Am actually starting to type this Friday a.m after breakfast as the crew gather . Interestingly the Poles havr arrived which means we must be going local as on our away trips they have met us en route e.g Pommard centre.
Cloudy today and cooler – no bad thing maybe but hope it doesn’t rain as I’ve left my wet weather gear a la maison. Quick question :- why do my trousers seem to get dirtier than everyone else’s ??
If there’s a consistency in all 3 of my vendanges it’s breakfast and the initial gathering which have been the same exactement other than the place and the personalities. The French are nothing if not creatures of early morning habit – and nowt wrong with that. As last year I’m fascinated by their love affair with the cigarette – smoking (which I don’t have a problem with) seems much more prevalent than in the UK.
Am starting to get hazy already (need to write things down) having got behind. BUT !!! Wednesday a.m I think I went to heaven (pardon the sacreligous ref) and it was called Beaune Montrevonots !!! What an absolutely beautiful site cum terroir up a little rocky combe. I’ll admit I have always neglected the Beaune vineyard sites – which has been a mistake !!! This was stunning – the topography, the early morning light, warm morning – all why I love Burgundy for more than just it’s wine !
From here we went south to what was more Beaune on flatter land or possibly. Pommard. After this parcelle we moved more towards what I think was the North East corner of the clos of Chateau du Pommard . Soil here quite sandyish and like most of the Dubreuil sites so far all very ‘clean and tidy’ underfoot. No weeds or grass of consequence – maybe reflects the neat and tidy personas of Christine Dubreuil and huband Nicolas – everything about them and the domaine shrieks orgainised neat and tidy – no bad thing.
Une incident tres amuse here as we finished the plot hard up against the wall of someone’s clos. – just realised I haven’t said this plot or the one before was Pommard 1er cru Les Epenots. Back to the amusement – what other use can one put a vineyard tractor to – in this case a serious Bobard model, a 570 XD 4 x 4 other than the usual ? +n this case enabling the driver to reach up into a fig tree and / or get on to the top of the clos wall to get into tree to harvest figs. All very amusing with several vendangeurs joining in. I declined the offer of a fig (didn’t fancy it !!).
After lunch we went to Pernand Ile des Vergelesses 1er cru – just at the end of the plot before it becomes Savigny and were a very minor road goes off to the right coming from Pernand. More super grape quality here – large pendulous, mainly uniform, bunches of Pinot. Sorry if constant references to great grapes is boring but that’s the way it is. Moving on we finished for the day with what was to become the first of many sessions in Aloxe Corton villages – long rows and tiring, hard work.
Next instalment Volnay, wines tasted, and helping in the cuverie.