Spilt Wine

8. Thoughts of Barges

Louis shook with a combination of pride, elation and a worry bordering on fear, as he described for Catherine the events of the meeting. "I have concern that Laurent do something bad for us."

I shrugged. "What can he do? I think he's all fluster and bluster. He's like a bully, accustomed to getting his own way, but I think he's all noise and no action. He's like a barking dog that, once it has your attention, doesn't know what to do next."

"I think you're right, David," Catherine said. "What can he do to us? We have no scandals to uncover, no dirty laundry to point out, we have no debts, we are respected in the community and in the business. What can he do? Let's move on." She paused and put her hand on her husband's arm. "Louis and I are off to Paris tomorrow morning for a week. I finally convinced him to take a break – our first trip away from here in three years. And you, David, where are you going now? What are your plans?"

"I'm meeting a winemaker this afternoon and into the evening, but tomorrow my plans are a bit strange, even to me. I'm heading to Saint-Jean-de-Losne, over on the Saône toward Dole." I hesitated to gather my thoughts, then continued. "I've been thinking of getting a place to live while I'm in France searching for wines and negotiating. My thoughts are to buy an old barge on the canals and convert it to a pied-à-terre – maybe pied-dans-l'eau might be a more appropriate term. Anyway, I'll be looking at four potential ones with a broker in the morning."

"A péniche?" Catherine asked, her eyes widening. "My uncle had a péniche on the Saône for many years from Chalon. When I was little, he told many stories of his travels in the Alsace, Champagne, Paris, the Loire ... he went everywhere there were loads to carry. I loved his stories, and I wanted to go with him, so the summer I turned fourteen, I travelled with my aunt and uncle in their péniche. We went up le Petit Saône through Franche-Comté and up the canals to Nancy and Metz and then across the Vosges to Strasbourg and continued up the Rhine to Basel, where they put me on a train back to Rennes."

"Basel? In Switzerland? You go to Switzerland in a barge?"

"Yes, Louis, Switzerland. It was such a wonderful summer for me. We had canals where I grew up in Brittany, but there was very little traffic, and they had closed many of them over there. From the time I was a little girl, I knew from my uncle that in the rest of France, there was a big network of connected rivers and canals, but to experience it ... That was so great." She paused and shook her head. "Old times. But back to now – so, you're looking at some péniches?"

I nodded. "Two péniches of thirty-eight metres and two smaller luxemotors, twenty-four and twenty-eight metres in length. I told the broker a péniche is too big for what I have in mind, but he suggested I look at them just in case I'm wrong."

"This sounds intéressant, but I know nothing about the péniches or the canals." Louis shrugged. "It is uncomfortable, no?"

"No, Louis, my aunt and uncle lived in a very comfortable suite at the back of the barge with all the modern conveniences. While I was aboard, I was more comfortable than being at home. And I loved that the scenery outside was always changing."

"A converted barge can be as spartan or as luxurious as you wish, just like a house," I added. "The beauty is that if you tire of your neighbourhood, or maybe your neighbours, you can haul in the mooring lines and head off to a new place."

"And where will you moor the barge?" Catherine asked.

"I'm thinking of the basin in Dijon. It's a short walk to the train station, and you know the centre of town is just along from there. And of course, it is only fifteen kilometres from here. What time is your train tomorrow? I could drive you to the station on my way to see the broker – I have the rental car."

"That would be nice. It would save Murielle the trip. She really doesn't like driving. Our train is at ten fifteen; what time is your first barge?"

"Not until ten thirty, but if I get you to the station by nine fifty, I have lots of time. It's only thirty kilometres from there." I glanced at my watch, then continued. "I have an engagement this afternoon, and I should leave shortly. I'm meeting with old man Esmonin to discuss buying more of his Chambertin, and he has invited me to stay for dinner. From previous sessions with him, I'll likely be late, but I have my key, so I'll let myself in. Don't wait up for me. I'll see you at breakfast, then we can leave at nine twenty."

"This sounds perfect." Catherine smiled and nodded. "You're always so well organised."

"Bonne chance with Esmonin. He is a character."

"Yes, I know, Louis. A delightful old man. À demain," I said as I walked toward the door.

Friday 21 March 1986

At breakfast, both Louis and Catherine were eager to hear about my adventures the previous afternoon and evening, so I ran them through from start to finish, concluding with, "His wines are all fine examples of what's possible with care in a great year, remarkably compact, complex and alive. Many superb wines, among the best I've tasted, but missing the ultimate finesse of the 85s you've made, Louis."

Louis beamed at this and blushed, "So mine are better this year? It is a long time since Domaine Ducroix is better than Domaine Esmonin. Did you tell him?"

"No, that wouldn't be kind. He's a proud man, and rightly so, and he wouldn't take kindly to being told he is being bettered by a young lad."

"I'm not so young anymore," countered Louis. "I have now thirty-two years."

"He is fifty years older than you, and he made more than thirty vintages before you were born, well over fifty before you made your first one."

"Ahh, perspective – it is so good."

"And his prices? David, you haven't mentioned his prices."

"Catherine, you know it's not my way to discuss my business dealings with others, but I will say the prices Esmonin is asking are very close to those I've offered you."

I looked at my watch. "We need to be going soon. Can I help you with your bags? I'm already loaded."

"We have only two bags, and they're at the kitchen door. We'll meet you in the courtyard in a little five minutes."

I dropped Louis and Catherine in front of the station, and after a hug and a handshake, I said, "I'll see you in a week or so. You can tell me all about the conference, about your presentation. I had seriously thought of attending myself."

"I will share only the good parts with you – save the all boring ones for others." Louis laughed.

"I like that – after my barge hunting, I'll be in Ampuis and Tain to taste Côte Rotie and Hermitage, and then I'm off into the wilds of l'Hérault to chase down a maverick winemaker. Bon voyage!" Nodding toward Catherine's small bulge, I added, "Take care of your son."