I have been a fan of white wine ever since I tried it. But, I decided to expand my horizons when we decided to take the train from Paris to Burgundy for the day (knowing that Burgundy is famous for its reds). Even though I don’t always gravitate towards red wines this turned out to be an amazing trip.
We drove through Dijon, the capital of Burgundy, (yes, of mustard fame) and it was very charming. I would have liked to spend a little more time there just walking around the village but the wine – I mean wineries - were calling.
Not far was Beaune (about 10 minutes from the vineyards) we could rent bikes. There was even a little bike path that led in to the vineyards which was super picturesque. I would like to do this another trip but NOT if a lot of tasting would be involved the same day! So, off to the wine.
We were told “If you remember one word in Burgundy, it should be ‘terroir’”. This very important term for wine making here which includes but is not limited to climate, soil type, sun, geology … the list goes on and that is what make wine different in Burgundy – every piece of land is different. Since the land is different, so is the naming process. It is not like the California wines I was accustomed to where they were named after the grape. In Burgundy, the wine is given the name of the place because one plot down just a few acres away could be growing the same grape but with a different soil type and could taste completely different. That was a lot of new information to take in, but now on to the actual wine tasting
We stopped in Cote de Nuits where most of the world’s great Pinot Niors are made as well as a number of high quality Chardonnays. This area produces some of the most prestigious and expensive wines in the world and is referred to as the “Champs-Elysees of Burgundy”. You can tell by my reaction, I found this quite impressive!
A family-run winery called Domaine Cornu was up next. Very few people were here since it was small so we were given some extra attention, which was nice. The daughter not only gave us a nice tour but also provided a little more explanation about the unique wine making process in Burgundy. Of course, some wonderful tasting followed.
Further down the road were the Romanee Conti vineyards. We walked around in front of the vineyard but the winery does not offer wine tastings, no surprise here as it is the most expensive wine in the world. Some of the top vineyards in the area are protected behind stonewalls and gates because their grapes are so valuable. At least I was able to take my picture in front of the vineyard and can say I VISITED there.
As one could expect, we worked up an appetite so lunch was next in the small town of Gevrey-Chambertin. The final course was a special treat – - an assortment of regional fromage (cheese) paired with a very nice Pinot. But what made it even more special was that the owner of the café came over and opened a 1994 Pinot for us to try. When looking at the wine though, I noticed mold growing on the bottom of the bottle. But I was surprised to learn that the mold was a good sign. So I just went with it.
With full bellies, we were off to the beautiful Le Clos de Vouget. Cistercian monks started this winery in 1098. Wines produced here are the top level “grand crus”. Strangely enough, I had always envisioned medieval monks having something to do with wine and now I know why. This winery was quite large and still had some winemaking equipment that was centuries old.
Our last stop was Moillard-Grivot for a final tasting. This was a nice place to end our day as the tasting consisted of five wines and there was a large wine shop to purchase favorites. My advice is to download a wine app before touring. There are a few apps available but I like Vivino. If you are not familiar, it is as simple as taking a picture in the app of the wine label. Vivino uses that information and lets you know where (and if) you can find it in your area and the average price as well as what it pairs well with and its rating. Sometimes you save money on a hard to find wine and it is worth it to purchase at the source – but not always. This is a great app to get especially if you are going wine tasting.
At the conclusion of the tour, I not only had an incredible day for learning and pleasure but also cultivated an appreciation for Pinot Noir. I have since heard of Domaine Drouhin Oregon (a family winery that brought the knowledge of Burgundy to Oregon) which I am excited to try now having such a familiarity with the real Burgundy of France. I’m thinking a visit to my north might be in order? But I guess I’ll save that for another time.
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