Vin, vin, vin

29 March 2009- Ah, the shaky arms of an excellent outing to the Salon du Vin (expo of wine for the French challenged). Hauling our stash home, my arms are in the shimmy shake stage. Always good. We came out okay wine wise, several more additions to the cave including some tasty champagne. That seems to go the fastest of all the bottles, wonder why? We got the free passes to the Printemps Salon from a friend. A good friend indeed. Hopefully now we will get on the list for our own passes for the Toussaint or Fall salon.

590 Independent vinters show up at the expo hall and you get your glass at the door. Then like a beggar in broken French go around to the stands for a gout or taste. You get the good vinters who really want the business and give you a full explanation and flight of several wines. Some you are lucky to get the taste and price list. One cranky lady was rather upset we didn't enjoy the first taste and wanted another. Luckily we did buy a few bottles of the second taste.

So 590 vineyards/Domaines that are colored coded by region (lite green is Rhone Valley- our favorite.) Yellow is of course the Champagne region. It is a great scene, you get to meet the men and women behind the production, see pictures of the vines, area, etc , and taste and compare the vintages. No games of Press Your Luck with the stuff you buy at the grocery store or taking someone else's opinion, you know what you are buying. We made lots of contacts, people love us Americans now. Especially Americans who try to communicate in French. We even met a gentleman named appropriately BONVIN, good wine.

We had two free passes which gets in a total of four. We invited some friends who had never been. They at least believed me when I suggested the rolly carts should make the trip. Three lovely black stylish models made this excursion. Good thing they came too. Quite the rolly cart brigade we had going.

Here is their new brother, the wine trolley, purchased at the Salon to assist the travel of all the wine purchased. 3 rolly carts and this guy, we did well. Going with 2 others was a good call on our part. If we liked something, we bought a case of 6 and split it 3 ways. Un bon marche (good buy) and saving space in our limited cave rack space. We have a plan for the November Salon, all spouses are going with carts to triple our capacity. Maybe a hand truck even...There are 3000 vinters at the Fall one. Bring it on! My arms are ready.