Magical Burgundy Trip--Stage One
Bouilland Symposium 2005
I had the privilege of attending this event chaired by Clive Coates, Master of Wine, and hosted by Becky Wasserman, a wine importer. Peter Wasserman was the coordinator, his partner Renee helped host and provided appetizers, and Paul Wasserman helped at some of the seminars. Becky’s husband, Russell Hune, a huge bluff Englishman, cooked the great dinners at the farmstead.
June 18, 2005
After landing in Amsterdam and catching a connector flight to Lyon, the adventure began. Before the seminar, there was a real treat--an awe inspiring dinner and lodging at Trois Gros in Roanne. This should not be confused with Rouen in Normandy. Trois Gros has been rated as a Michelin Three Star since the 1940’s!
France has justifiably been reputable for a great train system with the TGV express, backed up by the BCNF. Well, the train from Lyon to Rouen was closer to a cattle car. A first class ticket did not mean a reserved seat or a place to store luggage. Upon boarding the train with a comment in French that there were no seats, a gentleman responded that this was not the TGV. Subsequently a couple picked up their child and indicated a seat at a fairly crude table. Pete and Sylvia Thompson and their friend Mitch Kysar were the three people sitting there. Mitch was the one who spoke French. After several stops, we determined, speaking French that we were all getting off at Roanne. When queried on whether they lived in that town, the response was that they lived in Hawaii. At this point I asked in English if they were friends of Roger, the sponsor of the trip. After much laughter, we determined that we were all attending the Symposium. It turned out that Mitch was the only one of the Symposium group who was fluent in French!
On arriving at the station, we noticed that the street opposite was wall to wall hotels—to house people waiting to eat at Troisgros, as it turned out. Troisgros has been Michelin rated since the 1940's. My room was luxuriantly appointed with internet hook up and bathrobes and slippers provided. After requesting a dinner time wake up, a shower and nap seemed appropriate. The bedroom was accessible through a spiral stair case. Subsequently a sumptuous dinner followed, to be described in a moment. The anecdotal footnote is that after dinner, the bed was made up with chocolates and flowers by the bed. There was also a doorway lit up upstairs adjoining the bedroom. There was a second bathroom complete with bidet!
We met the rest of the party which consisted of Roger and Anne , Joe . Harry plus Clive, Peter, Renee and David Croix. The latter is the winemaker of a small negociant house, Camille Giroud . After champagne and appetizers, the dinner began. This place was really decadent—Michel Troisgros took us downstairs to the kitchen which featured five work stations with fifteen sous chefs! The tables could have been used for surgery in a hospital and absolutely gleamed. There was no clattering of utensils or any of the almost cartoonish crude behavior and swearing associated with French chefs! The food does not need comment since every course was sumptuous. The white wines included Raveneau Chablis Les Clos 1997 and Louis Jadot Corton Charlemagne 1996. The Raveneau was tremendous from the beginning showing great aroma and delineation, focus, and length of green apple, pear and citrus which continued to open up as the evening wore on. The Jadot, on the other hand, immediately showed big oak and initial ripe fruit but after an hour or so closed up. The two red wines were truly classical, particularly since the production is very small. Both were 1993 Armand Rousseau, Chambertin and Chambertin Clos de Beze. They are legendary wines which lived up to the reputation.