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Gourmet Tours and Tasting Lunches
Top notch tours to introduce you to the best of Burgundy, with an emphasis on food and wine, châteaux and vineyards. Tried and tested, a guided tour opens doors, giving you insider information; you will meet and get to know some of the vignerons and chefs en route and get to the pulse of Burgundy on day one. What’s more, you can leave the car at home and enjoy the wine in style. If you are travelling under your own steam, a popular trend is a tasting lunch in one of the châteaux or domains in the region. Here the food is typically Burgundian but the wines are special, usually with an explanation from the sommelier on hand. Hidden Secrets Tour David and Lynne Hammond have made a great success out of their wine tasting tours around the Côte de Beaune, Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Chalonnaise. They specialise in visiting small independent winegrowers, where you taste from the bottle and barrel. Full English commentary and tasting notes are supplied and by the end of the trip you will have a greater knowledge and appreciation of wine, plus of course, you’ll have had a lot of fun. There are approximately 4,500 winegrowers in Burgundy and the vast majority are small, independent family Domaines of around 6 hectares (20 acres). Burgundy has many “Hidden Secrets” and on this tour Burgundy Discovery will take you to winegrowers and villages that are off the beaten track to growers who rarely receive visitors. These men and women are often described as the true characters of Burgundy, and make fabulous wine from tiny parcels of land in traditional ways. Usually you will meet the winegrowers (and often their dogs too!) who tend the vines, make the wine, mature and sell it. This is great wine produced with heart-felt passion and rarely found outside of France.
Following on from the success of their one day tours, they now offer a whole range of suggestions encompassing Premier, Grand Cru and vintage tastings, plus inclusive tours with tastings, accommodation and dinner. See their full programme. Their tours receive frequent positive feedback on Trip Advisor and have been recommended by the Washington Post. Lynne Hammond, a cordon bleu trained cook, is now offering one day cookery classes at their 150 year old home near Autun. You will cook a three course meal of Burgundy specialities and learn a lot of tricks of the trade. More information on this and all other tours www.burgundydiscovery.com Burgundy on a Plate A lot of people who worked on the hotel barges in the past got hooked on Burgundy and just couldn’t stay away. Sue Boxell is one such aficionado who returns to the region, keen to pass on her extensive knowledge and enthusiasm. She has set up Burgundy On a Plate, a selection of tours ranging from one to six days duration. The Heart of Burgundy tour (5 nights, 6 days) includes wine tours and tastings, visits to medieval villages, gourmet dining including a Michelin starred restaurant, visits to châteaux and an optional half day cooking course. See www.burgundyonaplate.com. Tasting Lunches near Beaune olivier leflaive ChAteau de Pommard Wining and dining in the château where the grapes are grown has a distinct caché. Château de Pommard just outside Beaune is the latest domain to set up its own restaurant looking out onto the vineyards. From Easter until November 21 you will be able to enjoy lunch in the 18thC dining room or out on the terrace, accompanied of course by a glass or two of Pommard. Menu 28 euros, open from 12.00 – 15.00, closed Wed. Aloxe-Corton Domaine Comte Senard began life over 150 years go with Clos des Meix. Other prestigious names have been added to the domain over the years including Corton Clos du Roi, Corton Bressandes, and Corton Charlemagne. Count Philippe Senard, great grandson of the founder directs the estate in Aloxe-Corton. Here there is a tasting room and shop, or, you can enjoy a leisurely tasting lunch - a three course meal of traditional Burgundian fare includes four glasses of the domain’s wines for 35 euros per person, six wines for 45 euros or eight wines for 55 euros. Domaine Comte Senard is open from 10.00 – 18.00 Tuesday to Saturday. ChAteau Chassagne Montrachet Michel Picard has transformed this chateau into a boutique hotel. Each lunchtime from Monday to Saturday, March to November a tasting lunch is offered of a regional menu matched with 6 wines (Discover Formula) or 12 wines (Prestige Formula). For further information: contact@michelpicard.com The hotel barges with accommodation for from four to twenty guests offer a holiday of a lifetime. The luxurious barges ply their way slowly down the Canal de Bourgogne, Canal du Nivernais and Canal du Centre, with tours to the châteaux and places of interest en route. With a professional chef on board, the wining and dining is a priority making for a party atmosphere throughout the week’s gentle journey. See Barge Vacations. burgundy to provence River cruises from Burgundy to Provence have been gaining in popularity. Chalon-sur-Saône is the starting point of these very luxurious cruising boats which call at Mâcon, Lyon and on to the south of France down the River Rhône. This leisurely journey provides a great way to see the best on offer and to make new friends along the way. Avalon River Cruises have all the details.
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On this one-day tour you will visit three of Burgundy’s “Hidden Secret” winegrowers and enjoy a traditional Burgundy lunch in a village restaurant serving dishes typical to the region. The Hautes-Côtes, Côte Chalonnaise and small, family growers in the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits are some of the areas included. You will meet true Burgundy characters, visit charming cellars and taste amazing wines. One-day tour is 195 Euro per person, inclusive of all the above.