Memories Memories of Chablis Memories of the Côte Chalonnaise Memories of the Côte de Nuits Memories of the Côte de Beaune Memories of the Mâconnais PRESS KIT Wine tourism in Burgundy 1 PART 2: The Côte de Nuits, p.26 CONTENT e s- ys es o Burgundy From Dijon going south p.27 S Nuits, an oasis in the vines p.28 Diary p.29 About Burgundy p.2 Address Book p.30 A word from the President p.2 Contacts and useful information p.3 The five winegrowing areas of Burgundy p.4 Key figures p.5 The hierarchy of Burgundy appellations p.6 PART 3: The Côte de Beaune, between reds and whitesp.37 A little history p.7 From Aloxe-Corton to Saint-Romain p.38 Burgundy grape varietals p.8 From Meursault to Santenay p.39 Climats: the very essence of Burgundy terroir p.9 Diary p.40 Estates, merchants and cooperatives: so many p.10 Address Book p.41 different players PART 4: On the trails of the Côte Chalonnaise p.51 A tourist’s guide to Burgundy p.11 From Bouzeron to Mercurey p.52 Preparing for your stay and getting around p.11 From Givry to Montagny p.53 Combining sensory pleasure and knowledge at the p.12 Diary p.54 Burgundy Wine School p.13 Address Book p.55 PART 1: Chablis, Grand Auxerrois and Châtillonnais p.16 PART 5: The Mâconnais, a foretaste of the south p.60 From the Grand Auxerrois to Chablis p.17 From Chardonnay to the Roche Vineuse p.61 Tonnerre and the Châtillonnais p.18 ro ergisson to int- r nd p.62 Diary p.19 Diary p.63 Address Book p.20 Address Book p.64 Légende des pictogrammes Diary Heritage Eating Accommodation Activities 2 About Burgundy Wine tourism has existed for centuries in Burgundy. In the past, workers in the wine trade did their share, just like Monsieur Jourdain did in Molière’s Bourgeois Gentilhomme, without even knowing it. The descente de caves or “trip down to the cellars” is a popular expression which speaks for itself and many winemakers have welcomed their clients in their cellars for generations without feeling the need to publicize it, finding it a perfectly natural thing to do. Nowadays, things have changed. Spontaneous initiatives have made way for a great deal more professionalism. Wine tourism is now less of a sporadic occupation than a whole skill in its own right that winemakers are adding to their portfolio. The Burgundy Wine Board (BIVB) encourages all projects – both individual and collective – that aim to promote and improve the reception offered to tourists to the region. It does its own promotion through a range of guides such as Bourgognes en Fête and the Carte de la Route des Vins de Bourgogne, as well as developing apps for smartphones such as Vins and Tourisme en Bourgogne” by Proxima Mobile, which brings together many different partners in the region. These days, discovering Burgundy is easy. Whether you are simply passionate about wine or whether you want to combine your trip with history, gastronomy, sport or well-being, anything is possible. This guide contains a selection of ideas to help you organize your visit, but rest assured – here are a thousand other surprises just waiting for you to discover as you explore Burgundy. Have a great trip! A word from the President Pierre-Henry Gagey, President of the Burgundy Wine Board 3 Press contact Press Attaché for the Burgundy Wine Board (BIVB) ou e rd Bretonni re BP 60150 - 21204 Beaune Cedex +33 (0)3 80 25 95 76 +33 (0)6 08 56 85 56 [email protected] For more information about the wines of Burgundy: www.vins-bourgogne.fr To organize your trip to the Burgundy wine region: http://tourisme.vins-bourgogne.fr Photo credits: C. Jachymiak, Armellephotographe.com, D. Gadenne, H. Monnier, J.C. Servant, Vinogeo, Mr. Baudoin. Bibliography There are many guides to and books about the Burgundy wine region, which can be found in all good bookshops. Two of them were particularly useful in creating this guide: Contacts and useful information Les Vins de Bourgogne by Sylvain Pitiot and Jean-Charles Servant (Pierre Poupon - 2010) This book contains a large number of detailed maps presenting each area of Burgundy appellations. An essential tool for identifying each plot you pass on your adventures. Le Vin de Bourgogne by Jean-François Bazin (Hachette - 1996) This book explores the whole of the Burgundy wine region. Full of fascinating anecdotes, it focuses on the landscapes, descriptions of the wines, the different 4 places and famous faces. Unfortunately, it is now out of print. The vines of Burgundy cover five main areas of production. Each of them is home to dozens of appellations, hundreds of climats and just as many reasons to come and visit Burgundy. From north to south, here is a quick summary of the five different areas: Chablis, the Grand Auxerrois and the The Côte de Nuits and the Hautes-Côtes Châtillonnais de Nuits You enter Burgundy at its most Heading south from Dijon, the vines of northernmost point. Here, the vines are the Côte de Nuits gradually appear, scattered around the historic towns of flanking the gentle slopes. High up in the Au erre e y is nd onnerre distance, the vines of the Hautes-Côtes At the extreme east lies Châtillon-sur- de Nuits can be seen, between forests Seine, part of the Crémant de and cereal cultivation. Bourgogne-producing area and marking the boundary with Champagne. The Côte de Beaune and the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune North of Beaune, just before you reach Ladoix-Serrigny, the Côte de Beaune begins. Surrounding the town, the vines continue all the way down to Santenay. The Hautes-Côtes de Beaune continues to the west, along the top of the plateau. The Côte Chalonnaise and the The Mâconnais Couchois The Mâconnais is the most southerly Past Chagny, heading south, you enter part of Burgundy. Almost Mediterranean the territory of the Côte Chalonnaise. but wholly Burgundian, it extends With the town of Chalon-sur-Saône to through many areas of vines from north the east, the vines take a break just of Tournus to south of Mâcon. The five winegrowing areas of Burgundy north of Givry before returning with a flourish around the town and right down to Sercy in the south. 5 represents a ribbon of vines 250 The Burgundy wine region kilometers (155 miles) long from Auxerre in the Yonne to south of Mâcon, in t e ône et Loire It crosses t e ôte d’Or e tending ro Dijon to Chagny. The Burgundy wine region covers 28,000 hectares (70,000 acres), but only represents 3% of all winegrowing areas in France. It nonetheless accounts for 100 ppellations d’ rigine ontr l e s including 23 regional appellations, 44 village and premier cru appellations and 33 grand cru appellations. 60% of the wines produced in Burgundy are white, 32% red (inc uding ros nd 8% are Crémants de Bourgogne. On average, each year, 200 million bottles of Burgundy wines are Key figures produced (0.3% of worldwide wine production) and sold, accounting for estimated sales of around one billion euros. Around half of these bottles are exported, representing around 2.8% of worldwide sales of high-value wines. Chablis, the Grand Auxerrois and the Châtillonnais Total area: 6,712 hectares (16,585 acres) The Côte de Nuits and the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Total area: 3,775 hectares (9,328 acres) The Côte de Beaune and the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Total area: 6,013 hectares (14,858 acres) Côte Chalonnaise Total area: 4,475 hectares (11,058 acres) Mâconnais Total area: 6,991 hectares (17,275 acres) 6 Nu ering 00 since 006 Burgundy’s wine appellations offer unrivaled diversity and richness. This large family can be divided into four levels: Appellations Régionales are harvested across the entire Burgundy wine-producing region, in defined areas that are s eci ic to t eir roduction e word “Bourgogne” e rs in most of the names of these appellations, along with the name o t e gr e riet i e Bourgogne A igot or e e production method, as with Crémant de Bourgogne; a ppellations production region, like Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune; a or the name of a village, such as Bourgogne Epineuil. Appellations Villages denote those wines that may legally carry the name of the village where they are produced. Some village wines c n e roduced in se er i ges nd or t ese wines n e w s c osen or t e w en t ey were cre ted suc s is nd oui y- uiss Among the Appellations Villages, certain plots or places have obtained special recognition for their unique characteristics and qualities. The wines produced in these There are 33 Appellations Grands Crus. This supreme distinction is reserved for the most prestigious places are known as Appellations Premiers Crus. terroirs in Burgundy, whose wines are the very best. For Traditionally, the name of the climat or specific plot is the Grands Crus, the name of the climat is substituted for attached the name of the village such as Gevrey- the name of the village where the wine is produced such Chambertin Premier Cru Clos St-Jacques or Pommard as Corton Grand Cru, which is produced in the villages of Premier Cru La Refene. Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton and Ladoix-Serrigny. of Burgundy The hierarchy 7 The first mention of the Burgundy winegrowing area dates back to the year 312, in a speech by Eumenes, who was at the time one of A e nder t e Gre t’s c nce ors to t e Ro n E eror onst ntine is r ed t e st rt o ong e istence, punctuated by some key events.