After perusing the 5,000 or so wine tours and caves around Beaune, this one keeps standing out to me. They have an interactive tour with some infomative videos, and the cave holds something like 3 million bottles of wine. You also get to taste 13 wines, which I usually just call lunch. Has anyone visited here recently and what was your experience? Also, approximately how long is the tour? Thanks for your insight.

We visited last year over NYE week we spent in Beaune.

It was great. Very atmospheric and the wine was great. One of our favourite visits!

What does the wine guide Hachette say about their wine ?

maitai....we did this tour a few years ago and while it was interesting, their wines were not a favorite.

We did, however, love the Olivier Leflaive tasting luncheon with a tour following. Excellent!

I agree with Traviata re Olivier Feflaive. The tasting lunch was wonderful.

Gosh I did the Leflaive lunch 15 years ago before his heart attack, is he still going and charming the ladies?

When I went I had the simple 12 wine tasting, good but not great (you drink only so much chardonnay in a day).

We visited Patriarche many years ago. Since we were with a tour guide who visited them often we were given the opportunity to taste some special wines. We bought two cases of wine that were shipped to MA which is difficult to do. These were older Burgundies and well worth the price of the bottles. We didn't pay shipping as I recall. My DH had to go to Logan to pick up the wine and pay the duty. After worrying about how much that would be it turned out to be $25 so not bad.

Thanks to all...I'm not too worrried that the wines are overly fantastic or not...I'm more into the experience, and since jamikins and bikerscott (who know how to have a good time on their travels) like it, that's good enough for moi. jamikins, were you able get one of your fantastic photographs of this spot?

I am flattered

You bet we got photos! Halfway through this set

https://flickr.com/photos/[email protected]

Picture dark caves with wine everywhere and bottles of wine on barrels that you fill the glasses they give you. Really good fun!


We also enjoyed the Marche aux Vins in Beaune for a similar experience, but thought this one was the better of the two if you have to choose!

Cool..thanks so much jamikins!

Anytime Maitai...looking forward to the trip report!

I loved the documentary film, "A Year in Burgundy," and wish I had seen it before our stay in Beaune.

http://www.ayearinburgundy.com/film/

Maitai and Tracey
you guys still bumming around Europa..by now you should be writing a travel guide that would become the "classic in is class"

I've been touting the Patriarche cave for years. I have never seen or heard of a bigger one. We were lucky to get a private tour as no one else was there..the guide directed us to parts of the enormous cellars which we did on our own...kind of spooky, and yes, we did get temporarily lost...and I had visions of spending eternity surrounded by wife and 3 million bottle of wine. The guide turned up around one of corners and we were "saved"....

Never could this rank amateur compete with Jamikins and Biker's photos, but you can scroll down on this Beaune batch to find Patriarche Pere and Fils.

See Below

(have you two visited Ojai as you had planned? If not and you still plan to do so, let me know on this thread or write at rozstu1 at aol dot com ) My steep guide fees will be waived!

M and T: Scroll down to #79 if you wish to skip to the caves.
http://picasaweb.google.com/stuartto...eBurgundy2009#
If I recall the entry fee was about $10 per person.

stu tower

Thanks Stu...Cool photos of the caves...I'm in!! Have not made it to Ojai yet, but will visit sometime soon as I still have seven missions yet to visit on my Mission tour, and you are just a slight detour on the way up. In lieu of your "steep guide fee," perhaps I could at least buy you a beer (or two).

Your vineyard pictures are great, as well. Bursting with color. If my heart doesn't give out, we'll be there in mid-September.

You're on, T and T!

We can offer a most outstanding brew resto here...The O.B.C,
Ojai Beverage Company...excellent menu choices also.
Have a great trip.
stu

Merci Stu!!! We will be in touch.