Back to an unusually  sunny North East UK with still some idle ramblings after checking through all my notes from my recent Burgundy trip, including some missing notes on wines presented at Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne.

Most notably from Domaine Albert Morot at the Beaune Colleurs Vins tasting at the Palais des Congres on 21/03 in Beaune. I was a little disappointed with the Beaune wines on offer, but only because my expectations were so very high for the 2010 wines after what I had tasted previously. The Morot wines however were spot on starting with a Savigny 1er Bataillere, then on to 1ers Les Teurons, Les Cent Vignes and the pick of the group 1er Les Bressandes, beautifully balanced wines with a precision and sense of place, and a price tag I may add that won't break the bank.

One of the fringe events was the "exception elles" tasting at the Chateau de Chassange Montrachet organized by the Femmes and Vins de Bourgogne, an association of women winemakers founded in 2000 and now has forty members. The wines tasted at this event all ending in a vintage with a zero, mostly 2010 of course with the odd 2000 and 1990.

Chablis from two producers showing well on that day, Athenais Beru pouring her largely unknown monopole Chablis Clos Beru 2010 and Lyn Marchive pouring her Domaine des Malandes Chablis including Vau de Vey 1er and Vaudesir Grand Cru. Fresh mineral, lime and  flavours of the sea, perfect for what was to come, a cheese tasting that deserves honourable mention as not just one of the highlights of the day but of the entire trip.

For the reds a trio of excellent Pommards from Anne Parent, Croix Blanche, 1ers Les Chaponnieres and Les Epenots also left a lasting impression.

Estelle Prunier from Michel Prunier et Fille kindly offered a few bottles of a 1990 Auxey Duresses rouge 1er Clos du Val, a wine  that had reached its peak but was still showing that Burgundy wine can be found with a reasonable price tag, and still be ageworthy for over twenty years. A memorable wine to end what was a memorable event.

Another evening less than memorable this time, by invitation only was the Soiree "Bourgognes and Saveurs du Monde" held at the majestic Chateau de Meursault, all lit up in the dark and looking very posh.

The wine and food pairing that was to follow was not quite in line with the stature of the location as what was supposed to be a pairing with Italian, Thai and Caribbean food with Burgundy wines, ended up as what could be best described as a free for all, with long lines of people at each food station, which sooner than later ran out of food. After waiting in line for my less than generous glass of Cremant de Bourgogne it all began to appear slightly pointless.

General concensus from the large table  I was at with three American friends and an assortment of Scandanavians was that we had learned bugger all about the association of Burgundy wines with any food.

Got to hand it to the BIVB though as what they lack in organization they make up for in location as we stepped out into the cool Burgundy evening at the Chateau de Meursault taking in the sense of just being there and that of the tastings that had come before that day, I guess nobodys perfect.