will continue to support us. He will see to the daily needs at La Grange, so to say.
Kyriakos is well-connected in the international wine-world. He advises high-ranking wineries in Burgundy, Rhône and Oregon. His most famous client is the spanish winery Vega Sicilia. For Vega Sicilia he created the outstanding white wine Oremus in Hungary.

Kyriakos and Pierre visited La Grange last August. They had a look around the vineyards and got a first overview of the quality of our wines during a tasting-marathon.

The first improvements he suggested have already been implemented during the last harvest and are showing first promising results.

Our winemaker Thomas Raynaud thinks he can see a considerable improvement in quality and clarity.

It is our goal to give our wines an attractive freshness. We want to encourage the characteristic of our vineyards and the different varieties to shine through and we want to strengthen our different ranges.

One gold and two silver medals

The wine competition Mundus Vini awarded one gold and two silver medals to the La Grange wines.
We are especially happy about the gold medal for our Tradition Grande Cuvée Blanc IGP Pays d’Oc.
The silver medals were given to Terroir Syrah IGP Pays d’Oc and Tradition Sélection AOC Languedoc.

Jeb Dunnuck tastes La Grange

Klick on the image above and you'll ge a high-resolution Flyer to print out, if you need it.

Great Parker ratings!

Our prestigious wines from the great region Pézenas have been very well rated by Parker.

Castalides Icône and Castalides Édition triumphantly continue what they started the year before.

For the first time Castalides Réserve has received a rating above 90 points.

This is how Jeb Dunnuck, one of Parker’s staff members and specialized on wines from southern France, rated our Castalide wines:

Castalides Réserve     AOP Languedoc Pezenas    2014    90 - 92 points    

CastalidesEdition       AOP Languedoc Pezenas     2014    92 points

                                                                         2015    90 - 92 points 

Icône                         AOP Languedoc Pezenas    2014    93 points

                                                                         2015    91 - 93 points 

(‘from – to’ means different barrels were sampled)

More than 90 Parker points means the wines are ‘outstanding’!

The Castalides wines are outstanding!

This is a huge success for us and shows us that we are on the right track: we will bring the La Grange wines right to the top of the wine league of southern France.

This is how Jeb Dunnuck describes our region and the location Pézenas especially:

‚The Languedoc is a diamond in the rough and continues to be an incredible source of high-quality wines …’

Pézenas: One of my favorite regions is the limestone, schist and volcanic soils located around the gorgeous village of Pézenas. This is a young AOC that wasn’t created until 2007. It's located to the west of Montpellier, south of the Terrasses du Larzac region, and the climate here is warmer and more Mediterranean in style, with hot days and moderate/warm nights. They only produce red wines and Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre are the key grape varieties. I always find a spiciness in these wines, as well as beautiful voluptuousness and texture on the palate. …’