Today, it has grown to be something so much bigger, a public celebration with nearly 40,000 visitors attending over the two days. In previous years, there have been musicians roaming the streets and performing in cafes and bars; street art, barrel making, horseshoeing demonstrations, exhibitions of old farm machinery and even workshops on local geology and geomorphology.
This year’s programme is still being finalised but will include the opening of 13 wine cellars organising dégustations (tastings) but you will need your festival wine tasting kit, which is available in advance or on the day for €20 (see their website – don’t be confused if it still carries the logo for the 2021 event). You can pick from a list of suppliers where to collect your kit before the event or collect it on the day. If you do prefer to wait until the day you can also buy the kit at any of the festival entry points. The tasting kit includes an official Saint-Vincent wineglass with a carrier, a map of the event and six tasting tickets. It is valid for both days of the festival.
If you are wondering what these tasting tickets give you, they cover six different wine tastings in the thirteen wine cellars found throughout the festival’s three event sites of Puligny-Montrachet, Corpeau and Blagny.
The wines for tasting include a Côte d’Or white and red, both from 2018; a Burgundy Côte d’Or red also from 2018; two Puligny-Montrachet, one from 2017 and the from 2018, plus a Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru from 2018. The organisers also promise a mystery vintage, but try as we might, we cannot find out what it is (Ed: Good job, otherwise it wouldn’t be a mystery would it?).
The festival is not only a celebration of the fine wines of the area but also many of the lesser-known vintages, and so it is a great opportunity for these villages to raise the overall awareness and appreciation of the diversity of their wines.
Kids are also able to join in the festivities with the help of the Ecol’eau Kit (also on sale on the website). This will allow them to enter three children's cellars to enjoy a soft or warm drink.
Entry to the event is free and you can access any of the three villages providing you present your Pass Sanitaire and wear a mask. This of course depends on what national health measures and restrictions are in place at the time and so this may change.
Editor’s Note: There are conflicting dates on the festival’s website, which is still formatted for last year’s event. To confirm, the event for 2022 will take place on the weekend of 19th & 20th March.