Sacre bleu. The heat. Got in my car in the village to come down to the cuverie for the wi-fi and it was 29 degrees C.
We started pre 7.30 finishing Gevrey 1er Combottes from Monday evening. All that was needed even at that time was a t shirt (honestly) – well, plus the pants etc ! Beautiful sunrise as we worked to finish Combottes – sorry, but had left my camera in the Citroen Jumpy on this occasion. For the camera phobes I’m using a (very new) Canon G16 – auto settings as I’m still trying to figure out how it works, not ideal I guess but gotta start somewhere. On reflection its maybe a bit posh for a vendange (dirty, wet, sticky hands etc) so am having to be very careful how I use it. It has a posh leather look Megagear brown case to protect it from excess but………………………Maybe I should have used daughter Charlotte’s trusted (by me) fetching pink Fuji as that’s more pocketable and has survived 2 or 3 vendanges already. I have it with me c.o.n
From Combottes we moved to Morey 1er Blanchards and commenced down by Morey Clos Solon working our way upslope to the village. I’m sorry if I’m going to be continually repetitive but super quality grapes again. Some bits of rot but compared to past years that’s nothing. Am intrigued how Bill will find things when he gets started. All seem ripe enough, not uncommon for bunches to come off without secateurs – any who want to be last of the late brigade well, errr, I wouldn’t want to be.
From Blanchards back to a biggie – Clos de la Roche. Gosh it was busy along there, loads of domaines vehices jostling the verges – I can’t recall when we’ve all seemed ‘at it’ at once 😉 . Grapes in CdlR – yes, you’ve guessed it. Lots of millerandage as well. Nice !
From CdlR cross village to Chambolle 1er Sentiers, near Morey Ruchots and Roumier’s Clos de la Bussiere (one of my all time favourite wines in any vintage no matter what the critics say). Was tres chaud now, sun broiling down on us. We got half way to the wall below the road and halt called (I didn’t realise at first – not uncommon !) for lunch. One of the beauties of this year, and the very dry ground, is that the twice daily bucket washing ritual is a quick breeze compared to when its muddy and wet as anyone who’s cleaned a load of buckets and/or plastic cases will know !!! Lunch:- no idea what the dodgy looking starter was so I passed – looked like some form ofsmal beans or lentils in an un appetising grey stodge (errr, no). I waited for the hot chicken pieces and mixed veg to appear – yum. Followed by the obligatory cheese then little pots of cream caramel. Coffee followed copious amounts of water for all and white and red wine if desired (Aligote and a fruity PTG – no labels so no idea of annee, haven’t asked yet).
Afternoon back to Sentiers, by the heck it was hot now and most were wearing hats. Dopey draws moi wasn’t but will be tomorrow if its the same. Apres Sentiers a quick hop along to Noirots which was despatched in painstaking if efficient fashion – just too hot to try and go fast. After Sentiers a rest fortunately en camion for the trip to the other side of Nuits-St-Georges and NSG 1er Les Porrets – just under Gouges Clos etc. Looking up at a stone quarry Bill, pics to follow idc. This NSG plot is non domaine and the grapes are bought in, picked by us, via Cyprien’s negoce licence. Then back to Chambolle again (traffic was v heavy both ways) and one of my favourite sites, Chambolle 1er Chatelots. Its not big at all and didn’t take us long to do Arlaud’s few rows but to me as a place it has an air of calm, peace and tranquillity more than some. Early finish treat just before half five and tres welcome as je suis knackered, hot, sweaty, grubby, stiff and the rest. Don’t think I’ve ever drunk so much water in my life in a day as today. Funny moment at Noirots as we finished as we all had a water break. Its poured from a plastic barrel thing like you buy cheap wine in and is refillable. Cups were in short supply so I suggested to Herve (Arlaud – in control of the vessel) that he pour straight into my mouth – I wasn’t proud ! Big mistake as seizing his opportunity Herve poured into my mouth a la water boarding then moved in a flash to pour it over my head to vast hilarity all round leaving me looking like an entrant in a wet t shirt contest – well, not really, am way too old, wrong sex and lacking some things ! I honestly thought I’d lost my contact lenses for a moment or two but all was well and only now have I realised I dried out in a flash without noticing. Now for selectng photos – bit of a job as I daren’t send Bill too many for file size but there’s plenty to choose from ! If folk prefer certain shots e.g scenes, grapes, people or whatever then let me know via response on Bill’s site and I’ll try to oblige.
A bientot. Cuverie clean up goes on noisily outside and in the tank hall – I’m sat out the back using an old bureau and connected to the wi-fi via sticking my laptop power cable (battery is fcuk’d, sorry ‘gone’) into the plug which normally powers the credit card machine ! Until tomorrow !!!
As a precursor to another tale from my Sunday Morey arrival involving Monsieur Jean Raphet, me, and two bottles of Raphet 2000 Clos de Vougeot GC here’s some photos to wet the appetite.
Photos are M Raphet with his bottle (he’s a lovely guy and much happier than he looks), and bottle and my glass (before I emptied it with relish, wow, was it good !).
Odoul-Coquard was another place I popped into on spec Sunday late p.m. having met the highly likeable, tres friendly Sebastian in London in January. I also met here :- Dad, Thierry, and quel surprise, Edith, Herve Arlaud’s girlfriend – quite what Edith was doing there I’m not sure (think she might be office employed). I also ended up intimate friends with the high rise triage table team, balanced as I was precariously on a step ladder looking at the triage (well hardly !) of Chambolle 1er Baudes which they were all happily enthusing over – the grapes did indeed look special with none I saw going in the waste !! Must make a note – Odoul-Coquards 2014 Chambolle Baudes – pls get behind me in an an orderly queue, I’m first ! Also had a peep in the tight, compact, garage style cuverie as Sebastian insisted I say ‘Hallo’ to Patrick who was ensconsed in there doing something precarious (on his own !) tipping a crate of grapes by forklift into a tank (as I’ve seen Arlaud do albeit in more safe looking fashion !!! Patrick’s exercise had a side show of a billowing dry ice type (sulphur ?) stuff at the top of the tank which might have put some amateur heavy metal rock band efforts to shame ! Said my goodbye’s with regrets – they were a great bunch and bar Sebastian briefly in London I’d never met them before – that’s Burgundian folk in my general experience (one Chassagne/St Aubin grower’s office I assume nasty lady last year who shooed me off the threshold post vendange was an exception – won’t be going back there again !) .
O-C Photos ici !
