Le French GourMay 2015
Le French GourMay is a part of "Le French May", a comprehensive artistic experience that will engage all five senses of its audience. For the seventh consecutive year, Le French GourMay is dedicated to the promotion of French wine culture and culinary arts in Hong Kong and Macau and has become a popular event supported by French wine and food lovers and adventurous gourmets. Each year, Le French GourMay honour's a different wine and gastronomy region of France. This year of 2015, Le French GourMay continues to surprise its audience by presenting a new facet of French food and fine wine by celebrating the Midi-Pyrénées, famous for French cuisine, wine and spirits as well as its diversified and amazing nature.
The gastronomic side of Le French May presented by UnionPay and organized by Business France in Hong Kong, and Macau that showcases the best of French wines and gastronomy through a one whole month program. Restaurants, Michelin-starred chefs, as well as wine importers and distributors in Hong Kong and Macau advocate the festival by providing dedicated menus to match with French wines, wine tastings, promotions and workshops. As the tradition of Le French GourMay is to present annually one region of France with its food and wine, the festival in 2015 promotes the diversity and beauty of Midi-Pyrénées, the largest region in mainland France.
Midi-Pyrénées
Talking about wine, do you know with an average of 2,000 hours of sunshine a year, MidiPyrénées is one of France's sunniest regions. Thus it’s not surprising that Midi-Pyrénées is a region that boasts a lot of outstanding wines with the sunny weather and excellent soil boosting the growth, including 5 renowned AOP (L'appellation d'origine protégée): Cahors, Gaillac, Madiran, Marcillac and Fronton, as well as IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) wines: Côtes de St Mont, Côtes de Brulhois, Vins d'Entraygues et du Fel, Vins d'Estaing and Côtes de Millau. Two of Midi-Pyrénées’ wine regions have now qualified for ‘Vignobles & Découvertes’ status: Destination Cahors - Malbec (AOP Cahors); and Pays des Bastides et Vignoble du Gaillac (AOP Gaillac). Moreover, Pyrenean Foothills (Piémont Pyrénéen) of southern France is the cradle of many world famous grape varieties. The signature spirit Armagnac - the oldest wine-based eau de vie produced in South West France.
This elegant spirit has rich aromatic qualities, characterized as powerful and delicate, warm and dynamic. Unlike Cognac, which is distilled using the conventional 'double heating' method, Armagnac is made in a special traditional still, known as the 'alambic armagnacais'. Floc de Gascogne is one of their speciality aperitifs for cocktails, a combination of fresh grape juice and young Armagnac.
Enjoying with pleasant weather, sufficient sunshine and nutritious soil, Midi-Pyrénées are well-known for wines with different textures and varieties, especially its signature spirit Armagnac. The region also gives birth to some of the most iconic French delicacies: Foie gras, Roquefort, cheeses, meat and cold cuts. The Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, Mr. Arnaud BARTHELEMY, delivered and opening speech at the Le French GourMay press conference at Conrad Brasserie on the Eighth, with the honoured presence of Mr. Patrick FIAT, Lieutenant-Captain of the Company of Musketeers of Armagnac.
For further information please visit: www.frenchgourmay.com