My First Visit to Burgundy
Tasting wine, on the left with our host at the excellent Maison Champy and Nathalie from Secret Wine Tour on the right.
This was an experience that I won’t easily forget. Ever since I discovered an appreciation for wine, I wanted to travel to France and experience Burgundy. Early on, I originally enjoyed bold red wines, exemplified by California Cabernet, but perhaps its the aging process of “me” not the wine that led me to appreciate the pinot noir and chardonnay varietals of Burgundy.
It was the first week of September 2020, and after my research of all potential risks involved, I planned my five days with the expert help of Nathalie Auvolat at Secret Wine Tour. The goal was to experience Beaune, as a centre of the region and a base for visiting wineries in both the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. Nathalie understood I was interested in discovery of respected and up-and-coming wine producers, and having exposure to wine that was affordable, all within my stated budget, but could demonstrate a quality that compared to some of the great names in the region - I can attest “Mission Accomplished”. I separately discovered and highly recommend for its central location, ownership and staff, and buffet breakfast - Clos Sainte Marguerite (formerly Chez les Fatien) a terrific 4-room only B&B. Natalie discussed selections for both a Michelin star restaurant as well as local bistro gems. She arranged a private cooking experience with Adeline Borra (terroirsbyadeline.com) and fully immersed me in the history of this famous region. Suffice to say, I drove back “heavier” than I arrived in Beaune both physically and with a cache of wine. My three favorite “so far” are a 2015 Santenay White Chardomnay from Château de la Crée; a 2015 Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru from Maison Champy and a wonderful discovery of a 2017 Monthelie “Les Longenes” red from Domaine Dubuet-Monthelie. The meal of the trip was not surprisingly at the 3 star Maison Lameloise (lameloise.fr) - perhaps one of the top meals in my lifetime.