How to visit Burgundy?

I am planning a trip to Burgundy for the first weekend in October and seek advice on how I might best discover the wines of the region. Establishing appointments and visiting producers is my normal mode of operation in a new wine region, but Burgundy looks pretty tough on that front (or maybe I am just easily intimidated): production and producers can be really small, demands and prices can be really high, my French is barely enough to establish an appointment, but not enough to hold a proper conversation, and I don't know if visits and tastings are even commonly done there (at least for those who are not somehow connected in the trade). And, to be embarrassingly honest, I'm not even sure how one even finds the contact information for producers--for the producers I have searched for, I found websites are scarce and web searches unhelpful.

Any recommendations or thoughts from folks with experience in this area, especially the Côtes de Nuits and Côtes de Beaune? I will only be there from Saturday through Tuesday, but my ideas so far include the following:

-Make an appointment to visit a larger producer who likely accepts visitors (I had Joseph Drouhin in mind)
-Not so much wine-related, but I will be staying in Beaune, and plan to take in a day or two (certainly on Sunday, when I expect all to be closed) bicycling through the vineyard areas I would love to see
-Olivier Leflaive evidently offers a tasting lunch that sounds like fun
-I have heard that one can just drop in on dégustation de vin-signed places on the side of the road, but that these tend to be less interesting stuff, does the same apply to the Maison des Vins that villages have for tasting wine?

Any other recommendations on ways to discover wine in the Côtes de Nuits and Côtes de Beaune? tasting opportunities? great places to eat? producers it would be feasible and worthwhile to visit? and does anyone know if the first weekend of October is still harvest time when all these folks will be mighty busy?

Thanks!

Keith, I have done quite a lot of wine estate visiting in France but not so much in Burgundy.

The first week in October is not likely to be a very good time to visit small estates because they are probably busy with the vintage and wine-making, unless the vintage has been very early- unlikely in 2007; if you do get in the owner is likely to be in the vineyards or cellars but his wife may host you. In any case, the more prestigious small estates in Burgundy can be very restrictive about visits and tend not to do cellar door sales and at the others not much English may be spoken. Larger operations, like Drouhin, Olivier Leflaive or Jadot, should still be able to welcome visitors and should also be able to speak fluent English.

Both of the best annual guides to French wine estates are, I think, in French only. However, one of them would still be worth acquiring because they contain a host of useful information, which does not need much deciphering, and interesting opinion, which does. They are Les meilleurs vins de France 2008 by Olivier Poussier, etc. published by la Revue du Vin de France and Le Grand Guide des Vins de France 2008 by Bettane & Desseauve. I find the former more user friendly with fuller contact details with information on where cellar door sales (vente en direct) are made, but the latter are the more prestigious authors. Both are available at Amazon France.

Making appointments is indispensable except at very big firms.

If you are interested in making QPR purchases, I can recommend la Côte Chalonnaise. There are excellent wines at estates like Joblot, Jacqueson and François Lumpp.

Some of the burgundian village also have good wine store selling the village products. I remember a good one at Chassagne.

Keith,

You need an appointment for all the top producers, especially the small ones. See if you can get these made through the trade. Have your wine merchant set up appointments for you through his distributors/importers. The producers love to meet, talk to, and share barrel tasting with the private clients (end consumers) who actually buy and drink their wine.

There is also a wine shop in Chassagne-Montrachet operated by a wine cooperative that has a very good selection of bottles from the top producers for purchase. It's well worth checking out.

The big Maison des Vins in Beaune is a tourist trap.

The cooperative in the town of Savigny-les-Beaune holds an annual wine fest, where lots of the producers throw open their doors to anyone who cares to walk in and taste the wine. When I took advantage of this back in 2000, it was held the weekend following Ascension Thursday--a big holiday in France.

-Paul W.

Regarding places to eat, I like Le Montrachet in Puligny-Montrachet. Its hotel is a nice place to stay, as well--quiet surroundings.

Until recently Le Montrachet used to have a Michelin star. I suspect it got defrocked because the cuisine is too focused on Bourgogne tradition and not innovative enough. But if your want to sample Bourgogne regional cuisine done really well, this is a place to go. They also have a good selection of the region's wines, and an excellent and knowledgeable wine staff.

-Paul W.

Keith, I definitely recommend Olivier Leflaive. The wines are of very high quality, lunch is very good and you get to try 13 or 14 of Olivier Lefaive's wines. And Pascal (the fellow who runs the show), if he likes you, doesn't hesitate to let you try other wines that he has on hand or give you an additional pour. He also speaks good English, has worked there for ages, and knows the wines inside and out. Thorougly enjoyable experience. My other favorite place for trying wines while having a meal is Ma Cuisine in Beaune - the wine list is stunning and Monsieur Escoffier provides expert recommendations.
cheers, Bonnie

Wow, superb responses! How can one not love the helpfulness of folks at WLDG?

Tim, you provided precisely the insight I was lacking. I suspect based on timing that those larger producers will be a better bet for this trip and I will acquire one of those books to visit smaller producers on a better-timed trip (thank you so much for that information, I hadn't considered a book as the proper resource in this case). And thanks for the recs on Côte Chalonnaise--it sounds like a good focus in the future.

Paul, great recommendations and thanks for the tips on how to navigate my way in. It is very helpful to have a notion of good places to seek out and traps to avoid. Thanks!

Bonnie, that's great to hear! I'll certainly make a reservation for lunch there--it sounds like a blast.

Thanks all for your expert assistance, I am in your debt. Santé!

A visit which has a great interest is to go to Bouchard Père & Fils in Beaune. The broadness of their production will give you a very nice tasting.

Thank you, François, excellent recommendation--I have been told tasting there is indeed a very nice experience.

Pshaw, bicycling in January--now that's cold. Now, it is just pleasant, one barely breaks a sweat and the temps look about the same in Beaune as where I live here. Good stuff, though. Thanks for the info, Randy!

Thank you one and all once again for your advice and help. Your recommendations helped make the trip an absolute success. Hopefully as a way of 'paying back' into the community, I have posted about my attempts at exploring Burgundy here and about restaurants visited here. It was an amazing place to visit and I feel much less intimidated now thanks to your great tips!

[Robin Garr]

Thank you one and all once again for your advice and help. Your recommendations helped make the trip an absolute success. Hopefully as a way of 'paying back' into the community, I have posted about my attempts at exploring Burgundy here and about restaurants visited here. It was an amazing place to visit and I feel much less intimidated now thanks to your great tips!

Thanks, Keith! We really owe you for starting a topic that has turned into a memorable travel thread. After you've had responses to this latest post, we'll move this thread over into the Wine Travel section as a permanent reference.