Last night, determined to spend the day out of the house today, I pulled out my Switzerland Lonely Planet to plan a day trip. Two sheets of paper fluttered to the floor and I picked them up to see what they were. It was a year old print out of directions from Basel to Eguisheim, France - a recommendation from one of my former clients, who is Alsatian, on where to spend a nice day tasting and buying some regional wine.
I ditched the Lonely Planet and decided to check out this one stop on the wine trail of France. We had never made it last year, always too busy, but today was going to be a picture perfect warm fall day just made for lazing around in the sun and sampling some wine.
I knew I made the right choice as soon as I arrived. I parked the car and started skipping all over town taking photos of everything, wondering how I was ever going to shoot the whole thing in one day.
I had some lunch (a low-calorie tarte flambee) and then went off for some wine tasting. In this area they mostly have white wines - riesling, gewurztraminer, pinot gris, cremant d'alsace and a few reds. Although normally not a fan of white wines, the wines I tasted show how good they can be if done right.
When I walked into the first wine shop, I asked if I could do a wine tasting.
Je ne parle pas anglais.
Mmmm...ok, sprechen Sie deutsch?
Ja.
So I did my best and the woman got a lot friendlier.
When I walked into the second shop I was a lot more confident and just started in German. The man was chatting away and miraculously I understood all he was saying and even could respond. The nice Alsatian man complimented on my German - somehow I am not sure that is a good thing but it put a big smile on my face anyway. Good sales technique.
After lunch and stowing the bottles I bought in the car, I headed through town and up the hills for a hike through the vineyard. It was getting late in the afternoon and the sun was making the hills glow in the autumn sunshine. Another 100 or so photos later, I finally decided to head back to Zurich.
The spoils of the day - averaged about 5 euro a bottle.
Posted from Zürich
6 comments:
Michelle, your photos are amazing-they look like something out of Food & Wine magazine! Mom
Michelle!
This is Allyson Hubble - back from the beginning Accenture days. Glad to hear that you have been in Europe for 3 years now and all of the wonderful adventures you have been able to a part of. I'm proud of you! I was sorry to hear about your breakup. Just wanted to say hi and know that I'm thinking about you. I hope you are able to get "settled" soon. :)
Hey Allyson, Long time no hear! I tried to reach you on Facebook but no luck. How are you and where are you? Still a West Coast Lady? I talk to Antoinette once in awhile but missed you. :)
that tart looks AMAZING! is that gruyere by chance??
photographs are wonderful as always.
Michelle - I think you were supposed to call me up and tell me to get in the car we are going for a tour! How beautiful!
I do hope to get out for some photography soon but it seems i've been doing more biking that "shooting", which is not a bad thing. I can't complain about feeling great! :)
Good choice; The Alsace is one of my favorite places to take a day or afternoon trip (It's only 2 hours from me). Your photos are so lovely!
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