Tag Archives: Bouzeron

France, Hiking

Cote Chalonnaise Vines and Valleys

 

Dramatic terrain, bucolic villages, and an unusual varietal wine – this was what I found in Bouzeron. It is a small village in the Cote Chalonnaise, within view of the Cote d’Or, Burgundy’s most famous hillside. But Cote Chalonnaise wines, and indeed the region itself, is no poor second. In fact, with unspoiled villages, a wealth of architecture, terrains, and good hiking trails, as well as a co-equal passion for food and wine, I was thoroughly delighted with my all-too-brief visit.

The village of Bouzeron and the Vignes et Vallees trail around it, epitomized this sentiment. There was plenty of parking in the village, so that is where I left the car, early one winter morning. Starting from the village guaranteed that I would be climbing for ten minutes or so, which helped warm me up. Before I knew it, I was atop the Montagne de la Folie (or Remenot), looking east over Rully, and out toward Chalon sur Saone. It was a beautiful spot.

Atop Mont Remenot

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France, Wines

Wine Notes: Aligoté

 

What I Learned

Bouzeron is famed for its Aligoté wine. In fact, the small village holds the distinction of having the only village AOC in France dedicated to the Aligoté varietal, Appellation Bouzeron Controlee. The Aligoté grape and its wines tended be overlooked in the past, but made a comeback. Nowadays, they are often promoted as aperitive wines as their taste tends to be light, fruity and crisp.

Aligoté is a hybrid of the red/black Pinot Noir and the Gouais Blanc grapes. First mentions of this grape appeared in the late 1700s. Because it does well in cold grape-growing regions, it has recently been planted in Washington State, Chile and some Eastern European nations. As a flavor profile, Aligoté wines often have citrus, green apple, and white floral notes. This also makes them ideal for one of region’s most favored aperitive wines, the sparkling Cremant de Bourgogne, on its own or blended with Chardonnay. (In this case, the resulting sparkling wine could fall under the Appellation Cremant de Bourgogne).

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France, Hiking, Nutshell

Vignes et Vallees: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name:  Vignes et Vallees (Aka : Au Fil des Vignes et Vallees)

Trail Type: Mid-distance circuit; well-maintained, surfaces vary from road, to grass, to dirt paths, to rock rib, marking on the trail rather good

Length: 13.25 kilometers/8.25 miles

Convenient to: Chalon-sur-Saone, Santenay, France

Marking: Two types, long distance and more local (red and white bars, or red and yellow bars, respectively), as well locational and directional signposts. (See featured photograph above)

Marking for the GR Trails

 

Marking for GRP Trails

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