Vougeot Shopping

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We bought this spoon in the gift shop at the chateau, at the end of the tour.

What to buy: The tastevin was designed for use by the vintner who samples the progress of the maturing wines in the kegs by delivering a small sample of wine into this special silver spoon. Note that it has a widened undersurface that is embossed so that it has many reflective surfaces. These pick up the dim transmitted light (as from a candle in the dark wine caves) amplifying the light rays many times so that any almost microscopic particles are amplified hundreds of times. This allows the expert to estimate the turbidity of the wine without having to return to the daylight with each specimen. He can then taste the wine as a further step in the progress of its maturation. This same principle is employed in sophisticated analytical chemical machines (turbidimeters, refractometers) for measuring things like immune complexes "in solution", etc. The spoon, suspended around the neck by a cord, is the sacred emblem of the Chevaliers du Tastevin (See Customs Tip)

What to pay: Not cheap, it is sterling silver.