The red wine route - the heart of Burgundy

Health in a glass

According to statistics, the French are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases. As they say, they owe it to a glass of wine consumed every day with dinner. Specifically, a glass of red wine, which is high in antioxidants and substances that protect the body against atherosclerosis and blood clots. Red wine is so nutrient-rich because it is made from the whole fruit, not just the juice.

And where can we drink the most exquisite wine with a deep, saturated red color? Especially in the wine country, France, and especially in Burgundy, a region where grapevine plantations stretch for miles, from Lyon to Dijon, and the landscape is made up of small farms and small vineyards. You can explore these vast and lush green areas on several different routes. The most convenient option of transport is your own motorhome, because, as you know, traveling through the vineyards involves tasting, and these, in turn, will not allow us to make long trips.

Burgundy Wine Route

These routes make up the long and extensive Wine Route, crossing the Burgundian vineyards. Tasters who want to visit the northern regions of Burgundy will probably use the Yonna Wine Tourist Route, winding around Tonnerre, Chablis, Auxerre and Vézelay, while the south of the region is surrounded by the Mâconnais-Beaujolais Wine Route, where we will see, among others stunning views of Roche de Solutré and the surrounding area. And the heart of the region and its richest part is the Côte d'Or, which includes the Côte de Nuits in the north and the Côte de Beaune in the south. It is in this region that the "real" burgundy, elegant, elegant and, what can be said, expensive wines are created.

It is worth mentioning a word about the quality classification of the local vineyards. Those with the greatest reputation and class are vineyards with a simple, single name, such as Corton or Chambertin. They belong to the Grand Cru class and there are about thirty of them. The Premiers Crus is slightly lower in the hierarchy, using the name of the commune followed by the name of the vineyard, and on the next step of the ladder are the vineyards of Villages and Bourgogne. By knowing what the names of individual vineyards mean, we can more or less predict not only the taste of their wine, but also the price of the bottle.

Golden Slope - Côte d'Or

A trip around the Côte d'Or will be a great idea both for visiting the atmospheric French vineyards and admiring the scenery. The region is sometimes called the "Champs-Elysées of Burgundy" , which is not surprising - after all, the most prestigious wines in the world are produced here. Apart from getting acquainted with their taste, it is also worth visiting the wonderful medieval towns with narrow streets. It is definitely worth paying attention to the capital of the Dukes of Burgundy, i.e. Dijon, as well as Auxerre and the charming Beaune. Both the villages and towns of this region look as if time has stood still in them.

The Côte de Beaune produces twice as many wines as the Côte de Nuits, but because, firstly, almost half of the production is white wines, and secondly, the prices here are staggering, we will first go to the Côte de Nuits, where Pinot Noir reigns . The grapes grown here reach full maturity before the autumn rain starts, which allows the fruit to get the sweetness it needs. The best vineyards are oriented eastwards, so that the morning sun gradually warms the fields and the earth keeps the heat all day long. The taste of the sun contained in the red drink from this region can be found, among others in the Musigny and Chambertin vineyards.

You definitely have to go to the Clos de Vougeot vineyard founded by the monks of Cîteaux. Its medieval cellars and the 16th-century castle are especially noteworthy. When exploring the area, it is also worth seeing the castle in Gevrey-Chambertin, built on the remains of a 13th-century Cluniac building. We will definitely visit Gevrey-Chambertin for a glass of the famous chambertin. A big attraction, unfortunately, not for an ordinary tourist's pocket, is a visit to Vosne Romanée - the vineyard from which the great red burgundy grapes come, such as Romanée Conti or Romanée St-Vivent. Suffice it to say that the cheapest chézeaux can cost 200 euros here, while the more expensive ones can easily have one zero more.

If someone would like to go to the other part of the Côte d'Or region, that is Côte de Beaune , it is best to visit in November. This is when the traditional festival of Les Trois Glorieuses begins. It begins on the third Saturday at the Chevaliers du tastivin headquarters, the aforementioned Clos Vougeot, and ends on a Monday morning in Meursault. And in Beaune, in the famous 15th-century Hospices de Beaune, a huge charity event takes place, during which merchants from around the world bid on hundreds of barrels of wines from the Hospice's vineyards. The celebration ends the next day with the traditional Paulée de Meursault, symbolizing the end of the grape harvest.

A dream among the vines

The journey between the vineyards in the heart of Burgundy can take several days, a week or more. We will spend it enjoying the exquisite aroma of wine and the delicious taste of French cheese, and most importantly, we will not have any problems with finding accommodation. The only inconvenience, especially for those traveling with a motorhome, may be the masses of other motorhomes that will be found on all larger campsites in the high season. On the other hand, a great advantage of France is the abundance of special car parks where you can spend the night. So tourists eager to taste the Burgundy red wine can start planning a trip to the Golden Slope vineyards. It will be a feast for the senses in a region where people live slower and enjoy the taste of wine and life itself.