Wow, it’s been a long time since I have written anything. Finished with the grapes yesterday and I have the weekend off after working 12 straight days from 7am to anywhere from 9:30pm to 11:30pm. My whole body hurts from lugging 25 kilo crates of grapes, rolling and lifting barrels. We spent one day picking grapes in Nicolas’ vineyards in Pommard. Worked for about three hours then had a long break with wine and food and tons of smoking. Went back to picking which is backbreaking work. The romance lasts about the first hour. Justin and I were destroyed by everyone else picking. We were so slow but Nico told us to do triage in the field, so we were extra careful so the 2004 Village Pommard is the best it can be.

To celebrate the end of the grapes (and to entertain a couple of business associates) I had (another) wine dream come true. Nico busted out a vertical of Nicolas Joly’s Coulee de Serrant: 1998, 1997, 1996, 1994, 1990, and 1976. WOW!!! They were all awesome. The best was we were drinking the 1990 and eating steak tartare, and Nico asked if he should bust out a red. I thought since the beef was raw and well-chilled it would have an nice sweetness and with the mayonnaise sauce the great acidity would cut through the richness. And it was fantastic—one of those crazy wine parings with food that was perfect. His VIP guests also commented on how surprising it was that this went so well. Victory for me!!!

My hands are so fucked. Full of cuts, scrapes, tannins. I feel like they are permanently curved into almost a fist and I will never be able to open them fully again.