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Where To Stay In Burgundy Wine Country

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Abbaye De La Bussiere

Virtual Tour of Beaune: The Wine Capital of Burgundy (Part 1)

For those who like their hotels in old buildings, this is the place. The former Abbey is in the little village of La Bussière-sur-Orche, on the Burgundy Canal. A former Cistercian abbey founded in 1131, the Abbaye de la Bussière complex of stone buildings has it all: an arched gateway entrance separating the abbey from the village, beautiful old buildings including a dovecot and a setting of 18 acres of green lawns and forests. Today the English owners have converted it into a hotel , with all the creature comforts of the 21st century, and all the romanticism of the past. It’s an easy motorway drive of about 45 minutes from Dijon and makes a good base for exploring the region.

For A Country House Atmosphere

  • The Hotel Villa Louise is one of the best places to stay in Beaune if you’re looking for a relaxed country house hotel feel. There’s no restaurant, but they do breakfast and have an extensive wine cellar , where they run wine tastings. You can enjoy all of this on the lovely terraces overlooking the small but charming gardens. With rooms starting from less than £75 per night, this is also a top choice in Beaune if you’re watching your wallet.

How To: Wine Tasting In Burgundy

Getting a good Wine tasting burgundy experience, can be intimidating, especially if your french is far from parfait. It took several months of living in the region to truly get a grip on the best way to navigate. Lucky for you, weve put some great tips below to ensure a proper Wine tasting burgundy experience.

Tour groups are fine if you want to do absolutely zero work and dont care much about where you go. However, weve found that these groups are wildly overpriced and only funnel into large-batch tourist trap type locations !

We recommend first figuring out a location for tasting. Do you want to focus on reds only? Head north to Cote de Beaune. Whites and good value reds? South to Cote de Challonaise. Something in between and close to Beaune? Cote de Beaune is your area. Targeting more than one area per day is doable but not recommended.

Next, what mode of transportation will you be on?

Biking is our favorite way to explore the region and has its obvious advantages to tasting over a car. Most shops will offer electric bikes, which are a great idea when exploring the more hilly regions . Check out these bike shops to reserve your bike .

Car is the next best option, whether you plan on driving and spitting or hiring a driver. Walking is not recommended as youll be limited to the area you are able to cover in a day.

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Best Places To Stay In Oregon Wine Country

Lumos Winery lavender field, Courtesy of Reed Lane Photography

From Dundee Hills, McMinnville, and Eola-Amity Hills in the world famous Willamette Valley, to Columbia Valley in the northeast, to Umpqua and Rogue Valleys in the southern reaches of the state, Oregon is a mosaic of natural beauty and world-class wines.

Oregon Wine Country is vast and diverse, says Carrie Wynkoop, founder and CEO of Cellar 503, an Oregon-only wine club centered on the discovery of wineries and grape growers throughout Oregons many winemaking regions. Most folks associate Oregon with pinot noir grown in the Willamette Valley, but there is wine produced literally in every part of the state.

Planning a trip? The states 18 AVAs feature many different meso-climates, allowing an A-Z of wine grapes grown. Each region is dotted with boutique and luxury hotels, charming B& Bs and cozy Wine Country inns, on-site winery guest houses, and offbeat lodging options. We have compiled a list of ten of our favorites to help you plan the perfect Oregon Wine Country getaway.

Bikes And Wine: A Fine Blend In Burgundy

Burgundy is one of the most loved wine regions and for good reason ...

Biking and wine tasting may not seem like natural partners. But if you enjoy both, mixing the two can be a highlight of your next French journey. One of the best places to swirl, sip, and cycle is Burgundy, which is famous for peaceful lanes that lace together cute towns and venerable vineyards.

Start in Beaune, Burgundys thriving and popular wine capital, which lies about 200 miles southeast of Paris. Much of Beaunes medieval wealth came from hardworking monks, who produced excellent wine and cheese while nearby dukes amassed power. Given the climate and soil of the region, the monks determined that pinot noir and chardonnay grapes grew best in Burgundy a lesson that is followed to the letter by winemakers today.

It seems as if every other shop here sells wine, and some offer informal and informative tastings. You can taste directly at the domaine or at a caveau representing several wineries. In Beaunes town center, stop by the chamber of commerce to test your senses. A delightful exhibit here has glass cases filled with fruits, herbs, nuts, and spices that are designed to give visitors a chance to smell and appreciate the complex aromas that sculpt fine wines.

With about 4,200 wineries in 44 villages, Burgundys road maps read like fine-wine lists. Location is everything, and winery names take a back seat to the place where the grape is grown. Every village produces its own distinctive wine, from Chablis to Meursault to Chassagne-Montrachet.

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Wine Tasting In Burgundy

Many consider Burgundy to be the worlds best wine region. But theres a surprisingly lack of good and current information for wine tasting in Burgundy.

Where are the best wineries in Burgundy? What are the best restaurants in Beaune? Do I need to know French in order to go wine tasting in France? These were all questions we had as well.

Thus, we put together a comprehensive Burgundy wine travel guide to educate and help the wine and travel community. Read on for tips on how navigate the region, best practices on visiting burgundian wineries and te and more!

The Best Value Places To Stay In Burgundy

  • La Beursaudiere is a charming family run auberge close to Nitry. Its rustic chic rooms offer excelptional value for money with double rooms startfing from as little as 85 per night.
  • The Hotel Villa Louise in Aloxe-Corton is an attractive 12 room country house with a cottage feel. The rooms and suites are rather charming with plenty of original features. Theres a small spa and an extensive wine cellar. Rooms start from around £75 per night.
  • For a reasonably priced hotel in Dijon you cant go past the Hotel Wilson, a 17th century coach house with typically Burgundian architecture and beautiful courtyards and gardens. There are 27 rooms priced from around £80 per night. A great option for families.
  • In the heart of Dijon, the Maison Philippe Le Bon is a 41 room hotel with rooms spread between three mansions around a Gothic courtyard. Theres period furniture and cool art on the walls, some of the rooms have beautiful city views. Theres a gourmet restaurant with an excellent wine collection. Rooms start from less than £100 per night.

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Daily Costs In Burgundy

  • Dijon bus or tram ticket 1.70
  • Budget hotel double 6080
  • Bed and breakfast for two in a chambre dhôte 70200
  • Coffee and croissant 4
  • One-hour public bike share 2
  • Museum or abbey admission 410
  • Half-/full-day vineyard tour 65/130
  • Three-hour wine-tasting class 80
  • Bistro dinner 1530
  • Glass of sparkling Crémant de Bourgogne or Burgundy red 515

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Dont Try To See Too Much

Burgundy: Profoundly French

A second major mistake made by first-time visitors to Bourgogne? They try to cram too many tastings, vineyards and cellar tours into a short trip. Sure, your ambition of tasting every Burgundian grand cru you can get your hands on is understandable, and your passion admirable. And its certainly not out of the question to envisage a private tour of the region that has you see the major cities and appellations over 4 or 5 days: perhaps a day in Beaune, followed by a day enjoying exceptional and private tastings in the Cote de Beaune, followed by a day in the Cote de Nuits, and another exploring Dijon and environs.

But if you only have 24 or 48 hours in Burgundy, it wouldnt be wise to rush around from cellar to cellar in hopes of ticking off all the boxes or tasting every prestigious wine recommended by Decanter. An authentic encounter with the wine-making culture here means taking time to really savour the wines you taste to allow yourself to be drawn into conversations and to build rapports with the winemakers, and to learn from their incredible passion and savoir-faire. Youre much more likely to come away feeling as if youve cracked the mysteries of Bourgogne wine-making if you slow the pace down a bit, and settle on one area and up to two cellars a day. Skimming the surface and rushing around from one tasting to the next wont initiate you, moreover, to the oh-so-French art of taking ones time, of relishing in the luxurious art of slow living.

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The Brenner Suite At Ch Bailey House

Courtesy of C.H. Bailey House Bed and Breakfast

This private green bungalow located at the historic C.H. Bailey House in Southern Oregons Umpqua Valley is surrounded by countless hiking trails and waterfalls along the Umpqua River, inviting guests to reconnect with their natural surroundings. The bungalow is deeply committed to protecting and preserving the earth, using solar power, earth-friendly cleaning products, and sustainable gardening practices. Each stay includes complimentary gourmet breakfasts, in-room cheese and crackers, and local wines and beer on-tap.

121 Melton Road, Roseburg, OR 97470, 315-0048

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Hostellerie La Tour D’auxois

There are 30 rooms in this medieval coaching inn that has been well converted into a charming boutique hotel in Saulieu. Its elegant and quiet with an excellent restaurant serving traditional dishes like snails, plus regional Burgundian dishes, a garden and swimming pool. Intriguingly shaped rooms, exposed beams, antique furniture and comfortable beds are the order of the day here.

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For Lovers Of White Rather Than Red

  • If you’re a fan of white over red, you may also want to consider Les Charmes in Mersault as your Burgundy base. This beautiful 18th Century mansion has charming grounds – more like a small park than a garden. This is definitely one of the best places to stay if you’re looking for a secluded, romantic setting.

Dont Neglect To Learn About The Terroirs

The Best of Wine Country

Les Brulées, les Charmes du dessous, les Beaux Bruns, les Bressandes, le Charlemagne these curious names in fact refer to minute plots of Burgundy vineyards, and reveal the history and the secrets of their remarkable wines. This notion of the terroir is a complex and rather poetic one, and as such can be a bit daunting for wine amateurs. Yet its also a fundamental part of Burgundian wine culture: in no other region does it play such a large part in cultivation and vinification practices.

The 1,247 climats or terroirs of Burgundy are so precious that they have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The small-yield vines grown in the Cote de Beaune and the Cote de Nuits areas produce wines whose characteristics, nose and flavour are incredibly distinctive, owing to the subtle geographic conditions, soil quality/minerality, positioning in relation to the sun and other factors that come together to define a given climat. Although only two varieties of grape are used to make Burgundys exceptional wines Chardonnay for whites and Pinot noir for reds, the diversity of characteristics and flavours is astounding among the different appellations.

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La Cueillette Hotel Spa Resort

This is a château with a difference, set beside the vineyards in the town of Meursault. The main reception rooms recall the glory days of its 19th-century past when it was rebuilt on the foundations of a former Cistercian abbey dating from the 12th century. But the 19 bedrooms are thoroughly modern with a minimalist décor, striking color schemes, and of course excellent bathrooms.

The spa offers what they refer to as Fruititherapie which roughly translates as fruit therapy treatments, based on the antioxidant properties of the red berries of Burgundy. The owner is a doctor with a very successful practice, so youre in good hands here. Theres a very generous sized pool with views of the surrounding countryside and an area for sitting out.

Two restaurants offer either gourmet cooking or a more casual bistro-style in the Kitchen Garden bistro.

What Grows Together Goes Together

Pair your glass of Burgundy wine with local cuisine

France is a beautiful country that gathers a huge number of culinary specialities. In the Burgundy area, discover some of these specialities specific to this fascinating region. Burgundian cuisine offers a big diversity of local specialties that are representing typical products and match perfectly with its wines.

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Wine Tasting In Beaune: Self

A boutique wine shop located in Beaunes city center, the Marché is a wonderful place to browse a plethora of regional wines, but also to take a self-guided tour through the caves beneath the shop. Although not a personal tour in the least, its a great option with kids. Upon purchase of the tour you receive a tastevin a traditional tasting cup designed in Burgundy. Although not practical, it is rather romantic. Youre then directed to the cellars which you can explore at your leisure. Bottles are open throughout for you to pour your own samples The caves are fascinating to explore with their numerous rooms and even old church ruins.

Patriarche Père Et Fils A well-known producer in the region, Patriarche also offers self-guided tours which are often a great option with children as you can move at their pace. Interactive video terminals placed throughout the route will guide you through the wine cellars, their history and the great wines aged there. You can also taste a range of 10 Burgundy wines and seek advice from the wine consultants on-hand.

Fill Your Water Bottle With Wine

Virtual Tour of Beaune: The Wine Capital of Burgundy (Part 2)

Sampling the bounty of Burgundys world-prized grape harvest with a winegrower between vines, in a bistro, bar à vins or restaurant is precisely why many visitors pick Burgundy and there is no reason why wine buffs on a limited budget should miss out on the thrilling oenophile adventure.

Aside from savvy wine-tasting in the cellars of wine-producing châteaux, which is typically free, the cheapest way to buy wine is en vrac . Take your own empty bottle to any bar à vin, winery, cave du vin , or caviste displaying a sign reading vins en vrac and fill it up with your choice of vin de Bourgogne. Some vats might contain bog-standard vin du table costing as little as 4.50 a liter, but some will most certainly contain respectable reds and whites at a snip of supermarket or restaurant prices.

In rural Burgundy, look for the village cave coopérative selling wine by small growers from several surrounding villages.

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The Allison Inn & Spa

Courtesy of The Allison Inn & Spa

Travelers looking for Wine Country luxury will want to book a stay at this stunning resort and spa, set in the foothills of the Willamette Valley, with views of snow-capped mountain ranges, rolling hills, farmlands, and, of course, vineyards. Enjoy creative farm-to-table cuisine inspired by the Willamette Valleys abundant local agriculture, not to mention one of the most noteworthy wine lists in the Pacific Northwest at JORY Restaurant, rejuvenate with a healing spa treatment, or simply take in the many opportunities to enjoy your surroundings through walking trails, an open-air art gallery, lush gardens, and vineyards.

2525 Allison Lane, Newberg, OR 97132, 554-2525

Le Relais Bernard Loiseau

If you want real luxury in a delightfully informal setting, choose this hotel in Saulieu. Bernard Loiseau was one of Frances great chefs and hoteliers his legacy is carried on today by his wife Dominique, and in the kitchens , Patrick Bertron carries on seamlessly. The building was originally 18th-century and there are delightful decorative old touches in the rooms warm tiled floors, ceilings held up by old wooden beams and antique furniture. But the facilities, including a superb spa, are completely up to date. As of April 2019, the restaurant has 2 Michelin stars, while the wine list iswell once again, legendary.

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The Best Chteau Hotels In Burgundy

  • The Château d’Igé boasts stone-flagged floors, winding staircases, fairytale turrets, huge hearths and a beamed dining room. This is an atmospheric spot in a well-established, impeccably maintained garden. Food is delicious and distinctly Burgundian in flavour.
  • The Hotel la Cueillette, in Meursault, is a wonderful 12th century château surrounded by vine rows. There are 19 luxurious rooms, a lovely grape-themed spa, a fine dining restaurant and one of the regions best wine cellars.
  • The Château de Courban et Spa in the north of the Côte d’Or is a statuesque property with an excellent spa and a gourmet restaurant. There are 25 richly decorated rooms and suites – some with private terrace overlooking luscious gardens. Great for a relaxing escape.
  • The Château de Chailly is an authentic 16th century château turned 45 room country house hotel. The decor is traditional and there are two restaurants, plus a pool, spa and golf course.

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