What's a trip to Beaune without sharing some pics from the trip?

Starting friday night Beaune is warming up for the big festivities.  Lots of visitors are strolling the streets of the 14th century walled-in town.  A great place to stop for a drink either before dinner or for dinner is "Le Bistro Bourgignon"  A great spot for locals and visitors as well.  Very friendly and alive with people, not to mention a stellar wine-by-the-glass list.  Wines from small yet high quality producers at prices between 4-12 euro a glass (most around 6 euro).  It's an authentic place and in business since 1988.  Is it smoky, like all French bars?  Yes, but ALL that changes Jan 1 2008.  Hey, if the Italians can do it so can the French

Friday night I stopped in for pre dinner drink and tried a couple of whites.  (One, a 2005 Chablis 1er Cru from Brocard.) Saturday night I went back for dinner, and the food was delicious.  The Pave de Boeuf (filet mignon) melted in my mouth.   It was perfect with a glass of 2005 Savigny-les-Beaune (Dom. Tollot-Beaut).  One thing missing from the bar was a snack menu.  No sauccison, or cheese plates to be washed down by the good wine and that is a shame. 

For dinner Friday night I dined at another favorite "La Ciboulette"  .  For classic French cuisine and local color this small bistro fits the bill; but this bill won't leave your wallet empty. I had the 19 euro menu (believe it!) which included "Lentille presse au haddock" (an explosion of flavors!, I noted) and then the pork cheeks in a red burgundy sauce (happy comfort food).   A glass of 2001 Beaune 1er Cru "Clos du Roi" (Domaine Chanson) washed both down nicely.  

The thing with eating out on this festive weekend, is that you have the opportunity to bump into all types.  This night I sat next to a table of Irish restauranteurs that were in town to be wined and dined by a large negotiant.  Being Irish they couldn't help but share their bounty of wines overflowing from their table, and as a lover of fine Burgundy I was duty-bound to accept this gracious offer.    It's a part of the world of wine that attracts me so much; the convinviality and fraternity that eminate from a bottle of fine wine.

Friday before the hospices is typically a day of preparation before all the grand dinners and fetes of the weekend.  I scheduled my day between Chassagne-Montrachet, Rully, Givry, and Gevrey-Chambertin.  The theme?  To visit 5 of the finest youngest quality obsessed producers in Burgundy.  Each has a strong belief that to make great wines much work has to be done in the vineyard.  The vineyard must be healthy and herbicides are an anathema.  Plowing instead is a must to remove unwanted weeds even though it is time heavy activity that can be maddening.  They also believe that although they have many modern technical advances to choose from to assist in making the wine, it is better to let the wine make themselves.  They use technology only to understand why they do what they do, rather than to drive the process.  The final goal is to make a wine that has the pure expression of its unique terroir, not a manufactured one that tastes like any other wine. .  These winemakers are some of the best small independant producers in the world and it was a pleasure to listen to their passion as it was to taste their wines.

• Laurent Pillot (Domaine F. and L Pillot) of Chassagne-montrachet
  
• Pascale Clement (Domaine Belleville) of Rully
  
• Arnaud Chopin (Domaine A. Chopin) of Nuits St Georges
  
• Jerome Gaylerand (Domaine Jerome Galeyrand) Gevrey-Chambertin
  
• Nicolas Ragot (Domaine N. Ragot) of Givry

I made my way from home in Belgium to Beaune, France today. Hardly any traffic on the road in spite of the major transportation strike going on in France today. 130km/hr most of the way. My iPod kept me company with podcasts from Grape Radio, Business week , The Economist, TWIT, and Wait, Wait, Don't tell me. To liven things up I passed through a brief snow squal south of Nancy.

From Geel the route takes you SE through Belgium the Ardennes, then Luxumbourg.   But even though the rolling hills of the Ardennes are beautiful the sight of Metz cathedral is simply stunning. 

Anyway, the weather is sunny and brisk in Beaune as I commence my meetings with vignerons.