Roman theatre in Autun.Credit: iStock
Another high point comes two days later when we venture through Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune (together, known as Cote-d’Or), the most historically important of Burgundy’s five wine areas. Strips of vines extend in different directions. Considered “noble” varieties (the result of a Middle Ages marketing ploy), these still comprise mostly chardonnay and pinot noir. So special and historic are these Burgundian climats, the specialised regional term for terroirs, they were inscribed as a UNESCO heritage site in 2015.
In Beaune we visit Maison Champy, Burgundy’s oldest winemaker. Here, along with a tasting and lunch that’s served in a giant, historic wine vat, we receive a comprehensive lesson in Burgundian wine growing and the region’s classifications: Regional; Village; Premier Cru, Grand Cru (considered the pinnacle). We leave elated.
The next morning, we alight at a lock and start cycling. With oncoming vessels and lock schedules, it’s slow going, so we pedal ahead along the former towpath. Reflecting on the difficult cycling three decades ago, I have an “if only…” moment; opened to tourists and cyclists since I first visited, this trail is a flat and easy way to explore the region. And it’s idyllic. An otter slips off into the water, a heron sits on a branch overhead, and a fisherman is trying to hook bream and perch.
The Saloon aboard the Finesse.
On our last day, we wander through Chateau du Clos De Vougeot, a 12-century walled vineyard, now headquarters of the Chevaliers du Tastevin, an exclusive wine society. We return via Romanee-Conti, the famous vineyard in Nuits St Georges where, Captain Mathias informs us, a bottle averages around $38,000.
The final morning sees our descent into the most dramatic lock – it’s 9.76 metres deep. It brings on a foreboding that we’re almost done. Deckhand Will, an Australian, it transpires, signals the all-clear to the captain as a Cyclopean-sized chain hauls up a massive iron gate. We exit the lock and emerge slowly into sunshine. But there’s one more surprise to come.
We’re nearby, so I make a pilgrimage to my picking “alma mater”, Domaine Chevrot et Fils (the sons now run the show). It’s a joyful reunion. Cathy, Fernand and I reminisce over several glasses of their own Santenay Blanc “Comme Dessus”, a chardonnay. We enter the very cellar that had delighted my father (who has since died). Fernand reaches into a pile of bottles that are stacked haphazardly in a pigeon hole and covered in a blanket of black dust. He pulls out a ’91 vintage, the very one I sweated over. I squeal with excitement.
On uncorking the bottle, he tries to curb my enthusiasm. He’s right to do so. Slightly vinegary, it’s way past its use by date. But, as I discover when I squat to pose for a photo (cue knee crack), so am I. To pick grapes, that is.
But it doesn’t matter. For, thanks to European Waterways, there’s a luxurious way to enjoy Burgundy. As Luna, the French Nigella, might purr of this superlative experience: “it exudes dominant notes of hospitality and full-bodied service”. It’s the Grand Cru of cruising.
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That said, it lacks various undertones.
Those of my grumpy old man.
THE DETAILS
FLY
Qantas flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Paris (then take the TGV to Dijon). See Qantas.com
CRUISE
European Waterways’ six-night sailing along the Canal du Centre departing Dijon on Finesse (one of two barges in the ultra-deluxe category) starts from $US8550 ($12,950) a person twin share. See europeanwaterways.com
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Publish date : 2024-10-15 20:23:00
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