Hauts les Mains
"Raise Your Hands Up" - A Song That Takes Me Back
Listening to "Hauts les mains" or "Raise Your Hands Up" always brings me back to my childhood vacations in Ibiza. I must have been around four or five years old, and this song was a staple at the club hotels we stayed at. After dinner, the staff would dress up in sombreros and tourists would walk around drunk, red wine stains on their shirts with toy donkeys, enjoying the time of their lives in the steaming hot humidity.
That memory is not too different from an event hosted by Jonathan Purcell of Vin Noe at Jean-Jacques Morel's old cave in Saint Aubin. Jonathan is a charming, down-to-earth Californian, and his collection of fine natural vinegars from the Alsace, Bourgogne, and Jura regions was a treat to taste. The group consisted mostly of the expat mob, but it was more of a get-together of friends rather than an exclusive event.
The weather was scorching, and the land was parched, as if desertification was slowly creeping onto the continent from North Africa. It was like being in a sauna inside the cave, and stepping out felt like being in the Sahara.
Hits of the day , Aaron Ayscoughs’ wines , from wild abandoned vines based in Languedoc ,harvested at night , actually excellent wines for his first cuvee , He has however learned from the best .. one was a pet nat , that was lovely , he should probably get into this full time as they are very good.
Gamay beer? Yes, you read that right! It may come as a surprise, but this unique drink is a beautiful creation. At first, people may need to ask twice when they hear that it's beer made with 30% gamay grapes.
Domaine Dandelion..AS you may have noticed i’m a big fan of other beverages other than wine..one great hit of the day was Domaine dandelions cider , Christian Knott’s first foray into the commercial cider game..
This years event .
Haut les mains
The line up , the who’s who of upcoming natural vignerons.
This years one will be hosted on Sunday the 23rd of July 2023 at Château de Lusigny-sur-Ouche
INFO HERE
Where to stay..an absolute cracking campsite can be found around 40 kms away , shaded by trees and situated on the banks of the river Doubs .