St Emillion
It's been an incredibly long day today due to being woken at 3:45 am by an insistent solicitor from Auckland ringing me on my cellphone - didn't pick up as I recognised the number, so he tried again a few times... then the most incredible thunderstorm boomed around the old town here! I have to say that Europe is pretty good at lots of things, and thunderstorms is one of them.
Then of course I lay in bed and worried about whether we would be cycling in the rain today. And what I should wear. And what I should take.
But the deluge (because it was) had stopped by 8:30 when I meandered to the Rustic Vine office. (Yes, I can meander - actually I leave super early in case I get lost, hence the Starbucks Coffee break).
Rustic Vines is a tour company which combines a love for wine with cycling, and makes the cycling more accessible to a larger demographic by providing e-bikes. (Ohhh they can get up to a good speed). Owner is a Kiwi. We. Are. Everywhere.
Group was two Canadians ("I do find that the French just don't try to speak English, it makes travelling here so difficult.."), two Americans, a young couple from Wales who travel the world being inflluencers ("we don't really like the word, we are more 'content providers'"). A merry little group. And a Genuine French Guide (from London).
We raced around the lanes in St Emillion (me in my denim shorts, the Influencer in a beautiful flowing terracotta jumpsuit, curlery and a pearl barette).
We stopped at two different Chateau for fulsome explanations of wine production, and fulsome wine tasting. Complete with a picnic lunch of finger food - saucison, ham, bread and delicious cheeses. And more wine - an integral part of ebiking it turns out.
The second Chateau was a grand affair with the 'Grand Cru' words on the label. Happy to pass on my superior knowledge of wine grading when you are ready with a glass of St Emillion wine in your hand.
And finally a wander around the old town itself. Decided to not come back to Bordeaux for the night and booked into the exclusive hotel there. No I didn't, rooms were 495 euro each. And bottles of wine sold for up to 2000 euro *sigh*.
We did wander into the monastery and little church though - which actually gets my vote for the cutest church so far, and god knows, I like a good church.
Oh, and check this out - it was the village's washing machine - kneeling pads for scrubbing, and spring water rinsing through the pond. Would have been social too.
Then of course I lay in bed and worried about whether we would be cycling in the rain today. And what I should wear. And what I should take.
But the deluge (because it was) had stopped by 8:30 when I meandered to the Rustic Vine office. (Yes, I can meander - actually I leave super early in case I get lost, hence the Starbucks Coffee break).
Rustic Vines is a tour company which combines a love for wine with cycling, and makes the cycling more accessible to a larger demographic by providing e-bikes. (Ohhh they can get up to a good speed). Owner is a Kiwi. We. Are. Everywhere.
Group was two Canadians ("I do find that the French just don't try to speak English, it makes travelling here so difficult.."), two Americans, a young couple from Wales who travel the world being inflluencers ("we don't really like the word, we are more 'content providers'"). A merry little group. And a Genuine French Guide (from London).
We raced around the lanes in St Emillion (me in my denim shorts, the Influencer in a beautiful flowing terracotta jumpsuit, curlery and a pearl barette).
We stopped at two different Chateau for fulsome explanations of wine production, and fulsome wine tasting. Complete with a picnic lunch of finger food - saucison, ham, bread and delicious cheeses. And more wine - an integral part of ebiking it turns out.
The second Chateau was a grand affair with the 'Grand Cru' words on the label. Happy to pass on my superior knowledge of wine grading when you are ready with a glass of St Emillion wine in your hand.
And finally a wander around the old town itself. Decided to not come back to Bordeaux for the night and booked into the exclusive hotel there. No I didn't, rooms were 495 euro each. And bottles of wine sold for up to 2000 euro *sigh*.
We did wander into the monastery and little church though - which actually gets my vote for the cutest church so far, and god knows, I like a good church.
Oh, and check this out - it was the village's washing machine - kneeling pads for scrubbing, and spring water rinsing through the pond. Would have been social too.
Agree with your comment regarding e-bikes and wine tasting. Arrowtown through Gibbston Valley is one recommendation slightly closer to home.
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