Stinky Cheeses & Beautiful Chateaus

We headed to the Gaugry dairy for a tour of how their smelly but oh-so delicious cheeses are made! On our first day in Cluny, we were given an Epoisses to taste. It was so different than any of the cheeses I had ever had. Initially, the taste was too strong for me, but the more I ate it, the more I began to like it. We learned how the cheeses from their dairy came from three cow breeds: the Brune, Simmental, and Montbeliarde. The Epoisses was washed every 2-3 days with brandy in a high humidity room. The final product is a gooey and pungent soft cheese placed in special wooden containers that allow the cheese to breathe. We also learned really impressive statistics like how the average French person consumes 67 grams per day. Another really interesting thing about the Gaugry dairy is that it converts its released whey into methane gas! After the tour, we sampled five of their cheeses. My favorite was the L’Ami du Chambertin because it had such a nutty taste. The Le Cendre de Vergy caught me completely off guard! It was black because it had been rolled in ashes to keep bacteria and flies away. I couldn’t get pass the grittiness that stuck to my teeth. I’m glad they saved it for last.

   

After the tour, we headed for our picnic! We shared a delicious feast of cured meats, gingerbread cakes filled with cassis, cheesecake from our driver Patrick, sliced baguettes and of course wine and cheese. It was a bit chilly, but the company and good food warmed us from the inside out! I think picnicking will be one of my most cherished memories of France.

   

Before heading to the chateaus, we stopped by the small but beautiful town Gevrey Chambertin. It looked like it came straight from a fairy tale! Dr. Healey explained that the appearance was meant to bring tourists to the area and that its main business was wine. Following our short visit to the town, we stopped at our first chateau. It was along the road, and although we could not go inside, it looked like it had quite a story. The monk statue sitting outside the chateau represented the desire to maintain a simple lifestyle rather than one of decadence. Dr. Reinert explained how the Cluniac monks no longer lived by the Rule of St. Benedict and that the Cistercians desired to return to those original values. The second chateau was the Château du Clos de Vougeot. While waiting to go inside, we learned that the roses were placed at the front of each row of vines. Because it is such a sensitive flower, the rose could detect the presence of certain bugs that are detrimental to the vines. The third and most memorable chateau was the Château du Gilly. The chateau originally belonged to a nobleman but was confiscated during the Revolution. What was rather odd was the lavish decoration of ceramic animals covering the entire lawn. We enjoyed a Beaune Chardonnay before heading out. It is by far the most amazing wine that I have ever tasted. I instantly fell in love with it and wanted to choose it as my wine for the presentations. The lovely wine was enjoyed with a miniature wine lesson and explanation of corking, easily identified by the smell of old gym socks. We all fell fast asleep on the bus after a long day of walking and learning.