If the Jura is Middle Earth, the Loir-et-Cher is surely Avalon. Louis/Dressner Selections held their annual fall tasting last week. Loir-et-Cher winemakers and supporters were present to pour and share phenomenal wines. The delightful Catherine Roussel poured her Clos Roche Blanche wines, while partner, Didier Barrouillet, remained at Avalon tending to still-fermenting wines. Each time I see Catherine I picture her barefoot, meandering through her property as she did when I went to visit her in 2003, when she spoke about her wines and the wild mushrooms that grow around her enchanted property.

Next to her was the pixie-ish Noella Morantin. Noella took over half of Clos Roche’s vineyards and is making her own wine with that fine fruit. Her Sauvignon Blanc ’08 was lovely with a hint if pepper, Menu Pineau ’08 was so aromatic and showed beautiful fruit, while the Cot was to die for; it was all crushed oyster shells and showed this quintessential violet juice character that this same grape shows when handled by Clos Roche Blanche. It’s terroir!

Thierry Puzelat was present. I was too shy to talk to him. It was like meeting David Bowie; I wouldn’t know what to say. His wines moved me as much as Ziggy Stardust, Hunky Dory and The Man Who Sold The World rolled into one. Each wine, in succession, exuded mineral, after mineral, after mineral. The Cheverny Rouge Rouillon was particularly amazing. “Pouille” (a gamay and grolleau blend) was pure and gritty and at $120 frontline it is an unbelievable bargain. Beautiful, beautiful.

Hervé Villemade offered a Pinot Noir (Cheverny Rouge Desiré) that is only made in certain years and strictly bottled in magnum. It was cloudy, prickly and reminded me of peonies and pea shoots. I could nab a bottle and sit on it with patience.

Beyond the Loire I ventured to Burgundy in the form of Pacalet, whose Pommard ’06 tasted like iodine and flowers and the Gevrey defied words, I simply wrote, “OMG so beautiful,” and the Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru showed hints of herbaceous chinotto-like character but on the palate it was tight and lean.

I have a soft spot for South Africans they are so close to Mauritius that I feel a certain sort of kin with them so I was delighted to meet Tom Lubbe, a South African who made his way north to the Rousillon to make wines that are clearly pure and balanced.

I could go on and on but I’m not going to. I leave on my journey to London and then Mauritius tomorrow. I am about to indulge in my last supper with Jim, a meal of steak and broccoli rabe. He so thoughtfully cooked the sort of food I love and has opened the Dom Bachelet Gevery Chambertin. I am drinking it now. It is a 2005 and shows the warmth of that vintage yet it has a mineral edge and good structure. I will miss Jim and I’ll miss his food – he shows me a lot of love in the kitchen.

I am going on a journey that will be painfully difficult. I don’t know if it is appropriate to blog about it but I might. I’ll write soon from Mauritius.