I spent most of last week as a guest of the Burgundy Wine Board visiting vineyards and wine makers in the region, dining at some of the area’s best restaurants and generally having a fantastic time learning about all things deliciously Bourgogne.
Needless to say, I had an absolute blast, and I truly learned a lot. I’m lining up specific content for the next few weeks (and maybe even months) based on my visit. But before all that, I thought it would be cool just to publish a few brief daily write ups about my experiences. Here’s my second post in my short Wine Tasting in Burgundy series.
Highlights from Day Two (Wednesday 9 May 2012)
– Met the driver for our time in Beaune, Youri Lebault of Bourgogne Gold Tour. Great guy, safe driver … lots of local knowledge and definitely smart about wine. Friendly, easygoing.
– Started the day at Ecole des Vins de Bourgogne with a crash course + tasting of Burgundy wines with Jane Eyre-Renard then hit the vineyards, specifically the fabled hill of Corton.
– Snails times deux! I had snails at lunch and dinner. Kind of a dream cuisine day for me. Lunch was at La Ciboulette (with the friendly Cecile Mathiaud of the Burgundy Wine Board) and dinner at Le Bistrot Bourguignon (with my travel buddies Rob and Mark). Both places were in the centre of Beaune, comfy and affordable. I especially liked lunch at La Ciboulette; the Bouzeron 2005 that accompanied my l’escargot-y lunch was one of the stand out wines of the trip. Why’s that? Stay tuned.
– After lunch we visited two historic winemakers: Maison Bouchard Pere et Fils and Maison Bouchard Aine et Fils (two distinct maisons started by two brothers). Really loved the tasting in the Bouchard Pere et Fils’ cellar beneath the walls of Chateau de Beaune, a royal fort built in the 15th century. Tastings at both Maisons impressed. As with the Bouzeron, I’ll delve deeper into my tasting notes a little further down the line.
Visit www.discovertheorigin.co.uk to find out more about what makes Burgundy and its wines so special.
Pingback: » Wine of the Month: Bouchard Aîné & Fils, Crémant de Bourgogne Brut 2007 Tiki Chris