It’s Serious…this Wine Tasting !

So, having got to Fleurie’, in the rain…I settled down to an afternoons nap, and waited for the rain to clear, which it had done by early evening.

So,it was then to some hard ‘business’- wine tasting at the local ‘Cave’,http://www.cavefleurie.com/en/#/Accueil  the official wine co-operative for the area..

I got my list from them, picked out what I may like, and then settled in to ‘taste’ 6 differing wines, quite pleasant, and at no cost…I said I’d see them Saturday,and left !

Then I had a quick walk around the village, dropping into another ‘Cave’ to taste some more wine, and continued on my travels..

I then returned to the campsite, had a shower, and clean up, changing into lovely clean clothes, and back to the village to one of the two restaurants there, and had a wonderful meal of snails (swimming in garlic etc- no kissing tonight !),peppered steak, nougat glace’,all washed down with more wine !,and back for an early’ish night.

On Friday, I was up and about early to visit the Baker,who came to the campsite for pain au chocolat, and a Baguette for later…which were enjoyed with fresh orange and coffee..

I then set off to try and get to one of the local producers,http://www.bigredwine.co.uk/PP/Madone/Madone.asp  intent on sampling more wine, and ordering some to take home- I found the right one…but no one was at home, I’d have to try later. Then it was up to the top of the village, to the Chapel of ‘La Madonna’ ,looking down on all the vines growing below,and around, a favoured spot of Susan’s.

Then it was back to the campsite,resting before more wine tasting later..

I did intend getting the wine on the Saturday morning, as I left, but decided during Friday afternoon that I should go out in ‘Wally’,fill her up, and be ready for an early start the next day, and so back up the hill to Domaine De La Madone, where fortunately someone was in, I had a ‘small’tasting (I was driving after all!) and purchased some cases of deliciously tasting Domaine Du Niagara http://www.domaine-de-la-madone.com/domaine-niagara.php wine…ready to drink in 3 years !

Then it was back to the Cave in the village,the Cave Des Producteurs http://www.cavefleurie.com/en/#/Accueil …basically the wine supermarket, where I’d sampled lots the night before, and purchased a quantity !..the man who’d given me all the samples the night before was happy to give me several bottles free,a gift, and discount !

All the wine was from a ‘special’ year?.…a prize to the first one to guess the correct year (or how much wine was purchased!)?

So, it was back to the campsite, work out how to sleep when ‘Wally’’s full of wine , and after showering and changing (raining again, and very humid), back to the same restaurant in the village for my final meal in Fleurie,sheltering from the heavy downpours of rain, whilst eating frogs legs ! –another meal heavy on garlic (no kissing again !) ready for an early drive up towards Calais on Saturday.