The vines were still bare, but spring was on the way. Those famous April showers were watering the early spring flowers, the only splashes of color on that wet spring day. Nevertheless, rain or shine, the word “Vougeot” conjures up so much of the magic of Burgundy and its wines, that I had to complete the eponymous hike: Autour du Clos de Vougeot.
What I Learned:
The Cote de Nuits refers to the northern half of Burgundy’s famous Cote D’Or (Golden Slope). (Whereas the southern half is known as the Cote de Beaune.) The northern, Cote de Nuits, section runs from south of Dijon to just south of Corgoloin in Burgundy.
There are eight villages/towns that fall within the Cote de Nuits growing area. The Grands Crus, the most prestigious vineyards, are well known because the most renowned have their names attached to the village they lie in. The village of Chambolle cites one of its most prestigious vineyards, Musigny, in its name – hence the village has become known as Chambolle-Musigny. Another nearby village-vineyard combination includes Morey-Saint Denis. But perhaps the most famous village, Vougeot, has no such hyphenated name. Its Grand-Cru is called Clos de Vougeot, in reference to the famous monastery vineyard. The wines from these Grands Crus are usually highly esteemed.
Trail Name: Autour du Clos Vougeot
Trail Type: An easy, short circuit trail, mostly hard packed or tarmac surfaces, fairly well maintained, with some signage along the route.
Length:
Total – 8.5 kilometers/ 5.25 miles
Convenient to: Dijon or Beaune, France
Marking: Yellow rectangles/bars, and the occasional named trail sign. See also the featured photo of trail signage above.
Continue reading Autour du Clos de Vougeot: Trail in a Nutshell
Chablis is a small town in the northwest corner of Burgundy, France. It is also an appellation. The appellation produces of some of the most delicious, mouth-watering, Chardonnay in the world. The town itself is surrounded by all of the seven grands crus in the appellation, and these were what I had come to see, and taste, of course.
The Sept (Seven) Grands Crus trail delivered on its promise: I went through or along, or within sight of all seven. Less a hike, and more of a stroll, even the most hedonistic wine-taster, or gourmand who has spent decades indulging exclusively in the rich, buttery cuisine of this area, could complete this short trail. While not for everyone, (most people would be content simply to taste the wines on offer from multiple winemakers within the town), this trail will certainly interest Chablis wine-enthusiasts who have come to appreciate the land, the terroir, from which this nectar derives. I found it fascinating to see the lay of the land, the expositions, and the world-famous stone.
What I Learned
The Chablis wine sub-region is in Burgundy, a land of incredible wines. Further north and west than the rest of Burgundy, it is a cooler, wind-swept area, once covered for millennia by a vast sea. The local soil, soil known as Kimmeridgian, is a combination of clay and limestone. The limestone’s most notable aspect is the presence of fossilized seashells within it. As a result, the stones here have a unique note of salty chalk, giving the wine a crisp, clean, fresh mineral flavor notes not often found in Chardonnay from elsewhere.
Trail Name: Chablis – Les Sept Grands Crus/ Chablis – Les 7 Grands Crus (See comments below.)
Trail Type: Short distance circuit; trail surfaces mostly well-maintained and almost exclusively paved or hard-packed; marking on the trail was difficult to discern. (See comments below.)
Length:
Total – 6.1 kilometers/ 3.8 miles
Convenient to: Auxerre, France
Marking: Unknown (See comments below.)
Continue reading Chablis – 7 Grands Crus: Trail in a Nutshell
