As my Bride was getting ready to turn over the reins to retire, we still had one more business trip to attend at Boyne Mountain.  Boyne Mountain is a ski resort in the winter, and they offer other activities in the summer months; for those of you who know, that is Non-Construction and Construction.  According to her HR department, she has to lease a vehicle, and it was the first time, we had to drive in a foreign car.  I had always stressed that because she was dealing with municipalities that may have been hurt over the years by the cyclical trends of the automotive industry, that she should always drive an American car, like a Ford or a Chevy (and never anything flashy).  There was only one cigar lighter slot, so we had to use it for cell phones for navigation, and the car refrigerator that we travel with, had to use ice packs.  I had to drive, because the driver’s seat had no up or down adjustments, and she couldn’t see the road, and leave it to me to complain that there was no armrest for the driver, as I had to use her purse as an arm rest.  Then when we got to our room, you had to place one of those computer coded door keys into a slot next to the first light switch, which enabled the air conditioner to be set.  The room was a sauna, maybe great to go with the hot tub spa, in the main room, but not conducive for enjoyment.  We survived. 

The first night was a cocktail reception, with lots of appetizers and finger foods.  There were three different tables to visit and try.  Try as I might, I just have always felt awkward with carrying plates of food, whether an affair of this nature, or a buffet offering at a wedding.  When I was young, I think that I was embarrassed because of my appetite, and the amount of food to keep hollow legs nourished.  I continued this attitude with me to this day.  I guess I just like a sit-down dinner.  The good news is that a few of our usual group were going to go to a pub, after the reception and I was game, and so was my Bride, 

It turns out that there was about twelve or fourteen of us, that decided to go out and have some more nourishment, so maybe it isn’t just me.  We ended up at a pub on the grounds of the resort, and I am sure that during the ski season, this pub probably really rocks.  It was classic bar food, a little on the salty side (to make you drink more) and the vegetarians in the group were able to get a few choices.  My Bride went with their version of a Caesar Salad with a slice of Salmon.  I went with a classic: a Cheeseburger with Sweet-Potato Fries (for my Bride).  Now some of you, may shake your head, but we enjoyed a white wine, as it was still very hot and sunny even into the evening.  We enjoyed Le Coeur de la Reine Touraine Sauvignon 2020, by Domaine Jacky Marteau of the Loire Valley.  The estate is in its fourth generation of family winemakers and is twenty-nine hectares of which twenty hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and four-and-a-half hectares of Gamay all on clay-silica based soil.  Touraine is in the very heart of the Loire Valley, the city of Tours is half way between Sancerre and Nantes.  Touraine is a regional appellation of about five-thousand hectares and almost sixty percent is white, but it also produces red, rosé and sparkling (in all three colors).  They use pneumatic pressing and cold fermentation for seven days in Stainless Steel.  The wine is a light yellow with notes of notes of citrus and a touch of cassis.  On the palate, tones of citrus and bit of spice, with some great acidity that ends with a nice medium count finish accenting spice and terroir.