09h00 – No campers, no Calico again this morning, sunny and hot already, P’s gone for a long run. Calico arrived while I was writing this I got her food immediately but she disappeared again despite being called. We need some basics shopping and things for the garden so a trip out is on the cards.
Grass snake - Natrix natrix
11h00 – Verogica are coming here this morning to use the Wi-Fi. Went into the living room and there was a snake on the carpet, first one I’ve seen for a long time. It was not moving and appeared to be dead, but I was not sure. I have identified it as a grass-snake so took some photos and left it on the window-cill. There appeared to be some blood coming from somewhere so that’s why I suspected a cat had found it. Its head did move and tongue came out when touched but I thought this may be a nerve thing on a recently killed, by a cat – young inexperienced cat, animal. Did some more checking on the web, went back downstairs and it had gone, either by itself or by cat – don’t know. See Wikipedia.
12h00 – Verogica arrived in the form of Veronica, Roger, Frances, Catherine and Harry. Roger said the snake was definitely a grass snake, Catherine was given the full if quick tour of house and garden whist Veronica used the WiFi. Veronica said that her and Catherine were off to the east to buy wine and would we like to go with them, we accepted as P would not have to drive. So after lunch we drove over to Verogica’s and off we went heading eastwards to The Yonne river and the home of the Chardonnay grape, Chablis being the most notable. French chardonnay is the real stuff, it’s crisp and clean unlike the sweet southern hemisphere wines.
19h30 – Back home with replenishments for ‘the cave‘, just over 60 bottles in total, not a Chardonnay amonst them, hmmmm.
- From Felix et Fils at Saint Bris some Saint Bris AOC (Sauvignon) 12 and some Aligote 12 plus 2 bottles of Ratafia and 2 of Rose Cremant de Bourgogne.
- From Colinot at Irancy some Irancy Pallote 6 and some Rose 6.
- From Christophe Auguste at Coulanges, some Coulanges ordinaire 12 and some fut de chêne 12. Coulanges does not yet have its own AOC.
It was my first visit to Felix and I was quite impressed we had heard about their wines a number of times. We were given and free bottle at the end also.
I did not like the taste of the first 2 samples at Irancy I got a sulphur dioxide taste, mind you I’m no expert. I only bought 6 bottles of their better known wine and 6 of the Rose as both Veronica and Cathereine said it was fine. They reputably had Marc made in a lambique as well but they could not find a bottle.
Christophe seemed under pressure or he had done too much tasting, anyway he was not at his best so it was a quick tasting. However his mood did not affect his wine. I first tasted his wine in La Damoiselle at Saint Fargeau and it was better (in my opinion) than any of the Coulanges we had here at the time.
