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The three day festival was off to a good start. Sam, from Christies, felt confident they’d reach good prices at the auction. The red wine had flowed fast at the black tie dinner.
Sam stood with gavel in hand for the tenth year. The 165 year old auction had fetched higher prices each of those years for the Grand and Premier Cru. The bidding began, slowly. The first cuvée sold for a song. The bidding heated up on the second. Was it just coincidence that it sold for 1443 euros per bottle, the Hospice’s founding year.
In response to Sandra Crook‘s photo prompt on Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle. Visit and follow the blue frog to see other entries in this 100 word flash fiction. All welcome to join in.
This photo of Sandra’s took me back to the Hôtel-Dieu in Beaune, Burgundy. The glazed, multicoloured tiles arranged in geometric pattern are a sight not easily forgotten.
© irene waters 2015
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About Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist
I began my working career as a reluctant potato peeler whilst waiting to commence my training as a student nurse. On completion I worked mainly in intensive care/coronary care; finishing my hospital career as clinical nurse educator in intensive care. A life changing period as a resort owner/manager on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu was followed by recovery time as a farmer at Bucca Wauka. Having discovered I was no farmer and vowing never again to own an animal bigger than myself I took on the Barrington General Store. Here we also ran a five star restaurant. Working the shop of a day 7am - 6pm followed by the restaurant until late was surprisingly more stressful than Tanna. On the sale we decided to retire and renovate our house with the help of a builder friend. Now believing we knew everything about building we set to constructing our own house. Just finished a coal mine decided to set up in our backyard. Definitely time to retire we moved to Queensland. I had been writing a manuscript for some time. In the desire to complete this I enrolled in a post grad certificate in creative Industries which I completed 2013. I followed this by doing a Master of Arts by research graduating in 2017. Now I live to write and write to live.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
I daresay that wasn’t coincidence! Wow, the resemblance of the hotel in Burgundy is striking. I love the geometric design. Thanks for sharing your photo!
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I don’t think it was coincidence either. Yes the roof took me back immediately the pattern was so similar.
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Stunning photo – that roof is amazing.
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Yes. It is truly spectacular.
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I’ll never understand crazy wine prices. There has to be a point in which the price exceeds the taste. I tasted some $50.00 wine last week and although it was very good it came in the same sized bottle as the one I bought for 14 dollars.
Oh..love your picture, btw.
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I’m with you on wine prices. I can’t tell the difference (apart from some red wines) between cheap and expensive. Glad you liked the roof.
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Great short story and the roof in your photo is incredibly beautiful,Irene. 🙂
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Glad you enjoyed the story and I agree about the roof – spectacular.
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Expensive wine! Lovely story.
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Thanks Norah. I’ll never drink one that dear, that’s for sure.
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Those tiles look glorious!
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I agree.
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Nice story in keeping with the theme, Irene. Liked your photo too.
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Your photo took me right back there. The roofs are the same pattern.
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Dear Irene,
I’ll chime in on beautiful photo of a stunning building. My husband has a favorite wine that’s over $40.00 a bottle. I think it tastes like cough syrup…too sweet. They say the best wine is the one you like. Good story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle, I agree with you totally. We all have different taste and the challenge is to be brave and admit it.
Cheers Irene
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I remember drinking Boone’s Farm and thinking it was good. After all, I was only using it to flush my liver and kidneys–why pay more? Beautiful photo, Irene. Thanks for including it.
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I like that – to flush your kidneys and liver. Yes indeed, why pay more if you don’t notice the difference.
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What fascinating tiles, to be remembered indeed! Not as fascinating as your story though, I love your idea for your flash…and not so much a coincidence at all, that would be a bottle to savour 🙂
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Wouldn’t it. I don’t think I could drink it. 🙂
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🙂
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Nice connecting the picture to an auction and wine. Interesting facts.
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Thank you. Yes the auction does happen but I don’t know that they have sold a bottle for that much money.
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Great photo, these Bourgundy roofs are something, aren’t they? I wonder if these patterns have meanings? Great story, too. I love the connection to the wine. People don’t always pay for the quality, but for the name and flair. I was working in a vineyard once, and had the opportunity to taste the wines there every night. I got happily drunk (I didn’t spit the good stuff out), but also learned to distinguish the wines by place and year, not only by grape. That’s a skill that requires constant practice though, I couldn’t do that now.
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Thanks. Your experience in the vineyard sounds interesting. Learning to have a good palate and all the other info sounds difficult. I think that for most they definitely buy and pay for the name where a cheaper substitute would probably taste as good to them. I buy for the pretty pictures on the bottles.
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You know, it’s not really all that difficult when you like wine and have fun with it. 🙂
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Oh, lucky you, Gah!!!
Great story weaving wine into the Burgundian architecture. Great photo as well!
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Thanks Dale. The two go hand in hand I think.
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Great story! What impressive architecture!
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Isn’t it beautiful. Thanks Noelle.
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Fun story. The roofs are stunning. I don’t think I’ve seen anything like them here in the States.
However, the patterns on traditional Native American woven blankets are similar. I’m going to see if I can find more roofs like these!
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I think they are quite common in France in some of the provinces. Interesting that the patterns are similar to your Native American ones. Perhaps if there is a town with a large French influence you might find some. We haven’t in Australia although people copy the roof tiles that are typically from Provence in France. Glad you enjoyed the story.
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I’d not stand a chance at that auction, that’s for sure! 🙂 And I agree with Rochelle that the best wine is the one we like. 😀
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Me too. Always what you like.
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The roofs are wonderful. What craftsmanship. Nice story – I hope the hospice gets all the proceeds from the auction. That makes the high prices seem more acceptable.
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Most definitely the money all goes to charity and I agree the roofs are superb.
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Beautiful design and probably one of the most photographed roofs in the world. Amazing, and your piece equally so!
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Thank you Yolanda. Yes I would imagine that the summer crowds over the years and the years to come would all snap away at the roof as I did. I was lucky to be there out of season so the crowds weren’t massive.
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Oh wow! That photo really stands out. And a nice story to match. Nothing beats a cheap cask though 😉
“But when it comes to value, put down your glasses. It’s casks by a country mile.” http://www.taste.com.au/news+features/articles/1529/wine+value+out+of+the+box
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Our Aussie cask maker will be thrilled to hear you say that. 🙂
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