Burgundy Vineyards — The Château de Garnerot

Wine Tasting In A Beautiful Burgundy Vineyard

[Map, Burgundy, France]

Picturesque Burgundy where you drift by hillsides lined with neat rows of vines promising an abundance of rich, flavorful nectar. Burgundy (In French – Bourgogne) is part of the Bourgogne-France-Comté administrative region of France. We recently had the pleasure of touring Burgundy sailing along the Saône River and sampled more than a few local wines — it was fabulous. One of our stops was at the fabulous Château de Garnerot.

The Vins de Bourgogne map shown above is a screen shot of the wonderful interactive map you can access for your own Burgundy appellation exploration.

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The Grapes Of The Burgundy Region

[1848 Wine Press, Château de Garnerot, Mercurey, France]

Burgundy is known for four types of grape varieties, two red grape varieties that include Pinot Noir and Gamay, and two white grape varieties that include Chardonnay and Aligoté.

The Pinot Noir grape, from the French words pine and black, are dark blue-purple and grow in clusters shaped like pine cones.

Gamay, the other red grape, is a very old variety, it is widely grown in Burgundy and is the main grape for red wines of the Mâconnais wine region.

For white grapes, Chardonnay is the most prominent and well known varieties. Light and easy to drink, these wines are crisp and delicious.

Aligoté is the other Burgundy white grape. It has been growing in the region since the 18th century. The dry white wine is traditionally used for the kir cocktail made with Aligoté wine and cassis.

Burgundy Wine

[Vineyard, Château de Garnerot, Mercurey, France]

Fields of Pinot Noir, and other varietals, grace the landscape of the Côte Chalonnaise and Côte de Beaune where the vineyards of Château de Garnerot are located.

My favorite mail order wine company is Naked Wines. I order a case every month or so – no judgment please. You will find lots of wonderful Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and other great bottles.

Château de Garnerot Wine Tasting

[Wine Pour, Château de Garnerot, Mercurey, France]

Wine lovers always enjoy exploring new vineyards and top wines. Wine tours in the Burgundy area offer guests a peek into the distinctive character of this historical region of France. Tours can run the gamut of experiences including wine bars, tastings, wine cellar exploration, and much more.

[Red Wine Pour, Château de Garnerot, Mercurey, France]

The Pinot Noir was everything I expected and then some. One of my favorite grapes, a glass of this robust red is my goto cool weather beverage. It can be for special occasions or a quiet dinner at home, a great Pinot Noir takes me to the Burgundy region with every sip.

Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise

[Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise, Château de Garnerot, Mercurey, France]

We tasted the Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise, a fruity, 100 percent Pinot Noir that has spent 10 months aging in oak barrels. The rich ruby color sets the stage for a wonderful experience. Perfect with a hearty charcuterie of robust cheeses and luscious cured meats.

Bouzeron

[Bouzeron, Château de Garnerot, Mercurey, France]

The white tasting included the vineyard’s Bouzeron. A dry 100% Aligoté, the white wine offers sharp citrus notes with the slight sweetness of honey. Serve it with goat cheese for an appetizer; it also pairs perfectly with shellfish and seafood.

Château de Garnerot Winery

[Cellar, Château de Garnerot, Mercurey, France]

The beautiful Château de Garnerot run by Alexia Russo and Caroline Fyot brought their first vintage to bottle in 2018. The career shift for both women came from a love of the history of wine making, a respect for tradition, and the desire to bottle great wines.

Pro Tip: With over 40 members, the Femmes & Vins de Bourgogne, a group of female winemakers are showcasing their agricultural and vigneron skills competing in the traditionally male-dominated industry.

[Cave, Château de Garnerot, Mercurey, France]

Storing wine is critical to the success of each vintage. Temperature controlled cellars with wine fermenting in barrels is the preferred method of aging a beautifully complex wine.

[1848 Wine Press Trough, Château de Garnerot, Mercurey, France]

As the pressed juice trickles through the antique wine press, the trough captures the prescious juice as vintners funnel it in holding vessels. Gathering every drop is instrumental in the vintners successful wine harvest and production.

Grand Cru Wines

[Wild Poppies, Château de Garnerot, Mercurey, France]

The most expensive wines in the Burgundy region come from the Grand Cru vineyards. I have not had the pleasure of sipping a Grand Cru wine, but I would welcome the opportunity.

Shadows in the Vineyard: The True Story of the Plot to Poison the World’s Greatest Wine by Maximillian Potter is an interesting history of Burgundy and the craftsmanship of making fine wines. Included in the book is a primer on the terroir of the Burgundy region and the Grand Cru vineyards. If you like history and love wine, you will enjoy this book. It traces a generation of vignerons and the Grand Cru vineyards they are responsible to oversee. The plot is an unfathomable threat to these cherished vines. You can read my book reivew here.

Boeuf Bourguignon

[Mastering The Art Of French Cooking]

If all this talk about Burgundy has made you hungry, you can find the best Boeuf Bourguignon recipe in Julia Child’s cookbook …. Mastering The Art of French Cooking.

Boeuf Bourguignon or Boeuf A La Bourguignonne is an unctions beef stew with bacon, onions, and mushrooms steeped in red wine. Serve it with a great Pinot Noir from Burgundy and it’s almost like being there.

Traveling Through Burgundy

[AmaCello, Neuville-sur-Saône, France]

We were able to explore great vineyards and fabulous wines while we sailed down the Saône River on the AmaCello with AmaWaterways. If you are looking for a river cruise where you can explore historic town centers and French castles, wander charming narrow streets, enjoy the café scene, and sample interesting Burgundy wine, you will love this river adventure.

Tasting Burgundy Wines

[Comfy Chair, Château de Garnerot, Mercurey, France]

A guided tour of the Château de Garnerot was an enchanting experience in exploring Burgundy wines. Whether your pleasure is robust red wines or crisp white wines, you will love exploring Burgundy’s vineyards and wine tastings. Next stop – Dijon!

Happy Travels,

Sandi

PS:

While you are drinking wines in Burgundy either at a vineyard or sidewalk cafe, you should consider your fashion choices. I enjoy the fashion trends in Europe — try dressing like a French women — floaty and comfortable.

Don’t you just hate it when your phone battery is in the dreaded red zone? I always carry Fuel Rods with me. They give me a battery boost, they are rechargeable, and they work with iphones and androids. 

Travel health insurance when you are heading out of the country is an important consideration. Many policies don’t fully cover you outside of the US. I use Safety Wing for my international travels. I use the one-time coverage option for individual trips – luckily I haven’t had to use it, but it’s comforting to know I have it in place. 

If you know me, you know I love a glass of wine (or two). My favorite mail order wine company is Naked Wines. I order a case every month or so – no judgment please. I love that they work with small independent winemakers and I get to choose what wine I want and when I want it delivered. 

Don’t forget to download my free packing list! It’s the perfect jumping off point to get your adventure started.