When we planned our stop in Dijon, one of the first things we thought of was wine tasting in Burgundy. Being from a wine-producing region in Virginia – and loving French wine, as well – we couldn’t say no. But, we ran out of time while planning and simply didn’t get to make the reservation before we left. That’s what happens when two people who have 9-to-5s try to plan anything!
Luckily, once we arrived in Dijon, our AirBNB host told us she had heard great things about Authentica Tours from many of her guests, and urged us to book a tour if we had time in our schedule. Happily, we were flying a bit by the seat of our pants on this trip, so – after seeing their really strong reviews on Google and TripAdvisor – we set about making a reservation with Authentica.
Spoiler alert: it was a great decision!
Boyfriend Perspective: WINE TOUR!!! I love France!!!
Picked up in Dijon: A wine tour and tasting in Bourgogne
While making the reservation, we were a little concerned that we wouldn’t get the best out of a tour, since we were visiting in February, and it was more than a little chilly. But we decided to give it a go, and confirmed the booking.
The next morning, a big Mercedes van – driven by our very personable guide, Ivan – picked us up near the tourism office, and off we went. Hilariously enough, we discovered that that mom/dad/daughter family accompanying us were also Virginia natives, and also lived about five minutes from Luke’s and my office. Even stranger? There was a Korean couple sitting next to us, and the man had done his residency in Virginia while he was studying in the States. Which then led our whole group to a fascinating conversation about Virginia wine culture, and Thomas Jefferson’s links to American wine and to Revolution-era Dijon.
Then, as we were winding our way through some of Dijon’s back streets – where there are no street signs, mind you – a small, compact car completely cut off the conversation by plowing directly into the driver’s side of the van. WHAT! However, everyone was completely okay, and within 10 minutes, Authentica delivered a new van so we could get back on our way while Ivan’s associate stayed behind to chat with the gendarmes.
Once we got rolling again, none the worse for wear, we cruised out of Dijon and into the countryside. It seemed like we passed through a new, tiny village every 3-4km, many of them very old and built around simple churches with vibrantly-tiled roofs typical to the region.
Boyfriend Perspective: As we drove through the country side, Ivan explained the differences in a wine’s quality depending on where in the slope of the hill the grape was grown and why that was. Learning about it is one thing, but actually having someone show you in real time is SO much better.
Think it’s just Burgundy red? Nope!
Beef Bourguignon is a dish that a lot of folks grow up with, and it’s easy to imagine that only red wines come from this region. However, Bourgogne is famous for both its Pinot Noirs and its Chardonnays.
In fact, the region we were cruising along is called the Côte d’Or, or the Golden Slope, where the highest-caliber grape vines in Bourgogne are grown. The soil is difficult and drains well, meaning the vines don’t drown in the rainy season and their roots have to work harder to find the nutrients they needs (this produces small, flavor-packed fruit instead of little squishy, diluted globes).
To learn more, we stopped briefly in a vineyard so Ivan could teach us about the vines, the landscape, and some wine-growing best practices. It was absolutely freezing on the day we toured, but Ivan told us that the side of the slope we were on is typically protected from wind and cold between it runs north to south, which block frigid western winds. We just got… lucky.
Once we hopped back in the van, it was time to get on with the tastings.
Boyfriend Perspective: If you want to see a comparison, get a bottle of 2008 and 2015 Bourgogne wine. 2008 had too much rain late in the year year, and you can taste how weak the wine is. We got one by accident in our second tasting, joked that it must have been a 2008… and then noticed it was!
Decoding and tasting the best of Burgundy wine
Tasting number one happened at a wine club in one of the villages we passed through. We headed down into a cellar, where Ivan’s associates had prepped several bottles, along with specially-paired local cheese, breadsticks, and chocolate.
Once we sat down, one of the first things Ivan taught us: the tiers of Burgundy wine. The Champagne region has its own classifications to let consumers know the type and quality of grapes produced the wine they’re buying, but it’s a bit different in Bourgogne:
- Grand Cru – the most exclusive and highest quality; only 33 plots of land are classified as grand cru.
- Premier Cru – excellent quality, but not grown on one of the best plots of land.
- Village wine – 44 different villages may appear on the label of a wine of this caliber. It won’t be as consistent or high-quality as a cru, and will likely have a lower price point, but will still likely be tasty.
- Daily regional wine – the lowest quality of the wines produced in Bourgogne. They can be grown on any plot of land on the Côte d’Or and the taste of these wines likely isn’t as carefully curated across batches and harvests as you’ll find in a cru or even a village wine.
With each tasting, Ivan let us know what made each wine special, and was even able to tell by smell when one of the wines was a bit too cool for optimal taste. Our Korean friends even broke out a box of Pierre Herme macarons to share with the group as we tasted – clearly, we all had a blast.
Then, we hopped back into the van for our trip to Beaune.
Boyfriend Perspective: While Grand Cru is the best, you may find a lower tier wine that appeals more to your palate. So, don’t think that anything less than a Grand Cru is not worth the time. You should try as much wine as possible to find the best one for you. Or maybe I’m just really happy about how much we got to drink?
A wine stop in Beaune
We intended to get familiar with the Hospices, and a few other famous places in this lovely town, but we got a bit sidetracked by the offer of a second tasting of local wines. We stuck with our fellow Richmonders and went through what is honestly the most elaborate tasting any of us had ever seen.
First, to taste a few village wines, you take a self-guided tour through a cellar, with stops to pour your own glasses. Then, you emerge from the cellar into an open space where the company hosts modern art exhibits year-round, with pouring stops sprinkled in between the large works of sculpture. Finally, you head over to an area with wine fridges full of older vintages, and a wine tap where you can get mechanically-measured pours of the highest-quality wines on offer for tasting.
Needless to say, we were all a little bit tipsy and a lot more educated in the ways of Burgundy wine by the time we left!
Boyfriend Perspective: Self-guided wine tours are the best, especially with an awesome group of new friends!!!
Is wine tasting in Burgundy a great idea in winter?
I googled and googled and got no answers for this. But here you go:
YES.
When wine makes up part of a region’s culture, it always makes sense to explore that, and we had so much fun and learned so much with Authentica. 10/10, would do again!
Boyfriend Perspective: Research shows that having wine can be good for you, so drink up. Santé!
Have you ever been wine tasting in Burgundy? What was your favorite part? Share your stories below!
And if your pinning finger needs some exercise, repin for later! 😉
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This sounds like such a fun and interesting wine tour. I’ve never been to one that also offered modern art exhibits.
This seems like a wonderful trip!! Such a small world to have communications and connections with other people like that!! The wineries look so pretty and unique!!
This sounds awesome! One definitely can’t go to Burgundy and not try the wine 🙂
This is a really interesting post, I have been on a few wine tastings but you remembered so much detail! Great post and awesome pictures
France and especially Burgundy is a very special area. The vineyards especially in the fall are beautiful. And if you can then go down to the wine cellar and take part in a wine tasting, the holiday is perfect.
Susanne
Isn’t drinking wine always a good idea lol. I had no idea the region produced white wine as well. It looks like you had a great day, and how nice to share it with people with so much in common (and who give your macarons).
Loved reading the whole experience. We thought about going for a Scotch tasting in Edinburgh, but had to drop the idea for lack of time.
We love wine, especially dry red! Would love to explore vineyards one day and do some tastings. Looks like you had a nice time here and Dijon looks quite nice too.
Wine tasting in Burgundy sounds and looks amazing and so does Dijon. It is a place in France that I have always wanted to visit because I am huge fan of mustard. Also thanks for your tip and recommendation in regards Authentica Tours.
Gotta love it when Airbnb hosts give awesome recommendations. I’ve gone wine tasting in Beaujolais with my class when I studied abroad during uni so this brings back some great memories. Would love to try Grand Cru!
Wine tours always make a place better!!! So incredible. You could spend a lifetime taking and seeking all the wine tours of the world. I love the interjections of the boyfriend perspective as well haha
I was so happy to see your photo in Beaune! Brought back great memories. We had a lovely tour in the region. You can’t beat France for food and wine tours! Great post.
I’ve been to this part of France on several occasions and loved it. I’ve never done the wine tasting in Beaune though, and by the looks of that location, it needs to go on the list. Thank you!