Any Burgundy Travelers?

I'm planning a trip to Burgundy in early September, and I've been hearing that it might not be the best time because harvest starts then, and winery visits might be difficult to arrange. I thought it would be a few weeks before the start of harvest. Does anyone have experience or knowledge of this?

I've never been to Burgundy during harvest time, just in June/July/October. Summer is a madhouse and very hot, I much prefer being there in autumn as it is cooler but not too cold, and there are much fewer tourists.

Last time I was there was beginning the 1st October in 2007 and harvest had pretty much just finished in the Côte de Nuits. Generally, harvest is the 2nd half of September, but it really depends on the weather as it could move up (e.g., in 2009, it generally started early within the 2nd week of September in the Côte de Nuits) or down.

Even when I was there after harvest in 2007, many were busy bottling and shipping out their 2005s, although those I had appointments with warmly received me.

Best,

N

I've been hearing that it might not be the best time because harvest starts then, and winery visits might be difficult to arrange

As a general rule, I find it to be true. But it does depend, so you could see what visits are possible and adjust your schedule if that's a feasibile for you.

We were thinking of visiting there from September 3-10, so it sounds like we may be there just before it starts.

I imagine it is too early to inquire regarding winery visits at this time, so we may have to make our flight and hotel arrangements prior to arranging winery visits.

We were thinking of visiting there from September 3-10, so it sounds like we may be there just before it starts.

I imagine it is too early to inquire regarding winery visits at this time, so we may have to make our flight and hotel arrangements prior to arranging winery visits.

It will completely depend on how the weather goes. Pray for cooler vintage, I guess. That said, the larger houses will still be able to give you a proper tasting and tour. They have peeps for that.

Cheers,
Bill

Diane,

I would be leery of visiting any wine region in September. If harvest has not begun then, at least, everyone will be on edge waiting for it to start. (For example, the bans de vendanges in Burgundy for 2010 was on Sept 20 but for 2009 it was on Sept 6.) You might consider waiting for October because, once the grapes are in, then people will have much more time to show you around and talk with you.

As to appointments, it is too early now but know that many vignerons check their email only infrequently. When I went I started 4 weeks ahead and one fellow didn't reply until after I was already in France! (Also, pay attention to the mode of contact; one vigneron only accepted faxed requests.)

Finally, as to housing, you might look for a chambre d'hotes at one of the estates. More fun then a random hotel.

Good luck and enjoy.


Jeff

Diane,

I would be leery of visiting any wine region in September. If harvest has not begun then, at least, everyone will be on edge waiting for it to start. (For example, the bans de vendanges in Burgundy for 2010 was on Sept 20 but for 2009 it was on Sept 6.) You might consider waiting for October because, once the grapes are in, then people will have much more time to show you around and talk with you.

As to appointments, it is too early now but know that many vignerons check their email only infrequently. When I went I started 4 weeks ahead and one fellow didn't reply until after I was already in France! (Also, pay attention to the mode of contact; one vigneron only accepted faxed requests.)

Finally, as to housing, you might look for a chambre d'hotes at one of the estates. More fun then a random hotel.

Good luck and enjoy.


Jeff

I think October would be pretty iffy, too, at least the first part of the month. Until fermentations are finished, the vignerons are likely to be busy.

I've never been that time of year, so I can't be a whole lot of help. My preferred time to visit is May or early June.

I would not plan a wine tasting trip to any northern hemisphere wine region in September-November, especially Burgundy, where there are so many small producers. The domaines will all be busy harvesting the grapes and making the wine.

Also check the calendar for the week of the Feast of the Ascension. It doesn't affect your setting up tasting appointments, but the region will be packed with German tourists that week.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

A dissenting opinion: we just spent September 15th thru October 5th in Provence, smack in the middle of harvest. Though yes that meant we had to make two attempts to get a tasting at Pegau as well as share the small roads with farm equipment, it was actually a very interesting time to be there. Sure everybody's busy, but there's a palpable sense of excitement and urgency in the air that you can't NOT feel part of. Additionally, at that time of year the bounty of local fresh fruits and vegetables is still available and that makes a wonderful difference in the foods. To be in Burgundy when the patisseries have fresh ripe apricots on hand is something special indeed.

I appreciate all the information....now, we are considering flights and airfare to Paris is horrendous, especially in May. It was suggested that we fly into Geneva, rent a car and drive to Beaune. Has anyone done this?

A dissenting opinion: we just spent September 15th thru October 5th in Provence, smack in the middle of harvest. Though yes that meant we had to make two attempts to get a tasting at Pegau as well as share the small roads with farm equipment, it was actually a very interesting time to be there. Sure everybody's busy, but there's a palpable sense of excitement and urgency in the air that you can't NOT feel part of. Additionally, at that time of year the bounty of local fresh fruits and vegetables is still available and that makes a wonderful difference in the foods. To be in Burgundy when the patisseries have fresh ripe apricots on hand is something special indeed.

Jenise it must be that you're so charming and you can find many other things to do than visit wineries. For the same period I will not make appointments at the small wineries here in Napa. Hey, many people are friends and they would be convinced I was in the early stages of dementia if I bugged them with tourists at that time of the year.

It was suggested that we fly into Geneva, rent a car and drive to Beaune. Has anyone done this?

We've done it. 2 1/2 hours from Geneva to Beaune, and is a very nice and VERY easy drive, UNLESS you drive out of Geneva during rush hour. i love to drive in Europe so I found it an easy drive if straight from the airport as it is only 2 1/2 hours (I've driven much longer straight from flight at JFK) and hopefully your driver would still be quite excitable to be doing it after landing. One thing to consider is if car rental return is outside of Switzerland ... car rental charges high one-way rental return $$$ from one country to another. Btw, all this assume that you won't be doing a night's hotel in Geneva.

Jenise,

Burgundy ain't Provence. The great estates in Burgundy are, if anything, even smaller than those in Provence. They can sell their yearly production several times over. They do enjoy visits from the consumers who finally buy and enjoy their wines (as opposed to the intermediaries in the business who are the folks they usually get visits from). But NOT during the madhouse season of the harvest, when they're very busy.

-Paul W.

I appreciate all the information....now, we are considering flights and airfare to Paris is horrendous, especially in May. It was suggested that we fly into Geneva, rent a car and drive to Beaune. Has anyone done this?

Very doable. We flew to Geneva, arriving early, stopped in Bugey for lunch, made it to Lyon by nightfall. Almost certainly we could have taken a slightly different route to make it to Beaune.

It was suggested that we fly into Geneva, rent a car and drive to Beaune. Has anyone done this?

We've done it. 2 1/2 hours from Geneva to Beaune, and is a very nice and VERY easy drive, UNLESS you drive out of Geneva during rush hour. i love to drive in Europe so I found it an easy drive if straight from the airport as it is only 2 1/2 hours (I've driven much longer straight from flight at JFK) and hopefully your driver would still be quite excitable to be doing it after landing. One thing to consider is if car rental return is outside of Switzerland ... car rental charges high one-way rental return $$$ from one country to another. Btw, all this assume that you won't be doing a night's hotel in Geneva.

My friend, who will be driving, was under the impression that it was about a 1 1/2 hour drive, and doesn't have a problem with that. I think she will be okay with 2 1/2 hours. The car rental would be round trip Geneva.

I appreciate all the information....now, we are considering flights and airfare to Paris is horrendous, especially in May. It was suggested that we fly into Geneva, rent a car and drive to Beaune. Has anyone done this?

Very doable. We flew to Geneva, arriving early, stopped in Bugey for lunch, made it to Lyon by nightfall. Almost certainly we could have taken a slightly different route to make it to Beaune.

I like the idea of stopping along the way for lunch. We would be getting in early, but I would like to arrive in Beaune well before nightfall.

Has anyone flown Swiss International into Geneva? I'm unfamiliar with it, but the airfare is quite a bit lower than Delta or American.

If you can tell one airline from another (once you're asleep) let me know. I like the regular (4 hour) Ambien about 1-2 hours after take-off). And if you can trust anyone, you can trust the Swiss.
Good Luck!

Has anyone flown Swiss International into Geneva? I'm unfamiliar with it, but the airfare is quite a bit lower than Delta or American.

I've flown it and, as I have a general preference for flying non-American carriers internationally plus I usually recall bad flying experiences than un-eventful ones, I don't recall anything bad when I flew Swissair. Just make sure that it is really Swissair that's going to be the carrier as sometimes they simply co-share the booking with another airline partner who provides the carrier.

This is Swiss International. I don't know if it is the same as Swiss Air.

This is Swiss International. I don't know if it is the same as Swiss Air.

Swiss Air went bankrupt in 2002 and Swiss International is the sucessor. Probably better than flying any of the domestic US airlines.

Then, I did fly Swiss International, because the last time was in 2006. I'm just so used to calling it SwissAir.