back to basics

3 types of French Lavender 

Vouillez Patienter. That's the command from ATM machines and toll-gates in France. Oh, how I enjoyed the irony of a machine telling me to have patience. 

Lately I have had a happy respite from machines, including computers; instead, I have been taking in the smells of the ocean road in France along the Basque country between Biarritz and San Sebastien.

There's something wild about this country, similar in many ways to the Australian coastline. Although the smells were different - not mint or menthol, instead, thyme and lavender. Both have the lovely fresh spray of the sea. 

So thanks for being patient. For a while there, I only had the ability to smell disgusting things! Now I have refreshed the senses I am back to enjoying wine aromas with renewed awareness. 

I hope you can join me for a glass or six. 

P.S. If you are serious in fine-tuning your sense of smell then I recommend the Le Nez du Vin set of 54 wine aromas in phials. Just as you learn the piano from practicing scales, you learn scents from isolating smells to the nose. This is how I started out learning about wine tasting ten years ago and I highly recommend the investment.