Grape Wine Journey

Maison Ambroise’s Cellar

Politics is not a subject I like to touch upon when I am in someone else’s homeland.

On our second day at Burgundy, we joined a day tour to visit 4 vineyards with a private guide, Brigitte.  When she asked if we have followed the politics in France and what do we think of their new President, all we said was “ what do you think? “

The domains we visited were very small; it was like visiting someone’s backyard with a cellar.   Maison Ambroise in Nuit St George was one of the domains we visited on the day.  Ludivine, the daughter of the family, greeted us as the men were all out in the fields working.  We looked around the cellar and there were some bottles full of dust, we thought they were old vintages, but looked closer and they were from this millennium; hardly classified as old vintages.

We wondered what is the oldest vintage they have kept?  But sadly the lady said they couldn’t afford to keep stock, being a small family business.  There is hefty tax even for the stock, and with the new President, they are very worried that he will raise the tax.  And it was exactly the same response from Brigitte.

Wine sounds very exotic and trendy these days, but in reality, living in a small town with one main street, working in the fields and worry if the weather will be fair and produce excellent grapes, it’s really hard work!