Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Saturday 7 June 2014

Château d'Aulée: Pique-Nique chez le Vigneron Indépendant

Intense, Appellation Touraine (80% Chenin, 20% Chardonnay)

 Some of the assembled picnickers 

Marielle Henrion, the owner, running a quiz

Château d'Aulée

Today we were@Château d'Aulée for a Pique-Nique chez le Vigneron Indépendant, one of many picnics taking place over this holiday weekend. We were here two years ago and there was a bigger crowd this time – it has obviously become of popular event. Also some of the picnics are more ambitious – there was a large group (some from Paris) who grilled a côte de boeuf.

We drank the agreeably fruity Touraine sparkler – Intense – and then moved onto the soft, easy drinking 2012 Chinon from sandy soils.

Picnic over we bought fresh supplies of the Brut Zéro, Crémant de Loire (7.50€ a bottle) plus some of the Chinon (Le Château Rouge – 5.50€ a bottle).



 Undercover as the weather is a little uncertain this weekend
Fortunately mainly hot and sunny as the 
flowering is now getting underway

 Upholding the hallowed tradition: 
the blokes looked after the barbecue 

 Trying to encourage enough heat to cook the côte de boeuf


Properly rare beef

 2012 Le Château, Chinon


 
   

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