Beau Soleil Blues: Friday, September 13th!

 In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations. -Iroquois Nation Maxim  

Up at 8:30 am to a lovely, sunny quiet morning, just the odd bit of bird song and the occasional faint sound of children's' laughter from the school playground up the hill, immediately behind our house. (One can just see the top of the louvered windows above the wall of the  enclosed balcony off the upstairs bathroom.) At one point we thought that we might drive to Carcassonne today but upon further reflection decided that Monday would probably be a better choice. When we do make the day trip want to be on the road reasonably early as drive will take about an hour and a half. We prefer to take the less well travelled roads so that we can see more of the country-side but this will mean slower going of course. 

Jamie came upstairs about 10:00ish and after he'd done his stretches we chatted until noon. Time just flew by. He then went back downstairs for a quick shower while I fried up the kidneys. (I'd already sliced them thinly and had them soaking in a bowl of cold water, as per  Yannick's instructions. Had sautéed oniones with kartofellage earlier, ready to add to sizzling meat just before serving. We relished the delicious melange and it was close to 2:00 pm by the time our late lunch was over. Jamie made a "quick" call to Lady Patrizzia while I did the washing up. I returned to living room to claim my computer and Sir James, Intrepid Explorer and Buffone Straordinario, set out to scope the byways of Neffiès. When he was back, (I actually wonderede, Dear Reader, if he would ever return as I thought that he may well have had ideas of hooking up with antipodean grape pickers, if he could ver find them!), we planned to take a drive. I wanted to show him some of the surrounding countryside and neighbouring villages. 

Around 3:30 pm we drove north out of Neffiès, up and over Mont neffiès, through Cabrières, Clermont-l'Hérault, Nébian, Paulhan, and Lézignan. Turning back here to Caux, Nizas, Fontes, Adissan, Aspiran, Lieuran-Cabrières, Peret and then back through Cabrières and up Mont Neffiès to take turn-off to Vailhan where we stopped at L'Auberge du Presbytere, (an old stone presbytery (17C), overlooking the tiny lake, Lac des Olivettes): to look at posted menu and wine list, (One of offerings is a wine from L'Allegria, a domaine not far from Beau Soleil, first one up the long, gradual hill on way to Fontés and one I hope to visit.), and to inquire about reservations. It happens to be a very popular, well-regarded restaurant so need to make a reservation at least a week in advance. Had a pleasant chat with one of the staff and a woman who lived immediately next door. (She was wearing blue Crocs so we bonded immediately!) Furthermore, funnily enough, she had seen Jamie in the town square that very afternoon, when he was on his earlier stroll and was inquiring of the bistro there.
 

Thanking them both we took the route back towards Roujan, stopping for gas on the outskirts. Needed the help of one of the other patrons as neither of us were familiar with procedure. Pretty straightforward once one knew the drill but I was heartened to see that others, presumably locals of other French citizens on holiday, were similarly perplexed. Fuelling finished we popped across the road to Super U, a discount super store akin to Target/Walmart, but much smaller. Still some good prices for staples and more so glad that we discovered it as it is far closer than Carrefour in Pézenas. Jamie then walked over to a separate Pharmacie across the parking lot to ask a few questions about his right knee. He has had a bit of on-going discomfort ever since he took a nasty tumble a few days after we arrived in London, back in mid-July. Free diagnosic and emotional therapy/reassurance session finished, we headed back to Beau Soleil.

Once upstairs Jamie plunked himself down to surf and I headed out the door to go for quick ride. This time I made for Fontés with  the idea of following a loop that would bring me back through Vailhan. The sky was quite clear when I set out, not the dark, brooding, cloud filled one of yesterday, so I didn't need to turn on my LED lamps until I was through Nizas and on my way to Caux. 

Another gorgeous time to be out and once through Caux I was even averaging about 20 KPH. Into Roujan finally shedding the pesky motorcycist who had been roaring back and forth on the deserted road between the two places, spoiling the utter peace and quiet of the wondrous night. Once out of Roujan and en route to Vailhan I was once again immersed in unbroken silence, not even a single car to break the spell. Road almost all the way into Vailhan has obviously just been resurfaced so even fighting the considerable head wind was not too, too difficult. The edges are even marked with broken white strips so made it easy for my lights to mark the way ahead.

 Once I gained Vailhan I turned right, just before the town square, (where locals play Pétanque), to take the narrow lane back towards Neffiès.  Was a tad worried that going might be a bit difficult, in terms of actually making out the road as I knew it really was a narrow pathway at times. However, not a spot of bother adn this section was probaly the most enjoyable  part of the ride, just me and the starry skies above. Once back on the road leading down into Neffiès I had to be careful about my speed as gravity wanted to pull me along more quickly than was safe, given what I was able to see of the road ahead. Hate to waste the "free" speed but didn't want to risk an accident.  

This evening's ride: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/375236300#.UjP2F6faPnU.email

Found Sir James where I left him so am pleased that he is becoming more comfortable with using a computertrust. After a quick shower I opened  a La Croix Gratiot, 2012, Picpoul de Pinet, 12.5%, recommended by Alain Reinaldos, chap at wine shop in Pézenas, (Cave Alain Reinaldos, 7, Place de la Republique), a mouthful of citrus and pear. Extremely well balanced acidity, (Typical of this varietal, I have come to learn/understand: "Picpoul de Pinet is a designation or cru which may be used within the Languedoc appellation for white wines made exclusively from Piquepoul blanc in the communes Pinet, Mèze, Florenzac, Castelnau-de-Guers, Montagnac and Pomérols. The wines are green-gold in color, full-bodied, and show lemon flavours."), with a long, lingering finish showing appealing spice and minerality.

Sipping and chatting, I threw together a green saladin with Feta, zapped cassoulet and then served all of the above with remainder of bbq'd chicken and baguette. Opened a 2011 Chateau de la Liquière, "Vieilles Vignes", 14.5%, (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan), another fabulous recommendation from Alain, and another incredibly intense red from Faugères, wonderful red and black berry fruit, with elegant tannins and a most refined long finish. What insane steals at €6-€7/$8.25-$9.63. I simply cannot imagine buying wine of this quality for less than triple the price, or more, in Vancouver!

Finished up with dessert, Super U Pistache Crème Glacèe, absolutley delicioso for a generico! More chatting until around 1:30 am, with a few snorts of maltage to help lubricate our vocal cords! 

A Message from UBC Emeriti:

September 2013 Alert
The new academic year has started and we are off to a good new year with interesting and fun activities and the first newsletter which will come out next week - check the website: http://www.ubcemeriti.org by the end of next week.

We would like to especially draw your attention to the first activity as this is happening next week.
1. First lecture in Green College Senior Scholars' Series
Who: John Conway, History, UBC, "My Pilgrimage From and to England, Germany, Canada, and Tibet"
 

Rebecca Frazier

Granville island with the babe!!!

• Patrick James Dunn Can I borrow Avery for the Saturday Market today, here in Pézenas. With those cheeks she would fetch a pretty € and I need plenty for the wine I plan to buy!

Mr Dunn,

It seems you’ve liked our 2010 AV Primitivo! We have just 9 cases of it left, and I wanted to know if you’d like to have one of them. I can offer you a 30% discount and half price shipping if you buy a case. Cheers!

Andrew Nunes, Soda Rock Winery, Lead Sales

 Hi Andrew!

Thanks for letting me know about the Primitivo but I'm in France, until October 17th. Staying in a small village, Neffiès, in Languedoc. Have had some simply wonderful wine so far. Incredible, unbelievable "steals" and I simply cannot imagine buying wine of this quality for less than double/triple the price, or more, whether in Vancouver, where we live, or in Healdsburg, where we love to visit and taste and buy!

I gather there will be another Cellar Club release in November so I will be by the winery as we are driving down to LA to visit our grandchildren over Thanksgiving. Thanks again for alert. Cheers, Patrizzio

Hi Ayn, how is John doing?
Thinking of you. We are in Florence for 2 nights then on to Siena and villa. Ready for a day by the pool. This traveling is hard work. Much love Mom 

Not well Mom...he did say my name this morning and smile a lot but this afternoon he is pretty out of it His hand in mine Xo

Hi Patricio,

Your last email was  how you say... interesting, no? oui oui interesting and entertaining.  It took a sentance or two to realize that you now in France instead of jolly old England. Sounds like you have some good riding opportunities in hand, although I have to admit I only read down to “and if that wasn’t enough” in your most recent excerpt. I will endeavour to catch up this weekend. 

I appreciate the invite over there and would love to take you up on it but unfortunately it would cause havoc with some of my credibility and longer term plans to make them so completely dependent on me that I call the shots completely and they are all on their knees at my mercy!!.

I would love to respond in much more detail and will try and devote some more time soon. On the desk unit front, we had a major lightening storm here a week ago which fried my printer and our land line which still isn’t repaired. it seems the transformer on the pole right outside our house took a direct hit and out power was off from 5 pm last Thursday till about 5 am Friday morning. Anyway I had planned to print off copies of the desk plans and shop them around to some sheet metal fabricators and get pricing which was delayed until I phoned HP and got a new printer delivered yesterday. I finally have the drawings in hand and will get them out hopefully today. love to you both, Al