Get ready for your next trip with the “En Route vers les Bourgognes”
The 2019 edition of the essential “En Route vers les Bourgognes” wine guide is now available to visitors to the region, in both print and digital versions. It is ideal for discovering or rediscovering Bourgogne and its 84 appellations.
The guide is designed to simplify your research and help organize your trips through six tourist trails that crisscross the vineyards. The 2019 edition contains more than 350 recommended addresses, proof that wine tourism is not a passing fad. Rather, it is a growing trend in Bourgogne.
New this year is a more educational approach. The guide includes explanations of the region’s wine-related brotherhoods, the work of the winegrower and the Climats, along with a wealth of tourist information to ensure visitors enjoy the total Bourgogne experience.
The Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) has been committed to wine tourism for many years, as evidenced by our “De Vignes en Caves” welcome charter, which was created in 1991.
#ChardonnayDay is a global event, celebrated around the world. But the epicenter of the festivities will always be the village of Chardonnay in the Mâconnais!
On Thursday 23 May, the village of Chardonnay in the Saône-et-Loire département will once again be the center of the world for lovers of fine white wines! What better place to celebrate #ChardonnayDay than the village that gave its name to this varietal that is grown and loved around the world? Especially as this fourth edition is promising to be even more exciting and fun-packed than ever!
In addition to the traditional tastings offered by winegrowers, the École des Vins de Bourgogne will be hosting two special masterclasses.
From the vines to the wine, these masterclasses will offer a fresh take on the multiple nuances of the Chardonnay grape and the Mâcon-Chardonnay appellation.
They will be presented in two phases:
- 5:30pm to 6pm & 7pm to 7:30pm - A geo-historical introduction: Chardonnay in three dimensions, hosted by Emmanuel Nonain, lecturer from EnoCulture
- 6pm to 7pm & 7:30pm to 8:30pm – Practical tasting tips, hosted by Dominique Lambry, trainer at the École des Vins de Bourgogne
These masterclasses are open to all, but space is limited to 15 participants per session in French only). Price: €20 per person.
Join us in June for a new kind of training session offered by Chablis wines. Chablis Discovery is above all an experiential event that takes participants into the heart of the Chablis vineyards, without ever leaving New York!
This format presents the four Chablis appellations in a fun and educational way. The experience is divided into four phases in order to tackle all the aspects necessary for a full understanding of these wines:
• Soil type and its influence on the tasting profile of Chablis wines
• The Climats of Chablis: Right Bank vs. Left Bank, to understand the notion of the Climats and its importance
• The importance of the vintage and its impact on the wine’s characteristics
• Human expertise to immerse oneself in the world of Chablis and its traditions
All these stages are interspersed with tastings to fit with the theme discussed. The training session lasts for approximately two hours.
13 May in Montreal
Bootcamp in Montreal: An intensive day for learning about Bourgogne wines
15 May in Los Angeles
Bootcamp in Los Angeles: An intensive day for learning about Bourgogne wines
23 May in Chardonnay
Celebration of the #ChardonnayDay (see above)
3-7 June in Tokyo
Bourgogne Week Tokyo 2019
10 June in Shanghai
Masterclass on Régionale AOCs with a geographical denomination, followed by a meeting with local press
Video
Bourgogne Côte d’Or, born from the rising sun!
Bourgogne Côte d’Or, a Régionale appellation with a geographical denomination, was created with the 2017 vintage. The first bottles are now coming to market. Find out more in our video.
Find out more about the Montagny appellation.
It is said that the historic appellation of Montagny was the favorite wine of the monks of the Cluny Abbey of all wines on the Côte Chalonnaise. How well do you know this AOC?
Character of the vines:
This Village appellation on the Côte Chalonnaise comprises 49 Climats classified as AOC Village Premier Cru. Montagny wines are exclusively white and to the eye, present all the signs of a classic Bourgogne made from Chardonnay: They are clear gold in color with discreet hints of green, evolving to buttercup yellow with age. Usual aromas include acacia, hawthorn, honeysuckle and blackberry blossom. Some more lively vintages also offer hints of lemongrass and gunflint. In the mouth, they are fresh and youthful in character and rich in spicy aromas. Their sophisticated flavor and delicacy combine beautifully with a structured and sustained framework.
Sommelier’s tips:
Subtle and rich in delicate notes, Montagny wines should only be served with dishes that offer a comparable aromatic intensity and balance. Veal in white sauce is a good match. In terms of seafood, steamed or poached shellfish, lightly-fried, grilled, or even better, steamed noble fish are also welcome at the table. Paella combining meat and fish is also a good pairing because such a moist dish with very varied flavors would be showcased by the lovely allure and aromatic richness of a Montagny.
As for cheese, it perfectly showcases goat cheese, Beaufort, Comté, Emmental, and Saint-Paulin
Location:
At the southern point of the Côte Chalonnaise in the département of Saône-et-Loire, the four villages of Buxy, Montagny-lès-Buxy, Jully-lès-Buxy, and Saint-Vallerin joined together under the umbrella of this AOC in 1936.
As on the Côte de Nuits and at Chassagne-Montrachet, wine and marbled stone have found a perfect harmony here. Buxy, which was fortified in the 12th century, has some important architectural heritage and a fiercely independent spirit.
Exports of Bourgogne wines to Norway continue to grow. After a fall in 2015, sales of Bourgogne wines have shown steady growth, and were up 7.4% by volume in 2018, the equivalent of 2.74 million bottles, and up 13.8% in terms of revenue, for 559 million Norwegian kroner.
These figures do not take into account direct purchases through restaurants. According to specialists in this market, these could account for at least 10% of Vinmonopolet sales. As such, this could represent some 2.8 million bottles of Bourgogne wine imported into Norway in 2018. Very strong performance for a country with just five million inhabitants!
Crémant de Bourgogne set a new record, up 24.5% (795,000 bottles), as did red wines, up 25.3% (400,000 bottles).
White wines once again lost ground, down 3% by volume (1.545 million bottles), impacted by the lack of available volume for the Chablis appellations from the 2016 and 2017 vintages. Chablis wines still account for almost two-thirds of Bourgogne white wine sales to Norway.
Exports of Bourgogne wines in 2018 have stabilized, up 0.2% in terms of volume, equivalent to almost 82.3 million bottles. Turnover continues to grow, up 3.6% for €939.8 million euros.
North America is showing strong growth, and Canada in particular, up 9.5% in terms of volume and up 8% in terms of revenue over 2017, while the USA is up 3.8% in terms of volume and 2.2% in terms of revenue. Hong Kong continues to grow, becoming one of the key export markets for Bourgogne wines, up 8.8% in terms of volume and 24.5% in terms of revenue. Scandinavia is carving out a place for itself with great results in Norway (see above), and Sweden, which was up 12.9% in terms of volume and 13.2% in terms of revenue, and Finland, which is growing year on year, up 14% in terms of volume and 2.7% in terms of revenue. Australia, a developing market, is showing fine growth of 11% in terms of volume and 9.9% in terms of revenue.
These excellent results were unfortunately counterbalanced by some poor results on traditional European markets. The UK was down 8.8% in terms of volume and 4.3% in terms of revenue, Germany was down 2.6% in terms of volume and up 1.4% in terms of revenue, and Switzerland was down 6.7% in terms of volume but up 10.7% in terms of revenue. China showed a mixed performance in 2018, down 10.6% in terms of volume but up 9.9% in terms of revenue.
For white wines, the Régionale Bourgogne appellations were in strong health, up 3.8% in terms of volume for revenue of 105.4 millions euros, up 11% over 2017. Over this same period, the Régionale appellations of the Mâconnais grew slightly in terms of volume, up 1%, with revenue of 46 million euros, up 0.2% over 2017.
With lower volumes, the Grands Crus of the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits and the Village appellations of the Auxerrois-Tonnerrois also grew in terms of volume, respectively up 10.6% and 19%.
The Chablis and Petit Chablis appellations, still suffering from the low volumes of the 2016 and 2017 vintages, were down 5.2% in terms of volume over 2017.
For red wines, the Régionale Bourgogne and Mâcon appellations were also very strong, up 14% and 1% in terms of volume over 2017. Together, they accounted for 70% of volumes of red Bourgogne wine exports. These Régionale appellations also grew in terms of revenue and were up 17% for the Régionale Bourgogne AOCs and up 8.7% for the Régionale Mâcon. In terms of revenue, the Grand Cru AOCs of the Côtes de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits also flourished, up 4% over 2017, just like the Village AOCs of the Auxerrois-Tonnerrois over the same period, which were up 11.3% on 2017.
Crémant de Bourgogne wines also enjoyed good growth, up 1.4% in terms of volume and 3.5% in terms of revenue over 2017.
Bouzeron, the only Village appellation of the Bourgogne region produced from the Aligoté varietal, began celebrating its 20th anniversary in November 2018, on the weekend of the Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction, with a retrospective tasting for wine industry professionals.
Wine lovers and the general public have to wait until 14 April and the return of the fine weather for the winemakers to put on a show for them.
Now, you are officially invited to an exceptional gourmet stroll.
Throughout the day, groups of visitors will set off through the vines to discover the trade of winegrower and the Aligoté varietal. The walk will be punctuated by a series of gourmet breaks, where visitors can discover the fabulous landscapes and enjoy a little indulgence at the same time.
At the end of this hike, which is set to last around two hours, walkers will be welcomed for a tempting tasting of food and wine pairings.
Departures every 20 minutes from 9:30am to 4pm.
Price: €25 per person
To celebrate 21 years of the appellation, the winemakers of Viré-Clessé will be coming together on 20 and 21 April in the villages of Viré and Clessé, to celebrate this milestone with a festive and convivial event.
Workshops and tastings, strolls through the vines, concerts, food, and plenty of other events are planned over the course of two days.
The cellars of around 30 producers will be open to welcome visitors and introduce them to the wines of the appellation.
The Viré-Clessé appellation is located to the north of the vineyards of the Mâconnais, between Tournus and Mâcon. The wines are a brilliant pale gold color in their youth. Lively in the mouth, Viré-Clessé marries well with white meat and fish in sauce. It can also be enjoyed as an aperitif or with shellfish.
The Domaine Pavelot on the Côte de Beaune has been flourishing for several generations. It owns several hectares in Savigny-lès-Beaune, which are currently in the process of obtaining Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) certification. The estate also has vines in Beaune and Aloxe-Corton.
The acquisition of some new land just above their ageing cellar was a stroke of luck for the estate, as they were able to use it for the construction of a state-of-the-art winery, complete with a system for controlling the temperature of the vats, the whole covering some 400 square meters.
An historic estate complete with next generation technology
The Domaine de Suremain in Mercurey has renovated and enlarged its old winery.
The Domaine de Suremain first began producing wine in Mercurey in 1870, and has since been run by seven generations of the same family.
And it was back then that the cellars were built, holding more than 200 pièces, along with the winery, which covers more than 300 m². Some 150 years later, the place has been given a makeover with some modern equipment, but has still maintained its old charm.
Only the four supporting walls have been preserved, while the pine structure, the insulation, and the roof of the building have been replaced by local artisans and builders.
At the same time, whilst preserving a few beautiful vinification vats, a whole series of temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats for vinification and storage have been added.
Bourgogne vs. Burgundy: to re-affirm their identity, the region and the producers are reverting back to the original French iteration of the name, Bourgogne.
EN DIRECT 9 issues per year, published by
Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne
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DIRECTOR: SYLVAIN NAULIN
EDITOR IN CHIEF: CECILE MATHIAUD – cecile.mathiaud@bivb.com
TRANSLATOR: SARAH JACKSON
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