MUST VISIT

Just two kilometres (1.5 miles) north of the village of Aluze, the village where our featured couple Paul and Sandra have their holiday home (see LIVING THE DREAM article), you will find the Château de Chamilly. It’s both a distinctive and imposing 17th château, built on the foundations of a fortified farm that dates to the 14th century.
It is impressive for all sorts of reasons, not least of which is that it is home to some pretty special Burgundy labels notably whites, some reds and a sparkling.
But there’s more to this place than you might think. It is also the location of a successful bio brewery the Brasserie Artisanale de Bourgogne or BAB, as it is known to the locals.

However, we are jumping the gun a little. The château has been in the hands of the same family since the 19th century, and they have lovingly restored the building and grounds to their former glory. It is well worth a visit, but combined with its commercial excellence as a winery and brewery, it is definitely worth spending a few hours taking in the ambience of this great location.
Today, the wine business is run by Veronique Desfontaine and her two sons Arnaud et Xavier, and Thomas Fournier leads the bio brewery business offering six varieties of this remarkable and heady brew that follows the tradition of the viticulteurs by ripening the beer in the oak casks normally associated with wine production.

This is truly a standout experience. You can enjoy a tasting experience any working day, sampling a couple of wines for six euros or if you intend to spend a few hours enjoying yourself then there’s the full wine tasting experience with a guided explanation and aperitives at 32 euros per person. (Ed: I like the sound of that!)
As always, it is best to make arrangements in advance if you would like to visit the winery or brewery.
For a dégustation, email: contact_chamilly@chateaudechamilly.com and for a visit to the bio brewery email: contact@audacieuse-bab.com