The Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours in 2015 was organized for a special group, the Wine Brotherhood of Hochheim, Germany (Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim). The tour took place from March 31 to June 6, 2015.
The 2015 Bourgogne Tour, for the Wine Brotherhood of Hochheim, began and ended in Hochheim, which is close to Frankfurt: From Frankfurt – via the Champagne, Tonnerre and Chablis – we headed to the southern tip of the Mâconnais and from there worked our way up to the north through the famous vineyards of the Bourgogne - Côte Chalonnaise, Beaune, Côte de Beaune, Côte de Nuits – back to Frankfurt.
(As an aside, next year, in 2016, the Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours will begin in Lyon and end in Paris. Presumably, we will all fly into Paris and take the TGV to Lyon, the culinary capital of the world. We will move northwards from there (by coach), back to Paris: Lyon, Beaujolais, Mâconnais, Côte Chalonnaise, Beaune, Côte de Beaune, Côte de Nuits, Chablis, Champagne, Paris.
While in 2015, we just passed through the Champagne Region, with lunch and one tasting there, in 2016, we will spend considerably more time in the Champagne Region.)
The following provides you with photo impressions from the 2015 Bourgogne Tour, with a few photos from previous trips.
The Bourgogne
The Bourgogne is one of the most famous wine regions in the world. Most of the wine produced here is Pinot Noir or Chardonnay. Chablis and Beaujolais are formally part of Burgundy wine region, but wines from those subregions are usually referred to by their own names.
Some way south of Chablis is the Côte d'Or, where Burgundy's most famous wines originate. All Grand Cru vineyards of Burgundy (except for Chablis Grand Cru) are here. The Côte d'Or is split into two parts: the Côte de Nuits in the north and the Côte de Beaune in the south. The wine-growing area is just 40 kilometres long, and in most places less than 2 kilometres wide; the area is made up of tiny villages. Further south is the Côte Chalonnaise, where a mix of mostly red and white wines are produced. Below the Côte Chalonnaise is the Mâconnais region, known for producing easy-drinking and more affordable white wine. Further south again is the Beaujolais region. The Bourgogne (including Chablis but excluding Beaujolais) covers a total of 28,000 hectares. Côte d'Or covers 8,000 hectares.
Monks and monasteries of the Roman Catholic Church had an important influence on the history of Burgundy wine. As the power of the church decreased, many vineyards which had been in the church's hands, were sold to the bourgeoisie from the 17th century. The Napoleonic inheritance laws resulted in the continued subdivision of the most precious vineyard holdings, so that some growers hold only a row or two of vines. Clos Vougeot, for example, which was a single 125 acre run by the monks, today is parceled into plots owned by nearly 80 different owners. This led to the emergence of négociants who aggregate the produce of many growers to produce a single wine. Négociants play a vital role in the Bourgogne, ranging from simple labelling and distribution, to carrying out the entire wine-making process. Négociants may supply wines at all quality levels, including Grand Cru.
Bourgogne Classification
Burgundy is the most terroir-oriented region in France. Immense attention is paid to the area of origin, as opposed to Bordeaux, where classifications are producer-driven and awarded to individual chateaux. A specific vineyard or region will bear a given classification, regardless of the wine's producer. The main levels in the Burgundy classifications, in descending order of quality, are:
Grand Cru wines are produced from a small number of vineyards in the Côte d'Or and make up 2% of the production at 35 hectoliters per hectare. The origins of Burgundy's Grand crus can be found in the work of the Cistercians who, among their vast land holdings, were able to delineate and isolate plots of land that produced wine of distinct character. There are 33 Grand Cru vineyards in the Bourgogne.
Premier Cru wines are produced from specific vineyards that are considered to be of high, but slightly lower quality; they make up 12% of production at 45 hectoliters/hectare.
Village appellation wines are produced from vineyard sites within the boundaries of one of 42 villages. Village wines make up 36% of production at 50 hectoliters/hectare.
Regional appellation wines are wines which are allowed to be produced over the entire region, or over an area significantly larger than that of an individual village. These appellations can be divided into three groups:
AOC Bourgogne, the standard appellation for wines made anywhere throughout the region; these wines may be produced at 55 hectoliters/hectare.
Subregional appellations cover a part of Burgundy larger than a village. Examples are Hautes-Côtes de Beaune and Mâcon-Villages.
Wines of specific styles or other grape varieties include white Bourgogne Aligoté (which is primarily made with the Aligoté grape), red Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains (which can contain up to two thirds Gamay) and sparkling Crémant de Bourgogne.
The Bourgogne Tour 2015
Day 1 - Sunday, March 31: From Hochheim (Germany) to Tonnerre (Chablis) via the Champagne Region
12:00 Restaurant Les Berges de l’Ource in Essoyes, Champagne
14:15 Champagne Josselin in Gyé-sur-Seine, Champagne
18:00 Hotel Auberge de Bourgogne in Tonnerre
19:00 Dinner: Auberge de Bourgogne
Day 2 - Monday June 2, Chablis
10:00 Domaine Séguinot-Bordet in Maligny, Chablis
See also:
Pure Chablis – A tête-à-tête Dinner in Washington DC at Marcel’s with Chablis Wine Board President and Winemaker Jean-François Bordet, Domaine Séguinot-Bordet, USA/France
12:30 Lunch at Domaine Brocard in Chablis, followed by a Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting
See also:
Chef Bart M. Vandaele Celebrated the 2 Year Anniversary of his B Too Restaurant with the Wines of Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard from Chablis, USA/France
18:30 Hotel Hostellerie - Château de la Barge in Crêches-sur- Saône, Mâconnais
20:00 Dinner: Restaurant Hostellerie - Château de la Barge in Crêches-sur- Saône, Mâconnais
See also:
Dinner at Restaurant Chateau de la Barge in Creches sur Saone in Burgundy, France
Day 3 - Tuesday, June 2: Mâconnais and Côte Chalonnaise
09:30 Domaine Ferret in Fuissé, Poully-Fuissé, Mâconnais
See also:
In the Most Prestigious AOC in the Mâconnais: Pouilly-Fuissé, France
12:15 Restaurant Hostellerie d’Héloïse in Cluny
14:15 Cluny Abbey
17:00 Domaine Theulot Juillot in Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise
19:45 Hotel Belle Époque in Beaune
20:15 Restaurant L’Air du Temps in Beaune
Day 4 - Wednesday, June 3: Côte de Beaune (South)
09:45 Maison Olivier Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet, Vineyard Walk and Winery Visit followed by Lunch with Wine Tasting at Restaurant La Table d’Olivier Leflaive
14:00 Domaine Mestre Père & Fils in Santenay
16:45 Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils in Beaune
See also:
Tasting Vintage 2010 Bouchard Père et Fils Wines with Panos Kakaviatos in Washington DC, USA
Vintage 2012 Bouchard Père et Fils Tasting at Ripple in Washington DC, USA – With Tasting Notes by Annette Schiller
20:00 Dinner in Beaune
Day 5 - Thursday, June 4: Beaune and Côte de Beaune (North)
10:15 Musée de l’Hospice de Beaune
12:00 Brasserie le Carnot in Beaune
14:00 Group 1: Domaine A-F Gros in Beaune
See also:
Caroline Parent-Gros Presented the Wines of Domaine A-F Gros in the Bourgogne at Chef Bryan Voltaggio’s Range in Washington DC
14:00 Group 2: Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune
16:00 Group 1: Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune
16:00 Group 2: Domaine A-F Gros in Beaune
20:00 Dinner in Beaune
Day 6 - Friday, June 5: Côte de Nuits
09:00 Domaine Faiveley in Nuits-Saint-George
11:15 Domaine du Château de Prémeaux in Nuits Saint Georges
13:30 Restaurant La Gentilhommière in Nuits-Saint-George
15:45 Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion in Vosne-Romanée
18:15 Hotel Les Grands Crus in Gevrey Chambertin
20:00 Restaurant Chez Guy in Gevry Chambertin
See also:
Lunch in Gevrey-Chambertin, Bourgogne, France
Day 7 - Saturday, June 6: Côte de Nuits and Return to Hochheim via the Lorraine Region
09:00 Domaine Guillon & Fils in Gevrey Chambertin
11:30 Château du Clos de Vougeot
12:45 Restaurant Clos de la Vouge in Vougeot
19:00 Hôtel-Restaurant La Bergerie in Rugy, Metz
24:00 Arrival in Hochheim
Specific Postings on the Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France (Posted and Forthcoming)
Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
Visit: Champagne Jean Josselin in Gyé-sur-Seine: Cellar Tour and Champagne Tasting in the Garden with Veronique and Jean Pierre Josselin as well as Sharona Tsubota
The Wines of Tonnerre (Bourgogne)
Visit: Domaine Séguinot-Bordet in Maligny, Chablis: Cellar Tour and Chablis Tasting with Owner and Winemaker Jean-François Bordet
Domaine Brocard in Chablis: Lunch, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Odile Van Der Moere, Responsable de Cave
Domaine Ferret in Fuissé, Poully-Fuissé, Mâconnais: Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Cyril Laumain, Chef de Cave
Domaine Theulot Juillot in Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Nathalie and Jean-Claude Theulot
Maison Olivier Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet: Vineyard Walk Cellar Tour and Lunch with Wine Tasting at Restaurant La Table d’Olivier Leflaive with Patrick Leflaive
Wine Tasting at Domaine Mestre Père & Fils in Santenay with Jonathan Maestre
Visit: Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils in Beaune
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne
Visit: Musée de l’Hospice de Beaune with Karoline Knoth, M.A.
Domaine A-F Gros in Beaune: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Owner and Winemaker Mathias Parent
Visit: Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune
Domaine Faiveley in Nuits-Saint-George: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Mathilde Nicolas (Brand Ambassador)
Wine Tasting at Domaine du Château de Prémeaux in Nuits Saint Georges with Owner and Winemaker Arnaud Pelletier
Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion in Vosne-Romanée: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Bernard Rion and Alice Rion
Domaine Guillon & Fils in Gevrey Chambertin: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Jean-Michel Guillon
Visit: Château du Clos de Vougeot
schiller-wine: Related Postings
Preview: Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2016)
4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux
Tasting Vintage 2010 Bouchard Père et Fils Wines with Panos Kakaviatos in Washington DC, USA
Vintage 2012 Bouchard Père et Fils Tasting at Ripple in Washington DC, USA – With Tasting Notes by Annette Schiller
Pure Chablis – A tête-à-tête Dinner in Washington DC at Marcel’s with Chablis Wine Board President and Winemaker Jean-François Bordet, Domaine Séguinot-Bordet, USA/France
Caroline Parent-Gros Presented the Wines of Domaine A-F Gros in the Bourgogne at Chef Bryan Voltaggio’s Range in Washington DC
Dinner at Restaurant Chateau de la Barge in Creches sur Saone in Burgundy, France
In the Most Prestigious AOC in the Mâconnais: Pouilly-Fuissé, France
Dinner at the Hostellerie des Clos in Chablis (Chef: Michel Vignaud), France
Lunch in Gevrey-Chambertin, Bourgogne, France
Chef Bart M. Vandaele Celebrated the 2 Year Anniversary of his B Too Restaurant with the Wines of Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard from Chablis, USA/France