Au Revoir!

After our Fourth of July festivities, our itinerary for the last (sigh) full day on the barge

 

 

 

Noting that four of the five activities involved food and wine, we spent a lovely morning cruising the canal

Past lovely French countryside scenes

we went through several locks while being observed by the friendly lockmasters and family

MFO and I stayed aboard today and somehow it was soon time for lunch

 (Salade Caprese)

 

After a little rest we boarded the little bus and headed for the town of Chablis, the center of the Burgundian wine region of the same name.

And perhaps this is the appropriate place for a little discussion about Chablis. The region where Chablis is produced (exclusively from the Chardonnay grape) is the northern most region of Burgundy.  Reflecting the flinty soil and cool conditions, it exhibits an austere steely, dry character, and is very age worthy.  Those traits are very hard if not impossible to produce in North America, and the name Chablis has been abused to the point where it has come to mean a dry white wine of: “uncertain provenance and no specific grape variety bearing no resemblance other than its color to true Chablis (Jancis Robinson)”.  A true French Chablis can be a great wine and is much underappreciated in the New World..  There are four levels of Chablis, beginning with the lower quality "Petit Chablis", then "Chablis",  on up to "Premier Cru" and the top level of "Grand Cru".  The terminology for the two highest designations is used throughout Burgundy for both reds and whites.  It is always confusing (to me) as to the relative rank of 1^er and Grand Cru, and I have resorted to remembering that they follow alphabetical order with the top rank of “Grand” being above the second class of "Premier".  A tip from the Feeder!!  The various vineyards carry those designations, and many are very small.  There are only seven Grand Cru Vineyards, with a total about 100 Hectares.. 

Anyway we bussed to the town of Chablis which is surrounded by vineyards and our guide (Matthew!) knew of a little road that led to a hillside view of the Grand Cru Vineyards.

There could be several owners with just a few hectares of the Grand Cru designation.  After learning about the viticulture of the grapes and wine production (like most vines in France they are grafted on Phylloxera resistant American rootstock), we went down into town to Domain Servin, a producer of quality Chablis.  We were hosted by the (Aussie!!) winemaker Marc Cameron

who gave us a tour of the facility, and eventually to their cellars where we barrel tasted several of the their wines before adjourning to the real tasting room where we sampled several of their other vintages and various grades of wine.  A very enjoyable afternoon.

After getting back to the barge we rested, and then cocktail hour before sitting down to our final dinner aboard, the so called “Captain’s Dinner”.  Each traveler had their place marked by a little envelope containing the weeks wine and cheese list along with the menu for each evening meal (more later). 

Note the evening’s napkin fold of a tux shirt (we were DFD but not to that level!).  For the special evening the chef pulled out the stops and the menu was

Foie Gras et Figues Fraiches

Vinegrette de Balsamic

 

(the Foie Gras!)

 

Soupe aux Poireaux

Champagne

Filet de Boeuf

Grattin Dauphinois

Sauce Pommery 

Fromages (Aboncance; Brie de Meaux; Roquefort) 

Tarte Tatin Pomme – Pistache

Glace Vanille

 

Vin Blanc: Meursault-Charmes 1er Cru 2005;

Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2008

Vin Rouge: Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2005

 

A fitting meal indeed, and we concluded with a toast to/with the crew, of what else… Champagne

We retired after another satisfying day (and after dinner libations) quite full and happy.  Of course the next morning arrived with the harsh reality facing us that it was over with only a little reminder of what we were leaving behind

Bags were then loaded into the little bus and we headed for Paris and airports with a final wave to the crew

So there you have our journey. It will remain with us for a long time.  And the last (finally!) France entry will recap my food and wine impressions..

DFD