A winter drive through the Jurançon vineyards, a golden sunset, and a bottle of wine I couldn’t leave without. Back home, it became poached pears — fragrant, honeyed and just sweet enough to let the Jurançon do its thing.

Our visit to Château-Grillet, the tiny Rhône jewel famous for its rare, golden-hued Viognier, turned into a memorable little fiasco. Slightly defeated but undeterred, we cracked open a humbler bottle of Viognier with an even humbler petit beurre along the Rhône. Simple, unpretentious, and unexpectedly magical. Proof that even a missed tasting can make for the perfect picnic. Santé!

Jambon persillé in aspic is one of Burgundy’s understated gems, rustic, rich, and surprisingly elegant. Chablis brings the perfect contrast, with crisp acidity, citrus, and saline minerality cutting through the pork while lifting its fresh herbal notes.