Remy
 | |
| Vassal of | Bowcourt |
| Status | County |
| Location | Northern march of Bowcourt, bordering Midheim, Borderlay, and Aquila. |
| Area | |
| Geography | Well-drained croplands, stony soiled areas under viticulture, heavily forested in the north. |
| Population | |
| Urbanisation |
9% |
| Major Towns |
Treville, City of (18,500) Deville (~4,500) |
| Languages –Lalange |
70% |
| Exports |
Wine, Wood |
| Imports |
Grain, Cloth |
Overview
The northern march of Bowcourt, Remy has traditionally been both strong and prosperous with trade on the Baratary River and the North Road in the west, access to the Haut Montrachet in the south via the Marsac River, and the heavily forested southern end of the Drakwood providing timber in the north. In 810WK the area was raised to a full County.
The arrival of the Drow invasion, their ice road, and the final major battle south of Innesburg devastated the major town of Bragelonne and enduring magical effects have rendered the area perilous to traverse. While boats still travel the Baratary, merchants travelling by road have rerouted off the North Road and are detouring through Deville before rejoining the road at Maquet.
Places of Interest
Treville
One of the largest cities in Bowcourt, and a major commercial centre of the north, Treville is the ancestral home and seat of Jean-Armand de Tréville, Comte de Rémy. The city commands the north bank of the Marsac River some 10 miles from the border with Borderlay and its formidable towers and walls attest to the sometimes turbulent relations between the two nations. The city has grown significantly in the last decade with many of the evacuees from Bragelonne rebuilding their businesses and lives at the Country capital, and will likely surpass Foxcourt city for population in a few more years.
Deville
The new town of Deville only dates to the Autumn of 801 WK, when the South Road was created by the runaway "Road Builder" machine constructed by the MMHS Mechanicians Guild. The village of Navet previously on the same site was demolished when the machine ran amok, turning the village into an impressive town square (actually a circle). While the residents were understandably devastated by the loss of their village the new road opened up trade possibilities and the magically flattened and sealed area was a ready-made market place. Over the next few years inns and supporting businesses sprang up, some dredging work made the Marsac River navigable year-round by river barge to the location, and by 812 WK the renamed Deville was a bustling market town.
In 813 WK the Drow invasion pushed the road of infernal ice up the Baratary River, destroyed Bragelonne, and made the North Road impassible in that area. Many of the citizens displaced from Bragelonne resettled in Deville, and merchants avoiding the contaminated area began diverting from Innesburg to Deville, with some heading west to rejoin the North Road at Maquet and others continuing down the South Road. These changes have brought additional growth and prosperity to the town; one of the few places to have benefited from the war.
Ruins of Bragelonne
The ancient Baratary River trading port of Bragelonne was destroyed in the Drow invasion.
People
Resources
Cheese
Remy produces a number of acceptable cheeses of which the best known is the Fromage de Remy, a pale creamy yellow (Gruyère/Comté style) cheese produced in large wheels and traditionally eaten with "Golden Wine", the Vin jaune de Bragelonne, and walnuts.
Wines
Remy has significant acreage under viticulture, most in Clairette Blanc or Chenin Blanc, with smaller acreages of Aubin Blanc and Piquepoul Blanc grapes. A number of different wines are produced, but few approach the quality of wines from neighbouring Borderlay. Most of Remy's wine is destined for fortification into vin de liqueur.
- Blanc du Nord
- A vin de table produced mostly in the north-east from a Clairette Blanc blended with the more acidic Chenin Blanc to add crispness to an otherwise flabby wine.
- Vin jaune de Bragelonne
- (Also known in Common as "Golden Wine".) An unusual late-harvest yellow wine traditionally made in the west of Remy from Aubin Blanc grapes, its complex, distinctive flavor, is marked by notes of pine resin, curry, citrus, nuts, salt and anis. Many of the vineyards producing this wine were impacted in the Drow invasion, and only very small amounts of the vin juane have been available since 813 WK.
- Piquepoul de Remy
- A reasonable quality varietal wine made almost entirely from Piquepoul Blanc. Some years are particularly fine, but unfortunately this ancient grape variety has a low yield and is notably susceptible to fungal diseases such as powdery mildew. The acreage in Piquepoul Blanc has been declining for years and this wine is becoming harder to find.
Vin de liqueur
In contrast to its rather undistinguished wines, Remy produces fortified wines of good through excellent quality (along with some cheap lesser varieties) and exports these throughout the Baronies and beyond. Collectively referred to as vin de liqueur in Lalange, this appellation is applied to fortified wines with an alcohol content between 16% and 22% by volume. Outside of Remy these liquors are known by several names, the most common being Marsala and Sack. Both names appear to derive from the Marsac River, down which these exports are shipped.
- Macvin de Remy
- Generic name for lower quality fortified wines from Remy. These are produced by adding locally produced pomace-based (Marc) eau-de-vie to halt the fermentation. Macvin de Remy is usually consumed as an aperitif, but its sweetness also makes it an excellent dessert wine.
- Vin de Remy
- Generic name for the better quality fortified wines from Remy. Most are produced in a similar way to the Macvin, typically using better quality ingredients and longer aging.
- Vin du Comte
- The very best vin de liqueur produced in Remy is made from late-harvest grapes fortified with Eau de vie d'Armagnac out of Mulberry. Only Vin de Remy fortified with Armagnac can be called Vin du Comte. There are several sub-varieties of this wine, with the D'Or (Golden) type the most common. This rich golden liquor is aged in barrels of oak from the Drakwood for six years, and has an alcohol content of around 18%. All Vin du Comte is sold with the arms of Remy painted on the barrels and affixed to the bottles, which gave rise to its nickname of trente-six (Common: "thirty-six"), a reference to the three gold shillings in the coat of arms, and the usually high price of the drink.
Eau de vie
Remy produces moderate quantities of distilled spirits for use in the fortification process. Most are only available locally as liquor. A few are exported and may be found for sale in the Baronies, usually under the name Eau-de-vie de Rémy, or Remy Brandy.
