Some lesser-known Burgundy wines to discover on a short break near our base

September 11, 2019

There are many reasons you might like to explore our beautiful region, Burgundy but for most people, the name is synonymous with world-famous wines.

Well, the world-famous ones are all very well if you have an unlimited wine budget but if you don’t like spending the equivalent of a whole restaurant meal or two on a bottle of wine, we’d urge you to look at some of the Burgundy wines us canny locals enjoy.

We could mention a vast list of good, lesser-known Burgundies as there are many but thought we’d introduce you to three very local wines because visiting these three enchanting appellations makes for a great short trip in our area. Whether you have a few days to kill in a hire car before you pick up your motorhome or you want to spend your first few nights somewhere near our depot having picked up, a drive through these wine villages and vineyards with the odd tasting along the route would make for a very enjoyable short break.

Coulanges-la-Vineuse (Red) and Irancy (Red)

A good example of these two little known Burgundys, made mainly from the Pinot Noir grape, is every bit as good as the more famous and expensive wines of the Cote d’Or. Enjoy finding your favourite Coulanges or Irancy between discovering Burgundy cuisine in inexpensive restaurants and exploring wine clad hills, pretty villages and chateaux.

There is also a delicious Coulanges-la-Vineuse white wine made from chardonnay which we think rivals many of the more famous, nearby Chablis so don’t forget to taste that too.

St Bris (White)

St Bris is a small appellation and one of the few whites made without the chardonnay grape in Burgundy. This delicious, crisp wine made from the sauvignon blanc grape is all produced around the village of St Bris which is just a few minutes drive from Coulanges and Irancy. Head for top producer Bersan in the middle of the village for a tasting and tour of their underground wine caves, where allied airmen were hidden by the resistance during WW2!

Meandering between these three wine regions is the pretty Canal du Nivernais so aim to choose a nice wine then park up overlooking the canal with some Burgundy cuisine for supper. There is a great deal more to see in this area so check out the tourism website for the region.

You don’t have to stray far from our depot to see your first authentic views of La Belle France so don’t forget to explore Burgundy before you set off further afield.