tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52665825024974414362024-03-14T04:05:45.672+01:00Phil's ChronicleFrantic ramblings.Wine Smackerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11227059902574026664noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266582502497441436.post-20070509921173273142012-08-06T16:32:00.000+02:002012-08-06T16:34:27.032+02:00Poggio ai Ginepri 2006<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is a first time for everything. Also for the famous Italian Bolgheri DOC, at the west of Siena, and home of the famous Super Tuscans.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Bolgheri should benefit from its location close to the sea and the fresh sea-air should give the wine some freshness and a saline taste. At least that was what I was hoping for.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">When I bought this bottle at Esse Lunga I saw it as a preparation of opening my Sassicaia 2004 which is patiently waiting for the grand occasion I have been saving it for.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So, Knoert and I were ful of anticipation to taste this one!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The 2006 is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Syrah and 25% Merlot. Yet it doesn't taste French at all. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">This Poggio ai Ginepri from Tenuta Argentiera is dark ruby with a purple sheen and heavy tears. The pronounced nose of dark red fruit gave us the promise of a good mouthful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">But when we tasted it, we were a little disappointed. The mouth was powerful, with very ripe, even a tinge over-ripe fruit but very smooth on the whole. The 14% alcohol was all in all well absorbed and I did enjoy the peppery aftertaste, but I found the wine a little heavy (the 30% Syrah?) and it had a dryness in the after-taste I didn' like too much.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I may have to blame Esse Lunga for their warehousing, maybe the wine had been exposed too long on their shelves or, 6 years were just a tit too far for this wine although it was reared on oak (225l barriques from France & Hungary) for 8 months.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">But then I remembered it only costed 9.50€ and this bottle certainly had its merit. I'd love to try a younger vintage of this wine to compare.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Knoert hasn't finished his comentaries yet but will post them soon.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Wine Smackerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11227059902574026664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266582502497441436.post-60619607985337193672011-04-21T08:37:00.014+02:002011-04-21T23:43:48.286+02:00Givry Blanc<div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ueKq6F5fZx4/TbCWJyE0h4I/AAAAAAAAF-c/-t_ByaIaO7E/s1600/18042011074.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598139431626508162" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ueKq6F5fZx4/TbCWJyE0h4I/AAAAAAAAF-c/-t_ByaIaO7E/s320/18042011074.jpg" /></a> <br /><div>You're not likely to miss that Givry was Henry the 4th's favourite wine because lots of Givry makers put it on their label. But did he fancy the red or the white Givry? Nobody knows.<br /></div><br /><div>Henry III of Navarre, changed his country and religion (Paris vaut bien une messe!) to become Henry IV of France, the first of the Bourbon line. His reign was clouded by religious unrest between Protestants and Catholics and although he concluded the Edict of Nantes, aimed at creating peace between the two religions, he was murdered by an extremist catholic monk in 1610.</div><br /><div>Equally interesting, to some at least, is the length of the list summing up his children, both legitimate and illegitimate by his wife and (several) mistresses. In short: a busy guy! </div><br /><div>And on top of that he loved Givry! The man can't have been that bad.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I drank my first Givry 5-6 years ago and although I haven't any regal pretensions, it's one of my favourites too. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-51ijeoz-e7g/TbCakSC3J9I/AAAAAAAAF-k/mccoOpgYmEk/s1600/18042011073.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598144284931336146" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-51ijeoz-e7g/TbCakSC3J9I/AAAAAAAAF-k/mccoOpgYmEk/s320/18042011073.jpg" /></a>The appellation, one of the most southernmost of Burgundy, covers around 220 ha (approx. half of that in 1er Cru) for red and 45 ha (about 25 % of that in 1er Cru) for white. There isn't that much Givry around and especially white can be difficult to find. Since a couple of years I enjoy the Givry of Chofflet-Valdenaire. The estate covers 11 ha, all on the commune of Givry. The cellar is to be found in Russilly, a small hammock a few kilometers off the centre of Givry. They practice "lutte raisonnée" and minimise the use of pesticides and use primarily natural fertilizers. Their constant quality and excellent price/quality ratio make them my favourite. Recently I opened up my first bottle of 2009 Cuvée Les Galaffres and it was exactly as you can expect, a light, flowery, slightly buttery Chardonnay with a nice tinge of acidity. Try that with Lotte aux Poiraux and you'll be delighted.</div><br /><p>What I particularly like in Givry is that, unlike some other appellations from Burgundy, it usually must be drank young (within 5-6 years) and although it deserves to age a few years to come to full fruition, you don't have to wait 5 years or longer before you open up your first bottle. For somebody as impatient as I am, a blessing.</p><br /><p>In red, I had previously only bought their Clos de Choué, 1er Cru but this year I added some of the Clos de Jus, also 1er Cru. I have tried the Clos de Choué and it will have to rest another 6-9 months before I open up another one. The Clos de Jus, noticeably more robust than the Clos de Choué will definitely have to wait a little longer. But I have something to look out for.</p></div>Wine Smackerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11227059902574026664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266582502497441436.post-84085453338604121472011-03-29T00:13:00.006+02:002011-04-01T19:13:35.652+02:00Arbois - Chardonnay la Fauquette 2004<div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XvF1SrPvIPs/TZYG8gbNqlI/AAAAAAAAF-E/Z7Ct7iq9XU0/s1600/28032011069.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590663623993043538" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XvF1SrPvIPs/TZYG8gbNqlI/AAAAAAAAF-E/Z7Ct7iq9XU0/s320/28032011069.jpg" /></a> <br /><div>Just recently, following a link on Bourgogne Wineblog, I stumbled on CrazyYellow, a blog dedicated solely to wines from the Jura. What a dedication! </div><br /><div>One of his blogs covers Michel Gahier from Montigny lés Arsures in depth. And I remembered vividly the disappointment I encountered on a day that, passing by chance in the region and having stopped on the little square in front of the church, I asked passers-by if they could indicate me a good address to buy a few bottles of wine. Unknowingly I had asked this to a sommelier and his 3 trainees who had just done a visit at Michel Gahier and recommended the house as being one of the best in the region.</div><br /><div>Michel Gahier must be quite good indeed because he had hardly anything left for sale - hence my disappointment.</div><br /><div>No Savagnin left, no Poulsard left, but I brought home some of his Chardonnay les Crets and la Fauquette of 2004 and possibly his last bottles of Trousseau 2006.</div><br /><div>I still have 2 Fauquette's and 2 Troussaud's and the reading convinced me it was time to taste another Fauquette. </div><br /><div>My wife had prepared a delicious mixed omelet with tomato, cottage cheese, bacon and herbs and I decided this was a perfect match for the Chardonnay.</div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ykoj-fF0wMg/TZYG89c1GKI/AAAAAAAAF-M/1ufaOrgHKFM/s1600/28032011071.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590663631784450210" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ykoj-fF0wMg/TZYG89c1GKI/AAAAAAAAF-M/1ufaOrgHKFM/s320/28032011071.jpg" /></a> <br /><div>And so it was! Brilliant dark yellow with fine tears, a nose that brings out nuts, spices and the inevitable apples. Very round in the mouth, quite some power and a delicious, springy acidity at the end. A gorgeous bottle!</div><br /><div>And disappointed again because I only have 1 bottle left now! But this one I will save for a Sunday chicken tajine or maybe even a veal cutlet with champignon-sauce. In two years from now, I guess. In between I'll definitely visit Michel Gahier again.</div><br /><div></div></div>Wine Smackerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11227059902574026664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266582502497441436.post-24792452024041067172009-04-13T12:27:00.068+02:002009-04-13T18:07:02.600+02:00Early Spring 2009<div><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNdhJEoBgI/AAAAAAAACXc/yalEeTHnvdM/s1600-h/DSCN1208.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324202008434443778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 218px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNdhJEoBgI/AAAAAAAACXc/yalEeTHnvdM/s200/DSCN1208.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Should I go for quantity rather than quality? I was musing about the number of my blogs as they become fewer and further apart. Or was it just the novelty that went out of it? </span><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We still had plenty of cold and wet during March but as the month ended, the sun made some discrete appearances and all of a sudden, we had a few days favoring short sleeves and bermudas. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Early March always highlights our daughter and granddaughter’s birthday, which we celebrated with a family party and lots of cake and bubbly. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A welcome distraction from an otherwise busy schedule. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Spending a couple of nights in Lyon, I booked a hotel downtown and had time to enjoy a walk in the city center in the evening. Luckily, in-between showers. The quayside of the Saône gives a nice view of the surrounding hillside and some of the monuments look prettier by night than by day. </span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMVYnasCAI/AAAAAAAACN4/9a6pzcjmtWk/s1600-h/DSCN1211.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324122697124022274" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 286px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 202px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMVYnasCAI/AAAAAAAACN4/9a6pzcjmtWk/s320/DSCN1211.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM_9-dNjGI/AAAAAAAACRA/uCWW5f0B0n0/s1600-h/DSCN1213.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324169518452149346" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 261px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM_9-dNjGI/AAAAAAAACRA/uCWW5f0B0n0/s200/DSCN1213.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMX9RnuAnI/AAAAAAAACOY/bFI-pm6ViUY/s1600-h/DSCN1244.JPG"></a></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMakGZYGCI/AAAAAAAACOw/1OVi5YCjl4Q/s1600-h/DSCN1219.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324128391976720418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 159px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 228px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMakGZYGCI/AAAAAAAACOw/1OVi5YCjl4Q/s320/DSCN1219.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMX9RnuAnI/AAAAAAAACOY/bFI-pm6ViUY/s1600-h/DSCN1244.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324125525951513202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 165px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 229px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMX9RnuAnI/AAAAAAAACOY/bFI-pm6ViUY/s320/DSCN1244.JPG" border="0" /></a>Spring is nearly there and some of the trees lining the streets show their first green. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I thread my way through the rue Mercier that reminisces me of our own rue des Bouchers in Brussels: restaurant next to restaurant, with some displaying seafood.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMiALZ1uYI/AAAAAAAACPg/rxeW6z93O28/s1600-h/DSCN1218.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324136570938571138" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 91px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMiALZ1uYI/AAAAAAAACPg/rxeW6z93O28/s200/DSCN1218.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Instead, I favor an authentic Bouchon Lyonnais for my evening meal. There are fewer and fewer of these bouchons left in downtown Lyon. Rising real estate prices due to the prime location make it almost impossible to maintain a low-budget dining place in the city center.</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324129523887294402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMbl_F4x8I/AAAAAAAACO4/XDx-1Z_Rda4/s320/DSCN1220.JPG" border="0" />Le Jura is conveniently located close to my hotel and has a simple bourgeois kitchen. The mirrored walls carry warnings and advise. “Vous avez la montre, j’ai le temps!” “Une cuisine de qualité ne connait pas le mot pressé!” Cute!<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMdN741pRI/AAAAAAAACPA/RC0kuGbU9aU/s1600-h/DSCN1222.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324131309733651730" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMdN741pRI/AAAAAAAACPA/RC0kuGbU9aU/s320/DSCN1222.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMdggu3TNI/AAAAAAAACPI/V09wsI-oynw/s1600-h/DSCN1231.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324131628861574354" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMdggu3TNI/AAAAAAAACPI/V09wsI-oynw/s320/DSCN1231.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I liked it, so I went back a second time and took some pictures (after all guests had left). In Lyon, you inevitably drink a “pot”. This medieval measurement of 0,46l can be of traditional Beaujolais or Côte du Rhône but on my first evening, I have a Côteaux du Languedoc from near the Mont Ventoux, an excellent accompaniment to my Terrine de Veau followed by the Foie de Veau à la sauce Moutarde. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMeGcugQvI/AAAAAAAACPQ/zacAhDd73Ik/s1600-h/DSCN1221.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324132280621351666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMeGcugQvI/AAAAAAAACPQ/zacAhDd73Ik/s320/DSCN1221.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMealZvPhI/AAAAAAAACPY/9_UPgMJcD8U/s1600-h/DSCN1227.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324132626547555858" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 314px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 238px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeMealZvPhI/AAAAAAAACPY/9_UPgMJcD8U/s320/DSCN1227.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><div>On these trips, eating in restaurants every day, I regularly fancy a very simple meal and on the second evening, Le Jura is almost fully booked, I settle for the Jambon du Pays as a starter and a plain steak with baked potatoes as a main dish. Just like at home. Following the tradition, I have the inevitable “pot” of Beaujolais.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM6DeY79bI/AAAAAAAACQI/8QM0aj43i9Y/s1600-h/DSCN1228.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324163015853733298" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 177px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM6DeY79bI/AAAAAAAACQI/8QM0aj43i9Y/s200/DSCN1228.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM3PAMW8WI/AAAAAAAACPw/4cN22E257xw/s1600-h/DSCN1223.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324159915371458914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 229px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM3PAMW8WI/AAAAAAAACPw/4cN22E257xw/s200/DSCN1223.JPG" border="0" /></a>The event of the evening happens <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM6DeY79bI/AAAAAAAACQI/8QM0aj43i9Y/s1600-h/DSCN1228.JPG">w</a>hen the elderly <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324206067270920722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNhNZapqhI/AAAAAAAACXs/y3mm8nOZNWE/s200/DSCN1224.JPG" border="0" />couple sitting next to me prepares to leave the restaurant and the woman mistakenly puts on an overcoat of more or less the same color and size belonging to somebody else. The following exchange of commentaries between the elder couple<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM79C0k2pI/AAAAAAAACQg/zrhs-l-Mf5w/s1600-h/DSCN1232.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324165104397507218" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 187px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM79C0k2pI/AAAAAAAACQg/zrhs-l-Mf5w/s200/DSCN1232.JPG" border="0" /></a> and the foursome sitting next to them brings a smile to everybody overhearing their conversation. My hotel <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNPCmrf6KI/AAAAAAAACVk/Ts6tc2S20wY/s1600-h/DSCN1245.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324186090643384482" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 132px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 166px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNPCmrf6KI/AAAAAAAACVk/Ts6tc2S20wY/s200/DSCN1245.JPG" border="0" /></a>is located next door and as the insulation of the rooms is below standards, I have a Mirabelle to top off the evening. A delicious deadly sin! </div><div>At the end of the same week, I spend a night near Auxerre. To be close to the account I have to visit the next morning, I pick the Hostellerie Saint Pierre in Cravant (<a href="http://www.hostellerie-st-pierre.com/index.htm">http://www.hostellerie-st-pierre.com/index.htm</a>) from my guide des Logis de France. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM-NWHa6MI/AAAAAAAACQo/PxQC6QyOw7U/s1600-h/DSCN1248.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324167583477983426" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM-NWHa6MI/AAAAAAAACQo/PxQC6QyOw7U/s200/DSCN1248.JPG" border="0" /></a>There are only few guests in this small family hotel and those not present don’t know what they miss! The restaurant only offers a fixed menu but it is fantastic (I had it all written down in detail but lost my notebook 2 weeks later). <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM-NhB9JlI/AAAAAAAACQw/1G52T7-606o/s1600-h/DSCN1249.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324167586407851602" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 231px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 178px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM-NhB9JlI/AAAAAAAACQw/1G52T7-606o/s200/DSCN1249.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNByVvxOvI/AAAAAAAACRI/rkmOj-YY1QY/s1600-h/DSCN1253.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324171517568826098" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 175px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNByVvxOvI/AAAAAAAACRI/rkmOj-YY1QY/s200/DSCN1253.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNETYN9qTI/AAAAAAAACRY/9Q3Ymn20s8A/s1600-h/DSCN1256.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324174284191279410" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNETYN9qTI/AAAAAAAACRY/9Q3Ymn20s8A/s200/DSCN1256.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM-NyOE1YI/AAAAAAAACQ4/UBo1kdOj_RE/s1600-h/DSCN1252.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324167591022089602" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeM-NyOE1YI/AAAAAAAACQ4/UBo1kdOj_RE/s200/DSCN1252.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><div></div><div>As far as I remember, it contained potage en croûte, foie gras et rhubarbe, saumon fumé et milkshake à la menthe, roulade de poulet en sauce and a delicious gateau, coffee with sweets on top. With all of that, I had an excellent Crémant de Bourgogne (what else?) to start and a very good Irancy 2005 – Palotte – from Caves Bienvenu, at a more than reasonable price. The wine list is very complete with a nice selection from Burgundy and other regions and the prices are a bargain. Céline and her two young assistants perform service at the table in an orderly and very friendly manner. It was noticeable that all other guests appreciated both the food and the service.<br />After this gargantuan experience, I retired to my room (Volnay). I’ll admit that I am used to just a little more comfort but I have experienced a lot worse as well. For a short stay, it was certainly more than adequate and if you book early, you’ll probably get one of the better rooms. Need I say that I slept well? Except for the morning where I woke up early by the noise of flushing and showering in an adjacent room. However, I wasn’t there to stay long in bed and a marvelous, very un-French, buffet breakfast compensated for that. For those preferring more luxury and class I can recommend the nearby Hostellerie des Clos in Chablis (<a href="http://www.hostellerie-des-clos.fr/">http://www.hostellerie-des-clos.fr/</a>). I stayed there on a previous trip and this hotel has an excellent restaurant with a wonderful selection of Chablis and other wines. The bill will just be a little more painful. </div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNIjfeubTI/AAAAAAAACU8/L4Hcr_eeJNo/s1600-h/DSCN1303.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324178959065050418" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNIjfeubTI/AAAAAAAACU8/L4Hcr_eeJNo/s200/DSCN1303.JPG" border="0" /></a><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324178012700081394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 235px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 183px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNHsZ_u_PI/AAAAAAAACUs/sR1ExWT2kFI/s200/DSCN1293.JPG" border="0" /></div>As we come close to Easter, our garden all of a sudden explodes in a festival of colors and <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNINFP1dpI/AAAAAAAACU0/ZSnrTnSmDV8/s1600-h/DSCN1295.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324178574066153106" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 208px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 162px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNINFP1dpI/AAAAAAAACU0/ZSnrTnSmDV8/s200/DSCN1295.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNJMPeg__I/AAAAAAAACVE/vtr11GCoWsE/s1600-h/DSCN1307.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324179659143839730" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 206px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 164px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNJMPeg__I/AAAAAAAACVE/vtr11GCoWsE/s200/DSCN1307.JPG" border="0" /></a>H’tje’s mood improves by the day as she can </span></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNMia9OftI/AAAAAAAACVU/6T03PUg31_o/s1600-h/DSCN1306.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324183338717445842" style="WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNMia9OftI/AAAAAAAACVU/6T03PUg31_o/s200/DSCN1306.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">crawl around the garden, wield her rake and do all those funny things that people with green fingers enjoy. Knoert, impervious to all her flurries, enjoys the luxury of the chaise-longue. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNRW-jcPZI/AAAAAAAACVs/Tl90RikFFBU/s1600-h/DSCN1275.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324188639672679826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNRW-jcPZI/AAAAAAAACVs/Tl90RikFFBU/s200/DSCN1275.JPG" border="0" /></a></div></span><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324189131585806946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNRznEq4mI/AAAAAAAACV0/k8PB5tcJ8uI/s200/DSCN1267.JPG" border="0" /> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNThXIZLiI/AAAAAAAACWU/JN-GE9UCVtw/s1600-h/DSCN1266.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324191017092066850" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNThXIZLiI/AAAAAAAACWU/JN-GE9UCVtw/s200/DSCN1266.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNSRqQzeHI/AAAAAAAACV8/7K4dpxQSaxE/s1600-h/DSCN1268.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324189647838083186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNSRqQzeHI/AAAAAAAACV8/7K4dpxQSaxE/s200/DSCN1268.JPG" border="0" /></a> </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The Holy Week brings me down the west of France in a full week trip to la Rochelle, Rochefort, Saint-Pierre des Corps, Montlouis sur Loire and back to Valenciennes and Crespin. Unwittingly, for one of the nights, I have booked rooms for our party of three in a real chateau. A fantastic experience featuring a very large room (Henri IV) with a canopied bed, a bathroom as large as some of the smaller rooms I had to stay in and a beautiful view over the surrounding garden. </span><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNVVu4BsRI/AAAAAAAACWc/Hyv1e3EmtEM/s1600-h/DSCN1274.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324193016330694930" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNVVu4BsRI/AAAAAAAACWc/Hyv1e3EmtEM/s200/DSCN1274.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNWHUW4X4I/AAAAAAAACWk/PohFZrg2_Hk/s1600-h/DSCN1269.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324193868205809538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNWHUW4X4I/AAAAAAAACWk/PohFZrg2_Hk/s200/DSCN1269.JPG" border="0" /></a>Couple that to the absence of a television and the absolute quiet during the night and you’re in for a wonderful experience. The bedding and cushions deserve a special mention: top class! Don’t wait until you feel romantic again! (<a href="http://www.labourdaisiere.com/">http://www.labourdaisiere.com/</a>) </span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We have about just the time to make the trip to nearby Amboise and enjoy the view on the chateau d’Amboise from the Loire and make a short walk through the medieval streets of the borough. At the cave of the Vignerons Indépendants, I buy a few bottles of red and rosé Amboise-Touraine AOC. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNWtdmcClI/AAAAAAAACWs/t9MpPEZBgF8/s1600-h/DSCN1277.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324194523522009682" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNWtdmcClI/AAAAAAAACWs/t9MpPEZBgF8/s200/DSCN1277.JPG" border="0" /></a></div></span><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNXZ9JS3RI/AAAAAAAACW0/6TpybVCpWlg/s1600-h/DSCN1280.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324195287903952146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNXZ9JS3RI/AAAAAAAACW0/6TpybVCpWlg/s200/DSCN1280.JPG" border="0" /></a></span></span></div></span></span></div><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></span></div><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></span></div><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></span></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNY09cAt0I/AAAAAAAACXE/2rf95-GVRd0/s1600-h/DSCN1282.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324196851350550338" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNY09cAt0I/AAAAAAAACXE/2rf95-GVRd0/s200/DSCN1282.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324198510044927794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNaVgjkVzI/AAAAAAAACXU/qTTxuO9pwvU/s200/DSCN1285.JPG" border="0" /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324198505819109682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SeNaVQ0DeTI/AAAAAAAACXM/a5m61bOhWXU/s200/DSCN1284.JPG" border="0" /> </div><div><div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The trip is not ended yet, a last evening meal with a customer at la Gentilhommière in Artres, deserves more than a mention. The food is superb. I understand why I never succeeded in booking a room there because they only have 9 rooms and are always fully booked. Luckily, they’re expanding and are adding another 17 rooms. There is hope after all.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Wine Smackerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11227059902574026664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266582502497441436.post-21854213926814069772009-03-08T20:56:00.013+01:002009-03-09T17:41:12.041+01:00Second half of february<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A wintery sun, foreboding Lent, is warming up the earth and whilst Knoert is basking under its first rays, a gigantic tribe of moles is attempting to re-furbish our garden. They’re digging up mountains that will soon look like the pyramid of Cheops if we don’t put a stop on it! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310911783285037170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQmIOQkGHI/AAAAAAAABHs/H21I4i5sRz4/s320/DSCN1134.JPG" border="0" />In the old days Knoert has caught more than a few but alas, in the winter of his life, blinking with one eye at those huge mounds is as far as he gets. The old warrior has earned his rest.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310912004281091698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQmVFiIRnI/AAAAAAAABH0/6-HQPlynRd8/s320/DSCN1135.JPG" border="0" /> Htje will have to handle shovel and spade to get rid of the root-gnawing bastards. She already tried the stink-balls but to no avail. Let’s see who’ll win this war; bets are open.<br />The 14th went by unnoticed, except for a delicious (unplanned) mezze at Zorba’s in Mechelen. A lucky encounter with a couple near-table guests, who turned out to be almost neighbours, ended into an animated conversation and made me forget to write down the name of the white wine we had. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310912297766280418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQmmK2c3OI/AAAAAAAABH8/wIgCh3N7iwY/s320/DSCN1136.JPG" border="0" />Made from one of those many indigenous grape varieties from Greece that we don’t know well enough. Probably Athiri because I seem to remember the wine came from Santorini from where this grape variety originated. A sure reason to go back and taste it again! (Yes, Htje, that’s a promise!)<br />A day later and we find our way to Averbode where Nelly and Lucien now abide. Luckily they moved the wine-cellar too! As we don’t see each other all that often, our family dinners are always worth experiencing. Needless to say they outclassed themselves again and served us a dinner worth to remember! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310912598784928562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQm3sO46zI/AAAAAAAABIE/Hk8EoIMKwno/s320/DSCN1137.JPG" border="0" />Saumon fumé avec asperges en remoulade accompanied with a bone-dry full-bodied, strikingly mineral 2003 Hermitage from Roland Betton, récolatant (sic!) à la Roche de Glun according the label. Well, as long as he is not frélatant, I don’t mind. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310912600514105346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 230px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQm3yrKEAI/AAAAAAAABIM/vBddepNuU44/s320/DSCN1138.JPG" border="0" /></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Fricassée de marcassin aux pommes et airelles, it’s still winter after all, an excellent match for the 2000 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru. Earthy, fruity but with an undertone of leather and undergrowth, making it easy to picture in your mind the boar digging up the acorns. Houbahouba! We all truly enjoyed it.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310912612170386754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQm4eGOzUI/AAAAAAAABIU/6nEPp5HNkR4/s320/DSCN1140.JPG" border="0" />Dessert: a rich, creamy mascarpone accompanied with a ten year old Madeira. Heaven on earth! I hadn’t had Madeira in many, many years and forgot how good it can be. Stupid! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310917646718170290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQrdhP9dLI/AAAAAAAABJ8/rm9tF9MB4lA/s320/DSCN1148.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310913896549455426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQoDOyEFkI/AAAAAAAABI8/3pUKtrESgck/s320/DSCN1149.JPG" border="0" /></p>Needless to say we also made a thorough visit to Lucien’s wine-cellar. I picked up a beautiful 2005 Côt de Touraine from Gibault in Meusnes (do I have some customers in that neighbourhood?). Cabernet Franc at it’s best. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310913881465872722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 254px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQoCWl24VI/AAAAAAAABIk/qJ_D7Ujrlj8/s320/DSCN1144.JPG" border="0" />That particular dry undertone pushing up the fruit against the light tannins makes it very typical. We had an older vintage (98, 99?) a few years ago and I distinctly remembered it less fruity. This one was superb. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310912609225324082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQm4TIEtjI/AAAAAAAABIc/7l3KlNfCAXA/s320/DSCN1141.JPG" border="0" />What better way to end a glorious afternoon with a noble Côte des Francs 2000 from Michel Guillon in Tayac. More than pleasurable and superb value for money.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310913891379996130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQoC7hkZeI/AAAAAAAABIs/l4UgZZEVXjg/s320/DSCN1145.JPG" border="0" />To top off the day my godson Philip came by to show off his twin daughters – Anke and Bo - and his now one-year old son, Jesse. A shame that we don’t meet more frequently.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310915146712383010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQpMAAIfiI/AAAAAAAABJM/r90JyiVyeOk/s320/DSCN1162.JPG" border="0" />Luckily my sister has an excellent couch allowing us somehow to recuperate before taking our leave. Bieke grew weary of us.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310913899761256370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQoDav0R7I/AAAAAAAABJE/hId9G3wE9Bc/s320/DSCN1153.JPG" border="0" />Barely 2 weeks later and we have to visit Htje’s niece Marie-Louise and husband Jean-Claude in Glimes. This is the south of the province of Brabant-Wallon, a region otherwise known as la Hesbaye and just a few kilometres down from there they grow wine. We’ll definitely have to arrange a tasting at the Château de Mellemont in Thorembais-les-Béguines, the next time. Maybe we have a surprise waiting for us!<br />This was another long overdue visit. When Sara left for Vancouver, Marie-Louise took Lola in. A relief for Sara who was worried her darling wouldn’t be properly looked after while she was away. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310915734200299602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQpuMkKsFI/AAAAAAAABJc/K2q58RFoZP8/s320/DSCN1170.JPG" border="0" />Within 2 weeks Lola took over the household and now reigns over her domain in true matriarchal way: Praline, Maya, Simi and Pompon bearing the brunt.<br />Having lost nothing of her shyness she fled to upper regions when we came in but later just came by to peak at us and give me a chance to take a picture. </span><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We started with 6 Petit Gris du Namurois (from a local grower). On a par with my favourite Burgundian crawlers but lacking just a little bit of seasoning.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310915738985837506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQpueZIM8I/AAAAAAAABJk/iliaqGeZn-8/s320/DSCN1174.JPG" border="0" /> But otherwise perfectly cooked. Not to the soggy rubberlike consistency that you obtain when cooking the (deep-frozen) variety from the supermarket. Definitely worth to try again.<br />We now have to dig up some superlatives to describe the wonderful experience that followed with le Lapin à la Geuze. Used to the more traditional preparation to which we are treated at home; with prunes, speck and doused in a very light dark beer; our taste buds were delighted. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310915749520001906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQpvFoqy3I/AAAAAAAABJ0/MdMIBOkosMU/s320/DSCN1176.JPG" border="0" />A lighter, subtler preparation that allows the tender taste of the young meat and the sweet herbs to delight the palate. In one word: delicious! What better accompaniment could we have had than the more than excellent Pécharmant from Château La Reynaudie 2005 in Lembras. I bought some at the Foire du Vin in Lille, last November.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310915747718148482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQpu-7EsYI/AAAAAAAABJs/uu-Ra3BxN_U/s320/DSCN1175.JPG" border="0" />I have precious little left of the 2003 but this 2005 will stand its ground. The 3 bottles of Vieilles Vignes 2005 will be jealously kept for a very special occasion indeed.<br />To pay honour to “the land of the beast” we also tasted a 2004 Rioja Crianza from Covila (Sdad. Cooperativa Vinicola Lapuebla de Labarca). 250 hectares of vineyards in Labarca and Laguardia (Rioja Alavesa). Nothing less than 100% Tempranillo and 12 months in barrel followed by 6 months in the bottle. A modern Rioja, full of ripe fruit over a mellow tone of vanilla and chocolate. Awesome. The bottle brought back some fond memories of our stay in the Rioja a few years ago. The walled city of Laguardia with its deeply hidden wine cellars being one of the highlights of our holiday with a visit to the local winery. Why did I only buy 3 bottles?<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQzTO-UHqI/AAAAAAAABKE/Xhtjqg8wLNk/s1600-h/DSCN1177.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310926266106650274" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQzTO-UHqI/AAAAAAAABKE/Xhtjqg8wLNk/s320/DSCN1177.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQzTvqxMaI/AAAAAAAABKM/9rbWb3pnqZs/s1600-h/DSCN1179.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310926274883039650" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SbQzTvqxMaI/AAAAAAAABKM/9rbWb3pnqZs/s320/DSCN1179.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Another memorable bottle during this period was a delicious Brouilly 2005 from Mommesin. Anybody criticizing or looking down at Beaujolais should taste it first or hold their peace forever!<br />We also tasted the first of our Marsannay 2006 from Georges Lignier, our regular Côte de Nuits supplier with veal and pasta al pesto. Mamma mia, la vita è bella! Dry, flowery, buttery but already fully round. A great experience.<br />Sadly, we finished the last bottle of our 2006 Où Est Donc Passé Ornicar from Jean-Baptiste Senat in Trausse-Minervois. A very man-made Minervois, the most spicy wine I ever had with strong, very ripe fruit. Difficult to combine with food, only something like a traditional rabbit with prunes will sustain it, I guess. But the memory of the degustation at the estate in 2007 - it was pouring rain and we caught him while bottling up the last of his 2006 vintage - with Jean-Baptiste rambling on and on and on, will stay forever in our memory. And now heading for Spring time!</span></div>Wine Smackerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11227059902574026664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266582502497441436.post-54529670431536646872009-02-09T22:27:00.040+01:002009-02-15T02:01:08.864+01:00First and second week in February<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZacLSdxaGI/AAAAAAAABBo/NEfpFuAoItc/s1600-h/DSCN1082.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302597329024542818" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZacLSdxaGI/AAAAAAAABBo/NEfpFuAoItc/s200/DSCN1082.JPG" border="0" /></a>A working week has 5 days and 4 nights (I'll always sleep at home on Fridays unless something very special happens). So far in 2009 we've had 20 nights and I slept away from home on 8 of them. At the end of this week it'll be 11 nights out of 24.Last week: 1 night in Germany, 2 nights in Holland. Highlights? A superb glass of Monbazillac with our dessert at the Krone Restaurant in Weinstadt and an excellent Bourgogne Pinot Noir (2005) from Domaine Parent in Pommard at the van der Valk Hotel in Gilze <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZdcRMb5SUI/AAAAAAAABFo/yhGhC-yqGDA/s1600-h/DSCN1092.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302808536717805890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZdcRMb5SUI/AAAAAAAABFo/yhGhC-yqGDA/s200/DSCN1092.JPG" border="0" /></a>Rijen. On Thursday evening, to compensate for my absences during the week, Htje and I had dinner at the local Italian. Nothing special, but everything OK. The Montepulciano d'Abruzzo was reasonable. Nothing more.During the weekend at home, I celebrated our victory in the last bridge competition drive of the year with a Chablis Premier Cru Montmains 2006 (La Chablisienne) matching perfectly with the shrimp & gamba rice <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZdc9Htj8dI/AAAAAAAABFw/fmKSVe2kf9Y/s1600-h/DSCN1087.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302809291363971538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZdc9Htj8dI/AAAAAAAABFw/fmKSVe2kf9Y/s200/DSCN1087.JPG" border="0" /></a>salad. (Mineral, more vegetal than fruity, nothing of the sometimes coarse buttery taste present in some of Burgundy's whites, all class and refinement. Should better nicely in the next 2-3 years.) Htje later spoiled me to death with beef carpaccio followed by lamb cutlets with beans. I opened up the first of my Chateau Arnauton 2005 - Fronsac. Already excellent, I should have thought of de-caraffing it. Should be really OK in 2010. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It's Monday, and I'm off to the south<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZadpkCYaSI/AAAAAAAABCQ/1hQZZiYhwpI/s1600-h/DSCN1092.JPG"></a> with a full planning bringing me <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZacLXz-B_I/AAAAAAAABBw/ZjavL-r4PXM/s1600-h/DSCN1084.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302597330459822066" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 140px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZacLXz-B_I/AAAAAAAABBw/ZjavL-r4PXM/s200/DSCN1084.JPG" border="0" /></a>to Tarbes, Toulouse, Montauban, La Canourgue and Montpellier in the week to come. Ryanair brings us to Carcassonne for a mere 115,40 Euro (return) and Hertz charges us </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">another 139,80 Euro to let us drive around. On my way to the hotel I witness another beautiful sundown over the Pyrenees. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZacLnK5ZTI/AAAAAAAABCA/C3ndpZbxYVo/s1600-h/DSCN1089.JPG"></a>The mountains are white-capped and look very clean.I arrive at the hotel at 19:15. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZadpr38zzI/AAAAAAAABCY/3ZppYIj6Onc/s1600-h/DSCN1087.JPG"></a>Hostellerie Les Cèdres in Villeneuve en <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZddseHn_jI/AAAAAAAABF4/UkSoQIGuAl0/s1600-h/DSCN1089.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302810104832720434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZddseHn_jI/AAAAAAAABF4/UkSoQIGuAl0/s200/DSCN1089.JPG" border="0" /></a>Rivière is an old fashioned, traditional hotel. They upgrade my room, it looks out over the courtyard facing he village church </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">and has a large King size bed and a comfortable bath tub. A second adjacent room will be left unused. Only in the morning I noticed that it takes ages for the hot water to get to the room but otherwise, no complaints.The restaurant is quite crowded and I settle for the standard menu: Mille-feuilles de Saint-Jacques (with one large scallop served in its half-open shell and a mille-<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZacL6AjndI/AAAAAAAABCI/G1ir0Mj7kaY/s1600-h/DSCN1091.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302597339639422418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 167px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZacL6AjndI/AAAAAAAABCI/G1ir0Mj7kaY/s200/DSCN1091.JPG" border="0" /></a>feuilles filled with tomato sauce and smaller scallops with their coral on top, olives and salad). Followed by lotte with rice and vegetables as a main dish and all this accompanied with half a bottle of Jurançon Sec 2006 - Chant de Vignes (Domaine Cauhapé - 64360 Monin). Made of Gros Manseng - 100% harvested end of September. A complex, ripe, full-bodied, fruity white; unlike anything else I have ever had. I foresake dessert but settle for the cheeses. All local: Bethmal, Barousse and Goat (from a local farmer). I trust the sommelier's choice and get a glass of a marvellous Madiran 2005. Chateau Bouscassé from Alain Brumont - Maumusson. Thick oily tears, beautiful structure with some tannins but full of dark red fruit. More than a mouthful! Nothing old-fashioned here! Hoping that the beautiful sundown would forebode a beautiful morning was idle! Awful weather the whole day! It hardly stopped raining with stormy wind gusts up to 140km/hour. Thousands of homes in France without electricity and a lot of damage to roofs, crops etc.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZaevVWoMmI/AAAAAAAABCg/oEY4EE50Bqk/s1600-h/DSCN1100.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302600147298431586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZaevVWoMmI/AAAAAAAABCg/oEY4EE50Bqk/s200/DSCN1100.JPG" border="0" /></a></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Trotted along the whole day without even a chance of taking a picture of the Pyrenees and reached my hotel in Moissac in the pouring rain around 18h45. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I’m given a room looking out over the slow bend in the Tarn and the bed must be the largest I’ve ever slept in. The Moulin de Moissac hotel has a wellness and spa centre and it’s noticeable from the many complimentary soaps, shower gels, peelers that can be found in the bathroom. </span></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After an <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZaevlNSzbI/AAAAAAAABCw/Fd3tOF-lUaE/s1600-h/DSCN1094.JPG"></a>extensive phone call with my colleague Soumia I have <div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZaevYT-xEI/AAAAAAAABCo/CTzqabtTVEc/s1600-h/DSCN1093.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302600148092634178" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZaevYT-xEI/AAAAAAAABCo/CTzqabtTVEc/s200/DSCN1093.JPG" border="0" /></a></span></div></span>dinner at <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZaevYT-xEI/AAAAAAAABCo/CTzqabtTVEc/s1600-h/DSCN1093.JPG">t</a>he hotel's restaurant. I have the carpaccio of fresh salmon as a starter with a glass of Sancerre (Sauvignon Blanc); correct but nothing more. The sommelier wanted to give me a</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> glass of Tariquet (local white wine made of Ugni Blanc) but no bottle was open... </span><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I took the local main dish <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZde6JSWf0I/AAAAAAAABGI/gA1KPi_nAX0/s1600-h/DSCN1094.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302811439270362946" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 155px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZde6JSWf0I/AAAAAAAABGI/gA1KPi_nAX0/s200/DSCN1094.JPG" border="0" /></a>from the menu: Cassoulet. You like it or you don’t; I love it! </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZda3wihXgI/AAAAAAAABFg/M3PkMiMWxWY/s1600-h/DSCN1095.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302807000221048322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZda3wihXgI/AAAAAAAABFg/M3PkMiMWxWY/s200/DSCN1095.JPG" border="0" /></a>Probably the best I ever had and chef</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> René Bajard deserves a citation. What else could I drink with it than a 2003 Madiran from Chateau Montus? Less fruity and exuberant than the 2005. Already complete with excellent structure and mild tannins. But guess what: <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZdecgpZVFI/AAAAAAAABGA/snjqfhYjOv0/s1600-h/DSCN1097.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302810930144957522" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZdecgpZVFI/AAAAAAAABGA/snjqfhYjOv0/s200/DSCN1097.JPG" border="0" /></a>also produced by Alain Brumont in Maumusson. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">No cheese this <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZagjrh7GxI/AAAAAAAABDI/BXLzzc6tOuc/s1600-h/DSCN1098.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302602146116213522" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 121px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZagjrh7GxI/AAAAAAAABDI/BXLzzc6tOuc/s200/DSCN1098.JPG" border="0" /></a>time but a delicious dessert of crêpes. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Up early on Wednesday, I hurry to my first appointment in Montauban and afterwards drive 220km, mostly over departmental roads without any scenic views - except for the sign board signalling the village of Gaillac where they make excellent reds; but I don’t even have time to stop for a cup of coffee - to the next one in La Canourgue. I am now in the country of the river Tarn and the scenery changes completely and the drive becomes pleasant for the last 50km or so. From La Canourgue it is another 120km to my hotel. The weather has been dreary the whole morning, but later in the afternoon, the wind clears the sky, and the sun appears between the clouds.</span></div><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZahc0kjexI/AAAAAAAABDY/0M2NSoCjK_U/s1600-h/DSCN1104.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302603127795710738" style="WIDTH: 184px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 118px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZahc0kjexI/AAAAAAAABDY/0M2NSoCjK_U/s200/DSCN1104.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZahLpna27I/AAAAAAAABDQ/Da5-i3SWn04/s1600-h/DSCN1105.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302602832797162418" style="WIDTH: 209px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 116px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZahLpna27I/AAAAAAAABDQ/Da5-i3SWn04/s200/DSCN1105.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZaihlWF0EI/AAAAAAAABD4/nYWHbn6pSbI/s1600-h/DSCN1116.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302604309119488066" style="WIDTH: 187px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 115px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZaihlWF0EI/AAAAAAAABD4/nYWHbn6pSbI/s200/DSCN1116.JPG" border="0" /></a></span></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZaiX9zxUrI/AAAAAAAABDw/lgCxJmi48DQ/s1600-h/DSCN1114.JPG"></a><p align="justify"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZdhm9su0fI/AAAAAAAABGg/QNgdvQ_ZQ4Y/s1600-h/DSCN1111.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302814408277152242" style="WIDTH: 186px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 106px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZdhm9su0fI/AAAAAAAABGg/QNgdvQ_ZQ4Y/s200/DSCN1111.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZdhnDVwpVI/AAAAAAAABGo/9Npw6R4_P3I/s1600-h/DSCN1113.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302814409791415634" style="WIDTH: 190px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 138px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZdhnDVwpVI/AAAAAAAABGo/9Npw6R4_P3I/s200/DSCN1113.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZdhnCKK-FI/AAAAAAAABGw/kBO2NtOvNP4/s1600-h/DSCN1114.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302814409474373714" style="WIDTH: 177px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 137px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZdhnCKK-FI/AAAAAAAABGw/kBO2NtOvNP4/s200/DSCN1114.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></p><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">B</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">y the time I reach the magnificent viaduct in Millau, the sky is completely clear and a watery sun makes it bearable. It’s the second time I drive by. The first time, it was raining and misty and we could hardly see anything. And although I don’t really like bridges too much, I stop to take a picture. The view of that bridge hanging over the deep ravine is breath-taking. At nearly 700m above sea level the wind is very hard and cold, cold, cold.<br />The last 100km or so are a nice drive through the hills towards Montpellier.</span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302607722264362002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZaloQTPfBI/AAAAAAAABEI/UQ9uld1pxxo/s400/DSCN1115.JPG" border="0" /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZamTZq50pI/AAAAAAAABEQ/FfuZbmaWBZQ/s1600-h/DSCN1119.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302608463513899666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 144px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZamTZq50pI/AAAAAAAABEQ/FfuZbmaWBZQ/s200/DSCN1119.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Without knowing, I booked a room at the Montpellier Golf Hotel. We’re deep south by now and dinner is only served at 20h00. An extended phone call with Stacy and Tamara to discuss business closes most of the gap and reading and answering emails the rest of it. In between I watch a French dubbed version of the original Cape Fear with Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck. Had it been in original version, I’d cancelled the calls! Amazing <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZamUfa_leI/AAAAAAAABEY/W92Xf7nxiWE/s1600-h/DSCN1118.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302608482237650402" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 153px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZamUfa_leI/AAAAAAAABEY/W92Xf7nxiWE/s200/DSCN1118.JPG" border="0" /></a>how that movie still stands!<br />At dinner I settle for the standard menu. The cold salmon and dorade (Gold bream?) starter uses just a bit too much vinegar to my taste but the pintade, accompanied with deliciously flavoured cabbage and fried potatoes is delicious. On recommendation of the waiter, I have the local Chateau Valoussière 2004 – Coteaux de Languedoc from Philippe et Frédéric Jeanjean. Won bronze <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZamUkTz5uI/AAAAAAAABEg/aBKh30abftU/s1600-h/DSCN1122.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302608483549701858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 106px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZamUkTz5uI/AAAAAAAABEg/aBKh30abftU/s200/DSCN1122.JPG" border="0" /></a>metal at the Macon contest in 2007. I’ve no idea what the main grape is they use although it reminisces me of Pinot Noir. The wine is pleasant but I’ll not bend over backward to find some more of it.<br />Instead of a sweet dessert I settle for the fresh fruit salad. Coffee to top it off and I’m back in my room by 21:00; in time for the friendly (soccer) match between France and Argentina</span><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZamU5XYmsI/AAAAAAAABEo/eK7Rt6vARKc/s1600-h/DSCN1123.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302608489201834690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 110px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZamU5XYmsI/AAAAAAAABEo/eK7Rt6vARKc/s200/DSCN1123.JPG" border="0" /></a>(coached by Maradonna!). France will loose with 0-2. A superior Lionel Messi directed his troops perfectly and the French, despite all their talent, were unable to counter effectively. The great news of the evening, however, will be that Hiddink will train Chelsea, at least until end of this season. During half time I happily zap around and linger with a beautiful <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZamVPM0OFI/AAAAAAAABEw/yb0VGZlLgEY/s1600-h/DSCN1124.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302608495063087186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZamVPM0OFI/AAAAAAAABEw/yb0VGZlLgEY/s200/DSCN1124.JPG" border="0" /></a>costume drama depicting the alleged (?) liaison between Cardinal Mazarin (Chancellor and prime minister of France) and Anne of Austria the King’s (Louis XIV) mother. At a par with the renowned English drama! Costumes, sets and acting: a joy for the eye!<br />Breakfast: very un-typically French, with fried eggs, sausage, ham, tomato and mushrooms at the bay window overlooking the golf course. The first golfers arrive on the green, it’s 8 o’clock. The weather is cold, the skies are clear; the sun is coming up and promises a beautiful day. But first to Vailhauquès, then to Montpellier and before I know, I’m on the road to the airport in Carcassonne. This is too good to be true and as I receive 2 really pressing phone calls, I have to stop and call around. I end up in Carcassonne with barely time to have a lunch and settle for the restaurant at the Intermarché. It’s good value for money but I’ll not add anything to it. The faithful Opel Astra is returned to Hertz with 1100km on the odometer in less than 4 days. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZasq09KyVI/AAAAAAAABFQ/etdMbwKql_Y/s1600-h/DSCN1128.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302615463045024082" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 198px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZasq09KyVI/AAAAAAAABFQ/etdMbwKql_Y/s200/DSCN1128.JPG" border="0" /></a></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZasaJQKs-I/AAAAAAAABFI/GPBREYj3Omc/s1600-h/DSCN1126.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302615176435643362" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SZasaJQKs-I/AAAAAAAABFI/GPBREYj3Omc/s200/DSCN1126.JPG" border="0" /></a>The plane is going to be late and I kill the time reading and answering emails. It's still light when we take off but the skye is clouded and there is little to see. At the landing at Charleroi in the night, the landscape looks like a giant Christmas tree.</span></div>Wine Smackerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11227059902574026664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266582502497441436.post-66229394829505083542009-01-25T19:15:00.023+01:002009-02-15T02:07:57.096+01:00A working week in January<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">The year has hardly started and we’re busy as ever, chasing around to convince customers to buy more of our stuff.<br /><br />Jan, 19<br />Early rise and dropped the car off for 150.000 km maintenance (the last one). Back in time to start a gruelling one and a half hour teleconference with the team to discuss last week’s business, this weeks’ plans, quotes, projects etc. The rest of the day filled with emails, phone calls, reports, and quotes.<br />Although I specifically requested to have the car ready ASAP, the garage only calls me at 16:10. I finish what I’m doing and pack in a hurry to arrive at the garage close to five o’clock.<br />I decide to drive down as far as possible in the direction of Strasbourg and apart from the daily traffic jam around Brussels that costs me about 15 minutes; I make good headway although it rains continuously. While driving, I notice that something is wrong with my cellular. Scary if you know that, when travelling, your phone is your only communication instrument. Passed Metz and on the A36, direction Strasbourg, I stop at a gas station close to Carling to call for a hotel.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXytliZQg7I/AAAAAAAAA_Y/elQSy1ieVJY/s1600-h/DSCN1060-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295298122280371122" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 198px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 162px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXytliZQg7I/AAAAAAAAA_Y/elQSy1ieVJY/s200/DSCN1060-1.JPG" border="0" /></a>There is only one payphone and it works with call cards only! One of the shop attendants is friendly enough to lend me her phone and I call several Logis de France in my direction but they’re either closed or fully booked! It’s 20:30 and I need to find a hotel. In the meantime the rain has turned into a real cloud break and the noise of the rain falling on the Perspex roof makes it almost impossible to understand one another. We really have to shout at each other! The shop clerk tells me there is a hotel straight at the next exit in the direction “Europort” and I decide to go and have a look. The directions given are correct and I find the hotel and they have a room available. The hotel is at the edge of an industrial estate with some chemical refineries spouting black, grey and white smoke out of their many chimneys. Not the finest location! The room is simple but clean, the view from the window is a light grey blind wall and by 21:00 I’m down at the restaurant. The food is correct, the half bottle of Brouilly quite nice and the staff very friendly. I manage to refuse dessert and take the coffee at the bar that is now manned by the hotel receptionist who suggests that I just take out and re-place the chip in my cellular. To my relief, that simple stratagem succeeds and I’m back in the modern world. The bar is crowded by truckers from everywhere but mostly from Belgium and I escape the noise quickly and go to bed early after quite a long day. Room, meal, breakfast and taxes will amount to 105,40€<br /><br />Jan, 20<br />After breakfast I have time to check emails and make some calls before I leave to Strasbourg, 125 km further south. My meeting with the customer goes OK. We booked a large order before year end on a their 5-year maintenance program and the only draw back is that 2009 will probably be a very calm year in terms of orders placed.<br />My afternoon call is in Duppigheim, 15 km south of Strasbourg. I have time to book my rooms for tonight and tomorrow and have lunch at Père Benoit in Entzheim. An address I can recommend to everybody. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyt3R_oCjI/AAAAAAAAA_g/bNP86eLzN7s/s1600-h/DSCN1062-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295298427115538994" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 217px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 161px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyt3R_oCjI/AAAAAAAAA_g/bNP86eLzN7s/s200/DSCN1062-1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXys9RrthII/AAAAAAAAA_Q/Zdb09GB9mkE/s1600-h/DSCN1062-1.JPG"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyu-VKPJYI/AAAAAAAAA_o/ceKJfLUlY_o/s1600-h/DSCN1064-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295299647736063362" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 215px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 164px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyu-VKPJYI/AAAAAAAAA_o/ceKJfLUlY_o/s200/DSCN1064-1.JPG" border="0" /></a>Another good meeting that lasts until after four a clock and I leave for Ronchamp. The Logis de France in Belfort and Champagney were fully booked and beggars can’t be choosers. The weather has been cold but beautiful all day and close to Mulhouse on the motorway I stop to take a picture of the beautiful sundown. Another picture of the Konigsberg, famous for its Alsatian whites, not really excellent due to my camera, but I’ll post it anyway.<br />Hotel Carrer le Rhien (Le Rhien is a “lieu-dit” of Ronchamp and there is literally nothing there, believe me) lies in the middle of the woods, one and half mile away from the famous chapel. It’s the second time I’m staying there (on at least two previous occasions I called and it was fully booked); the boss and the staff are friendly as ever. The rooms are clean and comfortable and the food is excellent. I’m too late for the inaugural speech of President Obama and while I look to the news network covering the event I check my emails and work until dinner time. The hotel (only one I know) uses a network that is accessed via the normal power wall outlet and the quality is excellent.<br />This hotel is an incredible value for money spot! When I called the hotel the owner told me I had been lucky that somebody just called in minutes earlier to cancel a reservation and he had a room left for me. the dining room is well filled. Checking the wine list I remember that I had half a bottle of Savagnin 2000 from Paul Benoit - Pupillin. At my first visit it fitted perfect with the turkey on the menu. Luckily they have some left and this time it fits as well with the chicken. After the meal, it’s freezing stones out of the ground, I want to have a peak at the chapel built by Le Corbusier to make some souvenir pictures. Earlier in the evening it was visible from below as it stands beautifully illuminated on top of a nearby hill. Arriving there after a drive through the pitch dark forest all the lights had been doused and there is nothing to see. I settle for a panorama of the illuminated village of Ronchamp in the valley. Back to the hotel I retire to my room where on every channel it’s all about Obama. My total bill will amount to 76,00 €! (One wonders how they can manage!)<br /><br />Jan 21 <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyw0TlqazI/AAAAAAAABAA/JTpIKrjn_QA/s1600-h/DSCN1072-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295301674538789682" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 210px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyw0TlqazI/AAAAAAAABAA/JTpIKrjn_QA/s200/DSCN1072-1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXywi7pEaTI/AAAAAAAAA_4/OQEJqSt_jCI/s1600-h/DSCN1071-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295301376052848946" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 209px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXywi7pEaTI/AAAAAAAAA_4/OQEJqSt_jCI/s200/DSCN1071-1.JPG" border="0" /></a>Another early start as my appointment is at 9:00 in Belfort and I want to make a picture of the chapel before I leave! It’s daylight but the grounds around the chapel are still closed and I can only have a peak through the heavy gate. Nothing again! Out of spite I make a picture of an old mine shaft that has been preserved as a witness of the industrial past of the region.</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295302812759174642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 188px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyx2jyjLfI/AAAAAAAABAQ/K1M8uHsGBVI/s200/DSCN1075-1.JPG" border="0" /> <div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div align="justify">Leaving Ronchamp I stop on the N19 and make a picture (from too far) where the <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyxMj-YcCI/AAAAAAAABAI/ud1NNQucvuk/s1600-h/DSCN1076-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295302091254296610" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 201px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 127px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyxMj-YcCI/AAAAAAAABAI/ud1NNQucvuk/s200/DSCN1076-1.JPG" border="0" /></a>chapel is barely visible but I did not want to leave without it! I’ll definitely have to come back in spring or summer and make sure I have time to visit the grounds. At my customer I meet with both the technical and purchase people but I have still not achieved a breakthrough. Although we booked a first order for some of our products we are still not included in any of their major programs. More work to be done. </div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyypaPT0OI/AAAAAAAABAo/hZJpKeVnR1E/s1600-h/DSCN1078-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295303686368776418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 216px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyypaPT0OI/AAAAAAAABAo/hZJpKeVnR1E/s200/DSCN1078-1.JPG" border="0" /></a>Arriving in Besancon the short road to Ornans is closed off for some reason and I have to make a 25 km detour to get there. Ornans is a small place and very dead at lunch time. No sandwich bar to be found and the few other places only serve hot meals which I have neither the time nor the inclination for. I settle for a coffee hoping that the local bakery will open in time, but no, they close between 12:30 and 14:30! At my customer I am meeting with a new buyer and we spend more time than expected with company presentations and projects on which they use some of our products. This division will never be big for us but it’s a part of one of our strategic accounts.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyywoi7RQI/AAAAAAAABAw/2rjcHEEbJp0/s1600-h/DSCN1079-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295303810468234498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 220px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 151px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyywoi7RQI/AAAAAAAABAw/2rjcHEEbJp0/s200/DSCN1079-1.JPG" border="0" /></a>On the way back I have to make the same detour loosing considerable time in the traffic jam to get through Besancon and it is still a long drive to Dracy le Fort where, although listed on my GPS, I have some trouble locating the hotel. But finally I get there by around 18:30. Just the time to check emails, call the States and get some work done.<br />I can highly recommend hotel Le Dracy. At arrival they told me they had upgraded me to a larger room on the first floor and this turned out to be the best room of the week. Separate bathroom, separate toilet and a large room with a double bed and a sofa plus a small table and chair to put your laptop on. The upgrade was probably done because some elder people preferred a room on the ground flour. Although I am an ancient person, I can still climb a stair when I have to! </div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyzpwU4eaI/AAAAAAAABA4/BCfUW1oMyW8/s1600-h/DSCN1080-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295304791809358242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 221px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 186px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXyzpwU4eaI/AAAAAAAABA4/BCfUW1oMyW8/s200/DSCN1080-1.JPG" border="0" /></a>In Burgundy you mostly don’t worry about the quality of the food. The region has a great reputation. This hotel deserves it too! Another very good meal and the half bottle of Givry 2005, 1er Cru – clos de Choué from Chofflet-Valdenaire: hallelujah! I did buy some from de Villard but did not drink it yet and I sincerely hope it’s at least as good or even better as, I’m sure, it’s a lot more expensive! The more Burgundy I drink, the more I am surprised and confused by big difference in taste and texture of the wines from different regions. The last drops are finished with the plateau de fromages and I regret I did not ask for a full bottle! I paid 115,50 € for everything. Again to bed early as I have a very early start indeed in the morning.<br /><br />Jan 22<br />Best breakfast in a long time in France! The French know everything about eating and drinking except about breakfast! In some places (mostly in the North and Paris region and in the South) you get 1 piece of bread, 1 croissant, some preserve and a cup of coffee. If you’re lucky yoghurt or corn flakes are available too. That’s it! Go work on this when it’s winter time! In more rural regions, Burgundy is one of them, they know you need some substance in your stomach to come through the long morning. A variety of cheese, ham, different kinds of bread, preserves, fruit, boiled eggs, coffee, chocolate or tea. They have it at Le Dracy.<br />Figure my luck! My appointment is at 8:15 and I am 35 km away from Le Creusot. I’ll make sure that next time I have more time to enjoy.<br />My meeting with my first customer goes well. Although they expected another supplier to arrive at ten, we stay together until 11:00 because they did not arrive in time. This gives us some time to talk about other things than just business. Both mr. Hubert and mr. Doucet are from the region and I end up writing down some vintner names that can be trusted for their quality.<br />I end up in Le Creusot city centre with a lot of time to kill as my next meeting has been postponed to 15:00. The first place I go to for a coffee is very cold and there is no signal available from the network to hook up the laptop. After many trials I decide to go some place else. I am luckier at the next one where it is warm; where my 3G card is picking up a signal and I can do some work.<br />At lunch time it becomes all of a sudden very busy. I decide to have the boeuf bourguignonne (12,80 including a starter salad and a dessert) because they have no sandwiches and I don’t feel like running the streets up and down to find another place. It has gone raining in the meantime. Lunch hour is like a fast tide. The place fills up in ten – fifteen minutes and empties an hour later in ten – fifteen minutes.<br />I am early for my second appointment as there has been a change of plans and instead of going home in the evening, I have booked a room in Ozoir la Ferrière and will go to our office in Serris on Friday morning and visit another customer on Friday afternoon in Petite Forêt.<br />The buyer lets me wait a little bit but we are having an excellent meeting <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXy08NZ9goI/AAAAAAAABBQ/RPc13KoKINA/s1600-h/DSC_0058-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295306208364561026" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 164px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXy08NZ9goI/AAAAAAAABBQ/RPc13KoKINA/s200/DSC_0058-1.JPG" border="0" /></a>where he calls in a technical guy to discuss the requirements for a new project which should start in September and last 16 months. Excellent news, therefore. The meeting ends at 16:30 and the first thing I do is call home to tell Htje about the change of plans. In addition I tell her that if I have to drive by Givry and can contact the winemaker, I’ll stop to buy 6 bottles. I then have first to go back to my first customer to give back the sample that I had taken to show around. And also to pick up the 6 bottles of Crémant de Bourgogne that I ordered from the family estate of mr. Ducoté who is responsible for production at my customer. Ducoté is a small winery in Saint-Amour (Beaujolais) that I visited on my previous trip in November. Their 2006 red Beaujolais was very good and I’m waiting another month to taste their 2007. I did not particularly like their white but the crémant is excellent. Their wine is excellent value for money.<br />It is almost 17:00 when I leave Le Creusot.<br />Not only do I drive by Givry, I stop at the exit and am lucky to hear that the owner is present at the winery. With the directions received, I arrive at Russilly in less than 5 minutes. Without the directions I would probably still be looking.<br />Givry comes in both white and red although I only knew that since this morning when mr. Doucet told <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXy0p6tQAVI/AAAAAAAABBI/X0ouoNmJHPk/s1600-h/DSC_0055-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295305894107545938" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 147px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 224px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXy0p6tQAVI/AAAAAAAABBI/X0ouoNmJHPk/s200/DSC_0055-1.JPG" border="0" /></a>me. In fact, Givry’s reputation was based primarily on white. But as customers’ taste dictate the market there is now far more red than white Givry. As I had never tasted it I wanted to start with the white and was immediately convinced. For the red I had to chose between the very famous Clos de Jus and the lesser known Clos de Choué. The vintner pointed out that in majority, ladies preferred the Choué and men the Jus. My feminine side won this one and I brought some Choué home.<br />In between I had to translate for the lorry driver from Holland who came by to pick up two pallets of wine and the owner, who complained that again, they’d come without bringing the empty pallets back and threatening not to give his wine if they did not bring the pallets back next time (as he had done on a previous occasion). He let him off the hook for this time and the guy loaded up. Finally, I had to pay and as neither of my credit cards was accepted by the machine, ended up in giving up whatever cash I carried and left with the promise to transfer the balance by bank.<br />350 km in stormy weather with winds up to 100km/hour or so later I arrive in<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXy0OSA8AfI/AAAAAAAABBA/7Kg9ieFE3EM/s1600-h/DSCN1081-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295305419327799794" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 176px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 216px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXy0OSA8AfI/AAAAAAAABBA/7Kg9ieFE3EM/s200/DSCN1081-1.JPG" border="0" /></a>Le Pavillon Bleu at 20h50. Barely the time to freshen up and go to the dining room.<br />The rooms are OK but small, the food is excellent though quite expensive. Lowest priced menu at 23 €, another one at 40 € and the expensive one at 50 € with many dishes requiring a 7 or 10 € supplement. It is difficult to find something not too expensive on their wine list and I end up with half a bottle Pécharmant from 2003 that disappoints me. The one we have at home is really good and a perfect alternative for the otherwise too expensive claret. I regret I did not take the Saumur-Champigny which was only 1 € more expensive but it might have been a little bit light with the sweetbreads (10 € supplement) I had for main course. We’re close to Paris and that is noticeable in the prices, my bill adds up to 124,00 €.<br /><br />23 Jan<br />The traffic slows me down and I arrive at 8:40 in the office in Serris. I spend the whole morning with my boss and 2 colleagues, trying to catch up with my administration.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXy1jh9OpbI/AAAAAAAABBg/mNEUCepLd7o/s1600-h/DSC_0056-1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295306883896092082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 166px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 236px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SXy1jh9OpbI/AAAAAAAABBg/mNEUCepLd7o/s200/DSC_0056-1.JPG" border="0" /></a>I barely have the time to pick up my 6 bottles of Chablis 1er Cru Montmains that I bought last time but could not carry with me on the train and 6 bottles of Champagne that my boss bought for me together in one shipment for him and his family and friends in order to have a better price. Leaving too late, as usual, and fully loaded, I arrive at 14:15 in Petite Forêt where I have a meeting to discuss the technical parameters to include some of our products in my customers’ product database.<br />It’s close to 16:00 when I leave and I am now really hungry. The weather is still overcast and it rains now and then. On my way home I receive one phone call after another, forcing me even to stop for a while to concentrate on my conversation rather than on the traffic. All this slows me down considerably and I arrive at the Brussels peripheral ring in full rush hour. It’s 17:45 by the time I get home!<br />Fridays are sacred. After unloading the car I tell Htje all my adventures of the past week while she’s preparing dinner. We eat together and I leave at 19:15 for my weekly bridge-drive.<br />I’ll be home by 01:00 and since we ended up 2nd, I’ll have another glass of wine and go to bed. This has been a good week.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></span><br /></span>Wine Smackerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11227059902574026664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266582502497441436.post-10999636025367014392009-01-03T16:18:00.032+01:002009-02-15T02:17:37.822+01:00Koning winter heerst<div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUNZzMOeMI/AAAAAAAAA9c/vKBQQ4FeyaA/s1600-h/DSC_0048-1.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288648074305894594" style="WIDTH: 208px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 145px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUNZzMOeMI/AAAAAAAAA9c/vKBQQ4FeyaA/s200/DSC_0048-1.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUMzd3bxPI/AAAAAAAAA9M/uHVRruiXXbc/s1600-h/DSC_0049-1.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288647415746512114" style="WIDTH: 211px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 144px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUMzd3bxPI/AAAAAAAAA9M/uHVRruiXXbc/s200/DSC_0049-1.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUM0SjOcwI/AAAAAAAAA9U/hxcvWFpwUbM/s1600-h/DSC_0047-1.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288647429888832258" style="WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 141px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUM0SjOcwI/AAAAAAAAA9U/hxcvWFpwUbM/s200/DSC_0047-1.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></div></span><div align="justify"><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Reeds de tweede werkdag van het jaar en alhoewel het stenen uit de grond vriest moeten we er alweer vroeg uit. Buiten is het nog donker maar alles is nog wit. Stijfbevroren.<br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWPEPXfsQiI/AAAAAAAAA50/7lG6G9AezXw/s1600-h/DSCN1030-1.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288286155747115554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 215px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 172px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWPEPXfsQiI/AAAAAAAAA50/7lG6G9AezXw/s200/DSCN1030-1.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWPDybu12xI/AAAAAAAAA5s/dh04JenPnsI/s1600-h/DSCN1031-1.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288285658668194578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 217px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 169px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWPDybu12xI/AAAAAAAAA5s/dh04JenPnsI/s200/DSCN1031-1.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUJQQstF3I/AAAAAAAAA8c/aulW-o9JwrU/s1600-h/DSCN1035-1.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288643512381544306" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 167px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUJQQstF3I/AAAAAAAAA8c/aulW-o9JwrU/s200/DSCN1035-1.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Vannacht ging het tot -13°C en de hele dag zal het kwik ruim onder nul blijven. We klagen altijd wel dat er geen winters meer zijn maar als de weergoden ons weer eens goed te grazen nemen, vervloeken we met z’n </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWOY9_fOGRI/AAAAAAAAA3k/jYxoT56Wx6M/s1600-h/DSC_0049.JPG"></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">allen <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">harstgrondig</span> alle weermannen en –vrouwen. </span></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUL0Y5wudI/AAAAAAAAA80/i9fOkmVwqN4/s1600-h/DSCN1037-1.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288646332082338258" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 196px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 148px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUL0Y5wudI/AAAAAAAAA80/i9fOkmVwqN4/s200/DSCN1037-1.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWULK0vgPXI/AAAAAAAAA8s/NogEkfSyHAI/s1600-h/DSCN1036-1.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288645618001001842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 198px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWULK0vgPXI/AAAAAAAAA8s/NogEkfSyHAI/s200/DSCN1036-1.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Gelukkig kon ik de hele dag van huis uit werken want het verkeer was meer dan chaotisch. Niet minder dan 400km file op onze wegen waar andere drukke ochtenden het moeten stellen met slechts 250 à 300km. Wat een zinloos verlies aan tijd en energie!</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUPTcsaqwI/AAAAAAAAA9s/RbB-J8Y-0zg/s1600-h/DSCN1033-1.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288650164210936578" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 174px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 137px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUPTcsaqwI/AAAAAAAAA9s/RbB-J8Y-0zg/s200/DSCN1033-1.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></div></div><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUJOi9B0sI/AAAAAAAAA8M/NnlaNoy5OLQ/s1600-h/DSCN1033-1.JPG"></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Dan maar genieten van de tuin en de omgeving. Het heeft al bij al flink gesneeuwd en door de lage temperatuur blijft alles glinsterend wit liggen. Zodra de <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">zon</span> schijnt ziet alles er stralend wit uit. Zelfs onze doordeweekse straat ziet er veel mooier uit dan anders. Helderder, duidelijker en minder dof. Op de <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">één</span> of andere manier lijken de huizen en de tuinen frisser. Ikzelf loop dan graag even in de tuin rond en zie dat alles goed is . </span></div><br /><div align="left"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWOY-LdA2-I/AAAAAAAAA30/H7SEoFhNj2U/s1600-h/DSC_0019.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288238581456886754" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 187px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWOY-LdA2-I/AAAAAAAAA30/H7SEoFhNj2U/s200/DSC_0019.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Eénmaal</span> de <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">zon</span> op is, wordt onze tuin overspoeld door allerhande vogels die zich aan het eten wat door <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Htje</span> kwistig </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWOY-Btl9bI/AAAAAAAAA38/rqKl1UBkKtE/s1600-h/DSCN1029.JPG"></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ter beschikking is gesteld te goed te doen.<br />Mezen, vinken, mussen, spreeuwen, roodborstjes, merels, lijsters, eksters en af en toe een houtduif. De groene papegaai hebben we de afgelopen dagen niet meer gezien en de speciaal voor hem gefoerageerde zonnebloempitten worden zonder schroom door de anderen buitgemaakt. De meeuwen vliegen gewoon over, in het spoor van de ganzen en de sporadische reiger, op weg naar de putten van Hombeek.<br /></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUPnjiX0cI/AAAAAAAAA90/x9AkuM2ymoI/s1600-h/DSCN1029-1.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288650509645238722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 158px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 144px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUPnjiX0cI/AAAAAAAAA90/x9AkuM2ymoI/s200/DSCN1029-1.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Verblind door de <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">zon</span> vliegt een <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">meesje</span> tegen ons raam aan en blijft, </span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWUOl-rmcRI/AAAAAAAAA9k/2HVskSjpt4M/s1600-h/DSCN1029-1.JPG"></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">verdwaasd door de klap, wezenloos op grond liggen. Gauw even opwarmen in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Htje</span>’s handen en dan even laten uitrusten in een doosje en gelukkig, na enkele minuten fladdert het beestje weer dartel weg. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Htje</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">hééft</span> haar dagelijkse goede daad verricht. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /> </div></span><div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWPJCmK8HaI/AAAAAAAAA6s/dfAVXUfGm_g/s1600-h/DSC_0040-1.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288291433906445730" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 122px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 185px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWPJCmK8HaI/AAAAAAAAA6s/dfAVXUfGm_g/s200/DSC_0040-1.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWOgz7AoKtI/AAAAAAAAA48/OkxB-LKZPoY/s1600-h/DSC_0042.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288247201337191122" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 132px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 186px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWOgz7AoKtI/AAAAAAAAA48/OkxB-LKZPoY/s200/DSC_0042.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Knoert</span> kijkt wezenloos toe vanachter het raam. Ruim zestien en al </span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWPIPmv6plI/AAAAAAAAA6k/cHa4Kjw6OjQ/s1600-h/DSC_0040-1.JPG"></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">wat trager en vadsiger geworden. De eens zo koele moordenaar kijkt nu nog amper op als de </span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASKzG3S6ijo/SWOfNYyOXFI/AAAAAAAAA4s/vJ08XnXbGMA/s1600-h/DSC_0040.JPG"></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">vermetelste onder de merels tot voor het raam de kaaskorstjes komt zoeken die wij na het ontbijt tot hapklare stukjes hebben versneden. Tegenwoordig <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">gaat</span> er geen dag voorbij of we moeten hem de eerste hulp toedienen en de wondjes verbinden die hij tijdens zijn dagelijkse vechtpartijen met de jonge buurkat oploopt. We hopen dan wel telkens dat het slechts Pyrrusoverwinningen zijn van die dikke tijger maar aan de sporen op <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Knoert</span> te zien lijkt het steeds vaker uit te draaien op zijn <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Waterloo</span>. Wij houden hem dan ook steeds vaker ’s avonds thuis; in de keuken is een plaatsje voorzien op een oude deken waar de oude krijger van zijn welverdiende rust kan genieten.</span> </span></span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>Wine Smackerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11227059902574026664noreply@blogger.com3