| 
    
    
    
     |  "Award-winning. world-renowned, wine capital" 
    are the oft-spoken words referring to that region of France, inland from the 
    port of Bordeaux, known for its glorious chateaux, incomparable wineries, 
    mouth-watering cuisine, and a lifestyle to complement the tastes of even the 
    most discerning bon vivant. Even the local Gascons, with heroes like Cyrano 
    de Bergerac and d'Artagnan, will boast of their dedicated independence over 
    a slice of fois gras and a glass of Bordeaux. | 
     |