Armagnac I - on a mission

Going to Armagnac is always a day well spent in this beautiful region, but nowadays I'm also on a mission. I am working with a Swedish travel agency to set up a program with visits for three days, one day i Pau, the birth town of Bernadotte, the first Swedish king from that family, and two days in the Armagnac area.
I am planning the sort of trip I would like to make myself, with a mix of wine, Armagnac, duck liver and course landaise... and some royal history in Pau. The program is not totally finalized yet, but it will be for the 9-11 of September 2010. Those who know me know I am a seasoned organizer, but this is actually the first time I am organizing outside the friends and family circle, so I am very excited to see how it all will turn out!

I really hope that the program will be something extra, with a very personal selection of sites to visit, emphasizing on meeting authentic and passionate people, experiencing this living agricultural region and of course enjoying life the way we do it here in the Southwest. I want to show off my adoptive country to my fellow Swedes! Autumn here is often very beautiful and warm, the vineyards are full of heavy grapes and the tourists are getting scarce. Perfect time to come here, don't you think?

Armagnac is not only about the alcohol Armagnac, but it is difficult to come here without tasting some Armagnac! It belongs to the same family as cognac, but the production process is a bit different. The big difference is that Armagnac is a small scale production, not industrial like cognac. The best Armagnac come from family owned small producers. And the best area is Bas-Armagnac in Landes.