Four days through the Northern and Southern Rhone, steep slopes in Hermitage, family tastings in Crozes-Hermitage and Cornas, then a stone-built evening in Gigonda…

Four days through the Northern and Southern Rhone, steep slopes in Hermitage, family tastings in Crozes-Hermitage and Cornas, then a stone-built evening in Gigondas…

Four days through the Northern and Southern Rhone, steep slopes in Hermitage, family tastings in Crozes-Hermitage and Cornas, then a stone-built evening in Gigondas …

The last night of the Burgundy cycling trip, an Enomatic machine, a blind tasting, and everything six days of riding taught me about terroir.

From Cluny to a cellar tour and tasting at Chateau de Beauregard, plus the story of how Pouilly-Fuisse finally won Premier Cru status.

Day 4 saw us make our way down to the southernmost region of Burgundy, the Maconnais. Nobody in Beaune would sell us a map of the Mâconnais because apparently it's not trendy enough. Turns out it's one of the best days of the whole trip …

Cycling south through Pommard, Volnay and Meursault for a tasting at Buisson-Battault, then on to Chassey-le-Camp through a thunderstorm.

Beaune won my heart the moment we arrived on the train and walked to our hotel. The cobbled streets, buildings, baguettes, wine and French people were incredible. There is so much rich history here and many many wine caves ….

Being amongst the vines and touching the soil cemented my learning about how moisture is captured in the lower slope and why there is no need for irrigation and how this might dilute the concentration in the grapes. Not that irrigation is allowed in France anyway. Six days on a bike through Burgundy, and the trip that really taught me what terroir means when you can feel it under your feet and in your hands.

A trip that had almost nothing to do with wine and everything to do with switching off. Turquoise water, no laptop, and a rare stretch of doing absolutely nothing.