Private Burgundy Wine Tour

I am looking for a private Burgundy tour guide that may have connections to get into some better wineries. Any recommendations?

Bill Nanson

Define ‘better’.

Diane Gambal. Alex Gambal’s wife. thehiddenfrance.com

Let’s say Rousseau. Leroy. Drc. Coche.

Are there any tour guides who can get u in those?

Yep, Contiki do tours most weeks, but you have to be 18-35. I think they call it the Smashed on La Tache Tour.

I visited Burgundy two years ago and did some amount of research into who to get as a guide. Based on wine forums and on the recommendation of a friend who is kind of a Burgundy collector, Bill Nanson was my first choice, but I planned everything two weeks out and he was booked so I ended up with a fine guide but one that likely isn’t suited for your purpose. If (really, when) I go again I’m going to try to get Bill booked well ahead of time. Interested to see the recommendations of others as well.

Slightly off topic…you may already have accommodations (assuming you’re travelling there), but in case not I couldn’t have been happier with Hostellerie de Levernois about 10 minutes south of Beaune. Stellar place.

Yup, you get to bungy jump head first into a vat of Grand Cru, LOL

Does he really get people into DRC and Coche? Interesting.

I’d like to resurrect this conversation if I could. My wife and visited Burgundy last year and hired Bourgogne Gold Tours for a day tour of the Cote de Nuit. We’re considering going back next year and, similar to Don C, I’m curious to know if there are other local experts who give day tours or multi-day tours and have connections to get into the upper tier domaines in Cote de Nuit and Cote de Beaune. I’ve bookmarked Bill Nanson’s page, but, unfortunately thehiddenfrance.com doesn’t seem to be working. If there are any others that you have hired in the past or have heard good things about, I’m all ears (and eyes) to consider them!

My dad and I did this and loved it: Wine Tasting Classes - Wine Tours - Burgundy - Sensation Vin. It was unique but I can’t imagine a better way to experience the Cote de Nuits. Much better than simply tasting in a cellar or tasting room. The wines poured were from reputable producers and they bring proper stemware. Highly recommended.

From their website:

Every day (except Saturday), we will take you from 9.30am to 1pm or from 2pm to 5.30pm for 3 ½ hours of itinerant tasting into the heart of the vineyards. Travelling in our Wrangler Jeep, you will experience the wines of Burgundy in prestigious surroundings. Five tasting stops in the heart of the great burgundian appellations await you in Corton, Nuits Saint Georges, Vosne Romanée, Chambolle Musigny and Gevrey Chambertin. We will take the time to leave the Côte and go into the Hautes Côtes, where the vines are pruned and trellissed higher. As we drive through the different tracks, with the finest panoramic views over the vineyards, we will talk about oenology, the vegetative cycle, and the work in the vines; we will observe the implantation of the vines and the appellations in situ.

Between Corton and Chambertin you will taste 10 red wines, 5 1er cru wines and 5 grand cru wines.

Just did a quick last minute 2 day trip to Beaune. With not much advance planning time and not having a car I was struggling with how to best explore. Found the sensation vin tip here and booked. Great experience similar to David’s. Really fun to get above and in to the vineyards to get a better feel for the land, slope, scale. All without the stress of deciding if your little rental car can handle a rocky steep dirt road!

Here were the wines poured:
First stop
Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er cru Clos de Thorey 2014 Domaine de la Vougeraie
Vosne-Romanée 1er cru les Chaumes 2016 Domaine François Lamarche
Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2020 Domaine Forey

Second stop
Morey-Saint-Denis 1er cru Les Millandes 2013 Domaine Pierre Amiot
Chambolle-Musigny 1er cru Les Charmes 2015 Domaine Christian Clerget
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2018 Domaine Georges Lignier

We recently had two tours, one at Ch Mersault and the other was at Edouard Delaunay. Both visits were fantastic. Not sure if they are higher level for you though.