As mentioned before, we love to incorporate wine tours in our travels. Many of our trips center around this activity. Our last trip to France was no exception. For our 10th anniversary we spent a couple of weeks exploring vineyards and wineries in Burgundy and Chateauneuf du Pape.
This is one of my favorite "wine" photos from that trip. We were leaving Aloxe Corton - a small and very beautiful village in Burgundy - and stopped just on the edge of town to get a shot of the entire village. I noticed three large wooden bins and decided to check them out. All were full of empty wine bottles - recycling bins. Hundreds of bottles in each bin. If you look closely, you may even see some of your favorite French wines...we see some of ours!
I would love to know how long those bottles had been collecting - probably not as long as we may think. While good wine can be expensive at home, if you are able to visit the area from which it comes you may find it less expensive than good water!
Planning a trip to this area can be tricky. It helps to have friends in the wine industry who can help you set up appointments - appointments are a must if you want to visit the wineries. Some are open for walk-ins, however, many are family businesses and with an appointment you may be able to spend some time with the wine maker of your favorite wine. You can, of course, make appointments on your own without the help of friends if you are able to find the contact information for the winery. We have learned that three appointments a day is perfect, and we stop in the morning for fresh bread and cheese to take with us for snacks along the way.
If you are considering spending a few days in the Burgundy region to explore the wineries of the Cote du Beaune and Cote du Nuits, Beaune may be your best bet in terms of a home base. Beaune is a wonderful town (one of our favorites) with many hotel and dining options. We stayed in a great B&B (Les Jardins de Lois) with terra cotta floors, a small balcony overlooking the garden, and a wine cellar directly under our room. If you're there on a Saturday, the morning market in the center of town is not to be missed!
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