September

Into every vineyard a little rain must fall…. So on a saturday morning, with there being little work on the Hill, I trekked up to the Hautes Côtes de Nuits to see a photographic exhibition at Villars-Fontaines. The good thing was that I found the Auberge de Côteau and was able to book a table for that night before the crowds descended. Just the place for a meal out, on an autumnal evening especially, but fine in summer too I’d guess. A grillade and proud of it with a log fire and wine list not dressing to impress but good value.
NB I am not a restaurant critic, or an art critic come to that…
The exhibition certainly brightened up the streets and the subjects, the great and good of the area, may well like their portraits. Anne-Claude Leflaive looked fine but poor Christophe Roumier sported a black eye…
The vivid colours reminded me of the work of an artist who painted huge chunks of cork oak in the colours, that to him, represented the flavours of a particular producers wine. Not content with selling these pieces to the winemakers concerned, he then published them all in a book of hernia inducing proportions. Mine of course will not be as big, or as expensive. But as impressive as befits a site containing so many Grands Crus!