The WIne Country



Over Looking Chinon where we are staying.

Our first day in Chinon begins with , what else, breakfast!  We all slept late this morning and take our sweet time enjoying our meal. 
 The Forteresse Royale de Chinon sits on the cliff right above town and is just an elevator ride and short walk away from where we are staying.  We enter the castle with our guide book in hand and commence the tour of this historic site of France’s capital during the 100 Years’ war. King Henry the II ruled from the castle in 1130 and Joan of Arc pleaded with Charles the VII to take back France in one of the very rooms in which we stood.  The views are of course fabulous as all these fortresses’ were built above the plateaus to keep pillagers and plunderers at bay. The historical facts are a bit overwhelming but so very interesting. 

None Shall Pass
 

My Lady Katherine

 We find it difficult to keep the Kings, queens, Dukes, stresses, Bishops, Rulers, Conquerors all straight.  Everybody was invading everybody else.  The entire continent is seems was up for grabs.  Sounds kind of like the Middle East of today.  From the Forteresse, we jump in the car, yes top down as it’s about 75 degrees and sunny, and head for the jewel of the Loire Valley,  Chateau de Chenonceau is about an hours drive and as we find out well worth the effort.  It is recommended to spend at least 2 hours or more touring this beautiful country estate.

  A quick bite to eat will sustain us for the duration.  This place is beyond description.  Sitting right on the River with a huge moat surrounding the entire chateau.  Two manicured gardens grace either side of the entrance.  One established by the Lady of the Chateau and one by the mistress.  Can you say soap opera in medieval French? 

Chinonceau

It housed many famous French women over the centuries.  We do spend a couple of hours and are very glad we are traveling at the time of year we are.  Even tho there are many tourists here we can’t imagine the crowds during peak season.  We stroll through the gardens and notice the difference in the two women’s taste in horticulture! The chateau was built by a king who gave it to his mistress who was then booted out by the Queen………Eventually a chocolate baron bought the chateau and used it for a field hospital during WWI.  Of if these walls could talk……

Our heads spinning with dates and names, to numerous to recall, we make our way back to Chinon.

A little French wine on the garden terrace we recap the day and make plans for tomorrow.We have worked up an appetite and head to the plaza for dinner.  Mind you dinner is only available between 7 and 9 so we must be strategic in our timing.  In addition this is Sunday so many places are already closed.  We make a choice and seat ourselves which is customary.  We order a bottle of wine.  The waiter promptly returns with the wine and glasses,  plunks it on the table unopened and walks away.  5, 10, 15 minutes go by. 

 I finally request someone opens our bottle and I am given a curt “ will open now”  Several more minutes pass by….Terry is getting aggravated,  but finally, he returns with an opener.  Take a breather, take a sip, relax… all is good.  We are very happy with our dinner choices.  Karen and I share a seafood salad, Terry has the knuckle of Pork and Dan well,  Dan has a hunk o beef.  We bid all goodnight, tomorrow we go wine tasting.

Breakfast is as usual and we must be fortified for the day ahead. Dan & Karen have arranged for a tour of 2 wineries.  They belong to a wine club that is based out of E&R Wine store just off Macadam and the owners have put them in contact with Matthew from Baudry’s winery and Rudolph from Reffault winery, both within close proximity. On the way I have a need to taste the grapes.  Some call it stealing. Not me. I call it pre-wine tasting. 
 

We have an 11:00 apt with Matthew who has generously offered some time for us during their busy bottling time.  We watch the bottling process, oddly enough it is a mobile bottler as he doesn’t own his own machinery.  Very interesting. .  Matthew gives us some history of the winery and we wander through the hand carved caves which houses much of the wine for ageing. now it is time for some tasting.  Kathy is DD and will swish and spit,  The others will enjoy the fruits of the winery’s labor. We taste/drink several different wines and are impressed with them all.  We take a few pictures with our host, buy a couple of bottles and say farewell.  It has been a fine morning indeed!

Our next appointment isn’t until 2:30 so we have plenty of time to have some lunch.  I know it sounds like we eat and drink a lot, which we do, but hey, when in France……

We picnic in the deserted town square of the adjacent village.  After lunch we still have time to visit a beautiful little town situated right on the Loire River.  We enjoy the scenery along the river walk.
To be continued........