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Burgundy trip - 4/7/2014 7:42:39 AM

ksmith

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From: Cleveland, Ohio
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My wife and I will be going to Germany in May to visit our daughter, and she is proposing a drive over to Burgundy, specifically Beaune. I know very little about setting up visits to wineries in Burgundy, except that it is not as easy as many other places. Any recommendations for a day or two visit? TIA.

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RE: Burgundy trip - 4/7/2014 8:48:51 AM

Robert Pavlovich

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From: West Los Angeles
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I'll be there first week of June so am interested to hear any advice as well.

My plan so far is to visit some of the bigger houses that are open to the public and easy to see such as Jospeh Drouhin, Faiveley, and Bouchard. Then I'm going to try and set up a couple of appointments at smaller domaines by asking around. There's a also a new domaine that has been well documented on the forum here, Maison Harbour.

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RE: Burgundy trip - 4/7/2014 9:33:38 AM

Yossarian

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Paul S is the person you need to speak to about this - not seen him on the forum for a while.

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RE: Burgundy trip - 4/7/2014 10:01:24 AM

Sourdough

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We were there last May but with a buyer for a couple of days and with him we visited mostly small domaines. As a result we did not try to get into smaller houses but are told it is not easy. Still...I know it can be done. But expect refusals. The small houses really aren't set up to deal with guests. If you do get in your host will almost certainly be the owner/wine maker/manager. And that can be very special.

We did the Drouhin tasting on our own time and highly recommend the "premium tour and tasting" (currently 35 euros). You will taste six wines (seven if you are lucky), including some very nice ones. Go to their website and read about the tour and make reservations. It is also pretty neat to taste wine in the ancient cellar. (1200s as I recall).

Beaune is really fun. Look forward to your reporting on your trip.
Jay

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RE: Burgundy trip - 4/7/2014 1:19:12 PM

gilrbo

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From: Bern, Switzerland
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I've been there regularly in the last three years, about twice a year.
My strategy is simply to write them emails well in advance and hope for the best. In my experience most of the growers are open and welcoming but sometimes they have good reasons for not being able to receive you, and then you have to try another time. So make your choice, write them an email and if they say no, make a second choice, write them emails and so on.
Bill Nanson's book has telephone numbers and addresses for all the growers presented in the book.
His site also has a lot of information.

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RE: Burgundy trip - 4/7/2014 1:39:17 PM

mjobtx

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Joined: 11/20/2004
From: Plano, TX
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We were there in the Fall of 2012 and visited smaller houses. Select the ones you want to visit. Send them and email and hope for a response. Some will. Some won't. It helps if you can speak and write in French. Some of the smaller houses do not have English speakers available all of the time. We especially enjoyed visiting with Anne Parent, Domaine Parent in Pommard. We also visited Maison Nicolas Potel, Nuits St. Georges (their PR guy will reply to your email and he speaks English). We also visited Domaine Rene Leclerc, Gevrey Chambertin. Francois Leclerc will likely respond. We visited their tasting room and purchased some bottles from '82 & '89 along with more current vintages.

We were helped a great deal by having a friend of ours who lives in the Burgundy region along to handle the more difficult language issues. Neither my wife nor I speak, read, or write French.

So just get busy and make appointments. You will have a great time.

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RE: Burgundy trip - 4/7/2014 3:06:20 PM

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depends on what you are looking for and how comfortable you are with the language. English is not spoken at many smaller domaines.
If you don't speak French,
Bouchard P et F is a great tour with some decent wines at the end. Email for an appointment.
We have not done Jadot but it is supposed to be great.
Don't overlook the touristy Marche aux Vins. We go every year so HRH can laugh at me trying not to be condescending to their "experts." We always enjoy it.
Maison Harbour in Savigny will certainly speak English; they have been active on this forum.

We'll be there the last week in June this year.

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