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lauraanne_gilmanCommentary on the trip: the ter-snc (rapide train) site is my most-commonly used link this week. Yes, even more than e-mail or LJ. I had been worried about spending two weeks sans car, but it's turned out pretty well using the train, velio (bike) and the ole' foot traffic. Are there places I might have visited if I'd had independent transportation that I didn't get to? Mai oui. Did it make my trip less enjoyable/interesting/informative? Non.
I probably can't talk about Nuits-Saint-Georges without flailing my arms a lot and geeking, because OMG did I geek. Lovely town, lovely lunch (and although I've not run into my usual streak of Australians, I did end up sitting near a couple from New Zealand, does that count? An interesting discussion of politics and regional dialects ensued. And can someone explain to me the rivalry between north and south New Zealand? Because they just laughed when I mentioned the difference in their accents and she gave a quiet zinger that made him laugh even harder...)
Anyway, spent the day having my French fail me utterly, but managed to forge on through and ended up spending a delightful hour+ at Domaine Dufouleur Pere et Fils discussing terroir and cepages and tasting some lovely wines (and some of those came home with me too. Um...I have no idea how I'm getting all this wine home. Damn airline regulations...) I also tasted 'real' creme de cassis, which is utterly unlike the stuff sold at home, as I suspected, and I now possess a bottle of that, too. Maybe I should have bit the bullet and had it shipped...
A few other tastings, which were good but not as informative, and then I took a chance and stopped at Maison Dufouleur Freres (different branch of the family from above, from what I can gather). This wasn't the tasting cave, but their offices, and I am thankful to Francois-Xavier Dufouleur, who took time from his busy day to talk to me about the history of his family's vineyards, and to answer my various doubtless strange-sounding questions. Merci boucoup, m'sieur.
I ran out of energy before I ran out of places to visit, admitting defeat around 18.30 (6:30pm). Dinner was at a local place, very nice, and I really need to stop eating organ meats or I will regret it. Maybe not right now, but soon... (and yet: lapin! Le yum!)
. Sadly, H had to attend a funeral on Saturday, so plans shifted. Instead, I went back to Beaune. Mmm, Beaune. Beaune has a market on Saturday. Not just foodstuffs, but antiques as well! You can imagine my drool. My walk-and-browse breakfast was fresh goat cheese and a bunch of Gamay grapes. My new breakfast of champions...(if I'd indulged in a pain chocolate after, it would have been heaven). I also finally found my birthday present -- a set of hand-carved panels that the woman at the market claimed were from the 1920's. Maybe oui, maybe pas. They're very pretty, they make me happy, and I got her to knock 15 euros off the price by pleading the American dollar.
Visited the Hospices de Beaune Hotel-Dieu. It was built in 1443 but most of the expansion and renovation was 18th century, so really out of my research area. The architecture's lovely tho, and it's a testament to one man's walking the walk when it came to charity (it was built by Nicholas Rolin, Chancellor of the Duke of Burgundy, to care for the poor and ill after the Hundred Year's War). He arranged for the building and endowed it with the means to continue, and continue it did, until 1971 (and the charity wine auction is sponsors is still going strong). Some names demand to be remembered. Remember the name of Nicholas Rolin.
Lunch was a casual affair, notable mainly by my working out the kinks in "Cold Iron Cross" while listening to the UK couple next to me bitch about the French in general and our waiter in particular. To be fair, he was a crap waiter.
Then I stopped in at a few Domaines, but the only one of note was Bouchard Aine et Fils. They have a well put-together tour of their cellar in both English and French, the woman running it was well-informed, and the wines were excellent to taste. I was sore-tempted to order a case and have it shipped home. Go, buy a few more books,so I can afford to call them back and place that order! Specifically, we tried the Meursault 2002 (quite enjoyable), the Fixin 2005 (Fixin is impressing me more and more), a Nuits-St-Georges 2003, and the Corton Grand cru 2005. Dear lord, the Corton 2005.... (soft, smooth, sexy, and still has a few years left to grow). At 60 euros, tho, you guys are gonna have to buy a LOT more books....
The only Burgundy wine I have left to try off my wishlist is a Vosne-Romanée (I'd love for it to be a Grandes-Echézeaux, but fiscal reality kicks me in the ass)
Came home around 19,00 (7pm) and collapsed. I barely had enough brain to remember which key fit which door. Thank god for the ability to throw dinner together and put my feet up. This little meerkat is tired.
Tomorrow I say farewell to Burgundy with one last day of research, and then back to Paris, and from there, home. Part of me wants to stay but...I'm ready, oui. There is much writing to be done.
I probably can't talk about Nuits-Saint-Georges without flailing my arms a lot and geeking, because OMG did I geek. Lovely town, lovely lunch (and although I've not run into my usual streak of Australians, I did end up sitting near a couple from New Zealand, does that count? An interesting discussion of politics and regional dialects ensued. And can someone explain to me the rivalry between north and south New Zealand? Because they just laughed when I mentioned the difference in their accents and she gave a quiet zinger that made him laugh even harder...)
Anyway, spent the day having my French fail me utterly, but managed to forge on through and ended up spending a delightful hour+ at Domaine Dufouleur Pere et Fils discussing terroir and cepages and tasting some lovely wines (and some of those came home with me too. Um...I have no idea how I'm getting all this wine home. Damn airline regulations...) I also tasted 'real' creme de cassis, which is utterly unlike the stuff sold at home, as I suspected, and I now possess a bottle of that, too. Maybe I should have bit the bullet and had it shipped...
A few other tastings, which were good but not as informative, and then I took a chance and stopped at Maison Dufouleur Freres (different branch of the family from above, from what I can gather). This wasn't the tasting cave, but their offices, and I am thankful to Francois-Xavier Dufouleur, who took time from his busy day to talk to me about the history of his family's vineyards, and to answer my various doubtless strange-sounding questions. Merci boucoup, m'sieur.
I ran out of energy before I ran out of places to visit, admitting defeat around 18.30 (6:30pm). Dinner was at a local place, very nice, and I really need to stop eating organ meats or I will regret it. Maybe not right now, but soon... (and yet: lapin! Le yum!)
. Sadly, H had to attend a funeral on Saturday, so plans shifted. Instead, I went back to Beaune. Mmm, Beaune. Beaune has a market on Saturday. Not just foodstuffs, but antiques as well! You can imagine my drool. My walk-and-browse breakfast was fresh goat cheese and a bunch of Gamay grapes. My new breakfast of champions...(if I'd indulged in a pain chocolate after, it would have been heaven). I also finally found my birthday present -- a set of hand-carved panels that the woman at the market claimed were from the 1920's. Maybe oui, maybe pas. They're very pretty, they make me happy, and I got her to knock 15 euros off the price by pleading the American dollar.
Visited the Hospices de Beaune Hotel-Dieu. It was built in 1443 but most of the expansion and renovation was 18th century, so really out of my research area. The architecture's lovely tho, and it's a testament to one man's walking the walk when it came to charity (it was built by Nicholas Rolin, Chancellor of the Duke of Burgundy, to care for the poor and ill after the Hundred Year's War). He arranged for the building and endowed it with the means to continue, and continue it did, until 1971 (and the charity wine auction is sponsors is still going strong). Some names demand to be remembered. Remember the name of Nicholas Rolin.
Lunch was a casual affair, notable mainly by my working out the kinks in "Cold Iron Cross" while listening to the UK couple next to me bitch about the French in general and our waiter in particular. To be fair, he was a crap waiter.
Then I stopped in at a few Domaines, but the only one of note was Bouchard Aine et Fils. They have a well put-together tour of their cellar in both English and French, the woman running it was well-informed, and the wines were excellent to taste. I was sore-tempted to order a case and have it shipped home. Go, buy a few more books,so I can afford to call them back and place that order! Specifically, we tried the Meursault 2002 (quite enjoyable), the Fixin 2005 (Fixin is impressing me more and more), a Nuits-St-Georges 2003, and the Corton Grand cru 2005. Dear lord, the Corton 2005.... (soft, smooth, sexy, and still has a few years left to grow). At 60 euros, tho, you guys are gonna have to buy a LOT more books....
The only Burgundy wine I have left to try off my wishlist is a Vosne-Romanée (I'd love for it to be a Grandes-Echézeaux, but fiscal reality kicks me in the ass)
Came home around 19,00 (7pm) and collapsed. I barely had enough brain to remember which key fit which door. Thank god for the ability to throw dinner together and put my feet up. This little meerkat is tired.
Tomorrow I say farewell to Burgundy with one last day of research, and then back to Paris, and from there, home. Part of me wants to stay but...I'm ready, oui. There is much writing to be done.
