Hi All
I'm heading to Europe in around 6 weeks and I'm keen to organise some tastings in Chianti and Burgundy. I know Wayno's been through there recently and I'm guessing a few other forumites might have tasting a few Sangios and Pinots in their travels, so any tips on eating, drinking & travelling would be greatly appreciated.
I know that the bulk of cellar doors in both countires organise tastings by appointment only - if anyone's got any tips on how to organise such tastings that'd be great. Specifically interested in Isole e Olena & Fonterutoli in Chianti and Bouchard in Burgundy, simply as I've enjoyed their wines previously.
Cheers
Nick
Help with Chianti & Burgundy
Nick,
I have just moved back after a few years in Italy, so I will give you a quick heads up. Make appointments for Chianti, and for that matter in burgundy before you go, as August is peak holiday time, and everything shuts down. I have had some good visits with antinori and frescobaldi in tuscany, as well as a few other smaller producers, and all required appointments. If you depend on dropping in you may at times be dissapointed. Where are you staying in chianti as I can recommentd a few good spots for you, also think about renting a car
cheers
envy you italy already
Sean
I have just moved back after a few years in Italy, so I will give you a quick heads up. Make appointments for Chianti, and for that matter in burgundy before you go, as August is peak holiday time, and everything shuts down. I have had some good visits with antinori and frescobaldi in tuscany, as well as a few other smaller producers, and all required appointments. If you depend on dropping in you may at times be dissapointed. Where are you staying in chianti as I can recommentd a few good spots for you, also think about renting a car
cheers
envy you italy already
Sean
Well, the memories are still vivid even amongst this Adelaide cold.
Burgundy
Organized lunch tastings at Comte Senard (in Aloxe Corton) and Olivier Leflaive (in Chassagne Montrachet?) were great if probably a tad expensive (glasses were more than regulation tasting and there were lots of them) and there was lunch provided at both places. I think Comte Senard was better overall, quality-wise and the coq-au-vin was truly delicious. Both priced out at about 90-100 Australian for the afternoon which is not exactly cheap but I felt that they were both great experiences. These two lunches were organized by our 'landlord' where we were staying but it's probably bookable when there via a tourist office as they are quite popular.
I know you can taste at Bouchard Aine et Fils but we didn't. For that you can just walk in and try, as in Oz. There were various small producers with doors open in Chambertin and some of the Cote de Nuits villages, one of which we ventured into and were not too impressed with the wines. Leaving without a purchase was a bit frowned on but we did nonetheless.
There is a place in Beaune which apparently offers tastings of a load of different wines - I think you pay the equivalent of 15 dollars ? and you can try a whole range. Didn't get to it though. I believe you can also taste at Bouchard Pere et Fils in a similar fashion to good old Oz.
There is also a little place in Pommard by the name of Cave de Pommard (not to be confused with Chateau Pommard). The cave is basically a wine shop that offers free tastings and the owner of the shop makes a lot of the wines. All of them, from memory! So it was kind of like a very large cellar door. Whilst the opportunity to try wines across a number of villages was great, none of them were particularly finessed.
The owner of the bike rental place in Beaune steered us away from the Chateau Pommard as he felt they had a bad attitude and charged excessively for tastings. We didn't venture there to find out.
He did recommend a great restaurant called Le Petit Paradis on Rue Paradis (in Beaune), - it's in a small alleyway nearish the Place Carnot (from memory). The chef is a youngish guy who obviously hasn't rested on the laurels of traditional French cookery - the food was sensational and the wine list was very comprehensive and pretty reasonably priced too. I would strongly recommend it although you would need to book during the day or maybe the day before because it's small and well customed.
The other place we didn't get to but comes recommended (via this forum) and in practically every book I've read on Beaune is Ma Cuisine, just off of Place Carnot. Sounds like you can't go too far wrong with that either.
There is also a great book and gift store with a great collection of wine books and it's own wine shop, called Athaneum (also in Beaune) that is worth a visit - especially if you speak and read French as half of the books are naturally enough in French.
There is actually a book I picked up a few days before we left:
Discovering Wine Country (series)
BURGUNDY - How to Find great wines off the beaten track (by Patrick Matthews). It's a little blue book with a statue on the cover and it's quite up to date and loaded with suggestions about tastings etc. The manner of writing is also quite amusing - especially how to deal with French drivers (if you do hire a car)... and I would strongly recommend you do that too, especially if you want to get up to Chablis or further down south.
Anyway, this is a bit of a rambling stream of consciousness - but I hope this helps.... and I am very envious obviously.
Burgundy
Organized lunch tastings at Comte Senard (in Aloxe Corton) and Olivier Leflaive (in Chassagne Montrachet?) were great if probably a tad expensive (glasses were more than regulation tasting and there were lots of them) and there was lunch provided at both places. I think Comte Senard was better overall, quality-wise and the coq-au-vin was truly delicious. Both priced out at about 90-100 Australian for the afternoon which is not exactly cheap but I felt that they were both great experiences. These two lunches were organized by our 'landlord' where we were staying but it's probably bookable when there via a tourist office as they are quite popular.
I know you can taste at Bouchard Aine et Fils but we didn't. For that you can just walk in and try, as in Oz. There were various small producers with doors open in Chambertin and some of the Cote de Nuits villages, one of which we ventured into and were not too impressed with the wines. Leaving without a purchase was a bit frowned on but we did nonetheless.
There is a place in Beaune which apparently offers tastings of a load of different wines - I think you pay the equivalent of 15 dollars ? and you can try a whole range. Didn't get to it though. I believe you can also taste at Bouchard Pere et Fils in a similar fashion to good old Oz.
There is also a little place in Pommard by the name of Cave de Pommard (not to be confused with Chateau Pommard). The cave is basically a wine shop that offers free tastings and the owner of the shop makes a lot of the wines. All of them, from memory! So it was kind of like a very large cellar door. Whilst the opportunity to try wines across a number of villages was great, none of them were particularly finessed.
The owner of the bike rental place in Beaune steered us away from the Chateau Pommard as he felt they had a bad attitude and charged excessively for tastings. We didn't venture there to find out.
He did recommend a great restaurant called Le Petit Paradis on Rue Paradis (in Beaune), - it's in a small alleyway nearish the Place Carnot (from memory). The chef is a youngish guy who obviously hasn't rested on the laurels of traditional French cookery - the food was sensational and the wine list was very comprehensive and pretty reasonably priced too. I would strongly recommend it although you would need to book during the day or maybe the day before because it's small and well customed.
The other place we didn't get to but comes recommended (via this forum) and in practically every book I've read on Beaune is Ma Cuisine, just off of Place Carnot. Sounds like you can't go too far wrong with that either.
There is also a great book and gift store with a great collection of wine books and it's own wine shop, called Athaneum (also in Beaune) that is worth a visit - especially if you speak and read French as half of the books are naturally enough in French.
There is actually a book I picked up a few days before we left:
Discovering Wine Country (series)
BURGUNDY - How to Find great wines off the beaten track (by Patrick Matthews). It's a little blue book with a statue on the cover and it's quite up to date and loaded with suggestions about tastings etc. The manner of writing is also quite amusing - especially how to deal with French drivers (if you do hire a car)... and I would strongly recommend you do that too, especially if you want to get up to Chablis or further down south.
Anyway, this is a bit of a rambling stream of consciousness - but I hope this helps.... and I am very envious obviously.
Cheers
Wayno
Give me the luxuries of life and I will willingly do without the necessities.
Wayno
Give me the luxuries of life and I will willingly do without the necessities.
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MerlotWine
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 6:17 am
Thank you for the book you've suggested. I was reading through this thread and find the book you suggested. I've bought it and I have learnt new things about the Tuscany wines. Thanks
MerlotWine
www.winecenter.org
www.winecenter.org
