Fete St. Vincent in Chablis

    This past weekend was spent in the rolling hills of Chablis, which constitutes the northern area of Burgundy. Saint Vincent is the patron saint of vintners.  Along with blessings of the vines and special messes, it is also just another excuse to to have a decadent orgie of wine tasting of the region's wine.  Just slightly east of Auxerre, the communes of Chablis abound with vines of Chardonnay grapes.Of course at this time of the year the vines are pruned back to black stubbles ,resting their energies for the spring of 2006.
                                The little village of Lignorelles was gayly decorated with multi colored paper flowers hanging everywhere. Smells of boudin, andouilletes and escargots a la bourguion wafed through the frigid air, well below freezing.  Throngs of red nose and very red cheeks wine drinkers plundered and waddled along the tiny streets, most with their degustation glass dangling from their neck.  Chablis everywhere! Pale liquid sunshine , hinting of white flowers as you poked your nose deep into the glass, glided down easily. I love Chablis for fresh fruitiness of the Chardonnay grapes.  Most Chablis in France is not oaked, thank goodness.  Oaking which is way overdone in California masks the true fruit of the grape, which can be a means of doctoring up mediocre wine. 
                             Aimee;s friend Cyril has 2 uncles who are vintners in Chablis.  One Jacques, invited us to lunch saturday, and the other Sylvan Moissnier showed us around his cave Sunday.  It was a real treat to taste the new chablis 2005, drown from the cuve, still aging its way along to being a completed chablis.  Busting with freshness and floral notes, it still was in the process of clarification.  A baby Chablis, not ready to be born, but much promise for the 2005 vintage!!