Burgundy Archives - Dr. Liz Thach, MW

The “Terroir Whisperer” at Domaine de Villaine in Bouzeron, Burgundy

(May 27, 2019) It was only a 45 minute drive from my hotel in Vougeot to the small village of Bouzeron in the Côte Chalonnaise where I had a 10am appointment at Domaine de Villaine. I was greeted by winemaker, Pierre de Villaine, a slim man with a goatee and calm grey eyes. Even since tasting his Aligote several years ago in Beaune, I have been wanting to meet him, because he has an intriguing reputation of being a “terroir whisperer,” with strong beliefs in the benefits of organic and biodynamic farming, as well as the use of numerology to [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-22T22:24:00-08:00June 1, 2019|

Attending the Hospices de Beaune Auction and La Paulee

(November 2016) During the third week of November, Burgundy breaks into a non-stop party mood as visitors from around the world flock to the small town of Beaune to participate in a 4 day wine-tasting feast. This is all centered on the oldest wine auction in the world – the Hospices de Beaune Auction where the proceeds go to medical charities. The Hospices de Beaune in Burgundy, France I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to attend the auction as a member of the press. See article I published HERE, and was very impressed with the magnificence [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T12:37:23-08:00May 24, 2017|

3 Days in Burgundy

Originally published in the Huffington Post as A New Reason to Visit Burgundy. After several days in Paris, when you begin to long for the beauty of the French countryside, head south to Burgundy. In addition to legendary wine and gourmet food, there is a new reason to visit – the recent UNESCO classification of the ancient vineyards laid out by the monks, called “climats”. This is unique because the climats and tiny wine villages that link them are considered to be a “living cultural landscape.” Visitors can experience this by walking through the vineyards, tasting the wines, and visiting [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T12:51:05-08:00May 23, 2017|

Working Harvest in Burgundy

Originally published in the Huffington Post as How Harvest in Burgundy is Different. (Fall 2016) Even with ten years of harvest experience under my belt from stints in Napa, Australia, and my own small vineyard in Sonoma, I was still not prepared for how different harvest time is in Burgundy. While working there this past autumn, I encountered some very unique differences, with Polish pickers, pick-up truck parties, and hovering helicopters, as just a few of the unusual occurrences. WORKERS HARVESTING GRAPES IN BURGUNDY. PHOTO CREDIT: L. THACH Since I moved to Burgundy at the beginning of September, it was [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T13:01:18-08:00May 19, 2017|

How to go Winetasting in Burgundy – 6 Tips for Wine Tourists

Due to its long history as a top growing wine region for chardonnay and pinot noir, Burgundy is obviously a place where many tourists want to go winetasting. However, unlike many New World wine locations, such as Napa and Sonoma, it is not always possible to drop by a winery to taste wine without an appointment. There are some exceptions, with more domains opening cellar door operations in the past several years, but in general, it is necessary to do some advance planning. Wine Tasting at Chateau Mersault According to the Burgundy Wine Board (BIVB), there are 3890 [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T13:01:52-08:00May 1, 2017|

Hiking and Yoga in the Vineyards of Burgundy: My Favorite Trails in Vosne Romanee

(Autumn 2016) Probably one of the best things about living in the tiny village of Vosne Romanee in Burgundy was the opportunity to hike through the famous vineyards. Instead of going to the gym, as I would have in California, I took time each day to do some yoga in my small rental house (gite) and hike through the vineyards just outside my door. Sometimes, I also did yoga poses in the vineyards, and took the time to meditate in such beautiful surroundings. Roading Leading to Romanee Conti Vineyard and Hillside Trails Leaving my house, I would turn [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T13:02:17-08:00April 26, 2017|

Visiting the Unique Cellars of Philippe LeClerc in Gevrey-Chambertin

(Sept. 2016) Hidden off a narrow road in the tiny wine village of Gevrey-Chambertin is the entrance to a Burgundian winery called Domaine Philippe LeClerc. Located in a 13th century building with yellow limestone walls covered with flowing baskets of colorful flowers, the domain is not only the home to some very excellent pinot noir wines, but also houses a cellar crammed with antique winemaking equipment and a bizarre collection of taxidermy animals. Entrance to Philippe LeClerc Winery in Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy I visited here twice with relatives during my three months in Burgundy, and both times we were [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T13:04:54-08:00April 18, 2017|

Three Months in Burgundy

(Autumn 2016) The opportunity to live in France for three months was a dream come true – part of a bucket list item I’ve had for years as something I would do “someday”. However someday came much sooner than expected after a doctor told me I only had one year left to live. Five days later another doctor told me it was a misdiagnosis, but during those five days – which were some of the longest of my life – my husband and I had deep talks about how we would spend that last year together. Beautiful Vineyards of [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T13:05:19-08:00April 9, 2017|

Tasting the Wine of Dreams at Domaine Romanee Conti

(May 2014) It is the dream of every wine lover to someday have a chance to visit “the Mecca of Wine” - Domaine Romanee Conti. So when the opportunity finally came for a private tasting at DRC, I couldn’t believe it was actually true. I won’t go into details of how I finally received an invitation. Just know that it took months, and contacting many people – to whom I say thanks to in my dreams every night. Statue of St. Vivant in Courtyard of DRC The Gates of DRC There is no sign announcing the entrance to DRC, but [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T13:08:17-08:00March 12, 2017|

Last Night in Paris and a Video Highlighting Our Adventures

Our Group in Paris (May 23 & 24, 2014) The next morning we boarded the bus for the 3.5 hour drive from Beaune to Paris, stopping once along the way at another large French gas station to grabs some snacks. We arrived back at the Mercure in Paris around 1pm, and everyone was happy to be back in a modern hotel with working wifi. The afternoon was free time, so some people opted to take a nap, whereas others took the metro to Versailles, the Louvre, and many other Paris locals. It was our last night in Paris, and everyone [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:04:28-08:00January 26, 2015|

Visiting Romanee Conti and La Tache Vineyards With a Stop at Clos de Vougeot Wine Museum

Clos de Vougeot (May 22, 2014) – Our last appointment of the day was at 4:30 at Clos de Vougeot, the ancient wine farm of the Cistercian monks who studied the soils of Burgundy and recognized the unique terroirs that could be found just a few meters apart. It was their early work that helped to determine the Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards of the area. The sky was darkening with threatening rain clouds as we approached, making the medieval structure look even more forbidding. We entered and toured the old cellars and everyone was amazed at the three ancient wooden [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:05:36-08:00January 10, 2015|

In Search of the Perfect Pinot Noir in Cote de Nuits at Dufouleur, Vougeraie& Trapet-Rochelandet

Tasting in the Cellars of Dufouleur (May 22, 2014) – As the day before was devoted to chardonnay, it was only fitting that our third and last day in Burgundy was devoted to pinot noir. Therefore, we headed north of Beaune to the famous Cote de Nuits where the largest percentages of Grand Cru pinot noir vineyards are located. First stop, at 9am, was Domaine Dufouleur in Nuits St. Georges, where we met with the charming Maximilien, Export Sales Manager. Established in 1848, Dufouleur is both a negotiant and an estate. They farm only 25 hectares, but produce over 1 million bottles [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:05:59-08:00January 9, 2015|

Celebrating Chardonnay in Cote de Beaune – Meursault, Montrachet & Santenany

Our Group in Meursault at Caves Ropiteau Freres (Wed., May 21, 2014) The remainder of the day was dedicated to exploring the homeland of Chardonnay, so we headed south out of Beaune to the famous villages of Meursault, Puligny Montrachet and Chassange Montrachet. The first stop was lunch in Meursault where everyone came to realize that you can’t rush a meal in France. So though we were a little late for our next appointment, we managed to make up time later. After lunch we had an appointment at Caves Ropiteau Frères at 2pm where we met with winemaker, Nicholas, who provided a [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:06:27-08:00January 6, 2015|

Warm Welcome to Burgundy by the BIVB and Domaine du Clos Frantin

Hospice de Beaune in Burgundy (May 21, 2014) – We awoke to a warm day in the low 80’s with partially cloudy skies, and were made to feel very welcome in Burgundy by a presentation provided by the BIVB. They actually came to our hotel and provided an excellent slide show describing the special terroir and AOC’s of the region. Wine Tasting with Christophe at Domaine du Clos Frantin Next we boarded the bus and drove to Nuits St. George for a cellar tour and tasting at the Domaine du Clos Frantin.This is one of several estates owned by Maison Albert Bichot. [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:06:50-08:00January 5, 2015|