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No wine tour of the stunning region of Burgundy would be complete without a visit to the extensive vineyards of Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils. The vineyards stretch over 130 hectares of breath-taking Burgundy countryside, making it the largest estate in the Côte d’Or region. Château de Beaune At the heart of these famous vineyards you will find the historic Château de Beaune. Built in the 15th Century, the château was once a royal fortress belonging to King Louis XI, who had the castle built to his design. In 1820 the château was brought by Bouchard Père & Fils, as the centre of their domaine. The castle was ideal for winemaking thanks to its vast, impressive cellars, perfect for storing aging wines. Today the domaine’s collection of wine, stored in the castle’s cellars, has reached more than 2,000 bottles, some of which date back to the 19th Century. It is worth ensuring that the wine tour you are taking includes a lunch at the chateau, like the tour offered by us aboard the luxorious L’Impressioniste. Our tour includes a week-long stay on a Dutch barge which has been refitted as a luxury hotel, as it winds its way through the Burgundy countryside. Guest are then taken on a tour of the impressive Bouchard Père & Fils vineyards before visiting the Château de Beaune for a look around, followed by an extraordinary gastronomic lunch held in the castle’s stunning orangery. A History of Bouchard Père et Fils Established in 1731 by Michel Bouchard, Bouchard Père et Fils is one of the Burgundy region’s oldest domains. Its fascinating history covers nearly three hundred years and includes nine generations of the Bouchard family. In 1775, the Bouchards decided to expand their original domaine by buying up vineyards in Volnay. Sixteen years later, during the French Revolution, when all national property was sold at auction, Bouchard Père et Fils put in a winning bid for the famous Beaune Grèves Vigne de l’Enfant Jesus vineyard. Today, Bouchard Père et Fils own around 130 hectares of vineyards, 74 hectares of which produce premier cru wines and 12 hectares of which produce grand crus. It is possible for keen oenophiles to take a wine tour, like the one provided by European Waterways, that will take you to the Beaune Grèves Vigne de l’Enfant Jesus vineyards where you can meet the vintners who continue to make wine today using some of the traditional methods of the past. Wine enthusiasts can then go on to Beaune, through countryside strewn with vineyards owned by Bouchard Père et Fils, before arriving at the Château de Beaune for a tour of the cellars and, of course, to sample some of the excellent wines. A wine tour around the Burgundy vineyards of Bouchard Père et Fils is a great way to really understand this fascinating wine region and the complex and unique wines that it produces. Author Plate Paul Newman is the Marketing and E-Systems Executive for European Waterways, the UK's most respected provider if you're looking for an all-inclusive, luxury wine tour themed barge holiday in France or other great destinations. Part of a team of experienced barging aficionados, Paul is first in line to endorse the perks of a slow-paced barge cruise to anyone looking for a unique holiday experience.
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