Best things to do in Burgundy according to a wine expert

Sommelier and food expert André Berthier wants everyone to know that wine is just the tip of the region’s iceberg.

As head sommelier and F&B Manager at Le Montrachet Restaurant, he shares his top tips for visiting Burgundy.

Burgundy is a historical region in east-central France.

If you go to Burgundy make sure you…

Stay for a minimum of three days to fully enjoy all that Burgundy has to offer. Then diversify your activities between wine tastings (plan two or three maximum per day), visits to historic cities and sights, such as Dijon, Beaune, Château du Clos de Vougeot, Cluny Abbey, etc. and gastronomy. We’ll be happy to tailor different activity programs for our guests throughout their stay.

The best place to eat is…

Obviously Le Montrachet restaurant. In addition to its hotel facilities, COMO Le Montrachet has a gourmet restaurant under the skilled direction of chef Romain Versino, with a focus on local produce and 1200 references wine list that will delight every wine lover, as well as a magnificent terrace open for lunches and dinners as soon as the weather warms up.

"Hotel guests can enjoy hosted wine tastings where I share the best of the local wines." Picture: COMO Le Montrachet.

If you like wine, book the…

Wine tour with Mathias Fasan, a native of Beaune, who is passionate about wine and foreign languages (he speaks French, English and German). He offers a different approach to the vineyards with detailed explanations of the different plots, both geologically and historically, and immersive tastings in the most prestigious appellations and estates in Burgundy.

The hotel I would recommend is…

COMO Le Montrachet, an intimate cocoon of 28 rooms and suites, decorated by the Italian architect Paola Navone, bringing a contemporary touch to the 18th-century main building. A superb swimming pool within the lush grounds with a luxury offering situated just 15 minutes from Beaune, in the heart of Burgundy’s great white wine region. It is the ideal starting point for discovering Burgundy and its local terroir. Hotel guests can enjoy hosted wine tastings where I share the best of the local wines, answer the guests’ questions and deepen their personal wine knowledge.

The medieval town of Semur en Auxois, Burgundy, France.

The best time of year to go is…

Burgundy offers much more than just famous wine. This region is a year-round Burgundy is famous for its wines; and COMO Le Montrachet, above, is a top starting point for the local terroir. destination, offering a multitude of activities ranging from vintage car rides, cycling excursions, hot-air balloon rides over the vineyards and historical visits (medieval towns, châteaux, abbeys), retracing the history of France. My favourite seasons: the grape harvest in September, and the splendid colour changes in the vineyards in early spring and autumn.

A tour you should do is...

La Voie des Vignes, a cycling route: 72km of absolute bliss. It’s the perfect way to combine wine tourism, heritage treasures and slow tourism. This cycling route links Dijon to Santenay via Beaune, the capital of Burgundy wines and importantly, this route passes through villages with prestigious appellations that have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a “cultural landscape” since 2015.

Burgundy is filled with wineries, including Domaine Pernot Belicard.

The latest Domaine I discovered…

is one of the most recent wine Domaines to make its debut on our wine list – Domaine Pernot Belicard. in the heart of Puligny-Montrachet, this small 8ha estate, mainly made up of old vines, was created in 2008 by Philippe Pernot when he took over his father-in-law’s vineyards. Wines are produced using sustainable methods, and their first vintage was in 2009. The latest vintages I tasted have been of the highest quality and definitely among Puligny-Montrachet’s finest wines.

Make sure you…

Plan your itinerary in advance, especially for wine tastings in the Domaines. Appointments can be hard to come by, as some prestigious wine Domaines don’t open their doors to the public, or some can be very busy at certain times of the year, such as during the grape harvest.

Originally published as Best things to do in Burgundy according to a wine expert