Valid question, though you may regret the tone, given the man / your travel guide’s background.
As Managing Director of Radford Dale, The Winery of Good Hope and a burgeoning import business, with a specific focus on Burgundian wines; though also including a stellar line-up of Australian and New Zealand wines he’s recently brought to our attention (see Yalumba, Henschke, Hill Smith Estate and Burn Cottage). Mr. Dale may very well be overqualified for the job.
Having virtually grown up in Burgundy, Beaune to be precise. Mr. Dale’s family owned properties there and shuttled between the UK and France. At the age of 15, in 1982, he moved to Burgundy to do his first vintage; moving there full time at the age of 16 and subsequently attended the University of Dijon and Wine School in Beaune. Making HIM our insider.
We’ve long despaired of missing out on the wine capitals of the world’s best kept secrets… you KNOW, how we know to go to Rust en Vrede early to secure a table for the Winemaker’s lunch, or to go to Waterford for chocolate, or to make a booking with De Trafford, or to go to Uva Mira for the best view, or Oak Valley for Mountain Biking followed by a celebratory glass of wine (for making it down the mountain alive) etc. We’ve therefore thought it well to ask Mr. Dale for some insider’s information, given our penchant for wine travel, and our absolute FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). We’ve subsequently put together the following list of questions to get some insight and invite you to ask your own, should you find our line of questioning insufficient.
Where do you prefer to stay when in Burgundy? Even if in an airbnb, tell us.
With friends when I’m alone or, if travelling with a group, I stay in apartments above the Bistro Bourguignon, in the heart of Beaune.
Where have you had your best tasting experiences in Burgundy? Top three at least and why?
Always at Ramonet in Chassagne -it’s my cult wine and the only cellar I never, ever spit in. The greatest white wine in the world and the most generous host I have known, consistently over 3 decades… In the Côte de Nuits I have been in awe at the recent wines of Arnoux-Lachaux, in Vosne-Romanée. Domaine Jacques Prieur is my emotional home in Burgundy, as I used to work there (first during the amazing 1990 vintage and later as Export Manager) and Martin Prieur one of my oldest friends. Here you will find more Grand Cru vineyards than anywhere else in Burgundy and Martin generously opens them all for me during my annual pilgrimage. I also love visiting Marc Morey in Chassagne as they are at the same time so down-to-earth and yet at the height of the great producers of their Appellation. The wines are always so mineral and complex and yet their humility means that their prices are so reasonable, when compared to some of their fancier (and often less good) neighbours. The entire family lends a hand, from vineyard to bottle, at least 2 generations at a time. This is also an estate which has passed through 2 generations of women owners (no male heir) and the wines show a more nuanced and elegant style than certain other, more oaky or weightier styles in the village. Domaine Taupenot-Merme is also a favourite, in Morey St. Denis, with the lovely Virgine Taupenot as generous as all these wonderful Burgundian men and women of the soil -which is what distinguishes them from their equivalent in Bordeaux, who are Château owners in Armani suits and Hermes scarves…
How much does the average tasting cost in Burgundy?
If you have to pay for a tasting in Burgundy, you are in the wrong place. The difficulty lies in being invited as a guest to the right places…
If you only have two to three days which vineyards are a must to visit in Burgundy and why? Your top three.
If you only have 2 or 3 days in Burgundy, you will only achieve a scratch on the surface. I would suggest focussing on one area to get to know it as well as possible and then at least you will leave Burgundy with some local knowledge. If you try to cover too many bases, you will get no clarity as to what makes Burgundy special -which is the uniqueness of each village. Choose one, get to know it. Then go back and do the same as many times as you can.
Where do you eat in Burgundy? Favourite Fancy Restaurant, Favourite Casual Restaurant, Favourite Dish, Favourite Breakfast Spot, Best Wine List?
My favourite places tend to be casual and informal. They tend to have great wines and lovely food -though not necessarily the height of fine cuisine. Some of my favourite wines places are Le Bistro Bourguignon, Ma Cuisine, La Dilettante, La Table du Square and La Maison du Colombier. If you want a Michelin Star experience, head to Lameloise in Chagny, 3 stars no less.
Things to do in Burgundy BESIDES eat and drink?
Cycling through the vineyards is something very special to do and especially if you go off the beaten track. I love the Saturday market in Beaune, it is exceptionally diverse and the hub of weekly life in a region so set in its tradition and gastronomic culture. There’s the best mustard producer in the world which accepts visits by reservation too.
Current top three favourite Burgundian wines?
Stupid question, sorry. If you love Burgundy there is no way you can only name 3.
Preferred appellations? Top three and why?
For whites, Chassagne and Meursault. But especially Chassagne. What I drink the most is probably St. Aubin, as it’s more affordable but almost as good as Chassagne ! For reds, my absolute favourite is Le Musigny, though it’s very tough to name but one appellation. I have a sentimental love for the wines of Beaune, which are so often overlooked, as that is where I spent my youth.
What wine do you take back with you in your suitcase?
That would be futile, I could not bring back so few. I ship containers-full.
Favourite thing about Burgundy?
Its dedication to the soil, the vine and to purity.
What do you read while travelling through Burgundy?
Wine lists.
How much time do you need to successfully DO the Burgundian wine route?
There is no such thing, but a lifetime. It is infinitely complex and you can visit it as completely as you can the night sky.
How do you travel in Burgundy? By car? Is there a shuttle service? Train?
By car, with someone else driving.
What about Burgundy makes you come back every year?
What I experienced the year before.
If you’re a music man, what is your soundtrack while travelling through Burgundy?
It varies depending on the level of inebriation, but Pink Floyd and Led Zep are invariably at the zenith.
Where should you NOT go in Burgundy? What is overrated?
I would avoid most of the Negociants and stick to the top Domaines, that’s where you’ll see the best of Burgundy. There are some exceptions to that like Remoissenet, and Drouhin or the modern versions like Benjamin Leroux. I can also recommend extending a visit to the Beaujolais Region, just south of greater Burgundy. Always overlooked but full of incredibly good wines, especially from the 10 Crus in the north, and at a level of value most South Africans would disbelieve, especially compared to the equivalent wines from South Africa today. Beaujolais is one of the great, underrated wine regions of the world and, when you’re travelling on the Rand, deserves much closer attention!
Is there any Burgundian, ancient, wine tasting etiquette we should know, so as not to offend anyone?
Be meek, listen. You’ll learn at every single tasting you do, no matter how many times you return to the same place. If you show genuine interest (not fawning) and they see your sincerity and if they like you, the best is when they start opening older bottles, not originally intended for the tasting. That’s when you have a real Burgundian experience. Barrel tastings are also often at the origin of some of the greatest tastings I’ve ever attended, as you’re already warmed-up and friendly before the bottles are even opened.
Do you NEED to understand French to go? And if so, what are the most used French words in Burgundy we should know?
You don’t, no. It helps if you do, but you’ll get by with English, even if with some reluctance from the locals.
While we are unable to offer you a fully curated tour, we CAN offer you the wine, as ever, right here:
