Hi All (this is my first post so please take it easy on me!) -
My wife and I will be spending two days in Burgundy this April and I am looking for recommendations on places to taste. We will be arriving in Dijon by train, renting a car, and staying in Beaune for the two nights. Ideally we are looking for high quality wines to taste (Grand Cru perhaps??) but also places that offer both ambiance and good wine. We intend to spend the first day in the Cote-de-Nuits and second day closer to Beaune. We are not too particular about pinot vs chard or new world vs old world; a variety would be nice
Also, any insight on how wine tasting generally works in these areas would be helpful. Do you need appointments, can you drop in, etc…?
Lastly, any restaurant recommendations in Beaune would be welcome.
Good restaurant list Don. I’d add -
La Ciboulette - Beaune
Bistro des Cocottes - Beaune
Bistro du Bord de L’eau - Levernois
Pierre et Jean (at Lameloise) - Chagny
Fabienne from Ma Cuisine’s place is Le Bout du Monde. Haven’t been but heard it’s good.
Definitely check out Nicholas and Colleen Harbour in Savigny-lès-Beaune. Their website (http://www.maisonharbour.com) is undergoing a renovation, but if you click on their Facebook link you can message them that way. If you want Nicholas’ email to contact him, PM me. Not only are they making great wines, he’s an ex-pat so English is no issue.
Realize that most of the domaines are not set up for tastings the same way that you would find in California, Oregon or the Finger Lakes. Comte Senard had a lunch tasting/tour with flights that would be similar to something stateside, but that would be an exception. At Domaine Rion, we tasted with winemaker Maxime Rion and owner Claude de Nicolay gave us the tour and tasting at Chandon de Briailles. Most of the places we contacted don’t have anything resembling a tasting room staff or even a person who schedules tastings so you are dealing direct with owners/winemakers. As a result, email conversations take time because they are doing their jobs. There were a few places we wanted to visit but the winemaker’s schedule didn’t match our dates. There may be some drop in places, but they appeared to be more of communal tasting rooms. I’m certainly no expert after a single trip but this is what I experienced in my limited sampling.
There are many posts in the travel section that I used to help me plan the trip. The people on this board were more than helpful. I received a number of PM’s with connections and advice.
A few recommendations:
Nothing happens between 12 - 2 except lunch.
Dinner starts at 7 with rush after 8:30 (read about our great meal at Chez Guy)
Don’t over schedule. Drive around. Beaune is a great walking city.
Spend time in the vineyards. If you know of a particular vineyard that you have had a wine from that you liked, visit it. It is remarkable to see the differences within a single vineyard. See the hallowed ground of DRC.
Invest in a Wine Check (http://www.thewinecheck.com). Invariably you will drink some wine over there that has limited (or no) availability in the US. Or it is way cheaper there that here. We loved a wine that was €37 there (roughly $42 at current conversion) that the cheapest it was available in the US was $89 and would still have to be shipped to Texas from NY. We took our two Wine Checks as checked luggage for free (my wife is 1K on United). We did ship one case home for $150 and even for $12.50 a bottle, we came out ahead on those wines.
Enjoy your trip and I’ll guarantee that you will find that two days is going to be like getting a reservation at The French Laundry, seeing the menu and only getting to eat the Amuse Bouche.
There’s a place in NSG called Maison Ilan. They may have a few magnums left lying around from a couple years back, as well as some italian wine to try.
None that I know of. They shipped in a container when it was full so I had to wait 10 months. It went into NY then to Houston. They have an arrangement with a importer or warehouse. I assume that any duty was rolled into the shipping cost. I would do it again without hesitation.
I spent a week in May in 2014 and it was oh so short… Unless you are a pro and have a duty driver 3 wineries a day is realistic and yes make appointments I made ours via email. Truly enjoyed Joesph Drouhin, Domaine Michel Gros, Domaine Lejeune, Domaine Armelle et Bernard RION. Note you will be offered the wineries full lot not just grand cru so enjoy it all and hey it is ok to spit. : )
Make reservations for dinner early most high end places are booked way in advance. Caveau des Arches excellent, Ma Cuisine excellent and Caves Madeleine a must if you can get in.
Between 12 and 2 is lunch and enjoy it head to a bistro or if you have reservations Le Goret for the best pork in Beaune!
2nd on investing in a wine check! just do it you will not regret it!
Don’t overlook Marche aux Vins in Beaune.
It is touristy and the wines aren’t top notch but it is a decent introduction for a first time visitor. We still go for nostalgic reasons.
And the Creme de Cassis is good.
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