Burgundy

For many wine lovers, central Burgundy’s evocative Côte d’Or ("Golden Slope") represents the anteroom to heaven. Quaint old villages and picturesque vineyards dot the region, which cuts a narrow swath between Dijon and Santenay. Chambertin, Musigny, Clos de Vougeot, Richebourg, La Tâche, Romanée-Conti and Montrachet are but some of the fabled Grand Cru estates that thrive here on surprisingly tiny parcels of land, Romanée-Conti occupying a 4-acre plot capable of producing only 6,000 bottles a year. Set aside at least a day and a half to explore Dijon and the northern Côte d’Or (known as the Côte de Nuits) and allow another day for the southern Côte d’Or (known as the Côte de Beaune), which includes the charming wine market town of Beaune.