StuDudley

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Stu Dudley

dedlaw

Kerouac:

Well, we'll know how much we like the Burgundy area when we go there. Living in the middle of California's wine country, I know that endless wine tasting can be boring (and dangerous), and that if that is one's sole focus lots of interesting things end up being missed. That said, over the years we have focused our wine collection on pinot noirs and chardonnays (not exclusively, but they dominate the reds and whites), so Burgundy seems like a nice place to visit. Alsace was very nice and we could have spent more than just the few days we had there -- isn't that true of every worthwhile destination? We do like cute villages and just walking around, and it seems the area around Beaune has plenty of that (and I understand that some of the best "wine villages" are not necessarily the ones best suited for just strolling around).

zebec

Dedlaw, the gentle hike from Volnay down to Meursault, say after a lunch up there, is a stroll well worth doing. Likewise, the path from Beaune up to the so-called 'Montagne de Beaune' (an inhabited hill community including a WWII Memorial) passes by an aire-de-pique table in a particularly picturesque spot.

And you can easily cycle from Meursault down to Puligny, past some of the most famous and valuable vineyards on the planet.
We really enjoyed those experiences and would highly recommend them. Quintessential Burgundy.

It was October, and we almost 'had those locales to ourselves'---the crowds were long-gone.
I am done. the grapes

dedlaw

Zebec, thanks for the good ideas.

TDudette

We passed a ceramic cookie jar shaped like a head of lettuce, Stu! I love the wine idea!

bilboburgler

I still think that Alsace is a better visit, far more walking and cycle paths, the best Pinot (Mure) is exceptional and then the other grapes especially the Pinot Gris and the Gemurtz can stand out as some of the world's best. The food requiresa little getting used to and the Flammkuchen is wonderful. Over the years I must have done 30 to 40 wine trips all over Europe and, in France, Alsace if wonderful

StuDudley

In Alsace, there is also a wonderful and well-marked bike path through the vineyards and wine villages, that is slightly west of the Route du Vin.

IMO, Alsace has too many "cute little villages" (they all seem to look the same after about a half dozen of them), and Burgundy has too few. Burgundy has more chateaux. We have spent several weeks in both regions.

Stu Dudley