In April me and fellow forumites @IlkkaL and @Mikko_R (plus a common friend of ours) made a week-long trip to Burgundy and Rhône to wine, dine and just have great brochacho time. This tournée had been in the works for quite some time - I think it was around 4 or 5 years ago when we had the first talks that we should go and make a celebratory trip to France sometime on the same year when Ilkka turns 40. Well, this trip was now in the spring and his birthday is later this year, but this was a birthday trip all the same (also because Mikko had his birthday midway through the trip)!
Soon after returning from this trip, I made a longer one to Japan, which is why it took me a little while to sit down and start documenting our voyage. Fortunately Ilkka has done an excellent write-up of what we did there already, so I didn’t feel pressured into telling the board how we wined and dined; it all was already out there!
Anyhow, if you have read Ilkka’s write-up, there’s not going to be anything new here - we experienced the same stuff, so the only difference is that this travelogue is going to be written from my perspective. And, naturally, with a lot more tasting notes that are going to be - true to my style - less poetic and more verbose and analytic than Ilkka’s!
I’m going to be writing this in pieces, updating the thread little by little whenever I have time, so don’t expect to see everything here all at once! So, if you are one of those people who can handle my walls of text, hang around and see how similarly / differently me and Ilkka experienced France!
Day 1
After a very badly slept night we took off to the Helsinki airport at around 5 am; our flight to Paris was scheduled to take off at around 7 am and we wanted to be there well ahead - as we had already booked TGV tickets to Lyon, we didn’t want to miss our flight (and the train) just because we arrived late at the airport and got stuck at the security check.
Fortunately the airport was relatively empty so early in the morning, so checking our baggage and going through the security was a breeze. The other guys hadn’t eaten any breakfast yet, but since I had already eaten before I left home, I went and had my own takeoff routine, ie. a pint of ale at the Oak Barrel bar.
Both our flight to Paris and our rapid train trip from Paris to Lyon were delightfully hassle-free.
Our entourage making the prolonged hike from the Lyon-Saint-Exupéry station to the rental car area.
Basically the only setback of sorts came when we went to pick up our rental car: we had booked an automatic 7-seater minivan from the premium range, but we were given a manual Toyota minivan with no explanations whatsoever on this switcharoo. After a quick bout of “this is not what we ordered nor what we have paid for”, we had to wait for close to 45 minutes for the rental car company to procure us a car that met the specs with which we had originally booked one. After all these shenanigans, we were not surprised that their promise of “the new car is here very quickly, only in five minutes” didn’t hold any water.
Anyways, once we finally had our proper Mercedes minivan, we took off to our first destination: Charavines, a tiny commune in Isère. There are no vines in Charavines, but there’s Hôtel des Bains - an outstanding restaurant with a world-class wine cellar. This is a wino heaven that honestly has no business in being located in such a tiny, sleepy village - and Ilkka and Mikko had been singing praises on this place for who knows how many years. Our original plan was to drive to Charavines and have both a lunch and a dinner at Hôtel des Bains, but thanks to the rental car company, we arrived to Hotel des Bains only right before they closed for lunch.
Us arriving at Hôtel des Bains.
Since Hôtel des Bains was more or less the only eatery in the village and all the grocery stores were closed for the Easter, we were fresh out of luck. Nevertheless, we bought a bottle of Volnay 1er Cru from the restaurant just to have something to drink and asked if there was any places nearby from which we could buy something to eat. Fortunately one epicerie in the next hamlet still had some sausages and local cheeses on which we managed to survive until our dinner!
- 2015 Domaine de Montille Volnay 1er Cru Les Brouillards - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru (21.4.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Pinot Noir. Vinified mostly in whole bunches. Aged in oak barrels (about 30-40% new) for 12 months. 12,5% alcohol.
Dark, somewhat translucent cherry-red color. The nose feels vibrant and juicy with aromas of ripe redcurrants and red cherries, some oaky notes of sweet exotic spices, a little bit of roasted beet root, light autumnal notes of forest floor, sweet hints of raspberries and red plums and a touch of floral lift. The wine feels juicy, clean and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and vibrant flavors of brambly raspberries and ripe redcurrants, some black cherry tones, a little bit of roasted beet root, light toasty notes of sweet oak, a hint of gravelly earth and a touch of chalky minerality. Good sense of firmness and structure, thanks to the high acidity and ripe yet appropriately grippy medium tannins. The finish is long, crunchy and moderately grippy with a dry, fresh aftertaste of black cherries and ripe blackcurrants, some toasty oak tones, a little bit of sweet exotic spice, light gravelly mineral notes, an autumnal hint of forest floor and a touch of brambly raspberry.
A fresh, firm and promising 1er Cru Volnay. Despite the warm vintage, the wine shows bright and crunchy fruit flavors, lovely sense of freshness and surprisingly modest levels of alcohol. Although the wine doesn't come across as particularly young anymore, I feel it is still quite far away from its peak - at least the tannins are still very firm and show no signs of resolution and the oak influence is still quite present. Most likely it will take many years more before the wine starts to really unfurl and those woody tones fully integrate with the fruit. However, the wine is fully enjoyable already now - especially if paired with some food that can help tone down that tannic structure. Maybe a tad pricey for the quality at 105€ (in a restaurant), but nothing too over-the-top.
(92 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
After we had had a little bit of sustenance, we left to have some sightseeing. There’s not much to see at Charavines, but the views over the neighboring lac de Paladru are quite something.
We walked up the lakeside until we came across an open bar - nearly the only signs of life we had seen in Charavines thus far! We decided to pop in to spend some time before our dinner - at this point there was nothing else to do than to wait for our steadily approaching feast - so we sat down and ordered an appropriately local pair of drinks: some local IPA and glasses of Chartreuse Liqueur du 9ᵉ Centenaire.
- NV La Furieuse Diffuse NEIPA - France, Rhône / Savoie, Isère (21.4.2025)
6% alcohol.
Murky and rather ugly bownish-amber color with a moderately large white and creamy head. The nose feels sweet, clean and hop-forward with aromas of passion fruit and pineapple, some piney resinous tones, a little bit of ripe orange and a hint of caramel malt. The beer feels soft, round and gently sweetly-fruited on the palate with a medium body and juicy flavors of peach, some passion fruit, light caramel malt tones, a little bit of ripe orange and a hint of savory spice. Soft carbonation and gentle, mellow hop bitterness. The finish is long, round and fruity with flavors of passion fruit and mango, some ripe orange, light caramel malt tones, a little bit of pine resin, grassy hints of herbal hops and a touch of savory spice.
A nice, smashable and flavorful NEIPA. The murky appearance might not be particularly appetizing, but this is a solid and very juicy effort on the palate. A very accessible beer due to its vibrant, exotic fruit flavors and modest hop bitterness. A perfect summer brew when served cold. Solid value at 6€ for a 0,33-liter bottle in a bar.
(91 points)
We took our time chatting at the bar until dinnertime started creeping close, at which point we left the bar for Hôtel des Bains.
Walking the lakeside back to Charavines.
Naturally we were the first customers to arrive at the restaurant, hungry as we were. Since me and Ilkka had scouted the restaurant wine lists beforehand for most restaurants we had table reservations, we had a pretty good picture what we were going to order. However, the online wine list for Hôtel de Bains was somewhat out of date, meaning that everything we were planning on ordering were sold out, so Ilkka more or less improvised new alternatives, checked us for green light and then we placed our orders for foods and wine.
The menu.
The wines with which we finally went.
Foie gras.
Eminently delicious scallops.
Tournedos rossini. As over-the-top as you can imagine.
We didn’t go for desserts, but instead ordered second glasses of 9ème Centenaire. It seemed that the sommelier was happy how we thought Chartreuse was an appropriate option for a dessert, and quite soon after he had brought us our glasses of 9ème, he appeared again with a bottle of Chartreuse - this time it was a bottle of VEP, from which he poured us quite generous glasses of the emerald liqueur, gratis. At this point I thought we might’ve received some looks from the neighboring tables…
9ème Centenaire vs. VEP
- 2018 Bérêche et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Mailly - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (21.4.2025)
100% Pinot Noir from +50 yo parcels in Mailly, Montagne de Reims. Bottled in 2019 and aged sur lattes for four years. Disgorged in July 2023. 12,5% alcohol and 2 g/l dosage. Total production 2625 bottles.
Light seared salmon color with a pale pink hue. The nose feels ripe, open and quite leesy with aromas of yeasty autolysis, some red-toned cherry notes, a little bit of fresh red apple, light nutty notes of chopped peanuts, an autolytic hint of brioche or pastry, a touch of ripe orange and a sharp whiff of Granny Smith apple. The wine feels crisp and moderately ripe yet still very direct on the palate with a medium body and almost bone-dry flavors of tart citrus fruits and stony minerality, some bruised apple notes, a little bit of toasty nuttiness and toffee, a red-toned hint of fresh raspberry and a touch of leesy creaminess. The mousse feels somewhat sparse yet pretty persistent, whereas the high acidity lends great sense of freshness and intensity to the wine. The finish is dry, crisp and quite linear with a long, palate-cleansing aftertaste of tart Granny Smith apple, some nutty tones, a little bit of leesy autolysis, light red-toned nuances of redcurrants and raspberries, a mineral hint of wet rocks and a touch of lemony citrus fruit.
A focused but also quite lean and direct Champagne that looks quite like a rosé, yet tastes like a bone-dry Blanc de Noirs. Still very youthful and high-strung, coming across as pretty closed at the moment. The wine feels wonderfully refreshing, but otherwise still a bit too young and thus not offering much at the moment. This is a wine I'd love to leave in a cellar to unwind a bit more and return to it maybe after another 5 to 8 years. Feels somewhat pricey for the quality at 175€ (in a restaurant).
(90 points) - 2018 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur Blanc Brézé - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur (21.4.2025)
100% Chenin Blanc from organically farmed 60-yo vines on the famed Bréze hill. Aged in oak barrels (20% new). 13% alcohol.
Quite intense neon yellow-green color. At first the nose feels quite reductive with flatulent notes of H2S, but this blows off quite quickly, revealing nuanced aromas of fresh apricots and creamy oak, some reductive notes of fireworks smoke, a little bit of butter, light zesty citrus tones, a hint of fresh Fuji apple and a touch of beeswax. The wine feels broad, ripe and still very balanced on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of lemon curd and fresh peachy fruit, some smoky notes of reduction, a little bit of apple jam, light stony mineral nuances, oaky hints of creaminess and toasted wood spice and a touch of stony minerality. There also seems to be a tiny bit of phenolic bitterness, suggesting rather high levels of dry extract. The wine is high in acidity, despite its breadth and sense of ripeness, making the overall feel surprisingly fresh, focused and structured. The finish is long, intensely flavored and somewhat concentrated with focused flavors of stony minerality and apple jam, some toasty oak spice, light creamy tones, a little bit of peachy stone fruit, a hint of smoky reduction and a touch of lemon curd.
A youthful, bold and powerful Chenin with a surprisingly Burgundian air - thanks to the combination of the toasty oak nuances and those subtly smoky nuances of reduction. It feels as if this was a Meursault made with Chenin Blanc; the fruit profile is obviously very Chenin and not Chardonnay, but the style nevertheless speaks to the fans of white Burgundies - this is a far cry of, say, a mineral, somewhat neutral and pretty lightweight dry Vouvray. This wine really has some tactile presence. And even if it is from a warm vintage, it doesn't lack in freshness or structure one little bit. As the overall feel is still super youthful, showing very little if any signs of age, I can see this wine aging beautifully over many more years - maybe even decades. At 255€ (in a restaurant) the wine is outrageously expensive, but that isn't news when it comes to the Clos Rougeard wines.
(94 points) - 2016 Sylvain Cathiard Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Aux Thorey - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (21.4.2025)
100% Pinot Noir from an organically farmed parcel that was planted in 1953 and Cathiard purchased in 2006. All fruit fully destemmed. After a cold soak, the fruit is fermented spontaneously and macerated with the skins for 2-3 weeks. Aged in oak barrels (50-70% new) for 18 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Youthful, luminous and quite translucent dark cherry color. The nose feels fragrant and very attractive with layered aromas of savory exotic spices and fresh forest fruits, some brambly black raspberry tones, a little bit of licorice root, light toasty oak nuances, a hint of perfumed floral character, a touch of ripe cherry and a whiff of allspice. The wine feels juicy and nuanced on the palate with a medium body and rather fruit-driven flavors of black raspberries and dark plummy fruit, some tart lingonberries, some toasty oak tones, a little bit of chocolatey mocha oak, light gravelly mineral nuances, a hint of allspice and a savory touch of meaty umami. The wine is pretty light on its feet, yet packing good sense of firmness and structure, thanks to the high acidity and moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is long, intensely flavored and somewhat grippy with a layered aftertaste of sweet black cherries and ripe black raspberries, some toasty notes of mocha oak and exotic spice, a little bit of allspice, light tart cranberry nuances, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.
A serious, intensely flavored and wonderfully fragrant 1er Cru NSG that is quite delicate and airy in overall feel, yet surprisingly firm and structured at the same time. However, the oak influence is still quite noticeable - and perhaps even a bit too much for my preference. The wine isn't over-oaked in any way, mind you; the emphasis is definitely on the vibrant Pinosity and the oak has taken on a more supporting role. However, as I'm not that keen on oak aromatics, those toasty notes do feel a bit distracting at times. I loved the perfumed bouquet and rather structure-driven overall feel here, but I'm not sure how much age this wine calls for to integrate those oaky notes with the fruit. Definitely a lot more than these 9-ish years this wine has seen now. While a pretty impressive wine in its own right, the price (375€, in a restaurant) feels quite expensive to me.
(92 points) - 2025 Grande Chartreuse Chartreuse V.E.P. Verte - France (21.4.2025)
Chartreuse VEP (Vieillissement Exceptionnellement Prolongé) is made according to the same, secret recipe as the regular Chartreuse Verte, but unlike the regular green liqueur, VEP is aged in demi-muid oak casks for several years. Many sources claim the liqueur is aged for 10 years - as long as the first VEP produced in 1963 - but some say it's "just" 8 years minimum. I haven't seen any official information on how long the liqueur is actually aged. Logically, that 2025 vintage doesn't reflect the year the liqueur was made, but when it was bottled. 54% alcohol.
Quite youthful poison-green color that is slightly paler than your typical Chartreuse. The complex nose feels sweet, hot and ridiculously intense with pungent, herby aromas of wormwood and punchy alcohol, some vegetal herbs, a little bit of exotic spices, light peppery tones, a hint of anise, a touch of old wood and a whiff of peppermint. The liqueur feels sweet, hot and robust on the palate with a medium body and concentrated flavors of vegetal herbs and peppery spice, some wormwood, light citrus peel tones, a little bit of medicinal herb bitterness, a hint of exotic spice and a touch of minty greenness. The overall feel is slightly sticky and ridiculously intense, but also considerably mellower and less sharp than the rather aggressive regular green Chartreuse. The finish is hot, somewhat sticky and very long with a ridiculously intense aftertaste of vegetal herbs and peppery spice, some wormwood, light zesty notes of lemon peel, a little bit of syrupy richness, a sweet hint of exotic spices and a touch of softer aromatic herbs like rosemary or basil.
As always, this bottling of VEP is an extraordinary liqueur with rather unforgiving sense of power and intensity. Although supposedly VEP is made according to the same recipe as the regular green Chartreuse - and you can certainly feel they are cut from the same cloth - they are wildly different in character. The regular Verte is somewhat greener and more vegetal in taste, thinner in body and has just a more direct and more aggressive overall character. VEP sort of tastes like the same, but has so much more presence and complexity, coming across as somewhat more mellow yet still very robust and quite angular in character. The flavor profile is also less vegetal and emphasizes those exotic spice tones and faint fruity undertones more, making the liqueur feel less medicinal and more - I don't know - impressive? Some say that as the VEP bottling is already aged for so long before it is bottled, it doesn't really evolve much in the bottle; you'd have to keep it for decades - maybe even more than a century - before you really started to see some evolved qualities. That's why the other bottlings - even the regular Verte - are better choices if you want to age Chartreuse bottles; they just develop a lot faster. Then again, I'm sure this liqueur will keep just fine for as long as you need it to. Drink it now or whenever. This is simply exceptional stuff.
After we had finished, paid our bills and thanked the somm and the staff, I think there were no other customers left in the restaurant. First to enter, last to leave. I guess we managed to maximize our enjoyment at the establishment without wearing out our welcome!
