▻ The 250-Year History Between USA and Bordeaux
▴ Scene at the Signing of the United States Constitution, Howard Chandler Christy, 1940
Sarah Kemp in conversation with Jane Anson
Episode Summary:-
Jane Anson, Bordeaux expert and historical super-sleuth, discusses the extraordinary relationship between the USA and Bordeaux as the US begins to celebrate its 250th anniversary of independence.
Independence came in 1776, while France was still a monarchy. Jane points out that one of the reasons France supported the US cause was its long antagonistic relationship with the British. Until the War of Independence, goods had arrived in France via British ports, so establishing direct routes was a huge benefit to France (and one of the key ports furthest away from the British coast was Bordeaux).
Jane has found a wealth of information in the Founding Fathers archive held by the US Government in Washington, it’s called the Founder’s Archive, where she discovered that if you type in the search term “Bordeaux” you come up with 2,046 results. She discusses some of the key people who were involved, including the Marquis de Lafayette, who was a key figure in the revolutionary war and as a young man went to fight for the US – he left France secretly, from the port of Pauillac. Another important figure was Silas Deane, a lawyer from Connecticut, who secured vital French military aid and political support during the War of Independence. He was tasked with getting enough goods to supply 25,000 men in the army. His local contact was Samuel Delap, a negociant who was a cousin of Thomas Barton.
Several prominent châteaux had American owners long ago. Château Mission Haut Brion had a US owner in the 18th century and Château Giscours had two US owners in the early 1800s.
The Founding Fathers had a deep affection for the wines of Bordeaux. Thomas Jefferson is perhaps the best-known oenophile. He spent five days in Bordeaux and shipped wines back to the US from a merchant named Barton. He visited Château Haut Brion, which was owned by Joseph de Funel, and fell very much in love with the wine – the visit was a pivotal moment in his relationship with Bordeaux. He also bought other First Growths. In Nick Faith’s book on Château Latour, published by Christie’s, Jane discovered that Jefferson ordered 20 dozen bottles of Château Latour 1787, but they couldn’t supply him, so his agent recommended Château Lafite instead.
Jane believes that Franklin more than Jefferson was the true advocate of Bordeaux (Franklin was the second US ambassador to France). In 1778, there were 1,000 bottles in his Paris cellar, and 258 were red and white Bordeaux. What is particularly interesting was that there were 15 bottles of “Old Bordeaux” and 500 bottles of “best old claret” proving even then that there was a taste for aged Bordeaux. Châteaux Haut Brion and Margaux were also particular favourites of his. (Jane also recommends the Apple+ TV series “Franklin,” starring Michael Douglas in the title role, as a great watch.)
John Adams, the first US ambassador to France, was also a big Bordeaux lover, and wrote about the first four growths; he visited the region four years before Jefferson.
Whilst researching the relationship of the Founding Fathers and Bordeaux, Jane also came across the story of how the sculptor who created the Statue of Liberty, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, also created a fountain for Bordeaux, but it was rejected and so he sold it to the city of Lyon, where it sits despite being based on Bordeaux’s Garonne river.
Running Order:-
-
0.00 – 12.00
“The Founding Fathers archive has 2,046 results when you put in the word Bordeaux.” – Jane Anson
– The political relationship between France and US over 250 years.
– Key figures in the War of Independence with links to Bordeaux.
– Main châteaux under US ownership in Bordeaux.
– Thomas Jefferson in Bordeaux. -
12.00 – 23.08
“I think we can call Franklin more than Jefferson the true father of Bordeaux and the Founding Fathers." – Jane Anson
– Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams’ relationship with Bordeaux.
– The connection with the Statue of Liberty and Bordeaux.
Jane Anson discusses the extraordinary relationship between the USA and Bordeaux as the US begins to celebrate its 250th anniversary of independence.