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