A Rosé by any other name...

So what's in a name?
How does one choose a name?
I can't help but think of what it takes to come up with a name, be it business, pet, child's and yes even a blog name. Invariably we tend to lean on what we know, what is familiar. After all it brings a certain simplicity. Some like to come up with names that are full of meaning and others use names that evoke an emotion.  It has come to my attention that the name of my blog has caused some confusion. Therefore I thought it necessary to make a brief and perhaps enlightening explanation.

So what's with Côte de Granit?

A pun. Simply pulling from the various well known wine regions of France such as Côte de Nuit, Côte du Rhone, and Côte d'Or and making it a New Hampshire setting.  Hew Hampshire and France have a lot in common, latitudes for instance. France being 50° to 43° latitude and New Hampshire being 46° to 42°. Both have mountain ranges that run through it and both have rugged winters.

One might think that with those factors involved, New Hampshire might be able to grow the same type of grapes with the same reputation for excellence in wines. Indeed there has been great recognition given to some of New Hampshire's great wine pioneers, such as Dr. Peter Oldak, owner and founder of Jewell Towne Vineyards. Yet the grapes grown in New Hampshire-not the same.

Because of Dr. Oldak's and others research and development, New Hampshire now has a number well known hybrid variety of grapes growing that have produced some highly acclaimed wines. All of which have weird names that sound kinda...well French.  Most of them are named after the farmers that created the varieties listed, but not all. One was named after a highly decorated general instrumental in the negotiation of the peace accord between Germany and France after World War I.
Who knew?

Seyval - Named after Bertille Seyve, credited with creation of this hybrid
De Chaunac - Named after Adhemar F. de Chaunac, a pioneer in the wine industry
Cayuga - Named after one of the finger lakes of New York
Marechal Foch - Named after French Marshal Foch, the famed general
Vidal - Named after Jean Louis Vidal, credited with creation of this hybrid

So a hard to pronounce French-ish style name, with a semi-dry pun.
You may find the wines much the same.