When I started to develop an interest in wine, Puligny Montrachet was one of the first wines that captivated me. I say a wine, it’s a village that makes wine in the centre of other villages, also making world renowned wines, like St Aubin, Volnay, Meursault, and Chassagne Montrachet. I’ve visited most of the world wine hot spots but, never this one. It wasn’t difficult to twist Angelka’s arm even though we were both underwhelmed driving towards the area. However, think Cotswold villages, all with a lick of paint, open vineyards, single lane roads populated by weird looking tractors that can go above the vines, within the lines. It’s magical as it’s like reading a fine wine list as it comes alive before you. It’s a beautiful day, everywhere is verdant and bright. We’ve had a tasting arranged at Domaine Roux in St Aubin. Roux and Fils, there are three sons, are the family who have worked the vineyard for nearly a century. In the village, they’ve played Monopoly and acquired the whole street! Regis, son #2, shows us around, explains Premier Cru, pointing out small parcels of vines dotted all over the surrounding countryside, and let’s us taste 6 wines. That’s his picture, with me, at the top of this page. A lot of Puligny Montrachet wines are Chardonnay but, you would not know it as it’s delicate and elegant, not very alcoholic. Their reds are predominantly Pinot Noir, however, they have so much more structure, colour and depth than new world Pinots. It’s such a pleasure to rediscover my Francophile wine palette!
Meandering around the lanes, while marvelling that a village of less than 100 houses can be so well known around the world! Beane is the biggest local town and it’s, again, very Cotswold and with interest around every corner. We pop back for al fresco dinner in Puligny Montrachet, there’s a music”fetes” in the village square, while we drink delicious glasses of Puligny Montrachet, in Puligny Montrachet, at, probably, the most exclusive wine bar in the Vinicius world. What a day?!