I recently joined in as part of a very small group of no
more than 5, on an exclusively private Wine and Gastronomy tour by Burgundy on a Plate. For an outstanding
tour by tirelessly run by Sue Boxell.
It is action packed! It is educational and it is good to be on a tour where the host and the wineries 'have' and 'try' to have a good relationship! This is where you see and get a feel for the etiquette and comportment of the French folks. I loved that!
The departure point is from your hotel in or close to Beaune or
from Beaune station. There are no set tours as each tour is organized
individually.
This tour was GO! GO! GO! From the start! I was happy for
that! It was all in whirlwind week!
The Burgundian’s are very cool and ironically have a lot in
common with American mid-westerners and old school Cuban’s. You have to be
there to understand it.
This is not Paris or the South of France. Family and
Property Rights are very important and are in veins of this place. They love
American Music, Understand ‘what living off the land’ is and have a free
spirit.
There is so much history to see…From the French Revolution
to Religious symbolism…and of course the…WINE and the FOOD! Lot's of tastings, scenic routes, wine caves, castles, medieval places, fresh markets, churches, and sudden flights of fancy...
These are some of the things we did (it is updated with info from
Sue’s Website http://www.burgundyonaplate.com/index.html
click on the link)
Vineyards of Côte de
Beaune
Enjoy private wine tastings in villages famous for
Chardonnay, such as Meursault, Puligny Montrachet & Chassagne Montrachet
& Pinot Noirs from Pommard or Volnay
amongst others. Enjoy stunning views of the upper slopes & renowned grand
cru vineyards, lunching in the pretty village of Volnay for some of the finest
regional cuisine of the area dining out on the terrace when fine.
Vineyards of Côte de
Nuits
Cote de Nuits is famed for its pinot noir from such villages
as Nuits St Georges, Vosne Romanee, Morey St Denis, Vougeot & Gevrey
Chambertin. Enjoy private cellar visits
and a delicious lunch from the best of local cuisine as well as a leisurely
drive through famous vineyards, stopping at the site of the legendary Romanée
Conti vineyards, learning and tasting during the 8-hour tour.
Luxury Wine Tour in
Côte de Beaune
Visit the vineyards of the famed white wine villages of
Puligny Montrachet , Meursault & Chassagne Montrachet and enjoy visits to
the winemaker’s cellars for in depth private tastings of both chardonnay &
pinot noir. Learn to appreciate colours, aromas and flavours tasting regional,
village, premier and grand cru wines.
After a leisurely lunch at a 1* Michelin restaurant (or top regional
cuisine if preferred) enjoy a afternoon tasting including grand cru at a
beautiful chateau in our own private tasting room.
Luxury Wine Tour in
Côte de Nuits
The renowned villages of Gevrey Chambertin, Morey St Denis,
Vougeot, Vosne Romanee or Nuits St Georges are on the menu today, tasting from
village to grand cru wines at some exceptional cellars. A three-course gourmet lunch off the beaten
track is included at a Michelin quality restaurant (or top local restaurant
serving the best of Burgundy’s regional cuisine). Stop at the site of the legendary Romanee
Conti vineyards (the most expensive wine in the world) & drive through
stunning vineyard scenery, with a brief stop at the famous Château de Clos
Vougeot.
Beaune Prestige Tour
The charming and historic medieval town of Beaune is
Burgundy’s wine capital and is the focus of our new gourmet wine tour for
2015! You will discover this charming
wine capital with your guide who will take you to taste chardonnay & pinot
noir at two of the most prestigious wineries in Beaune. In addition, there will be a privately guided
visit to the famous 15C Hospices de Beaune (important in Burgundy’s wine
history) and an excellent 3 course lunch at a notable 1* Michelin restaurant.
Medieval Burgundy,
Wine Tasting & Sightseeing
Enjoy a relaxed day in two stunning medieval villages filled
with flowers and boasting gorgeous views.
Flavigny sur Ozerain, classed as one of the most beautiful villages in
France (of 'Chocolat' fame) is our morning destination with a fun &
informative tasting of local wines followed by lunch at a Ferme Auberge run by
local farmers’ wives with produce from their farms & gardens. After lunch, a leisurely walking tour through
Flavigny’s delightful streets before driving across country to Chateauneuf en
Auxois with its fairytale 12C Chateau. Time to explore the village & visit
the château before our return to Beaune taking the scenic route through the
beautiful Ouche Valley
Wine & Food Tour
Selection
Private Cooking Course, Lunch, Vineyard Tour &
Tasting
Learn to cook traditional Burgundian fare with our French
chef in his home or modern French cuisine in a professional kitchen (exclusive
to our clients) inclusive of aperitifs and a three course lunch. After lunch we tour the famous vineyards
& villages of the Cote de Nuits, stopping for an excellent cellar visit,
tasting from village to grand cru wines. For groups of 4+ I can offer a session
in a 1* Michelin restaurant also inclusive of lunch & tastings. No French needed as the classes are in
English.
Cheese & Wine
Tasting in Cote de Nuits
An ideal tour for the real cheese lovers amongst you, you
will discover & learn about some of the most traditional cows’ milk cheeses
from the Burgundy region, paired with both chardonnay and pinot noir. Your
guide will take you through the art of cheesemaking before. moving on to a
private cellar visit in a renowned wine village. After a delicious lunch from regional
specialities, we take a leisurely drive through the famous vineyards and
villages of Cote de Nuits, stopping at some famous landmarks before our final
wine tasting of the day.
In partnership with a local artisanal chocolate maker and an
excellent wine producer, we are pairing some of these melt in-the mouth
chocolates with different types & styles of wine for a fun and enjoyable
afternoon. The day begins in Cote de
Beaune tasting some famous chardonnays & pinots of the ‘Cote’ at small
family owned wineries and lunching at one of the best restaurants in the area
for regional cuisine, such as coq au vin.
After a tour of the grand cru vineyards in the afternoon, we begin our
superb wine & chocolate tasting (with the opportunity to purchase both)
I hope you enjoyed this write up and consider this trip!
*article recently update in 2014
