Take note: the wine for a celebration of global importance is grown in Burgundy
36 of the 50 most expensive wines in the world come from Burgundy . According to the list just published by the prestigious ** Wine-Searcher **, it is this region of France the one that has been dedicated with authentic veneration for centuries to the cultivation of the vine and the elaboration of wine. Several wine routes converge in its fertile territory, but we have approached **the so-called Côte d'Or in which the Nuits-St George appellation is found **, in search of all the secrets of the wine that earned a place on the moon
“This is the true heart of France”, a lady tells us upon our arrival at Dijon , the capital of Burgundy. And it is probably true, because in few places in the Gallic country do they converge in such an accentuated way such French passions as gastronomy, confectionery or the cult of good wine . And it is that just south of this majestic city, birthplace of the famous mustard , begins one of the most fascinating wine routes in the world, not only for the quality of its wines but also for the mythical stories that surround them.
The Cote d'Or It is divided into two well-defined parts: the Cote de Nuits where full-bodied red wines are produced and the Cote de Beaune famous above all for its excellent white wines. Here, of course, the best occupation is go from town to town to taste the local wines in the tastings offered by the numerous caves, châteaus or domaines, scattered along the way. Although somewhat dry, the Burgundians are friendly and will not hesitate to explain the differences between the Grand Cru – that come from the middle and upper area of the slopes, where the vineyards have the greatest exposure to the sun and the best drainage and the Premier Cru coming from slightly worse exposed slopes. Out of curiosity, note that The Côte de Nuits brings together 24 of the 25 red Burgundy Grand Cru appellations.
Baskets full of grapes in the vineyards of Nuits-St-Georges
In Côte de Nuits we find the denomination Nuits-St-Georges to which Jules Verne alluded in his book and we begin to understand why the writer attributed such a privilege . And in the charming little town of the same name we find almost by chance the Crater Square , closing the circle of the history of interplanetary wine.
Continuing with curiosities, here are also the vineyards and the château where the most expensive wine in the world is produced ( just over 11,000 euros a bottle ) the richebourg , a red Grand Cru that we imagine will be very good but as the reader can imagine I did not get to try.
And between a glass and a glass of Pinot Noir we are surprised by the imposing vougeot castle surrounded by a sea of vineyards and so, with a visit to medieval times it's time to eat.
A medieval (and wine) wink at the Château de Vougeot
Burgundy has exquisite culinary specialties such as snails or boeuf bourguignon. There are many restaurants to taste them but our first option is, without a doubt, Le Charlemagne where the traditional specialties of the region are combined with Japanese techniques in an authentic alchemy lesson . Sublime flavors like f oie-gras duck with tuna belly from Spain and yuzu jam , and a decoration where every detail is a small work of art. As the culmination of our lunch, a bottle of Nuits-St-Georges cannot be missing and at the time of the toast I cannot help but recall the paragraph from Jules Verne's work:
“Finally, to top off the meal, Ardan brought out a bottle of Nuits that he 'happened' to find among the supplies. The three friends drank to the union of the Earth and its satellite ”.
Where to sleep
Do not miss the opportunity to sleep in a Burgundian house and enjoy the hospitality of its people.