Burgundy
Burgundy’s winemaking tradition is nearly 1,000 years old. With such a distinguished history, it’s no wonder that Burgundy is famous for not only its pinot noir reds but also for its white wines, made from chardonnay grapes. Burgundy and Chablis wines offer complexity found nowhere else. Although the wine region itself is small, Burgundy’s terroirs are so diverse that each of the area’s 100 Appellations d’Origines Controllées, or designated wine areas, uniquely represents its “place in the sun.” As you might expect, Burgundy offers many ways to experience its best-known product. You can choose from among five wine routes.
If you have only a day to spend in the area, consider focusing on the Route des Grands Crus, which begins in Dijon and ends in Santenay. You’ll explore a large part of the famous Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune wine areas on this wine route. Once in the area, you can leave your car behind, if you wish, and travel on foot, by bicycle and even by hot-air balloon.
The city of Beaune is well worth a visit. Beaune has been a wine trading hub for centuries, and it shows. Stop by one of Beaune’s many wine cellars (“caves”) and wineshops to get an idea of wine’s influence on the city. Some cellars offer tours and tastings for a fee, typically 10 Euros. To learn more about Burgundy wines and how to properly taste them, take a wine class at the School of Wines (“Ecole des Vins”). If you’d like to combine tasting and shopping, visit the Marché aux Vins, across from the Hospital of Beaune (“Hospices de Beaune” or “Hôtel-Dieu”), and sign up for their cellar tour and wine tasting.
Cross the street and tour the Hospital, which is not only a working hospital, but also a nursing school and museum. The museum includes several elaborately-furnished buildings dating from the late 15th century, the Hospital’s historic kitchen and a display devoted to the medical mission of the Hospital. What does a hospital have to do with wine? The Hospital owns 61 acres of vineyards in Burgundy. Wines from the Hospital’s vines are auctioned each year, and the proceeds benefit the Hospital, its museum and a new medical outreach facility in Beaune.
