Meandering along the Route des Grand Crus. Wednesday 8th July 2009.

We were easy on ourselves today. We slothed a little, well, alot actually. It was nice.

As the afternoon sun became soft, spreading its warm light across the landscape, JR and I headed along the Route des Grand Crus. He turned to me in the car and asked, "Do you want a surprise?" Well, what girl doesn't like surprises? "If you could have just one thing in the world right now what would it be?" he asked. "Chocolate" was my quick reply, that answer was easy. He put a Bouchee chocolate in the palm of my hand and smiled. "I knew you would say chocolate" he said. I hope I am not that predictable in every facet of my life!




We took the main road until the turn off to Couchey. The village streets were quiet except for a lady on her way home with a golden baguette tucked under her arm. Baguettes are surely this seasons fashion accesory, I had to have one. Mine was flecked with seeds and lightly dusted in flour and would be a great addition to tonights relaxed dinner of whatever was in the fridge.

The sun was still above the hill that is the backdrop to the vineyards of the Route des Grand Cru. While it peeked over the hill, its rays touched the tendrils that reached skyward and danced in the breeze. The new season's grapes were still secreted away under the lowermost leaves on the vines, much like a mother penguin protects her chick from the elements.

We stopped the car at every postcard moment. The old gates to the vineyards that have been here for so long, stood like gateways to paradise. The name of the vineyard was sometimes stamped into the aged stone and sometimes it was forged in metal that joined one pillar to the other. These old gates are one of my favourite things about Burgundy - and the food (escargots, fromage), and the wine (soft Burgundy reds), and the people...