Tag Archives: wine lover

(Small) Guide to Burgundy

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After spending a few days in Burgundy this summer, and a few days some years ago, I’ve put together a few tips and suggestions for anyone who is thinking about visiting this beautiful wine region.

Where to Stay

I always stay in Beaune. A relatively big town, compared to the other small ones like Volnay or Mersault, it has everything you’ll need, along with some pretty great restaurants. Many Airbnb’s are scattered over the city, as well as many different hotels. Depends on your price range and wishes, of course, but you’ll most likely find a place that suits your needs.

A place I can highly recommend is Beaune Duplex Maison du Bastion 4, found on Airbnb. Beautiful garden, nice rooms, kitchen and parking. There are also multiple apartments, so larger groups can fit nicely here.

Where to Eat

Here are some of my go-to places for lunch and dinner:

Caves Madeleine
Le Bistrot Bourguignon
Ma Cuisine
La Sufflot
Volnaysien

Wineries

Now, Burgundy is busting with wineries. Of all sizes, shapes and forms. We all have different tastes and preferences, and mine might vary drastically from yours. But here are some of my favorite winemakers in the area.

Michel Lafarge
Joseph Voillot
Domaine Dujac
Comte Liger-Belair
Benjamin Leroux
Matrot

Wine Shopping (the best kind of shopping)

If you’re looking to buy wine in Burgundy, here are some of the best places (in my opinion) to find great wines.

Mes Bourgognes Beaune
Cavon de Bacchus, Nuits St George
Caveau de Puligny Montrachet
Caveau Chassagne Montrachet

“Sightseeing”

One thing I recommend everyone to do, is to just explore. These small towns are filled with beautiful streets, buildings and “landmarks”. You can take a stroll down “Rue de La Tache”, or walk to the famous Romanee-Conti vineyard or take the “obligatory” picture with the cross. So much history and so many great wines. It’s paradise for us wine lovers. And I can’t wait to go back!

Azelia

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IMG_5607I recently discovered, and befriended, the winemakers at Azelia. Located at the bottom of Castiglione, next to Paolo Scavino, you find the not so small winery of Azelia. It just so happens that Azelia, Cavallotto and Scavino are all related– welcome to Barolo!

At the Azelia winery, Lorenzo the son is now the 5th generation of winemakers. Lorenzo, named after his grandfather, works with his dad at the winery. When you go on the tour, you will pass by a corner with a bunch of wine stacked. This is wine from the vintage Lorenzo was born, and it will be saved until a wedding or a birthday. A very nice idea, I wish my parents had been into wine when I was born.

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Azelia makes a fairly wide range of wines, red, from Dolcetto to Barolo Riserva. What is interesting about Azelia, is that a large portion of their vines are very old. The vines used to make the Barbera Punta is around 60 years old. So the Azelia barbera is rather different from a lot of other barbera’s from the Barolo region.

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If you want to visit the winery, you can call ahead or send an email. Check out their website for more information.

Mangialonga 2013

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Almost a year ago, I had the pleasure of participating in the Mangialonga.
 For those of you who don’t know, Mangialonga is basically a “walkathon” where you walk about 2km, while eating and drinking. Drinking a lot!
 EVERYONE is welcome (you have to buy a ticket of course), but last year dogs, and kids, and adults, and cripples and whatever else came through the Start line and the crossed the finish line a few drops of alcohol later.
 At the end, there is a party, with Moscato (as much as you may desire).

The Beginning

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Summer 2011, I went to Cinque Terre, Italy, with my family. There I met Elio Altare, the winemaker behind Altare wines, and it was one of the most memorable moments in my life. Signor Altare showed me the love he has for his wine, and it sparked something in me. Interest, curiosity, passion, love; call it what you want, but this initial meeting has started me on a sort of journey, a journey that evolved the next summer.

Summer, 2012, I had the pleasure of experiencing a wine tasting for the first time, in Piemonte, Italiy. My Dad has long been interested in wine, and finally I had the opportunity to see what all the fuss was about. Because to me, wine was just wine. Alcohol. Some tasted good, some tasted not so good. But in the end, to me, it was just a bottle with alcoholic content. After last summer, I no longer see it that way. And I will tell you why.

I am not sure where to begin. But I soon figured out that the bottle sitting in front of me had more to it than first meets the eye. The people I met, the farmer who produce the wine, they are some of the most wonderful people I have ever met. Their passion for what they do is contagious. They tell their story, using their whole bodies, explaining and elaborating on the long process behind the bottle sitting in your home. These people care for their grapes, they care for their wine, and they treat the whole process with lots and lots of love. They light up when talking about their wines, and it is clear they really love what they do.

After meeting some of the winemakers in person, it makes all the difference, at least to me. When I open a Vietti wine, not only do I enjoy the taste, but I recall all those incredible moments I had with Elena, one of makers of Vietti wine. And I think maybe that for me, that is the point. I’m not that interested in all the details of the actual process of making wine. I am interested in the people, the story, and the passion.

Rejoice.