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Yesterday stretched endlessly, so our evening was a quiet affair—just dinner and some shopping for some essentials while waiting for my luggage to arrive. I woke up feeling refreshed and ready for a new adventure. About an hour before Thomas, our guide from Safari Tours, was due to pick us up, I noticed, via Airtag, that my luggage was somewhere on the road between Dijon and Beaune. I was hopeful it would arrive before we set out, but as I tracked its progress, it became clear it was on a delivery truck making multiple stops. The race was on! Ultimately, we didn’t win, but thanks to the kindness of strangers—our wonderful Airbnb host and the Safari Tours team—my luggage found its way back to me through a collaborative effort. This experience serves as a reminder to recognize and appreciate the goodness in people around us.
Confident my luggage was in good hands, we headed south of Beaune into the breathtaking Côte de Beaune. We spent the previous day exploring the northern Côte de Nuits. The weather was again perfect: the skies were clear and comfortably warm, ideal for vineyard exploration.
And we are off
Unlike the Côte de Nuits, famed for its powerful Pinot Noir reds, the Côte de Beaune offers a stunning mix of elegant reds and some of the world’s finest Chardonnay wines. I was unprepared for the sheer beauty of the rolling hills and endless vineyard roads.
Safari Tours was the first to take guests through the heart of the vineyards, rather than just along the highway. Being immersed in the vines is an entirely different experience. As before, Thomas shared a wealth of knowledge and personal stories about each village and vineyard we visited.
First Tasting
Our first tasting was at Marguerite Carillon. Before sampling, we toured the production area, from state-of-the-art grape sorting to the gravity-fed winemaking process. We even visited their “library”—a cellar storing unlabeled bottles for history’s sake. It was a wonderful start to the day.
Back upstairs, we sampled several Grand and Premier Crus. Tasting in Burgundy is a true sensory experience: can you tell if the grapes are from a Regional, Village, Premier, or Grand Cru plot? Are you able to pinpoint the area, the specific plot, and even the vintage? I have to admit, I was pretty good at telling the difference between Blancs and Rouges. Sarah, on the other hand, was quickly picking up the nuances. Marguerite Carillon’s 27 hectares span multiple appellations, each bottle telling its own story.
Second Tasting
Next, we journeyed from Meursault to Pommard to taste at Armand Heitz. Their whole-cluster fermentation and minimal intervention approach contrasted with Marguerite Carillon’s methods, adding fascinating complexity to their wines. Sarah discovered she favored whites from limestone soils and reds from clay, slowly piecing together Burgundy’s intricate puzzle.
After our wonderful tasting, we returned to Meursault, a charming village of about 1,400 residents that nestles along Burgundy’s famed Grand Crus wine route—even though it lacks Grand Cru vineyards itself. The village is built around a medieval castle, now serving as the town hall. Sarah and I agreed that on our next trip, we’d spend several nights here to soak in its character.
Lunch
Lunch was at Au Fil du Clos, a gourmet restaurant right in the heart of Meursault, surrounded by vineyards and offering sweeping views of the landscape. Chef Jean-Christophe Moutet, who was once the second chef to Jacques Lameloise, and his partner Maud run this spot, which is known for refined, terroir-focused French cuisine and an outstanding Burgundy wine list. We enjoyed an excellent meal, paired with a half-bottle of Domaine Jean-Marie Bouzereau Premier Cru from Volnay Champans—a top Premier Cru site with calcareous soils, celebrated for wines of elegance, complexity, and aging potential.
Third Tasting
Post-lunch, Thomas picked us up, and we continued exploring the vineyards, heading over the hills to Nantoux, just a few miles from Meursault. We visited Charles Père & Fille, a family-run estate in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune. Managed today by Pascal Charles and his daughters, the domaine spans several appellations. This unplanned stop was a highlight, especially when we learned about their unique “menhir” oak barrels—shaped like standing stones, these rare barrels are said to impart a special character to the wines. While I couldn’t detect the nuance, it was fascinating.
Taking advantage of this spontaneous stop, Thomas challenged us with a blind tasting. I confidently distinguished white from red, while Sarah impressed by identifying specific vineyard areas.
Final Tasting
Our final tasting was just a short walk away at Safari’s wine cellar, where we continued blind tastings and learned to trust our first impressions—overthinking often led us astray.
As evening fell, Thomas drove us back to Beaune. After arranging shipment for our wine purchases, we returned to our Airbnb. The night was too lovely to stay indoors, so Sarah and I enjoyed a glass of wine at a local café, reflecting on the day’s adventures. Dinner followed at La Buissonniere, a cozy spot known for classic French dishes with a creative twist. I opted for the veal sweetbreads and savored every bite. Our short walk back allowed us to soak in Beaune’s nighttime charm, with illuminated churches and historic buildings casting a magical glow.
This journey through Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune has been a vivid reminder of the region’s extraordinary beauty, the complexity of its wines, and the warmth of its people. I can’t wait to return and dive deeper into this vinous paradise.
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