Trois Glorieuses

Trois Glorieuses

Third weekend in NovemberThe Three Glorious Days to which the name of this French wine festival refers occur in November in Côte d'Or Department, Burgundy, in eastern France. The festival is observed in three different wine-producing centers. On the first day, at the Château of Clos Vougeot, the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin put on their red robes and square toques (a type of soft hat popular in the 16th century) to receive their new members—the tastevin is a small silver cup used to taste wines. This event is followed by a pig dinner during which hundreds of bottles of wine are uncorked. The second day of the festival takes place at Beaune, where a wine auction is held at the Hospice de Beaune, whose cellars are open to the public. On the third and final day in Meursault, everyone who has taken part in the work of the wine harvest is invited to a huge banquet. There is folk dancing and merrymaking as the festival draws to a close.
The ConfrÉrie des Chevaliers du Tastevin was formed in 1934 to put the French wine industry back on its feet after a number of disastrous vintage failures. They hold a series of winetasters' banquets throughout Burgundy, but the most elaborate ones are part of this three-day festival.
CONTACTS:
Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin
Chateau du Clos Vougeot
Vougeot, 21640 France
33-3-8062-8609; fax: 33-3-8062-8275
www.tastevin-bourgogne.com
Burgundy Tourism Department
Conseil Regional
P.O. Box 1602
Dijon, Burgundy 21035 France
33-3-8028-0280; fax: 33-3-8028-0300
www.burgundy-tourism.com
SOURCES:
GdWrldFest-1985, p. 80