Meursault: The Quintessential White Wine Village

My final stop along the Route des Grands Crus, Meursault, is a dream for those who love white Burgundy. It’s the quintessential white wine village: picturesque but not pretentious, truly excellent but down-to-earth producers, and heaps of charm and beautiful architecture all surrounded by vines. Although the AOP designation doesn’t include any Grand Crus, Meursaults are world class whites that can compete with any of the other Chardonnays. It’s not a very touristy place, yet there’s plenty to explore. 

I started off at the Hôtel de Ville, which is currently under renovation, in the center of town. The impressive building with a notable colorful tiled roof and decorative fountain was made famous when featured in the old French film La Grande Vadrouille. A stone’s throw away, you have La Petite Vadrouille which is the ideal place to pick up picnic supplies. Whether you want to have a snack amongst the vines, or a full lunch, they’re wonderfully welcoming. The small epicerie has an excellent selection of cheeses, a “cave à saucisse” for all your dried sausage needs, Burgundy grown shiitakes and other produces, chocolates from a Meursault born maker now based in Strasbourg, locally made raw milk cream and butter, and, bien sûr, wine. After we fortified ourselves there for an outdoor picnic, it was time for a small stroll (which is what their name translates to) about town. 

There’s plenty of beautiful architecture to see, like the Romanesque and gothic church Église Saint-Nicolas de Meursault or the Château de Citeaux with its turreted gate house and pigeonnier, and a variety of walled estates that you can glimpse through their fences and gates. There’s even a 12th century leprosy hospital with a very modern zinc addition that you can visit. The former hospital isolated leprosy victims and served the poor, and now serves tourists as the Meursault tourism office with exhibition spaces.  

For a place that looks so traditional in its style, there’s plenty of technology to be found. The town has helpfully set up free wifi where you can find your local winemaker of choice on a map in order to visit, and there’s even a Tesla charging station at Château de Meursault. The Château is a lovely building with a long history, stunning grounds next to a small stream, and a tall dovecote. It’s also the site of a hugely important cultural event each year: La Paulée de Meursault. The Paulée is a lunch that’s traditionally held in November to celebrate the end of the grape harvest. What was historically an informal meal between Cisterian monks and the harvest workers, was revived in 1923 by Jules Lafon, and has become a truly international event for winemakers, workers, writers, and connoisseurs. It caps off the “Trois Glorieuses”: a three-day celebration in Burgundy that starts with a gala dinner at Clos de Vougeot, leads into the famous auction at the Hospices de Beaune, and ends with the grand celebration luncheon of La Paulée. It’s probably the nicest BYOB (bring your own bottle) event one could ever attend with each attendee bringing their most special and prized bottles to share, and the festivities continue long into the evening. Reservations can be hard to come by and need to be made far in advance, but it’s an honor for any wine lover to partake in the conviviality and commemoration of the Burgundian harvest each year.

This article is one of a series that I wrote on the Route des Grand Crus. To read more and see others in the series, please see Chateau de Pommard’s blog.

Aloxe-Corton: A Small Village with a Large Reputation

Aloxe-Corton was the smallest of the villages that I visited on this road trip, with only a mayor’s office, a post office, a church, and a cooperative of winemakers’ tasting cave to its name. When I say tiny... we are talking approximately 134 residents tiny*. The winemaking reputation of this tranquil hamlet looms large and belies the small size of the village, however.

Our journey began in prime Pinot Noir territory in Gevrey-Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges, and will finish with world-class whites in Meursault, but Aloxe-Corton is the only village in Burgundy known equally for both white and red Grand Crus wines. This is the place for equal opportunity drinkers as its unique geographic location straddling the area between the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits regions offers excellent Chardonnay and Pinot Noir alike.

The white Grand Cru, Corton-Charlemagne, is named after the Emperor Charlemagne. Legend has it that the first vines in the commune were red wine grapes planted by the Gauls on their return from Italy where they were first introduced to vinification, and that, in the late 8th century, Emperor Charlemagne was responsible for replanting his hills there with white wine grapes in order to avoid staining his flowing, white beard when drinking. Who would’ve imagined that his vanity would have such a long-lasting impact on the region? 

Corton is the largest Grand Cru in Burgundy overall and encompasses vines from Aloxe-Corton and neighboring communes Pernand-Vergelesses et Ladoix-Serrigny. The famous, round Montagne de Corton hill is worth driving up for a stunning panorama looking out over the valley. Our spring visit was perfectly timed for when the pink magnolia trees blossomed. The sight of the blooming trees, fringed with delicate flowers, couldn’t have been more beautiful. As we wound our way through Pernand-Vergelesses, there’s a small church that’s worth a short pit stop before continuing further up the mountain for the view. You truly appreciate the terroir of the area from the top of the heavily forested limestone hill where you can gaze out upon the slopes of vineyards lower down and the villages below. 

You can see pretty much all of Aloxe-Corton in a matter of minutes so you don’t need tons of time, but architecturally speaking, the village does not disappoint with three different charming châteaus: Château de Corton Grancey (Maison Louis Latour), Château Corton André, and Château de Corton (a private residence). The Château Corton André is particularly iconic in the region as an example of distinct Burgundian architecture with a vibrant multicolored roof. The colorful roof tiles in diamond shapes, aka the tuile vernissée de Bourgogne, are traditional throughout the region, most famously seen at the Hospices de Beaune. The tiles are made of terracotta, then covered in a ceramic glaze usually made of lead or tin. The amazing turreted building leaves a lasting image for visitors as it is visible from a distance along the Route des Grand Crus, its intricate rooftop peeping out across the vines. 

 * As of 2017

This article is one of a series that I wrote on the Route des Grand Crus. To read more and see more from the series, please see Chateau de Pommard’s blog.

Nuits-Saint-Georges: The Namesake for the Côte de Nuits

My next stop on the Route des Grands Crus was another village known for its superlative red wines-- Nuits-Saint-Georges. Although there are no Grand Crus from this commune, there are some great village and Premier Cru level wines. It’s a well-regarded appellation known for red wines that take a bit more time and require a bit more age than some others in the region. There are a small amount of white wines here as well, but it’s less than five percent of the total production.

You get a sense of the importance of Nuits-Saint-Georges to the winemaking trade in the area from the fact that the region itself, Côte de Nuits, takes its name from the town. Nuits does not refer to the French word for night, however, but it is thought that it comes from the Latin word for walnuts-- a reference to the walnut and hazelnut trees of the area. The wine has such historic significance, that King Louis XIV was told to drink it medicinally and had his bottles of Champagne replaced by Nuits-Saint-Georges.

In comparison to the other villages I visited, the lively town felt like a veritable metropolis... with a population of 5,400 inhabitants. So while still fairly small, it was the largest of the towns we visited on this particular trip and felt bustling with more shops, restaurants, caves, and activity overall.

Nuits-Saint-Georges has enormous importance for its role in promoting Burgundy wines globally as it is where the Chevaliers du Tastevin were founded in 1934. The Chevaliers are an international brotherhood of Burgundy wine connoisseurs. Originally intended to revive interest in the Burgundian wine industry during the Great Depression, the organization now celebrates the magic and conviviality of Burgundy wines worldwide in over 120 countries. Their headquarters have been based at the Château Clos de Vougeot since 1944, but walking around Nuits-Saint-Georges, you can see a small unobtrusive plaque highlighting their humble origins at the Caveau Nuiton.

There is a walking trail that highlights many of the major sights in the town-- you need only to look for small metal triangles with a buccaneer standing atop a wine barrel. One major site to visit would be the Cassissium which is an entire interactive museum and factory tour devoted to the blackcurrant. Grapes are not the only famous fruit export from Burgundy, after all. Crème de cassis, the local liqueur made from blackcurrants, is commonly used as a syrup to flavor white wine for a sweet aperitif called kir, or, when paired with Champagne, a kir royale. It can be nice to break up all the wine tasting along the Route des Grands Crus with a different kind of tasting.

The belfry, along a slightly touristy strip in the commercial center of town, is an architectural jewel. Built in the early 1600s, the Flemish style belfry covered in vines was a watchtower and served as the town hall until 1833. There’s a monument to the local sculptor Paul Cabet on one side of the facade as well. The clock chimes were restored in the 1980s so visitors today still benefit from the local song punctuating the day’s events. A short stroll away is the Église Saint-Denis which has a distinctive tiled roof and sits next to the banks of the Meuzin. Just a small trickle of water now, the river used to supply drinking troughs, communal washhouses, mills and tanneries. Inside the church, there is an organ by “celebrity” organ maker Aristide Cavaillé-Coll who famously made the organ inside Notre-Dame de Paris.

Although technically not in Nuits-Saint-Georges, it’s worth a small detour to the Cîteaux Abbey just east of the town. Famous today for their Cîteaux cheese, which you can and definitely should stock up on in their wonderful small store, the abbey has been around since the 12th century and the Cisterician monks were instrumental in the wine-growing success of the entire region. The history of the climats and terroirs of Burgundy cannot be separated from the history of the monks of Cîteaux who built their own winegrowing estate, acquired land across Burgundy, and systematically increased and improved winemaking and production in the area. There are guided visits of the abbey, a silent walking path laying out the long scope of history there, and the small shop filled with monastic made goods.

For Château de Pommard aficionados, perhaps the most interesting site in Nuits-Saint-Georges is the Saint-Symphorien church which features historic wooden pews including one by the entrance inscribed with the name Marey-Monge. It belonged to Ernest Marey-Monge and his wife Sophie, one of the eight children of Nicolas-Joseph Marey et Emilie Monge who purchased the Château de Pommard premises from the founding Micault family.

This article is one of a series that I wrote on the Route des Grand Crus. For more info and to check out the other pieces, please see Chateau de Pommard’s blog.

Gevrey-Chambertin: The Origin of Burgundy Wine

The Route des Grands Crus is one of most picturesque driving routes in France that winds its way through some of the best villages for Burgundy wines. Created in 1937 as the first tourism route in France, the full road trip encompasses a narrow strip of land that spans 60 kilometers from Dijon in the North, to Santenay in the South. The journey along the route traverses through 30+ different wine-oriented villages in the famed Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune regions and affords visitors plenty of opportunities for taking in the architecture, learning about terroir, and drinking the world’s best burgundies along the way. For me, it’s the total package when traveling through France: incredible food, wine, and small-town scenery.

Although you have your pick of charming villages along the route, for me, it was fitting to start in Gevrey-Chambertin Not only is it the capital of Grands Crus in Burgundy with nine Grand Cru vineyard designations to its name, but it’s also where winemaking plausibly began in Burgundy during Gallo-Roman times. Archaeological excavations done at Au-Dessus de Bergis in 2008 have found evidence of winemaking there dating back to the first century. Although the wines from that time would taste nothing like the profile of today’s wines given the changes in agriculture, vinification, and the heavy use of spices historically, it’s where Burgundy wines as we know them began, and thus my journey.

I wanted to understand the deeply rooted history of the village as much as possible so my first stop was to head to the Château de Gevrey-Chambertin. Currently under renovation, the chateau is a medieval fort originally built for the Cluny Abbey. From 1019-1790, the chateau and its accompanying winemaking were managed by Clunisian monks. The square tower is still in excellent condition and has a stunning view overlooking the sweeping pinot noir vines below. Turning the corner from the chateau, I loved the viewpoint from the Clos Saint-Jacques where I could glimpse the rolling fields, the local church, and vines as far as the eye could see.

Heading back to the center of the village, I popped into the Halle Chambertin which opened in 2020 with exhibits on oenotourism and local history, and where we received enthusiastic guidance from local tourism officials. It was a great way to get a broad overview of the region and its history before heading out to explore the town on foot. It’s a pretty tiny village so I didn’t need to go far to see some of the stone houses, tiled rooves, and wine caves. Close by, in the center of town, there is a metal sculpture called Les Portes de Saint-Vincent that highlights some of the most beloved aspects of Burgundian life: the escargots, the local poultry, the terroir, the harvest, and more. It’s a simple metal structure the size of a wall, but it was moving to see a physical representation of the community, tradition, and agriculture that makes life in Burgundy so special. It was originally erected for the festival of Saint-Vincent Tournante-- a yearly event honoring the patron saint of winemaking that takes place every January and sounds like a massive local party with tasting sessions, parades, and charity events in various villages along the route.

No visit to Gevrey-Chambertin would be complete without stopping by a few of the domaines and caves to taste some of the famous red wines of the village. That’s what a road trip on the Route des Grands Crus is all about: wine and understanding it within the context of place. The most notable appellation here is Chambertin, the favorite wine of Napoleon the first, and one of the most well-known and respected red wines in the world today. Although Gevrey-Chambertin is most noted for its Grands Crus, it’s also rich with excellent premier crus and village wines.

Last, but certainly not least, if you, like me, are planning to spend all week driving through Burgundy, indulging in local delicacies and (safely) drinking as much pinot noir and chardonnay as you can, it’s well worth visiting the Combe Lavaux. It’s a beautiful nature preserve that is popular with hikers and rock climbers where you can head into the forest to work up a sweat to off-set the time spent in the car and at the table. The extraordinary terroir of the area is what makes the wines so magnificent, and there’s no better place to appreciate the unique geography and specific terroir of Gevrey-Chambertin, than from the cliffs overlooking the Combe Lavaux.

This is part of a series I wrote for Chateau Pommard. To read more, check out their website.

Eater: Mastering the Art of French Dining

From childhood, the French are raised to appreciate the art of dining, and the many rituals that accompany it—even public school lunches include a cheese course. Part of the reason you’re traveling to France is, presumably, to tap into that gastronomic reverence. But knowing how to do it right is tricky, particularly if you don’t speak the language. Here’s everything you need to know about Parisian restaurant etiquette, including some helpful phrases. Do as the French do, and you’ll have a much better experience in Paris.

Say Bonjour, Always

Whether it’s at the post office, a boutique, or a fine dining restaurant, say bonjour to every single person you interact with. France is formal in this respect, and it’s considered rude if you don’t acknowledge and greet people. You can use bonjour in the evenings as well, but some people will switch over to bonsoir around 5pm. The only hard and fast rule? Don’t forget to say hello. A few pleasantries can go a long way naturally so don’t forget to say thank you with merci or bonne journée for have a good day or bonne soirée, if it’s evening.

Make Reservations...

For restaurants that accept reservations, reserve. Even a casual corner bistro can easily book up. It can be hard for diners to tell if a place requires reservations or not, so unless a restaurant specifically states on its website that it doesn’t accept them, assume you’ll need to book. How far in advance you’ll want to reserve depends on the restaurant. For hotspots like Septime or Frenchie, you should call or check online weeks ahead; for more casual dining, call a day, or even just a few hours, in advance. French restaurants close more often than American ones, so making a reservation is also a good way to find out if they’re open before you cross town.

Most reservations will require a phone call—restaurant websites in Paris are often just an address and a phone number. More often than not, you won’t be able to book online, and you’ll almost never be able to view the menu in advance. To phone in the reservation yourself, always begin with bonjour. If you’d like to reserve a table for two people on the 15th at 8 p.m., then the French phrase would be:

Je voudrais réserver une table (I would like to reserve a table)
pour deux personnes (for two people) 
pour le quinze octobre (on the fifteenth of October) 
à vingt heures. (at 20 o’clock.)

It’s important to use the 24-hour clock to avoid confusion, so remember to add twelve!

...And Keep Them.

If you make a reservation, honor it. Many restaurants in Paris do only one service a night, because the French like to linger. This means that for a small restaurant, a no-show can have real economic ramifications. If you must cancel, give as much notice as possible. (And definitely don’t double book: Tourists are becoming infamous for making multiple bookings at hotspots on opposite sides of town, then deciding at the last minute which one they’ll keep. This is poor form.)

Restaurants will want a phone number in order to confirm your reservation a day or two in advance—remember to give your country code, too. If you don’t pick up when they call to confirm, you may show up only to find that your reservation has been given away. If you’re worried about missing the call—or concerned about international roaming charges—be proactive and call the day beforehand yourself to confirm.

Know Which Days To Go...

Many restaurants and shops will shutter for the day on Sunday or Monday. Lots of travelers go wrong here by not planning accordingly. Take a look at your list of places to eat, and if any are open on Sunday and Monday, take advantage and visit them on those days.

...And Which Months

In August and, increasingly, the second half of July, Paris can be a ghost town. It often feels like the entire city has gone on vacation, with many restaurants closed for anywhere from 2–6 weeks. So if the goal of your visit is to eat your way across the city, consider visiting at a different time of year. The end of December, also popular with tourists, is a better bet, but can still be a little risky: Many restaurants close for Christmas and New Year’s, which are family holidays when most people cook at home. If you opt to eat out, you’ll most likely end up paying premium prices for fairly mediocre tasting menus. Rent an apartment with a kitchen instead, and shop in advance like the Parisians do.

Eat At The Right Time Of Day

Set eating hours are still firmly entrenched in French society. Lunch is generally served from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm, and most restaurants will serve dinner from 8 pm to 10 pm. Some restaurants may open earlier for dinner to cater to an international clientele, but most French people won’t step foot outside a minute before. For meals outside those time frames, less formal options are a better bet. Wine bars tend to have more flexible hours, catering to patrons seeking a drink or a snack before or after their main meal; brasseries are open all day, with continuous service; and bakeries and patisseries are good options for late-afternoon snacks. It’s fine to sit in cafés for hours as well, although it’s good practice to pay rent for your table, so to speak, by buying a round of coffees or drinks every so often.

Give Up Some Control

In France, the customer is not always right; in fact, the customer is usually wrong. The chef is an artist welcoming you into his or her studio, not a sycophant eager to please your whims, and restaurant professionals in both the kitchen and the dining room take pride in their expertise. Enjoy the guidance of the talented team in charge.

Don’t Expect Too Many Accommodations

If you have dietary restrictions or food allergies, let the restaurant know about them when you book, as Parisian kitchens are cramped and frequently don’t have a lot of alternatives on hand. You’ll have a better meal—and the restaurant will be more accommodating—if they can plan ahead.

Order Like A Parisian

On French menus (cartes), the word entrées means starters, and main courses are called plats. This is often confusing to Americans, for whom an entrée is a main course. While Parisians might keep it simple when dining at home, when they go out to eat they tend to commit to the full three-course formule of entrée-plat-dessert. It’s frowned upon to order just two starters, or just a main course.

If you’re not hungry enough for a three-course meal (although remember, portions tend to be smaller here than at home), it’s better to head to a wine or tapas bar, where you don’t have to follow the standard formula. The options at wine bars range from ambitious, high-end food to rustic platters of charcuterie or cheese.

It’s perfectly acceptable to request tap water. If you go the bottled route, you can often end up spending more on water than you do wine. For tap water, ask for une carafe d’eau.

Don’t expect bread and butter as an automatic starter. Bread will often arrive with your main course, to sop up sauces. Unless you’re at a very high-end restaurant, it’s unlikely that your table setting will include a bread plate—the expectation is that you’ll put your bread directly on the table. This can feel strange at first, but you’ll get used to it.

Cheese, if offered, tends to come at the end of the meal, right before, or in place of, dessert. Sometimes you might encounter a fresh cheese like a burrata among the entrées, and at a wine bar you’re of course free to order cheese at any point.

Thanks to a relatively new French law, restaurants must now allow patrons to take their leftovers home, but it’s still not common custom. You might get some weird looks if you request a doggie bag.

Pay—And Tip—Like A Pro

In France, it’s considered rude to bring the bill (l’addition) before a customer has specifically requested it. Whether at a corner café or a fine-dining establishment, you’re allowed to linger for as long as you like. The only downside? When you’re ready to go, you may have to be a little assertive to catch your server’s eye.

The price of a meal in Paris includes service charges, so tips aren’t required—but they are appreciated. Most French people wouldn’t leave more than 5 percent, or 10 percent for very good service. There isn’t a tip line on a credit card bill, so be sure to have cash on hand.

Check out the original article on Eater.

Paris by Mouth: Percolating in Paris

For a long time, the prevailing opinion of visitors to the French capital has been that the coffee in Paris is terrible. Well, it may be time to revise this long-running truism to “coffee in Paris was terrible.”

This Fall has seen a veritable avalanche of openings (Holybelly, Belleville Brûlerie, Fragments, Fondation, Coutume Lab) that have enriched the city’s specialty coffee scene with brews that are crafted by trained baristas using freshly roasted high-quality beans. And the local offer promises to get even better with upcoming launches of Lockwood and Rêves des Abyssines. So why are our cups of good coffee now running over like never before?

While researching this story over the past couple of months, I found myself sipping cup after filtered cup of Belleville Brûlerie coffee in shops with minimalist decor and nibbling anglicized baked goods (typically from Emperor Norton, one of the best purveyors in town). So the curious thought began to percolate in my head that the more the Paris coffee scene has changed, the more it’s stayed the same. When asked what made their shops unique, the constant refrain from owners and staff was high-quality filtered coffee, locally roasted Belleville beans (usually paired with a few other well-respected international roasters) and great cookies and/or pound cake. A notable exception was Nico Alary of Holybelly who passionately expounded about the virtues of the osmosis filter he keeps in the basement to purify his water, which makes sense in view of the fact that espresso is 95% water. But is it possible that in their effort to create a seriously good scene, Paris’ new coffee masters have ended up creating one that’s just as homogenized as the milk they use in their specialty coffees?

Read more on Paris by Mouth