Visiting a Burgundy Winery: What to Expect

When planning a wine tasting trip to Burgundy, it is essential to understand that our region operates quite differently from places like Napa Valley or Bordeaux.

This article does not cover large, famous structures like Château de Pommard or Château de Meursault, nor major négociant houses like Louis Jadot, Joseph Drouhin, or Albert Bichot. We are focusing entirely on the heart of Burgundy: the vast majority of its 3,500 estates are small, family-owned properties, managing an average of just 8 hectares each: estates where the winemaker owns the plots, works the vineyards year-round, harvests, vinifies, and bottles the wine themselves.

Here is what you need to know before your visit.

The fragmented terroir: why one estate produces multiple appellations

I remember an English-speaking client who booked a tasting at an estate in Pommard. He was confused because, during the tasting, he was poured Volnay, Auxey-Duresses, and Monthélie alongside the Pommard.

In Burgundy, a classic estate does not own its vines in a single, continuous block. Instead, a winemaker’s holdings are scattered across a multitude of small plots (Climats) in different villages. A single producer might own 25 rows of vines in Pommard and 40 rows in Volnay.

Case study: Domaine Thierry Mortet in Gevrey-Chambertin

To give you a concrete example, Domaine Thierry Mortet, run by Thierry and his daughter Lise, manages about 10 hectares. Yet, from this single estate, they produce 10 entirely different appellations:

• Bourgogne rouge & Bourgogne Passe-tout-grain
• Bourgogne Aligoté & Bourgogne blanc
• Marsannay blanc
• Gevrey-Chambertin, Gevrey-Chambertin "Belles Vignes" & Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru "Clos Prieur"
• Chambolle-Musigny & Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru "Les Beaux Bruns"

Therefore, do not be surprised to taste a wide regional palette during a single winery visit!

No reception desks: booking is mandatory!

Because these are small structures, there is no dedicated hospitality staff. You will almost always be received by a family member or the winemaker themselves, which is precisely what makes these visits so memorable.

This is why booking an appointment in advance is strictly mandatory. If you show up unannounced, you will likely find the doors closed, as the winemaker is out working in the vineyards, busy in the vat room, or away at a wine fair.

Step by step: the winery tour experience

1. The vat room 

A typical visit begins where the magic happens. The winemaker will show you their facilities and explain their philosophy: harvest choices, sorting methods and fermentation techniques. Do not hesitate to ask technical questions about their equipment: winemakers love sharing the details of their craft.

2. The aging cellar

Next, you will head down into the cellar to see the alignment of oak barrels where the latest vintage is currently aging before bottling.

3. The tasting: bottles vs. barrels

While some estates have dedicated tasting rooms, many tastings happen right in the historic cellar. You might experience two types of tastings:

• Bottled wines: Ready for sale, showing the finished expression of each appellation.
• Barrel tasting (Dégustation sur fût): The winemaker uses a glass pipette to draw wine directly from the barrel into your glass, giving you a rare glimpse of a wine still in the making.

A note on etiquette!

The winemaker is opening their private doors and taking precious time out of their day to share their passion with you. While tasting fees sometimes apply, it is highly appreciated and customary to support their work by purchasing a few bottles of the wines you enjoyed during your visit.

Want to truly understand what you are tasting?

A winery visit is richer when you already know how to read a wine, how to analyse its colour, identify its aromas, and decode what the structure tells you about the vintage and the terroir.

This is exactly what vinopedagogy is about: the structured, intentional teaching of wine tasting. Before your next visit to Burgundy, consider joining one of my tasting classes in Beaune. So that when the winemaker pours you a Chambolle-Musigny premier cru straight from the barrel, you have the tools to truly understand what is in your glass.

Discover the wine tasting classes at Sensation Vin.

Céline Dandelot - Wine Expert & Educator, Vinopedagogue since 2002  - Beaune, Burgundy