|
Aligoté was not a popular wine, which was the reason
for the ‘invention’. Canon Kir not
only produced an aperitif
that solved the problem, he found a place in history for
himself. A journey of discovery
into the world of blackcurrant.
Only a short distance from the famous
vineyard slopes of Nuits-Saint-Georges,
there is an area entirely dedicated
to the discovery of blackcurrant:
the Cassissium. Le Kir® the real way...
Usually, a Kir® consists of a ‘dribble’ of Creme de Cassis
plus
white wine.The authentic recipe is one third Cassis and two
thirds Bourgogne ‘Aligoté’ to produce a much darker, fruitier
drink. Mixing with Champagne, Crémant or sparkling wines is
a new invention from cocktail barmen. Stick to the original,
it’s delicious.
 The region is also strong on
cheeses.
‘Epoisses’ has to be one of the great
cheeses of France.
Powerfully strong
when mature, it certainly wakes-up
the palette! Epoisses is well supported
by ‘Cîteaux’, Saint-Florentin,
Brillat-Savarin, Soumaintrain
and the goat cheese ‘Bouton
de Culotte’ in the
Mâcon area.
There are enough sweet delicacies to
excite those with
a sweet tooth.
The ‘Pain
d’Epices’ is a
ginger cake that
has origins dating
back to the
crusades... Dijon
became the French
capital of this delicious
speciality. And, should you be driving through the
northern village of Flavigny, stop the car, step out and
smell. The air is full of aniseed for in Flavigny the
‘bonbons’ are famous throughout France.
Pain d'Epices
The Yonne area is famous for cherries. The
rich, dark fruit from here can be found in
markets throughout France. Any excuse for
a fair will do in this part of France so, as
you would expect, the cherry harvest is
also a time of celebration, especially in
‘Escolives’.
And wines....well!
In Burgundy there is a pride in winemaking that is
difficult to explain. ‘Vignerons’ here really do think that
the wine they produce rates with the finest in the world.
Modesty does not allow them to outwardly make a claim to
be the best but, you can sense their satisfaction with the
wonderful product that comes from these chalky or rocky
hillsides.
The pride is very personal because the whole process of
making wine is a very personal business. Sure, there are large
producers here but, in the main Burgundian winemakers own
small ‘parcels’ of land and so they know every vine, almost
every stone personally. They are also usually family
businesses,
which means the commitment to the whole process is total.
What is good for visitors to Burgundy is that many of these
‘vignerons’ encourage you to stop awhile, taste and, of
course,
hopefully buy. But, more importantly to learn and to enhance
your knowledge of the wonderful range and quality to enjoy.
The choice is yours because a visit to Burgundy is never too
far away from a vineyard. This doesn’t mean you have to stop.
Just following the vineyards and the small towns and villages
is also a holiday delight.
From the chalky soil in the far north west of the region
that produces the great wines of Chablis to the stony, arid
earth of the Mâconnais in the south, there is always a
discovery to be made. In between it’s like driving through
the most impressive wine list you could ever imagine.
Vendanges fever...
The wine ‘vendanges’ (harvest) takes place usually around
mid/late September each year. The precise dates depend on
the weather and is a minimum of 100 days after the
flowers on the vines.
The air is full of the aroma of pressed
grapes, rushing tractors loaded with carts full of grapes,
singing pickers in the vineyards and a sense of celebration
and expectation when the days backbreaking work is done.
It is a special time to be in Burgundy but, note early
bookings are necessary as it is, understandably, popular
I keep making the point that Burgundy is a vast region and
deserves more than one visit to really have enough time to
enjoy its varied attractions and landscapes. The same can be
said of wine. In fact, they are interlaced and, perhaps, it is
better to explore fairly small areas. credits
: Burgundy
Tourist Board
France Regions Burgundy
index
|
