Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(
Dijon (39km/24 miles).
is the pinnacle of Burgundy wine, accord-
ing to the old French ranking system.
The wine crew has come to worship the
grand cru.
L
$$
Hotel Le Cep,
27 rue Maufoux,
Beaune (
&
33/3/80 22 35 48;
www.hotel-
cep-beaune.com). $$
Hôtel Château de
Challanges,
Rue des Templiers, Beaune
(
&
33/3/80 26 32 62;
www.chateaude
challanges.com).
Bichot,
6 bis bd. Jacques Copeau,
Beaune (
&
33/3/80 24 37 37;
www.bichot.
com).
France
318
Château du Clos de Vougeot
Knights of the Round Tasting Table
Burgundy, France
The Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin
don't quite cut such dashing figures as, say,
the Three Musketeers. Burgundy's “knights
of wine tasting” are usually a little plump
and middle-aged. Their red velvet ceremo-
nial cloaks and cardinal hats match their
rosy cheeks and purple noses; instead of
swords hanging from their waists, silver
wine-tasting saucers dangle from their
necks. They exist to defend the honor of
Burgundy's wines, and they do so by hold-
ing elaborate dinners, tastings, and wine
auctions. They are rather a raucous lot,
prone to blowing on brass horns, linking
arms, and having a good old-fashioned sin-
galong whenever the opportunity arises.
But they are also true gentlemen, ensuring
that every wine they endorse has a label in
Braille for those who have bad eyesight.
The center of operations for this group is
their sprawling historical complex, known
as Château du Clos de Vougeot. This Cister-
cian abbey dates from the 12th century and
has a large central courtyard with Renais-
sance-style doorways that lead to vat
rooms, banquet halls, and a medieval win-
ery. The 16th-century reception rooms
have scarlet walls illuminated by candela-
bras. Thick colorful tapestries hang between
tall French windows, and two intricate
stone fireplaces are bordered by beautiful
wood paneling and a handsome ceiling.
Chunky oak grape crushers lead to ancient
barrel rooms and a banquet room that
would not look out of place as the set for an
Errol Flynn swashbuckler. Deep in the build-
ing recesses is a tiny, romantic courtyard
with a statue of a harvester surrounded by
ivy-covered walls.
The winery is very much a museum
piece and national monument. While they
make no wine here and conduct no tast-
ings, it is a great place to visit and soak up
Burgundy's ancient wine heritage. It is also
the venue for the Chevaliers' wine-drenched
banquets, where they ceremoniously
enthrone new members to the order. An
invitation to such an event should never be
missed. In the large central hall stands an
ornate podium with a banner reading the
motto of these modern Knights of wine:
Jamais en vain, toujours en vin
(Never in
vain, forever in wine!).
Château du Clos de Vougeot,
off rue
du Vieux Château, Vougeot (
&
33/3/80-
62-86-09;
www.tastevin-bourgogne.com).
(
Dijon (18km/11 miles).
L
$$$
Château de Gilly,
rue de Vieux
Château, Vougeot (
&
33/844/414-2842;
www.hotel-chateau-de-gilly-vougeot.
federal-hotel.com). $$
Hotel de Vougeot,
18 rue du Vieux Château, Vougeot (
&
33/3/
80-62-01-15;
www.hotel-vougeot.com).
