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.
This hike, in the heart of the Cote d’Or’s northern half, the Cote de Nuits, covers more than just the vineyards of the famous enclosure (clos). This short circuit lets wine-lovers see some of France’s most esteemed Grand Cru vineyards up close. These vineyards are associated with tiny villages of world-wide fame: Chambolle-Musigny and Morey-Saint-Denis, in addition to Vougeot. The double-barreled names let you know that these villages have Grand Cru within their boundaries. Vougeot, with its identically named Grand Cru, has no double-barreled name. But Vougeot is so famous perhaps the town fathers felt they could forego reduplicating its name!
After passing some Vougeot Premier Crus vineyards, the first local Grand Cru was the Clos de Vougeot. For me, this is the father of all Grand Cru Burgundy vineyards – and at almost 51 hectares/125 acres, it is the largest enclosed Grand Cru vineyard in Burgundy. (In fact, it has several named plots inside its walls.) Being short, I couldn’t always see over the walls that surround it. But as the trail headed north and climbed upward, there would be some great views.
The gentle inclines meant passing quickly to the next Grand Cru: Musigny. It is one of three within the confines of Chambolle-Musigny. Entering the village, I realized that the trail had passed through nothing but vineyards since leaving the village of Vougeot. At that point, I was thankful for the rain, as otherwise, especially in the summer, it would have been rather warm hiking.
Chambolle-Musigny is a village tucked into the corner of some steep hills north and west of it. As I meandered through the village, I spied a couple of interesting buildings, set along crooked lanes, and most importantly, a good restaurant. There is also a small church, which I visited in a desperate attempt to escape the rain, which had begun to pour down again.
I walked along Chambolle-Musigny’s Premier Cru vineyards as I left the village. The church tower of Morey-Saint-Denis, the next village on the itinerary, came into view over the tops of the bare vines as soon as I left the last of Chambolle-Musigny buildings behind me. As I approached the village, I realized that the vineyards extended practically to the very foundations of the villagers’ houses, around all four sides of the village.
The town’s main street, the Grande Rue, fairly wide and straight, is impressive for such a small village. It is lined with domaines, and is an ideal spot to shop for and taste wines from the village. I followed the trail along the Grande Rue, my mouth fairly watering as I passed each one. The Grande Rue comes to an abrupt halt at another of the village’s gems: the Clos de Tart.
In addition to several Grands Crus, Morey-Saint-Denis is also home to the Clos de Tart. It is Burgundy’s largest Grand Cru monopole, which is a Grand Cru vineyard with but one single owner. Not just that, the Clos de Tart is the largest: bigger than Romanee Conti, La Grande Rue, and La Tache, some of the other famous monopoles in this region.
The trail circles around the north side of the Clos de Tart, as it proceeds through Grands Crus vineyards uphill. But at the top of the hill, the vines cease. The best vineyards are found from just below the crest, and just above the base, of the south-facing hills of the region. At the tops of the hills, where the trail led, there was scrub, and low trees. It was a nice change, and offered more distant views of this fabulous wine region. If only it hadn’t been so rainy that day! As the trail approached Chambolle-Musigny again, there was a great (if not very dim that day) perspective of all three famed villages and their vineyards.
Once through Chambolle-Musigny, the trail back to Vougeot took a higher route. As I walked through the rain and approached the Chateau de Clos de Vougeot, I could now see behind those famous walls the full extent of the precious vines enclosed within. A sight inspiring appetizing hopes for a nearby lunch, and to dream of the flavors of a Grand Cru wine from any one of these three well-favored villages.