Philippe Leclerc Wine Cellar

The basics

Burgundy’s small-scale domains can be hard for many visiting wine lovers to access, but Philippe Leclerc Wine Cellar promises a rare combination for the region: high-quality wine and extensive opening hours. Its 13th-century building, below-ground vaulted cellars with seemingly endless bottles and barrels of aging wines, and small museum areas are free for all to wander.

It’s worth paying the small price to attend a tasting, however. You'll get to try a range of Gevrey-Chambertin’s characteristically robust pinot noirs, and you’ll also receive a primer into winemaking practices and traditions in the wider Burgundy region. Philippe Leclerc Wine Cellar is easy to tour independently, thanks to its flexible visiting policy, and is often part of guided tasting tours of the region.

Things to know before you go

• Expect to pay a small tasting fee to try a range of the winery’s bottles, though the fee is waived if you buy something.

• If you want to purchase but don’t have the suitcase space, worry not: The winery ships internationally for a fee.

• Several hotels are nearby if you wish to spend the night in Gevrey-Chambertin.

How to get there

Philippe Leclerc Wine Cellar is located in Gevrey-Chambertin. It is a 5-minute taxi trip from the Gevrey-Chambertin train station, which connects the village to area hubs like Dijon and Beaune. Alternatively, guided tours with transit make getting there even simpler and avoid worries of drinking and driving.

When to get there

Philippe Leclerc Wine Cellar is one of the region's most reliable, tourist-friendly wineries—it’s open to visitors every day (except on holidays), from morning until early evening.

Route des Grands Crus

One of the best ways to explore the famous wine villages and grand crus of Burgundy—including Gevrey-Chambertin—is to take a trip along the Route des Grands Crus. Stretching from Dijon to Santenay for 37 miles (60 kilometers), it’s a beautifully scenic and wonderfully vinous journey.