France
Popular places to visit in Burgundy
As well as its beautiful rural landscapes of farmland and vineyards, Burgundy also boasts several stunning towns and villages to visit.
Dijon is the capital of the region and has plenty to offer besides just mustard. In its medieval heart you can visit the Musée des Beaux-Arts (one of the oldest museums in France), the elegant Palais des Ducs and the exquisite Renaissance stylings of the Hôtel de Vogüé.
Beaune meanwhile is the capital of Burgundy wines. Home to over 100 kilometres of tunnels and wine cellars, this charmingly picturesque town has wine coursing through its veins, with opportunities to taste incredible Burgundy wines at every twist and turn.
The Food of Burgundy
Perhaps Burgundy’s two most famous dishes are boeuf bourguignon and coq au vin and even those with a rudimentary knowledge of French cuisine will know that both involve red wine. Burgundy is famous for its Charolais cattle, this white cow being France’s number one beef breed. It is perhaps a little ironic and certainly unexpected that the light reds wines of the region are not ideally suited to beef, although they are the classic match for a coq au vin.
Snails are another Burgundian favourite, whilst the mustard of Dijon is famous worldwide. As you can see, with dishes such as snails, boeuf bourguignon and coq au vin, Burgundy is home to some of France’s most famous dishes, meaning this Burgundy wine holiday will delight food lovers just as much as those here to worship the vine.
The Wines of Burgundy
The Burgundy region enjoys an exceptional geographical location, perfect weather for growing grapes, rich soils, renowned varietals which all combine to produce its 100 appellations that are recognized around the world.
Compared to other regions, Burgundy is actually a pretty simple region to understand when it comes to grape varieties. There are really only two main grape varieties to remember, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Pinot Noir
Red Burgundy is 100% Pinot Noir, while white Burgundy is made from 100% Chardonnay grape. Pretty simple, right?
Many wine drinkers will automatically think of red wine when they hear the name “Burgundy”. These wines pair with food in much the same way as New World Pinot Noir. They are lighter than many reds, with berries and a certain earthiness on the nose that makes them good with more savoury flavours such as mushrooms. As with their New World cousins, these wines can easily be matched with fish, poultry and game too.
Chardonnay
When it comes to white Burgundy, many younger drinkers may not realise that the Chablis or Pouilly-Fuissé they claim to love is made from Chardonnay. In the 1970s such wines were hugely fashionable before falling out of favour. With a big improvement in quality at the lower end of the pricing, however, they have become popular once again.
The whites of this region are subtler than many New World Chardonnays and so when it comes to food it is best to keep things relatively simple. Classic pairings include dishes such as roast chicken or a seafood risotto.
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