For wine lovers around the globe, a visit to Burgundy promises an unforgettable time – and one of the best places to post up is the small city of Beaune. Located in the heart of the region’s wine-producing epicentre, Beaune provides easy access to countless wineries across Burgundy, as well as a number of vibrant restaurants, wine bars and charming boutiques filled with locally-produced goods.
Between winery visits and bar hopping, you may not have an immediate need to purchase a bottle of wine from a shop – however, grabbing a few special bottles to pack in your suitcase is a surefire way to relive your best Burgundy memories post-visit. Whether looking for loot to bring home or simply curious to discover the city’s local wine shop scene, check out our selection of go-to spots for scoring special bottles – from hidden gems to cellar-worthy collector items.
The best wine shops in Beaune
Avintures
20 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Nicolas, 21200 Beaune
Credit: Avintures
Founded by Thomas Turner just a few years back, Avintures has become the go-to wine shop for small-production, organic/biodynamic wine in Beaune. Turner, a former wine importer who spent five years bringing wine to South East Asia, returned to Burgundy to pursue an agricultural career, followed by a two-year stint at Domaine des Croix. Thomas notes that transparency and honesty are of utmost importance for Avintures, which is why he asks each and every domaine with which he works if they’d like to be featured on the shop’s website. Bottles from producers who wish to not be featured are thus only available in person – meaning a visit to this authentic shop is an absolute must!
Fromagerie Alain Hess
7 Pl. Carnot, 21200 Beaune
Fromagerie Alain Hess is a fixture of Beaune’s scenic Place Carnot, but not everyone realises it also harbours a lovely selection of wines. Hess, originally from the mountainous Haut-Doubs in the Jura, comes from a long line of cheesemakers. His award-winning shop was founded in Beaune in 1988 and moved to his present location in 2005. Although it is principally renowned for its encyclopedic cheese selection and charcuterie, the basement also features a well-chosen array of wines for laying down or current drinking, making Hess a great option for one-stop shopping. Unusually for a Burgundy wine shop, the selection is not limited to the wines of the region but includes wines from elsewhere in France and abroad such as an array from his native Jura and a tempting selection from Beaujolais. Despite the glossy allure of the luxury products on offer, the prices are very fair, making this an essential resource in the centre of town.
Maison Escoffier L’Arrière Boutique
+33 (0)3 80 21 03 38
3 Pl. Carnot, 21200 Beaune
Conveniently situated on Place Carnot, Maison Escoffier L’Arrière Boutique highlights a solid number of local Burgundian winemakers, as well as top estates in other regions of France. The vast majority of wines on the shop’s shelves are crafted from organic, biodynamic and/or sustainably-farmed fruit, with producers ranging from classic collector favorites to natural wine pillars and everywhere in between. Additionally, the shop also offers a selection of cured meats, nuts and other wine accompaniments, making it a one-stop-shop for all of your apéro needs – and be sure to head down to the basement to check out the entirety of the store’s impressive wine collection.
Mes Bourgognes
13 Rue d’Alsace, 21200 Beaune
Situated in the heart of Beaune, Mes Bourgognes is a small-yet-serious shop that highlights over 60 Burgundian estates on its carefully curated shelves. The shop’s offering is put together by Frédéric Henry, a former sommelier with over 30 years of wine industry experience. Henry’s deep ties to the region and close relationships with its top winemakers allow Mes Bourgognes to showcase some of the area’s most exciting domaines, from long-standing collector favourites to up-and-coming new growers. All products offered by the shop come directly from the estate and are stored on-site in perfect cellar conditions.
Mon Millésime
54 Rue du Faubourg Madeleine, 21200 Beaune
Founded by Philippe Renaud in 2004, Mon Millésime is an unmissable charming shop located on Place Madeleine. After working in Puligny-Montrachet, Renaud decided to share his passion for Burgundy by opening a small wine shop in the heart of the city centre. A lover of back-vintage wines from a young age (thanks to his grandparents, who used to share their older wines with him), Renaud quickly realised the difficulty in acquiring them at shops across the region, thus decided to create a solution to the problem with Mon Millésime. Today, back vintages remain the focus at this well-curated shop, with conviviality, curiosity and passion as its long-standing driving forces. Mon Millésime offers aged wines ready for consumption, as well as bottles suitable for continued ageing, both in person and via the shop’s website.
Place des Grands Crus
+33 (0)3 80 22 62 89
Email: contact@placedesgrandscrus.com
20 Pl. Carnot, 21200 Beaune
Credit: Place des Grands Crus
For serious collectors seeking access to some of the region’s best wines, look no further than Place des Grands Crus. Located right next to the renowned Hospices de Beaune, Place des Grands Crus highlights a variety of wines from top producers and vintages across Burgundy, all of which are carefully sourced by Bernard Hervet. Hervet’s passion for rare bottles and old vintages has rendered the shop a must-visit destination for serious wine lovers around the globe. Note: Place des Grands Crus is accessible by appointment only.
In the vicinity
Not strictly speaking Beaune establishments but we couldn’t complete our list without a couple of other top choices nearby.
Caveau de Chassagne
+33 (0)3 80 21 38 13
7 Rue Charles Paquelin, 21190 Chassagne-Montrachet
Nearly every village in Burgundy has a wine shop that specialises in local producers, and browsing these is often fun. Few, if any, offer the wide range of the Caveau de Chassagne, established by the Rateau family in 1986. It includes recent vintages from a fine selection of Chassagne producers, even hard-to-find domaines such as Ramonet, Niellon and various members of the Morey and Gagnard families. What sets this shop apart, however, is the list of old vintages, called the ‘liste rose et jaune’. Although this treasure trove changes daily, it offered rarities such as 1929 Leroy Clos de Vougeot, 1969 Romanée-Conti, 1985 Henri Jayer Echézeaux, and spirits such as Chartreuse Jaune de Fourvoirie from the period between 1878-1903 on a recent visit. The helpful staff will assist you to streamline the paperwork for a VAT refund and can organise shipping abroad.
La Cuverie de Vosne
1 Rue des Communes, 21700 Vosne-Romanée
In the heart of Vosne-Romanée Comte Louis-Michel Liger-Belair and his wife Constance opened La Cuverie de Vosne in the autumn of 2022, creating a magical space as a way to give back to the community where his family has been based for centuries. This multi-purpose establishment is among the region’s best wine bars, with over 1,700 references on its wine list and hundreds of them available to take away. The list features the most comprehensive choice possible of producers from Vosne-Romanée and examples from throughout Burgundy and the world, all from organic-certified wine estates. Many of the wines on the Cuverie list you will not see elsewhere. In addition to wine (or a café if it’s too early), there is a shop selling local organic produce and related products and a chambre d’hôtes with four suites should you be tempted to stay in the vines, making this an unmissable stop during your winery visits.