How running kept me out of jail, and other things…
The drive up to Chablis was a breeze yesterday. We’re having gorgeous spring weather here on the Cote, and the AutoRoute was wide open for a nice 90-minute cruise. Frederic Gueguen has some superb 09s in tank. We tasted through the whole range, and I found every one to be floral, nicely mineral, crisp, dense, with a nice dimension of richness as well. The standouts were of course the amazing l’Homme Mort and the Fourchaume – but everything was delicious down to the Petit Chablis, which was especially generous andr rich for the appellation. His 08s, all of which have arrived and are in stock now, are excellent examples of pure, classic Chablis. The 1er Crus are in very short supply, so don’t dally if you’re interested…
After a lovely lunch overlooking the vines at Frederic and Celine’s house in Prehy, I headed back to Beaune for a little shopping, and then a bunch of email and work at the Volnay house (which I’ve just learned was requisitioned and occupied by the Germans in WWII from 1939 to 1943 – more on that later…)
Dinner was with friends at Caves Madeleine in Beaune, where I visit at least once per visit. Lolo (the prorietor) was in rare form, holding forth on the provenance of all the artisinal products he sources for the kitchen. The two days per week he’s closed, he spends driving around a 100 kilometer radius from Beaune sourcing the best ingredients he can find. He is very opinionated, and very happy to share his opinion, and reminds me a lot of Mounir Saouma of Lucien le Moine, who
happens to be one of Lolo’s close friends. They are peas in a pod, those two. As always the food was simple and delicious – a perfectly grilled “piece de boucher” (hanger steak from Charolais beef), a cassoulet d’escargots, and a bitter-chocolate fondant with vanilla cream. The 06 Chambolle from Mugnier was quite good, as was a rather bizarre but interesting Chardonnay from the Jura that Lolo turned us on to.
I headed back to Volnay full and happy. Happy that I hadn’t eaten or drank too much – as the nights before I run I’ve found it works a lot better if I don’t over do it – in fact I now usually don’t drink at all the night before a run. I was especially happy of my restraint when I was pulled over by the Gendarmes right in the middle of Pommard, where they had set up a roadblock to test all the drivers for alcohol. I was frankly terrified, because the legal limit is so low in France that two glasses of wine can put you over the limit and send you straight to jail. I had probably consumed enough over the course of the evening to be over the limit, but fortunately it had been over the course of about four hours. Anyway, I blew into the digital machine, mentally figuring out who I was going to call if I was over .05. The cop looked at the digital readout and said “tres bon monsieur, au revoir” – and I took of for Volnay thanking my lucky stars, and being especially thankful that my running regimen had definitely saved my ass!
I ran a good 10k this morning from Volnay into Meursault and back, and every time I started feeling tired i just pushed on, remembering that I was a hair away from being in jail rather than running through these fabulous vineyards. Talk about some good motivation…
Grabbed a quick pain-au-chocolat and then met up with Thiebault Huber, who took me on a tour of his vineyard parcels in Pommard and Volnay. Then we went back to his winery to taste the 09s in barrel and the 08s in bottle. Full details to come, but these are clearly the two best vintages this talented young vigneron has produced yet. I was invited to his house in Pommard for lunch in the garden, and we joined his family for a delicious blanquette de veau and a bottle of 1943 Pommard made by his grandfather – which was fabulously complex and amazing. His grandfather had returned from the war in the spring of 43 to find his house and winery occupied by the German army, but the soldiers moved on shortly thereafter, and he was able to get the winery up and running in time for harvest that fall. It always blows my mind to drink a little piece of history like that. Un Grand Merci to Thiebault and his grandpere, Raoul Verdereau.
Photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottpaulwines/
Now a bit of rest and the Sunday paper, before heading back in to Beaune for dinner with friends…
