Sorry for the lack in updates recently. I really have no other excuse than exhaustion from work, well, and maybe a little lazziness in between.
Last week was a very productive and eventful week as all decuvages were completed, and my parents came and went in a flash, and I attended the Confrerie des Chevaliers Chapitre dinner at the Clos de Vougeot.
So to start, I will fill you in on what a decuvage is by showing you some pictures..
First, we drain the tank of the fermented juice (red wine!) and pump it into a stainless steel tank for storage until Jean-Luc has time to move it into barrels with gravity flow. (SORRY, NOT PICTURED) And then the fun starts! A brave soul, such as myself, jumps into the tank of grape skins and seeds, shuvel in hand, and begins the decuvage. Shove-full by shovel-full, the grape remnants are tossed over the side of the tank and into the recieving cage.
As shown above in the picture, Mariette excellently shovels out her first (but not last!) tank.
After the cage is filled, it is carried over by the fork-lift, inserted into the Vertical Press machine and WAMO!
The fermented grape skins are pressed down into a thick dry cake as the lovely juice runs free and joins its juice counterparts in the steel tank.
So this physical activity was my work regime for the last two weeks, and now that we have 31 empty wooden tanks lying around, what better idea is there than to clean them all this week!?
So long story short, the red stains on my hands are washing off nicely as I scrub down these wooden surfaces with hot water, and then alcohol.
No complaints here though! Most 1.5 hour lunches include a nice glass of wine from the cellar :)
Now, back to the parental visit of last week.
My parents in front of the Palais des Ducs in Dijon
With strikes and manifests going on all around France over the pushed-back retirement age (60 to 62), my parents had an unfortunate encouter with the dissatisfied workers of this country. While they had a pleasant visit here in Paris and Dijon, they missed their flight home due to the train strikes and had to sleep in the Paris airport :( I am really sorry for their misfortunate event, and hope that this doesn't keep them from venturing to this country again. As my coworkers reminded me during our long and tiring day of work, not ALL French people are striking... exactly, just the people whom everyone else depends upon... train, bus, airlines, gasoline! But I guess wine is the more important item in this country anyways...
And to celebrate this fact! I attended the Confrerie des Chevaliers dinner two Saturday's ago!
Here at the Clos de Vougeot, this brotherhood of wine lovers in Burgundy served up a delicious 8 course meal for the brothers, their wives, and selected guests. During this 4-hour meal, songs, plays, and speeches were carried out, and everyone was waving their hands in the air to the Burgundy "lala lala lalala LA la" song in the end (for the 10th round).
It was definitely a night to remember, and thanks to my handy-camera, and my escortee for the evening, Pascal, I was able to capture some of the moments!
Caroline and I in the courtyard of the Clos de Vougeot during the dinner
Louis-Marc giving a speech on the mainstage where various speechs and acts were given throughout the dinner
Rob Keeney singing along with the other Confrerie men dressed as traditional Burgundian winemakers (Bourgogne vignerons)
Caroline, Rob, and Marcie swaying and singing to one of the many Confrerie songs of the night
And it wouldn't be right if I didn't show you at least one course of the dinner. This was poached eggs and bacon served in a Burgundy wine sauce over bruscetta. Yum!
Cheers!
