New: Immersive tasting workshops coming soon to Dijon…
From 6 May, the École des Vins de Bourgogne will be offering four new workshops at the Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin in Dijon.
These four innovative workshops will offer a visual, audio, and gustatory experience at a price ranging from €20-€29 and lasting between 40 minutes and one hour. Each one can welcome up to 18 participants and all the courses are open to people with mobility issues. Bookings open in April.
> An Introduction to wine tasting: Decode the techniques and vocabulary of wine tasting and learn how to describe a wine in terms of how it looks, smells, and tastes.
Three wines, €20 per person (40’)
> The Impact of vintage: This workshop explores the bearing a vintage might have on a wine, and explores single varietal cultivation, typical in Bourgogne, how a wine changes over time, and ageing potential.
Three wines, €20 per person (40’)
> Bourgogne Terroir Wines: Learn about the notion of terroir in Bourgogne through grape varietals, winegrower expertise, the hierarchy of the 84 appellations, and the Climats.
Four wines, €20 per person (40’)
> Food and Wine pairings: Explore the diversity of Bourgogne wines by pairing them with local gastronomy. Tasting of five wines with five regional specialties.
Five wines, €29 per person (60’)
A video road-trip offering a different way to discover Bourgogne wines
Between now and June, explore Bourgogne from north to south and discover the terroir belonging to the 13 Bourgogne plus a geographical denomination AOCs.
The new web series “The Bourgogne Road Trip” takes the form of a travel in which viewers are invited to explore Bourgogne, seeking out the wines, winegrowers, gastronomy, and cultural heritage of each area, in the company of Marie and Alain.
Marie and Alain are the creators of the Destination Camping-Car YouTube channel. They are offering a brand-new way to explore Bourgogne appellations plus a geographical denomination, with the aim of seducing new consumers.
Broadcasting began on 30 March, and the videos will drop every Wednesday at 6pm CET on the Bourgogne wines YouTube channel. The series runs until 22 June.
The first three episodes are already available, and each one is subtitled in English. The videos last for approximately seven minutes each.
The campaign, led by a group of patrons from the Bourgogne wine industry, has been underway for several months now, and has already raised the first funds.
To-date, €3.5 million have already been pledged, of which €2 million have been collected.
This was achieved thanks to the efforts of some 50 donors, most of whom are from the wine industry, but which also include loyal partners both from the region and the rest of the world.
Since the beginning of the year, the Cité has been inviting patrons to tour the different sites in the network. The first two site visits were held Beaune in January and March, and more will soon be taking place in Chablis and Mâcon. This allows potential donors to see how work is progressing and to meet the teams on site.
From ambassadors of the Bourgogne region and its wines to fans of our beautiful region, and from winegrowing and wine industry professionals to wine lovers, local businesses, and living heritage enthusiasts, the Cité invites anyone wishing to contribute to this unique and federating project to join the circle of patrons who have already pledged their support.
The Guide des Caves Vignobles & Découvertes, available in both French and English, lists all the wine cellars in Bourgogne that have been awarded this label.
It is your indispensable guide to discovering the region, area by area, and offers:
- Details on the 246 estates, négoces, and cooperative cellars that bear the Vignobles & Découvertes label, indicating their commitment to an excellent welcome. Each listing includes essential information for visitors
- A map of Bourgogne including details of key visitor attractions
In addition, you can also find: A presentation of the Cités des Climats et des Vins de Bourgogne network, a section highlighting different initiatives being implemented in the sector, in terms of social and environmental responsibility, a link to the digital calendar of wine-themed festivals and events… and many other practical information.
The guide is available for download so you’ll always have it when you need it. Click here.
A video of the event is available right now from the Bourgogne Wines YouTube channel allowing you to find out all the latest financial info and news from the region, through speeches by Raphaël Dubois, President of the Grands Jours de Bourgogne, François Labet, President of the Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB), Laurent Delaunay, Joint President of the BIVB, and Benoît de Charette, President of the Cité des Climats et Vins de Bourgogne.
The Grands Jours de Bourgogne 2022: A great success
The Grands Jours de Bourgogne ran from 21-25 March. It was really an happy reunion!
Winegrowers and négociants were delighted to welcome market influencers and journalists from around the world to discover the most recent vintages of the 84 Bourgogne appellations over the space of five days, for the latest edition of the Grands Jours de Bourgogne.
This edition was all about catching up with old friends. Some 1,700 visitors took part in the 12 tastings organized by some 950 exhibitors. In total, 48% were French and 52% foreign, from almost 50 different territories.
There were also 98 journalists of 22 different nationalities who came to taste some 5,700 wines on offer.
Buoyed by strong results, the Bourgogne wine sector faces many challenges. After a record year in terms of revenue in 2021, the economic situation for Bourgogne wines might seem enviable. Nonetheless, some major challenges lie ahead.
* Stocks available at the property, which were impacted by the low 2021 harvest and under pressure from sustained demand, were well below the average for the last five campaigns.
* As a result, transactions in the first six months of the 2021-2022 campaign (advance market) were down 34% compared to transactions for the 2020 vintage (down 24% on the six-month average over the last five campaigns).
* On the export market, Bourgogne wines set a new record in terms of revenue in 2021, generating more than one billion euros in revenue for the third consecutive year (1.32 billion, up 28% over 2020), with the equivalent of 105 million 75cl bottles exported (up 18% over 2020).
* In France, Bourgogne wines continued to grow in the supermarket sector (up 4.3% by volume over 2020) and set a record in terms of revenue (up 8.2% over 2020), despite the overall context being generally negative. Meanwhile, the more traditional distribution circuits returned to favorable levels of activity for Bourgogne wines, with many specialized wine stores having remained open during 2020.
The results for 2022 will depend on the ability of the Bourgogne wine sector to supply its markets and respond to multiple consumer expectations, not forgetting Covid-19, which comes in waves, and the consequences of the geopolitical situation and its impact on inflation.
Denmark: The 9th biggest market for Bourgogne wines in terms of revenue
Exports were up 23.4% by volume and up 27% in terms of revenue in 2021 compared to 2020.
Denmark entered the top 10 markets for Bourgogne wines in terms of revenue in 2020, and it confirmed its place in 2021, ahead of Sweden. By volume, the country has been in ninth place for the past 10 years.
The Bourgogne region held on to the top spot by volume (3.8 million bottles and a 23.2% market share) and in terms of revenue, for French AOC winegrowing regions in Denmark.
Bourgogne white wines accounted for 56.9% of the volume exported to Denmark for 47.3% of revenue from across the region. They were up 23.4% by volume over 2020 and up 27% in terms of revenue over the same period, mainly due to: Régionale Bourgogne wines (including Bourgogne plus geographical denomination), and Régionale Mâcon wines (including Mâcon plus geographical denomination and Mâcon-Villages).
Red wines are taking an ever-increasing market share in terms of volumes exported. They accounted for 25.6% of volumes of Bourgogne wines exported in 2021 (up 5.6 points over 2020). They are also actively supporting the region’s growth on this market: Up 58.8% by volume and up 36.3% in terms of value over figures for 2020.
Crémant de Bourgogne accounted for 17.5% of the volume of Bourgogne wines exported to this market, continuing its growth. It was up 10.8% by volume and 11.4% in terms of revenue on the previous year.
This beautiful event, which is all about winetasting and conviviality, showcases the wines from northern Bourgogne. It is organized by the Auxerre Tourist Office in partnership with the Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB).
Many winegrowers will be in attendance to share their expertise and passion with visitors.
The festivities start at 11am, with the traditional procession of the brotherhoods of the region, followed by a series of inductions. Plenty of wine- and gastronomy-related offers will be available throughout the day, allowing you to discover or rediscover the Bourgogne and Loire regions.
Join the party from 11am to 7pm (tastings finish at 6pm) on Sunday 22 May on the riverbanks in Auxerre.
The patron of this latest edition of the Tastevinage was French writer Daniel Picouly, whose latest book, "Les Larmes du Vin", published in January by Éditions Albin Michel, evokes the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, and in particular his induction as a Knight.
In this Mecca of Bourgogne viticulture and heritage, the expert palates of the 100-strong jury, comprising winemakers, sommeliers, restaurateurs, négociants, buyers, journalists, and influencers, sampled 442 wines, presented anonymously.
Given the changing rules regarding social gatherings, the tasting was given a new format and held in the Grand Cellier Cistercian, ensuring a convivial welcome for the panel.
A total of 147 wines received the Tastevinage seal; one third of all the wines submitted. They included 50 Régionale, 61 Village, 33 Village Premier Cru, and 3 Grand Cru appellations.
The 78th edition of the Saint-Vincent Tournante was held in Puligny-Montrachet, Corpeau and Blagny in March, and the 2023 host, Couchey, was named at the end of the ceremony inducting senior winegrowers to the brotherhood.
Tradition dictates that the Grand Master of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin announces the host village for the next edition of the Saint-Vincent Tournante during the event.
This will be the second time the village of Couchey will host the celebrations. It previously hosted the festival in 1982.
Couchey is one of the 3 villages within the Marsannay AOC area. The 3 colors Village AOC will be the star of the weekend.
More information about this announcement can be found in our online press room (in french).
Bourgogne wines, helping with the restauration of the Abbey of Cîteaux
The Château du Clos de Vougeot and the Fondation du Patrimoine are joining forces to help the restauration of the Definitorium of the Abbey of Cîteaux.
The Abbey of Cîteaux is a gem of French historical heritage. It was founded in 1098 and is the birthplace of all Cistercian communities around the world. Some exciting events have now been organized to raise funds for its restoration.
Generous winemakers have gathered together to produce a Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2020 “Cuvée de l'Abbaye de Cîteaux”, a blend of wines from 24 estates that will be auctioned online by Sotheby's. This cuvée, which is currently being aged in the Clos de Vougeot itself, will be bottled in September 2022. Some 570 liters of wine, in two pièces and one feuillette, will be divided into 113 lots. In addition to a range of other exceptional lots of rare Bourgogne wines, in large formats and direct from the estate, it will be auctioned online by Sotheby’s. All the wines on offer at this sale have been gifted by the winemakers to raise funds for the restoration of the abbey.
An additional lot comprising a 15-liter nebuchadnezzar of the Cuvée de l’Abbaye de Cîteaux will also be auctioned during at a charity dinner to be held in the prestigious setting of the Château du Clos de Vougeot. This gala event, on Saturday 23 April 2022, will be attended by Dom Pierre-André Burton, Abbot of Cîteaux; Aubert de Villaine, Honorary President of the Climats du Vignoble de Bourgogne; Guillaume Poitrinal, President of the Fondation du Patrimoine; and numerous other winegrower patrons. The five-course feast will be prepared by Alexandra Bouvret, resident chef of the Château du Clos de Vougeot. You can book your place at the event online at a cost of €228 per person.
Prior to the meal, diners will enjoy a visit of the Abbey of Cîteaux and an exclusive tasting of the Clos de Vougeot Cuvée. They alone will be able to bid for the nebuchadnezzar, which contains 15 liters; the equivalent of 20 bottles.
The online auction will open on 8 April and will be accessible at: http://www.sothebys.com/vougeotpourciteaux. The sale will close during the charity dinner on 23 April.
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.
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