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Mardi 22 Juillet 2008 09:59
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Producteurs Plaimont: Saint Mont and Jazz in Marciac over 30 years Complicity!

(Drinks Media Wire). This summer, from the 1st through to the 7th of August, PRODUCTEURS PLAIMONT will once again play their part during the famous jazz festival in Marciac, a small village in Gers (Southwest France).

Wine and music have shared the same objective since the launch of the festival: the region’s conservation and development.
Saint Mont and Marciac, situated 50 km from the 4 lane motorway, the closet airport and the nearest train station, have added an economic and social dimension to their projects, thereby bypassing the natural barrier formed by the hills of the Gers area. The festival welcomes the biggest names in Jazz, attracting spectators from around the world; beret-laden winegrowers are everywhere to be seen: at of course the tastings, but also in the arenas, under the marquee… taking full part in Jazz In Marciac as they always have since 1977, to ensure that the event is a great success.

A shared objective driven by enthusiasm and a will to succeed
The complicity between Plaimont and Jazz in Marciac, that has become stronger over the years dates back to a similar objective, that of federating the local community around a shared project: the region’s conservation and development.

When it comes Marciac, the event originated in 1977, with Jean-Louis Guilhaumon, at the time an English primary school teacher, who joined by a group of volunteers, decided to organise a couple of classical jazz concerts over a 2-3 day period, that has grown today into a diverse two week programme. Marciac, a town of 1,200 inhabitants during the year, completely transforms over a 15-day period with 200,000 visitors, 16 concerts, 80,000 tickets sold to shows under the bit top seating 60,000 spectators on the rugby sports ground, as well as shows in the arenas. The “Festival Bis” organised each day in the town square offers free concerts from 11am to 1pm and from 3 pm to 7.45 pm, while Jim’s Club plays music from midnight into the morning hours.

When it comes to PRODUCTEURS PLAIMONT, the adventure dates back to 1957 when a handful of vintners decided to create the first Côtes de Saint-Mont Wine Growing Syndicate. In 1979, the vineyard of Saint Mont was reconverted with richly authentic grape varieties, and the Producteurs Plaimont Union was established. 1981 is the year of its consecration when its 184 hectares at the time were hoisted up to the rank of AO.VDQS. Since then, the entity has organised various promotional campaigns: in 1985 Saint Mont decided to take on Paris, then in 1993, on a night in September, 500 vine-stocks were placed across Toulouse’s Capitol Square, and in 1998, the first Open Door Days were organised in Saint-Mont. At present the appellation comprises 1,200 hectares and 600 growers; 38% of sales involve export markets. At Plaimont, all the growers take part in promoting their wines: every year, each of them offers a day of their time for each hectare and a half owned. Three hundred and fifty vintners participate during the festival in view of presenting not only their wines to tourists, but of also presenting all of the activities in Marciac associated with wine and vine-growing.

Special moments between vintners and musiciens!
- A memorable exchange between Illinois Jacquet and the winegrowers, the former speaking a Louisiana dialect and the latter answering in Gascony, both completely understanding one another; taken in by the atmosphere, Illinois Jacquet decided to send his band back to the States, so he could stay on in Gers for an extra three days.
- Lionel Hampton proudly boasted to the President of the United States, at the time, Jimmy Carter, about his vineyard in Saint Mont.
- Wynton Marsalis, during a visit through Gers stopped off at Château de Sabazan
with his father Ellis to offer winegrowers some magical notes of music in the Saint Mont vineyard.
- French American pianist, Jacky Terrasson frequently asks about his row of vines.
- In 2006 Jamie Cullum proudly displayed on stage a bottle of Saint-Mont “Les Hauts de Bergelle” which has since become his favourite French Wine.
pictures can be downloaded at http://vinconnexion.free.fr
click on PlaimontJazzInMarciac

Economic and cultural achievements 30 years later
- This unique festival has won over privileged partners, volunteers and associations, translating to tangible economic outlets:
- Construction of a holiday village (Pierre et Vacances), including 350 beds facing the lake.
- A school created in 1993, initiating beginners to jazz, currently boasting 200 students. Each year its patron Wynton Marsalis comes and plays with the school during the summer.
- A cooperage
- A health centre
- Creation of a «Pole of Excellence» with a hall seating 600 spectators for winter concerts and an art gallery.

These examples of development haven given impetus to other projects around Marciac: the Riscle high school including the creation of a section entirely dedicated to vinegrowing and winemaking; the Riscle primary school specialising in art and painting, the Aignan primary school dedicated to the environment and the Mirande high school acting as a relay with Marciac. In addition many houses have been renovated to offer bed and breakfast accommodation.

Renaissance of the Marciac Hillside Vineyard – Wine from the Right Bank
In 1999 Producteurs Plaimont purchased twenty hectares of fallow land on a slope overlooking the lake of Marciac.
A vintner decided to settle down here and together with other growers he planted six hectares of vines, to replace the ones that had disappeared in the 60s and 70s. They then went on to share this culture for vine-growing and winemaking, even offering the public the possibility of becoming the patron of vine-stock, especially during Jazz In Mariac.

All the info on the PDF

PRODUCTEURS PLAIMONT – 32400 Saint Mont - Tel 33 (0)5 62 69 62 87 - Fax 33 (0)5 62 69 61 68
Contact: Xavier Gomart (directeur) - Francine Lhau - f.lhau@plaimont.fr - www.plaimont.com
PRESS CONSULTANT: MICHELE PIRON SOULAT  33 (0)1 39 12 28 02 - michelepiron@vinconnexion.com

 

 
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Contact

Nom: André DUBOSC
E-mail : f.lhau@plaimont.fr
Web : 
Société : Producteurs Plaimont
Adresse :  - 32400 SAINT-MONT
Pays : FRANCE
Téléphone : 33 (0)5 62 69 62 87
Fax : 33 (0)5 62 69 61 68

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