Blissful Burgundy

Do you remember the ‘escargot’ scene from Pretty Woman?  You the one…snail goes shooting across the room after Julia Roberts tries to pinch her escargot with that crazy little fork-like tweezer tool?  That was almost me last nite!  Well, not quite…but it was all I could think about as my husband watched me wolf down a huge plate of snails.  Seriously, it was the most amazing plate of escargot I have ever had.  Each little shell stuffed with as much pesto garlic, butter and white wine as they could hold (along with the snail).  I have had a couple of plates of escargot since our arrival last Friday, but this one takes the cake!  I think I may be recovering from a snail hangover this morning.  The garlic may never leave my body!
Well, not such a bad day yesterday overall.  Besides our ridiculous dinner of (the snails), Filet, Sweetbreads, Pork Terrine, Baby Pork Loin, Cassoulet, and a small plate of Petit Fours – all at a gorgeous little restaurant called:  Le Montrachet, set in the village of Puligny-Montrachet, I have more to tell…
This all came after an incredible day of drinking over 100 producers of Côte de Nuits wine.  From wines of Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Morey-Saint-Denis, Gevrey-Chambertin, Marsannay, to the remarkable wines of the Clos de Vougeot and Vosne-Romanée Appellations.  These are why I am a true Pinot-Phile!
I had to pinch myself at one point during the day, as my husband and I stood inside of Chateau du Clos de Vougeot drinking and thinking “I’m not sure I can taste any more Grand Crus!”  If there was an overdosing of Grand Cru Pinot Noir all in one room, it definitely happened yesterday.  This is truly the way to experience Beaune.  With all of these teeny, tiny producers (some of them never ever sending their wines to the U.S.) in one room – the world was my oyster (or should I say, snail)!  From the Grand Crus of Echezeaux, Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Clos de Vougeot, Grands Eschezeaux, Richebourg, to Romanée-Conti – my palate was in heaven.
I rarely every tell clients my favorite grape, knowing that the grape I really love seems to be everyone’s these days, also never wanting to veer anyone any which direction – but my love is Pinot Noir.  From my days at Archery Summit in Oregon to the secret love that I have for Kosta Browne Winery in Sonoma – these are wines from the U.S. that I adore.  But…but, but, but….these are really hard to compare to anything you can have from the Côte du Nuits.  Here it is:  Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove.  Power, yet femininity.  Strength with a compassionate edge.  Minerality, meat, game, earth, element yet velvet, rose petal, violets, lush raspberry, strawberry leaf, to a rich soft mouth-feel that one has to feel in order to explain it.  Magnificent!
It was more than I deserve, all these beautiful Pinots in one room.  And, to top it off – I saw two old pals in the midst of the tasting room – one straight from Domaine Drouhin, Oregon and the other, Ms. Véronique Drouhin of Maison Drouhin.  Both women that I met while living/working in the Willamette Valley, Oregon.  And, was such a pleasant surprise to see Ms. Drouhin on her home soil, speaking of her wines from these regions.  What a delight!
Well, today we are off to taste – Mâconnais.  Another 3 rooms filled with more amazing wines with brilliant winemakers to meet, poor me!  Stay tuned, I’ll write more tomorrow.