Entre Les Murs

Wine Again

Lavinia had another of their special wine tastings for club members last night.  Ma pauvre Janet had a sniffle and stayed home, so I went alone.  As with the champagne tasting event, last fall, many top houses turned out to present their wares.  Most of the chateaux in attendance were grand cru classés, and most of the wines, while not altogether out of our price range, would certainly be special occasion bottles in our modest cellar.


Almost half of those attending seemed to be foreigners like me.  I think Lavinia, being almost a wine department store (and not far from les grand magasins), is quite visible to ex-pats, whereas French Parisians probably prefer smaller boutiques in their neighbourhood with whom they can foster a relationship.  Nonetheless, it was a popular event and a bit of a crush. Squeezing by the Chateau Palmer booth I encountered a Japanese gentleman who agreed that it was a bit like the Tokyo subway, "mais plus agréable avèc un verre!"

The kestrel turned up again this morning.  I don't know if she's building a nest, but I've heard her cries a couple of times recently, and this morning she was sitting on the window sill where she nested last spring.

posted 23.3.07