Since it rained on Sunday afternoon, let me tell you that the temperature has really dropped – 6° seems almost luxurious. Maybe it’s because of that, that my teeth are a little on edge, complaining at the introduction of each new (cold!) wine – oh, wait a minute, no, that’s the 5 producer visits per day – nobody said it would be easy!

At least the wines are not as cold right now they will be in January and February 🙂

I note that the parking area of Place Madeleine is now taken over by the yearly ‘fair’ – there will be no parking there until after the Hospices auction weekend – I think they are due to leave on the 21st of November, so if you must have your candy-floss or churros(!) you know where to go…

Although I’ve 95% finished my visits for October’s ‘2016 White’ report, I’m also well underway with the reds for November – still mainly charging around the Côte de Beaune (I’ll include Mercurey in that), but starting in earnest on the Côte de Nuits from next Monday. It’s hard to put into words, but I’m having some unusual, almost emotional reactions to some of the wines in some of the visits – fortunately in a good sense! – They really can be that good. Yesterday – for the first time ever – not only did I swallow one wine, it was so brilliant that I took a second gulp. Now that’s clearly unprofessional, but boy what a wine, and it was worth it! What colour wines and where? – well, that’s what the reports are for…

Finally, something that has come as a bit of a surprise, but given that so many people seem to know about it, let me confirm that David Croix, who moved from Camille Giroud to Domaine Roulot in January – whilst still working his own Domaine des Croix – has now parted company with Jean-Marc Roulot. I chatted about this with him today, and it seems that with an empty cellar at des Croix, splitting his time between Beaune and Meursault was functioning well, but now that the cellar contains a generous 2017 vintage, he’s decided together with Jean-Marc that he has enough to concentrate on at des Croix, so he’s going to focus full-time on the domaine in Beaune now. So best of luck to both!
 

Beaune’s Place Madeleine

Mercurey

Wandering around Saint Aubin at mid-day today – a few spots of rain punctuating bursts of sun. That was before the heavier showers – even a few small hailstones ~13h30 in Beaune. It was much cooler but dry in the evening – we will probably get a frost – so a quick (ish!) 30 minutes jog. I strained a calf during the week – makes participating in the Beaune half-marathon, in 2 weeks, something of a long-shot!
 

The St.Aubin vines on the hillside above Gamay

From Dents du Chien looking back to St.Aubin

From Dents du Chien looking towards Chassagne

Starting today the first of 51 (so-far!) November tastings, and where better than in Volnay? – in beautiful sunlight:
 

Despite (many times) previously having bored you with photos of the place, until today, I’ve never actually been inside of the abbaye before. Today was a final get-together of the Central-Otago/Burgundy Exchange crew – together with a few glasses of the abbaye’s Hautes Côtes Blanc made by the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and with its figurehead, Aubert de Villaine too. Aubert indicated that work would be completed in about another 2 years, to a stage where visitors will finally have the chance to walk a route around and in the abbaye – I’ll be early in the queue!
 

A full programme of visits and tastings just now, but to show that I’m still alive, here are a few pics from today and yesterday!

There were the first few drops of rain for quite some time this morning, but it was just a few minutes until the sun returned. The vineyards remain full of hikers, tourists and of-course the producers. The latter are benefiting from being dry underfoot, replacing wooden posts and trellising, and also drilling out dead vines to plant anew. Honestly a bit of rain is needed, but of-course I’d like for the weekend to be over first! The vineyards retain great colouring – though it’s fading as the leaves are gradually falling – great views for now though.
 

Meursault (of-course!)

Meursault

A souvenir of hail…

Meursault

Santenay

What’s that? Haven seen one for a few days…

Chassagne

Vincent Dancer’s dog…

Château de Chassagne

Puligny Pucelles

Over Puligny Pucelles towards Garenne

Puligny Pucelles