Debbie Miller Nelson's Trip to France, Part 1

All of our managers and wine staff travel at least once a year to a wine-growing region somewhere throughout the world. Traveling is one of the many aspects of Joe Canal’s that sets us apart from other wine shops. We know that by meeting the winemakers, walking the vineyards and tasting new wine from the barrel, we can see first-hand the passion that goes into each bottle. We can then convey this commitment to quality to our customers. Rather than having you just looking at a label and a score, we believe it is our responsibility to bring you closer to how the wine was made and the people who made it. We'll be sharing their trip reports with you here on the BottleBlog.

In June 2011, Debbie Miller Nelson, Wine Manager of the Iselin store had the privilege of traveling to France and immersing herself in French food, culture, and most importantly, wine! Here is the 1st installment of Debbie’s trip.

On Saturday, June 11th, I left NJ by plane to the unknown. I was meeting a group of people from New York that I have never met before in a country that I have never visited before and I was arriving in a separate terminal at Charles de Gaulle airport than everyone else. Tricky? You bet! I did see the Eiffel Tower during landing! I had arrived!

I arrived at the airport a few minutes late from my expected time, and my only task was to call the group leader as soon as I arrived. There was only one small problem… my phone that I specifically rented for this very function had died in transit. I tried using the pay phone with my Am Ex, only to get a recording of an operator in New Zealand. Huh? I tried again and again with no success while a line built behind me. Frantic that the group was waiting for me on the other side of the airport, I went to the tourism desk to ask for advice. She would have dialed for me had the number been local, but she suggested that I go to the newsstand and ask for a “ticket”. This is equivalent to a phone card, but there are a series of numbers and prompts to enter based on this purchase. I purchased my ticket for a mere $7.50 euro and headed back to the same US phone. No luck. 45 minutes had now passed since I left the exit. Not speaking French, alone and concerned, I may have cried a little and someone noticed. A very nice French man offered his assistance, used the French phone and handed me the phone when my group leader answered. Viva la France!

John Little from our distributor from Frederick Wildman & Sons, my group leader, advised me to hang tight as another guest was nowhere to be found and they were trying to assess if he even got on the plane. I went outside for some air and waited, and waited… After an hour, I went back to the phone and called him again (now that I knew which phone to use!) He said they were in the rental car and on the way. Another 45 minutes passed and John finally arrived. They didn’t leave without me!! I could have kissed him.

Indeed, we found out later that Alex, the missing guest had missed his flight. So, I met the remainder of the group and we drove to Beaune. We stopped halfway at a rest stop for lunch – so Parisian and fancy for a rest stop… and finally arrived at our hotel after a 5 hour journey.

Our hotel was the La Terre d’Or. It was a house at the top of the mountain overlooking vineyards. More like a Bed & Breakfast. It had a pool with a terrace overlooking the countryside and through the kitchen you went through a door that went to the basement to the "cellar." It was a cave where proprietor John-Louis kept his wine and his Jacuzzi. Happy days!

The house had 5 rooms, each with their own bath and a separate house with 2 rooms as well as an outside pool. The Wildman crew stayed in the separate house and John-Louis suggested that the “queens” (myself & a female Sommelier) choose their rooms. As we looked around, one room was more beautiful than the next. Three rooms upstairs, one on the main floor and one with an outside entrance to the “bridal suite” which may have been a servants quarter at one time. As we flipped a coin for the bridal suite (hey it was huge with 2 sinks!) she won and then promptly decided against the room. Yay me! 5 nights in the bridal suite. Work is hard!

That night we were taken to Maison Lameloise, a 3-star Michelin guide restaurant and treated to a 7-course meal. I actually lost count, but I do have the menu. We started off with seats in the parlor. It looked more like a hotel than a restaurant. We enjoyed a Magnum of Bollinger Champagne that was opened with absolutely no sound by the Sommelier apprentice (He looked 10 years old).

Snacks such as potato chips flavored with escargot, fois gras, fish cakes, salmon spread, olives and other bite sized delights flew out of the kitchen.

We were seated for dinner in a beautiful, private room and the Wildman group thought that to get to know each other better and start conversation, we would taste all the 5 wines…blind!



I was nervous actually. They were going to see how uneducated in Burgundy wines I really was. But, I held my own and it was fun. Our Sommelier was delighted to fool the Americans! He had these bottle huggies with question marks on them ($40 euro for a set of 4 – I thought brown paper bags were just as efficient).

My favorite of the night was the enormous cheese cart! How to choose only 4?

Dinner ended at 1am. I couldn’t wait to start the winery visits. Life is good!

Deb Recommends:
Bollinger Brut Special Cuvee NV $51.99
A rich, smoky Champagne, with hints of marzipan and fennel seed accenting honeyed malt, bread dough, baked apple and gingersnap flavors. It's all focused by intense acidity, which meshes beautifully into the layers of flavor and refined texture, with a lingering finish. Wine Spectator 94 Points