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I am a fan of mystery and suspense novels, particularly those by iconic authors: Poe, Graham Greene, Dorothy Sayers, and – of course – Agatha Christie. I grew up reading her books and, later in life, was thrilled to find I had a stronger connection to her!
Christie’s husband was Max Mallowan – a noted archaeologist. Max worked in Iraq and Syria, and Agatha would accompany him on digs and bring along her typewriter. One of those sites was Tell Brak, in northeastern Syria, where I also worked for many years.
We also frequented the same hotel in Aleppo, Syria. The famous Baron Hotel on Baron Street is (was?) located between the Old City with its citadel, suq, and archaeology museum, on one side, and the Jdeidah and Aziziyeh with their parks, restaurants, and paved squares, on the other. The Baron retained much of the same look and feel in the 21st century as it did back when Agatha Christie, T.E. Lawrence, and Charles Lindbergh, among others, visited in the first half of the 20th century. The bar, in particular, was amazing with leather club chairs, wood paneling, velvet curtains, and a beautiful tiled floor. It was also one of the few places for gin & tonic.
Murder on the Orient Express begins at the train station in Aleppo, and it was in Aleppo – at the Hotel Baron – where the book was written.
I love the book for many reasons, but not least because of my connection to the archaeological world of Agatha and Max, and to Syria and the Hotel Baron.
This month’s theme draws its inspiration from that murder mystery and its rail travel from Aleppo to Istanbul, through the Thracian Plains and snowbound Danubian valleys, past Alpine slopes, and on into Paris. And make sure to sign up for November’s tasting: Murder on the Orient Express: tasting killer terroir.
This month’s wines, too, are from killer terroirs associated (in some way!) with the Simplon route (as featured in the book!) of the Orient Express.
SPOILER ALERT: there may be some facts provided below that give contextual details to the crime and its solution!
Domaine Labbé Vin de Savoie Blanc "Abymes"
Region: Savoie, France
Grape: 100% Jacquère
Farming & Vinification: Sustainable agriculture, minimal intervention
Flavor Profile: This is a dry, aromatic, alpine wine with mountain-stream freshness. Nose of melon, alpine aster and wild thyme. White peach, bosc pear, and lemon zest on the palate, with a crisp and saline finish.
The property was acquired by the Labbé family in 1935, just a year after “Murder on the Orient Express” was published. A few decades later, Marcel Labbé left his career with the railways(!) to join the family business. But it was two of Marcel’s sons who started producing wine, eventually focusing solely on viticulture. Now, their children - Alexandra and Jérôme - are the 4th generation continuing the family tradition.
The Labbé estate is located near the Swiss border, near the northwestern edge of the Alps and Mt. Blanc. Following departure from the snow-bound murder scene between Vinkovci and Brod, Agatha’s train would reach the Alps at Domodossola, Italy and take the tunnel to Brig, Switzerland, then onto Lausanne and, eventually, Paris. Savoie lies just south of this Simplon route.
Savoie is known for its white wines, not many of which make it out of the area as it is consumed locally. Jacquère is quite popular here, as it grows particularly well in the Savoie.
While we have cheekily referred to our upcoming “Murder on the Orient Express” tasting as having “killer terroirs”, the “Abymes” cru is from soils that hold a whole other meaning for that term. The soils are remnants of a massive avalanche in 1248 that covered 12 square kilometers, destroyed several villages, and killed nearly 5000 people.
Hermann Weimer Field Red 2022
Region: Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake AVA
Grapes : Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Blaufrankisch
Farming & Vinification: Biodynamic agriculture, minimal intervention. Co-fermented with indigenous yeast in open-top wooden & stainless vessels. Aged 60% in stainless, 40% in oak.
Flavor Profile: Juicy, ripe fruits with a structured body. Notes of white pepper, violet, crushed thyme and graphite on the nose, and a mouth full of cherry, red currant, black raspberry, tobacco, and tomato leaf.
Hermann Wiemer came from Germany’s Mosel region – prime Riesling area – and started his winery in 1979. The property is located in New York’s Finger Lakes region, along Lake Seneca. While the area does get a lot of snow, the lake does not freeze! It retains some heat for the vineyards along the lake, allowing them to have a longer growing season.
What does a New York field blend have to do with Murder on the Orient Express? (SPOILER ALERT!!!) This wine is a collection of grapes grown and having lived in New York and all working together to effect an end result. As if that isn’t enough… one of those grapes is Blaufrankisch – whose ancestral homeland spans the Croatian/Bosnia-Herzegovinian border, where our murder takes place! I don’t know, could there be a wine more emblematic of the crime???
Enjoy your wines with a good mystery – maybe Murder on the Orient Express?
Cheers!