Musée du Vin de Bourgogne

Be sure to visit the Musée du Vin de Bourgogne in the Hôtel des Ducs de Bourgogne. (Closed Tues, Dec to Apr, tel: 03.80.22.08.19.) There are delightful shops, restaurants, and cafés aplenty. Wine lovers may want to visit one of the négotiant-éleveurs who buy wines of the same appellation from growers and blend and nurture them to produce an “elevated” superior wine. At the heart of the wine region, Beaune serves as a wonderful base from which to explore the region. The wine capital, it reigns over 5,000 hectares of the Côte de Beaune whose wines are as diverse in character as they are high in quality. Full bodied reds as well as rich and complex whites are produced by vineyards known the world over: Pommard, Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet. When following the Route des Vins don’t overlook the 650 hectares of the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune which wind up the slopes and are recognized for their red and white Burgundies.