Friday, March 02, 2012

Visit to Chateau Pommard, France

it was an early cold morning.....we woke up for an important visit
Chateau de Pommard

the largest privately owned vineyard by a single owner
it's not big, only 20 hectares but considered extremely giant for a private estate
well just try to imagine the amount of $$$$$ needed to own and run this place
in the name of PASSION~~~~
another lil gate leading to the herbs garden
they have got such beautiful garden but Monkey was in cold to venture more than 2 metres away.....
brrrrrRRRrrrrrrrrr~~~~~~
Monkey & David
David is like the sweetest chauffeur around
JS hired him a couple of days in Beaune

He is a wine enthusiast, having worked inside this very castle of Chateau de Pommard a few years ago
before starting his own tourism business of chauffeuring merchants and ppl in this industry
as a true Burgundian boy, his knowledge is so vast, u could practically ask him anything
most important point was...HE SPEAKS PERFECT ENGLISH
HO HO HO HO HO HO

David has got such a good sense of humour and shared his life experience in this wine industry
of weird unique uncanny clients and really important clients flown in their private jet

hahaha well we are just Monkey & Long Faced JS
with bottomless stomachs and love for photography
David almost stopped his limo every 5 metres for us to snap pics.

"Stop stop stop!!! here...."
click click click
hopped into the car....the car moved a few metres....
"stop stop stop...here here now!!!!"
this continued for the whole day the freaking whole week
he must have wondered why did we even needed a chauffeur when we could just rent 2 bicycles and cycle around the area :P
upon entering the courtyard of Pommard Castle...
it's so beautiful!!!!!

David the Chauffeur then pointed to the huge naked 17 feet bronze statue
"That's me....David.....Michaelangelo commissioned me to pose naked for this project"
(--__--")
and well that gal in red with a RED ball is me
my thigh gonna turn "thunder thigh" at the rate I'm eating
the entrance for guests and tourists like us :P
at the main building
while waiting for the PR Director to welcome us.....David brought us around *like his home*
hahahahhaha
the above pic was the old kitchen now turned exhibition/museum piece for visitors
dated back to the 17th century at the Chateau's castle
JS was drooling at all the copper pots
of all sizes and functionalites
from wide pans to deep pots
containers and ladles

currently he only owns a few pieces at home
so this place has inspired him to have MORE
oh gawd...I sense more copper junks coming our way

just like how he sensed my new handbags chugging its way into our wardrobe
and now it is INFESTED he said......with all my leather bags...
-_- it's not an infestation OK!!!! it's just err....hmm....invasion into ur territory?
now JS has got only 30% space inside the walk-in wardrobe :P
*I know u still love me kan??? :)))*
then we were introduced to its terroir
its land were of limestone and clay formed during the Jurassic period
each plot were of different composition and give its grapes different characteristics
hence the winemaker makes the wine differently from different plot of land

Pinot Noir grapes get is characteristics from its soil
it draws the mineral from the land
we were then shown part of its vineyard
the vines were so old....
growing grapes are painful
coz they said 70% of the work were on the vines out there
while 30% is on the making, blending, aging the wines

I guess at each visits, we came back with new knowledge
but with GREAT APPRECIATION of all
:)))))))))))))))
the center courtyard was beautiful with display of really old wine barrels
well, they are definitely older than me

but the centre piece has got to be the "HORSE" done by the famous artist Salvador Dali
*remember the flamboyant artist with the quirky moustache?*
there's only 5 pieces in the world.
then we walked the kilometres of cellar underground
when the door was opened...the smell of....WAHHHHHHHH
Happy days are here again!!!!
it's not the smell of wines but its casks...the barrels...
it has such earthy and woody nose that makes u wanna open every single bottle in here
hahahaha...
while walking in the dark we bumped into the Master Blender = Mr. Sala
he was busy tasting *notice his glass??*
wat an amazing job :))))))))))
then later at 10.30am....we had tastings
when u are enjoying good wines...there's no boundary of time
because it's alwiz "evening" somewhere else around the world
:))))))))))))
Chateau de Pommard also invented this bottle neck
to avoid spill
u can reserve a table and dine here
with a beautiful view overlooking the wineries
This one is for Berr :)))))
More art pieces at the chateau
:))))))))))))
they are Picassos....
For more information:
www.chateaudepommard.com

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