Pootling down the Voie des Vignes

We did not get up especially early, there was no need as we were on holiday, and although the body clock of the working adult kicked in at the expected time we were able to loaf about for a bit. A leisurely breakfast in town and then we walked to the car with what we needed for the day out. Mostly what we needed was in the car, namely our two bicycles. Whereas last time I had brought Mrs L's little fold-up bike, this time we had both brought the real thing. How would we get wine in the car as well? I admit this was troubling me a little but it is a big car and I figured that I could make something work.

We set off around the ringroad and missed our turn immediately. Retracing our steps we found the correct road out and were soon headed into the vines. Unlike November 2021 when it had just been me and the vineyard workers, this visit was in prime season and we were far from alone. Nonetheless it was extremely satisfying to be out and about in the fresh air, amongst familiar fields laden with history. Indeed personal history, I've had many bottles from these specific plots and it is somehow very interesting (to me and me only) that the liquid in my glass came specifically from here.

As I doubtless mentioned five years ago the order of villages south from Beaune is Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Puligny, Chassagne and Santenay. Off to one side, and where better value is to be found, lie, in order, Monthelie, Auxey-Duresses, and Saint Aubin. White wine covers most of the production in all the villages except Pommard and Volnay which are exclusively red. Puligny I think is exclusively white, Meursault virtually all white, but Chassagne and the other villages have a little more red. Red Chassagne can be fabulous, and as the village is so associated with chardonnay can often be a steal (a relative steal) as drinkers and collectors mostly don't know about it.

Despite the heat rising extremely quickly we had a very pleasant ride along the Voie de Vignes. I birded it the whole way, with highlights being Melodious Warbler near the Beaune Tuvilains vineyard and a Hoopoe in Beaune itself. Les Rugiens-bas at Pommard had Cirl Bunting and Black Redstart, both of which were also present around Meursault. 

We glided into Puligny for a late lunch at Maison Olivier Leflaive. The eponymous and debonaire Olivier, now in his 80s, was doing the rounds at the tables. I had missed him in 2021, but was pleased to be able to have a brief conversation, despite being a bit hot and bothered vs his lovely pressed linen - here is a man who knows how to dress in the heat. Mrs L and I have been drinking his wine for what feels like forever so to meet the man who created the Domaine all those years ago after the split was really nice. We drank Lamy with the meal though!

Our afternoon visit was with Ponsard-Chevalier in Santenay. To be honest the very last thing I wanted to do was to leave the cool restaurant and head back into the searing heat, but I got my water bottle filled and off we went. It didn't take too long, and the lovely Coralie was there to meet us in her equally cool tasting room. This was a tip from a buddy of mine called Neil and a very good one it was too - the wines are delicious and very fairly priced. Because they are at the very end of the Côte their holdings are in unfashionable villages like Santenay and Maranges which is good for your wallet. We tasted through the range and placed an order for a fair few that I would subsequently go and collect the following morning in the car. Their white Santenay, Les Daumelles, was particularly good I thought, and I liked the red Cornieres so much I bought a magnum.

Coralie felt so sorry for us having to cycle all the way back to Beaune without a hat that she gave me a cap with a fertliser brand on the brim. My goodness it was hot. We made it back as far as Puligny before deciding we needed a break. Where better than than the Cave de Puligny, a place I'd dropped in at on the last trip. We spent the rest of the afternoon here sampling a few glasses in the cool interior before rousing ourselves for the final leg to Beaune. This last stretch was extremely pleasant, the heat of the day had passed and the large groups of tourists had all gone. We largely had the vineyards to ourselves.

Despite having had a pretty wholesome lunch we decided we were also in the mood for dinner and took a late table at the Relais des Saulx in Beaune. This was fantastic, a small cozy restaurant run by Agnès at front of house and Charles in the kitchen. It was also fully booked but one small table had already become free and they were happy to fit us in. Turns out they knew Andrew and Emma at Le Grappin, our planned visit in the morning, and also introduced us to a new producer called Domaine Chanterêves based in Savigny - another new wave winemaker, I think hailing from Japan. Great food and a great bottle too. I remember sleeping quite well.