On our travels around the globe, the French city of Dijon is our destination for July! Right on theme as well. The French celebrates la fête nationale on 14 July and even here in our own valley, we join the annual festivities with the Franschhoek Bastille Festival on 13 and 14 July.
July in Dijon
Not too familiar with Dijon? Dijon is the capital of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté région, east-central France. For us, this means the Burgundy region. We love Burgundy for its beautiful Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines – the inspiration behind our own Culinaria Pinot Noir and Culinaria Pinot Noir Chardonnay wines!
Just more than 300 km southeast of Paris, Dijon is easily reached by train and has an interesting history to explore. With its rich architectural heritage (some of the beautiful old buildings date back to the 15th century!), museums, festivals and events, it has become a popular city for tourists. But of course, a visit to France's wine country means a celebration of all things culinary and that is what we are doing when we spend July in Dijon!
If you are planning a trip to France – perhaps for the Olympic Games that starts in Paris on 26 July – it would be wise to plan a day or three in the wonderful wine region of Burgundy. Although Beaune is regarded as the wine capital of Burgundy, Dijon is less than 50 km away and is currently undergoing a wine revival with new vineyard plantings and experimentation. Click HERE to read more.
Eat and drink in Dijon
One of the important reasons we love Dijon is because it is regarded as the home of two of France's most iconic stews. Yes, if you want to try coq au vin or boeuf bourguignon, this is the place to go!
Coq au vin is a chicken stew with a story. "In the year 52 BC, Vercingetorix was about to confront Julius Caesar during the siege of Gergovia. In this tense context, the Gallic leader sent the Roman emperor a rooster, symbol of the fighting spirit of the French forces. The day before the battle, Julius Caesar invited Vercingetorix to eat and served him... the same rooster cooked in a wine preparation!" Whether this is the real origin of this comforting stew or not, it is a good story... Click HERE to read the story.
Ever cooked your chicken in red wine? Try Chef Christiaan's coq au vin recipe for a hearty family meal. Traditionally cooked in red wine, we suggest a beautiful glass of recently released 2023 Culinaria Pinot Noir, but if you have a sunny day, do try the 2023 Culinaria Pinot Noir Chardonnay.
Less of a battle and more of a triumph, the other famous stew from Burgundy celebrates the area's exceptional produce – red wine (Pinot Noir) and charolais beef. While its name might sound impressive, beouf bourguignon is one of the most classic recipes for comfort food using basic but quality ingredients and – patience.
Boeuf bourguignon is the ultimate winter warming meal. Chef Christiaan shares his recipe and says: "The name is hard to pronounce, but the dish is easy to prepare. Just allow enough time for it to simmer slowly and then you can serve it with flair!" Once again, the classic wine partner would be Pinot Noir, so make sure you stock up on plenty of the 2023 Culinaria Pinot Noir. (Remember in July, you get 10% off when you buy any 6 bottles of Culinaria from our tasting room or online shop!)
One of Dijon's main culinary achievements, is of course, that it is the home of Dijon mustard. Once again, wine is an important ingredient giving Dijon mustard its distinctive flavour. Used as a condiment from as early as 1336, Dijon mustard became widely popular when in 1856, Jean Naigeon of Dijon replaced the original vinegar in the recipe with Verjuice.
Our final reason to celebrate July in Dijon, is that it is the home of crème de cassis, the famous blackcurrant liqueur used in the Kir or Kir Royale cocktail. The difference is just that the Kir is made with crème de cassis and a still white wine while the Kir Royale uses crème de cassis topped with sparkling wine or champagne! (Make a point of trying the wonderful quality of Gabriel Boudier Creme de Cassis de Dijon.)
Join the French festivities!
Enough reason to enjoy July? We think so! Perhaps you are lucky enough to pack your bags for France, but even if you are not applying for a visa anytime soon, we have plenty of food and wine inspiration.
Visit us during the Franschhoek Bastille Festival on 13 and 14 July. We have a fun stand in the Festival Marquee in town and will celebrate our French heritage in our food and wine offering at Leopard's Leap Family Vineyards too!