Friday 2 August 2024

After an early morning call from Australia, telling Joanne that she had the job, celebrations were planned. (CEO of Australian Compliance Institute). Champagne was mentioned. However, today was to be one of education first, so, off to Chateau Moulin de l’Horizon. This is a delightful small chateau, overlooking la Loire on a rise and it has a complex underground system, carved out of the limestone cliffs (a troglodyte cave). Love that name – one expects ugly, little gremlins to be scurrying about, boiling babies for breakfast. But not here. 22 vaulted spaces that were once the working winery. Arriving above ground to a little car park, one enters the shop front to be greeted by our small Asian lady called Jennifer. Her perfect French and English also displayed a cheeky sense of humour, as she explained the first thing we had to do to earn a tasting. You get a 10 question quiz, pencil and paper and put on a head torch and head down into the caves, on your own. You have to wander about and find the answers to the quiz questions. One of which, is the code to the gate to get out. “Don’t worry, she says, if you’re not out in an hour, I’ll come and find you.”

With that, she locks us in. Flashy finds the exit and it’s locked with a combination lock. Well, at least we know where the gate is. The code is the alcoholic strength of one of their wines (12.5%). So he sneaks back and puts in 125. It works. So, we feel secure and wander about seeking answers to the quiz.

Then back up to the tasting of nine wines. Ample serves as well. Ample is not a person, it’s the size of the serve. We get about 70% of the questions right. Their wines, which like all the Saumur Champigny AOC, are Chenin or Cabernet Franc. Not usually blended either. We had crémant, white and reds and judged them to be wonderful. We purchased enough for lunch later.

Home to our terrace under the umbrella for a picque nicque platter lunch. Jo and Flashy walked to the boulangerie for some cheese and baguettes and spied a lonesome éclair. Another tick for Jo’s French experience. Our lunch was enjoyed with one of the Moulin de l’Horizon wines.

Seeking more knowledge, we then headed off to Chateau Targe for more education. Another nine wines, some from Chinon appellation next door, which we preferred.

Dinner was at Le Cellier, a small 40 seat, curbside bistrot with a limited but excellent menu. We had a reservation, luckily, as it was fully booked. Entrée of pickled nectarine and mains of duck Margaret and a bouef for Flashy, followed by Chinon Cabernet Franc was also excellent.

Saturday 3 August 2024

Saturday is market day in Saumur and we walked about the old town looking at all the wonderful food, clothing and bric a brac, All the market food made the team peckish, so, a creperie was found, and a seat secured. We settled in for a crepe and a lunch cocktail in  the old part of town. 

Walking past an arty shop, we discovered it offered free tasting of a local Louis De Grenelle Crémant. More education of course and a bottle of their rare Chardonnay Crémant purchased at the end. Not much Chardonnay grown here. Good enough to purchase a bottle for later though.

Lady P and Joanne decided to walk up the hill to the castle. As Flashy doesn’t do hills of any sort, he retired to a bar for a sit down and a glass of red, which is where they found him half an hour later.

Sunday 4 August 2024

We returned to LPR today, via another castle. This one had a moat with water in it, apparently. Flashy didn’t actually get to go, because the car wouldn’t lock. According to Joanne, the second key was somewhere in the car. Either we emptied all the luggage and replaced it one by one to find out where the second key was hidden, or Flashy stayed with the car while the others went for a look. 

We have this little box of spices which we have been carting about and using. This little box was in the bottom of Lady P’s black overnight bag. In this box, in this bag, was the second car key, discovered on our return to LPR for the night. Some in the party took to the swimming pool and cold beers, while Flashy marinated the Greek lamb, lemony potatoes, tzatziki and such for dinner. “Where’s Flashy,” Johnny said? “Where he belongs!” was the reply. At least he brought him a beer.

Monday 5 August 2024

The drive to Bordeaux along the A10 was pleasant and quick and we arrived at our three bedroom apartment to meet the host by mid day. We are on the tram line into town and that’s where we went. Along the river bank, played in the reflection pool and found a bar for spritz’s, oysters, sardines and calamari tapas. 

Jo and Flashy caught a tram to Citie du Vin, a wonderful glass building/musee and had the sensory degustation experience. This was a very well presented tasting based on the senses around the four seasons, starting with a spring Prosecco, listening to the bubbles. Next was a summer Rose from Provence, where the sense was sight. A pale pink wine of excellent heritage. Moving on to the smell and autumn, we were presented with a deep purple red. Flashy correctly guessed that it was an Australian wine. Hints of oak and chocolate; berry driven but not powerful; a well made, smooth little number. A WA ‘Bordeaux blend’, perhaps? We were blown away when the sommelier revealed it was a Barossa Shiraz! This is where the modern young guns of winemaking are taking their wines – more ‘drinkable’ to the millennials, so it seems. Bloody good wine, though. Lastly, to winter. Ah, here we go. Looks like a Barsac. Indeed, it was a Sauterne of good quality and the sense was taste. 

So, we had done sound, sight, smell and taste. Had wines from Italy, Australia and France. Been entranced by the fit out, AV and smells of each ‘pod’ and the laid back, professional presentation of the sommelier, who incidentally, had lived in Melbourne for a year.

A little boat ride back to town along the river and to the roof top bar at the Intercontinental Hotel, overlooking l’Entrocote, the famous ‘we don’t take reservations’ restaurant, only selling steak and frites. 

Plan A was to observe the hundreds lining up along the footpath, desperate to get in, an hour before opening and swoop when the line was only ten to twenty long. This would only leave us in the hot sun standing around to get in, for, say and hour max!

Lady P arrives to join us and we count 150 people go in for the first sitting. The line is now about 50 pax long and by the time we get to the hot footpath we are about the 100^th in line. Flashy gives Joanne his hat and disappears to nearby shade. Taking pity, the ladies execute plan B. We walk to the old town, barge in front to two twenty-somethings trying to jump a queue and secure a seat upstairs, under fan at le Cote du Bouef, where we had our steak and a St Emilion grand cru. An icecream on the way to the tram and home to our apartment.