Tour of Château du Clos de Vougeot - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours took place from Sunday, July 02 - Thursday, July 13, 2023. The tour started in Lyon and ended in Paris.

Our last event in the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits - Burgundy proper - before moving to Chablis, was a visit of the Château du Clos de Vougeot. 

Château du Clos de Vougeot

In former times the Château du Clos de Vougeot was the acrigultural domaine of the nearby Abbey of Cîteaux, where the roots of the Order of the Cistercians lie. In 1336 the Cistercians created the wall-surrounded vineyard Clos de Vougeot as you see it still today. The Château building is a grand 16th century Renaissance-style manor house, with a wine cellar dating back to the 12th century. It sits majestically in the center of the 125 acres Grand Cru vineyard ‘Clos de Vougeot’ – the largest Grand Cru site in all of Burgundy. It has been owned since 1945 by the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, a worldwide organization dedicated to the love of wine from Burgundy. The above-ground cellar, with its four enormous antique wine presses, is now used for their monthly dinners.

Some background information on the Cistercian Order: The Abbey of Cîteaux was founded in 1098 by a group of monks who wanted to live more closely according to the “Rules of St. Benedict” (Pax, Ora et Labora). Monk Bernard later left Cîteaux to start a separate abbey: Clairvaux. He was the first abbot at Clairvaux and is since known as Bernard of Clairvaux, who was instrumental in spreading viticultural knowledge and the Pinot Noir grape to the regions east of the Rhine river. In the early 13-hundreds Cîteaux boasted of 500 houses and was the center of Christianity. Cîteaux had extensive vineyard sites –among them Clos de Vougeot, which we just visited and the Clos des Lambrays which we visited two days ago. The monks became experts in viticulture and it was here in Vougeot that they were the first to notice that different plots gave different wines, and laid the earliest foundation of the “Cru” system. Cîteaux survived the 100-year war and had about 200 monks in the early 16-hundred. With the religious war in France the monk population declined and later the French Revolution and secularization did the rest. In 1791 the abbey was seized by the French government, the monks had to leave and Cîteaux was sold. In 1898 the abbey of Cîteaux was bought back by the Cistercian Order and repopulated with monks from other abbeys. Today, there are 30 monks living at the abbey of Cîteaux. However all vineyards are lost. In 1925 a herd of Montbeliarde cows was acquired and since then the monks produce wonderful cheese.

Arriving

Vineyard

Tour

From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours (Released and Forthcoming Postings)

ombiasy WineTours: Wine Tour Schedule 2023 - Austria, Germany/East, Burgundy/ Champagne, Germany/ North

Announcement: Burgundy and Champagne 2023: 12-day Total Immersion - From Lyon to Paris by ombiasy WineTours 

Burgundy (and Champagne) Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Paris - Wine, Food, Culture and History, France 

David Miller: From Lyon to Paris, Burgundy and Champagne Tour by ombiasy WineTours, July 02 - Thursday, July 13, 2023

Summary: From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours 

Dinner at Restaurant Le Grand Café des Négociants and Walking Tour in Lyon - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Chermette in Saint-Vérand, Beaujolais, with Martine and Jean-Etienne Chermette - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Château de Jacques, in Romanèche-Thorins, Beaujolais, with Genevieve Bonifacio, Responsable Commerciale - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at Restaurant Château de Pizay in Belleville-en-Beaujolais - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

In the Most Prestigious AOC in the Mâconnais: Pouilly-Fuissé, France

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Ferret in Fuissé, Poully-Fuissé, Mâconnais, with the Outgoing DG/ Winemaker Audrey Braccini and Incoming DG/ Winemaker Clément Robinet - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Domaine Céline & Laurent Tripoz, Mâconnais, with Céline & Laurent Tripoz - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Menand in Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise, with Fabienne Menand - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne

Dinner at Restaurant La Table du Square in Beaune - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Walk in the Vineyard, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Jessiaume in Santenay, Côte de Beaune, with DG/ Winemaker William Waterkeyn - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Guided Vineyards Walk around Meursault with Karoline Knoth, Author of "Castles and Châteaux in Meursault" - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Menu du Jour Lunch at Restaurant L’Agastache in Volnay, with Caroline (Service) and Nunzio Iacono (Kitchen), Michelin and Gault Millau Listed - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Guided Tour of Château de Rully by Owner Count Raoul de Ternay, with Tasting of Domaine Rully Wines - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at Restaurant Le Relais de Saulx in Beaune, with the Couple Charles Danet, Chef, and Agnès Peyre, Service, 12/ 20 Points Gault Millau - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

At Maison Olivier Leflaive in Puligny Montrachet: Vineyard Walk and a Talk with Olivier Leflaive - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Wine-pairing Lunch at La Table d’Olivier with Icon Olivier Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet, Côte de Beaune - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Château de Pommard in Pommard, Côte de Beaune - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Faiveley in Nuits-Saint-George, Côte de Nuits - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Menu du Jour Lunch and Wine Tasting with Sommelier Emmanuel Thibout at Restaurant Le Vintage, Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Louis Jadot in Beaune with Thibaud Marquis, US Representative of Louis Jadot - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Bus Tour Through the Vineyards of Vosne-Romanée, Côte de Nuits, with Melissa Rion and Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Rion, Vosne-Romanée - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Wine-pairing Lunch at Domaine Trapet, Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour of the Ancient Cellars and Tasting at Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Wine and Music at "De Bach à Bacchus Festival de Meursault", with Karoline Knoth - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Hospices de Beaune and its Wines, Guided Tour - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Menu du Jour Lunch at Restaurant Au Creux de Vougeot - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour of Château du Clos de Vougeot - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and other Wine Venues in Chablis, France

Dinner at Restaurant Hostellerie des Clos in Chablis

Tasting from Tank, Barrel and Bottle at Domaine Servin in Chablis, with Marc Cameron and François Servin 

Wine Pairing Lunch, Cellar Visit, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Domaine Jean­ Marc Brocard in Préhy, Chablis– Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours, France 

Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard in Préhy, Chablis

Guided Tour at Fontenay Abbey (Bernard de Clairveau), Montbard 

Champagne– An Introduction, France

French Champagne Houses and German Roots

Champagne Menu du Jour Lunch at Restaurant Chez Bellou in Gyé-sur-Seine, Champagne

Visit and Tasting at Champagne Jean Josselin, a Grower Champagne House in Gyé­ sur­ Seine – Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Champagne Jean Josselin in Gyé-sur-Seine, Côte des Bar, Champagne, with Jean Pierre Josselin and Export Manager Sharona Tsubota

Tour of l'Avenue de Champagne in Epernay - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours 

Hanging out at the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay, Champagne

Tasting at Champagne Maison Gamet in Mardeuil, Vallée de la Marne, with Philippe, Fabienne and Marianne Gamet

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Champagne Alfred Gratien in Èpernay

French/ Thai Fusion Dinner at Restaurant Cook’In in Épernay (Bib Gourmant Michelin), with Chef Guillaume and Uma (Service).