We woke up at the butt crack of dawn to spend hours out in the vineyards picking (and eating) grapes. We were able to work with the owners of the vineyard who told us about the grape making process and how they used organic grapes for the wine, which is why it took a lot of extra work. We took a snack break around noon, which consisted of bread, cheese, assorted meats and of course wine. That was glass number one of the day. Afterwords, we spent a few more hours on the vines. It evolved into a karaoke session, singing everything from Country Road to Drunk in Love. By the time they called us for lunch, we were wet, dirty, starving and tired.
This wasn't your average meal. We sat around a makeshift table when this giant chef comes out with a literal pork leg in his hand. He had cured it himself and began to slice it right of the leg for us to consume. It was a bit disturbing, but it was delicious. We do not eat a lot of cured meats in America, and that is something I am definitely going to miss. This was the best I had had. After, we ate the first plate, which I thought was the only plate and therefor stuffed my face. When they started bringing out the next course, I thought I might explode. By the time the dessert came out I was sneaking food under the table to my friends.
At pretty much any french meal other than breakfast, you drink wine, but especially when at the vineyard. We had two glasses before we started eating. Through the course of the meal I was probably served 5 different types of wine. When the meal was over, one of the men from the vineyard gave me what I thought was just sugar cube but was actually soaked in what tasted like rubbing alcohol. Never challenge a French person to a drinking contest...
Although going out to the vineyards did make me miss Michigan falls, what with the leaves and the apples and the cider, it was such a unique and wonderful experience that I am sure I will never forget, despite the amount of alcohol I consumed throughout the day...
