Biking through Burgundy: Beaune and the Cote d'Or

From Chamonix, we headed to Burgundy ... as in boeuf bourguignon Burgundy, the undisputed premier wine capital of France and potentially the world. I have to say, given the impressions of wine country I had formed from such films as SIDEWAYS and such regions like the Cote d'Rhone, which we recently visited, I was surprised to see that the outer parts of the Burgundy region are kind of dumpy.

No worries! Our hotel, 5 minutes from outer Beaune, was, as most of our hotels have been, lovely and picturesque. The night of our arrival, we had dinner at an upscale resteraunt in town, and the food, though good, was not the highlight. Enter MERSAULT, a Burgundy of great repute and import. I could actually taste what made this wine superior ... how smooth, buttery, and nutty (disclaimer: I am no pseudo-gormand/wine afficianado). It was badass.

The following day, we took the car through the Cote d'Or, and explored the scenic Burgundy wine country. I have no tastings on which to report, but can say that our lunch of boeuf bourguignon and noodles, in Pomard, was one of the best of our trip -- humble, not-fussy, and damn delicious.