Saint-Bris
Burgundy's Sauvignon village, built over a maze of medieval cellars.
- Wine village
- 1 h 35 from Beaune
- White wine
€880for a long-day wine tour from Beaune, up to 4 guests
At a glance
- Appellations
- Saint-Bris
- Grapes
- Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 1 h 35 by road (140 km), €355 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About Saint-Bris
Saint-Bris-le-Vineux lies about 10 km south-east of Auxerre. It gives its name to Saint-Bris, the only Burgundy appellation made from Sauvignon rather than Chardonnay. Beneath its stone houses runs a network of medieval cellars, and its Gothic church holds a remarkable painted Tree of Jesse.
The wines
Saint-Bris is white only, made from Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris in any proportion. About 180 hectares grow across five communes: Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, Chitry, Irancy, Quenne and Vincelottes. The soils are very calcareous, with Jurassic limestones and marls holding fossil oysters, as in nearby Chablis. The wine is pale straw to light gold, lively on the palate, with aromas of grapefruit, mandarin, peach and crushed blackcurrant leaves.
History
The village takes its name from Saint Prix, a 3rd-century Christian martyr of Auxerre. Tradition says that one of his companions, Cot, was killed while fleeing with the saint's head, and the church is dedicated to both men. The Mello family became lords here in the late 12th century. The Gothic church, built between the 12th and 15th centuries, has fine 16th-century stained glass and was listed as a historic monument in 1904.
For centuries the Yonne's vineyards supplied Paris by river. Railways later brought competition from the south of France, and phylloxera ruined most of the vines. Sauvignon seems to have arrived after that collapse, perhaps inspired by its success on the upper Loire. When Burgundy's appellation rules took shape in the 1930s, Sauvignon was left out, but growers kept it. The wine won VDQS status as Sauvignon de Saint-Bris in 1974, then full village appellation as Saint-Bris in 2003.
What to see
Church of Saint-Prix-et-Saint-Cot
A Gothic church with 16th-century stained glass and a huge mural of the Tree of Jesse, dated 1500, showing about fifty figures.
Medieval cellars
A network of vaulted medieval cellars runs beneath the streets, and they are often called the most impressive in Burgundy. Several winegrowers receive visitors in them.
Bailly quarries
On the banks of the Yonne, underground quarries worked since the Middle Ages have housed a Crémant de Bourgogne cellar since 1972, with about four hectares of galleries.
Tips for your visit
Pair Saint-Bris with Irancy, a few minutes away, and Chablis for a full day in the Yonne. Allow about 90 minutes for the church, a walk and a tasting, and book cellar visits ahead.
Around here
What to combine with Saint-Bris on the same day, nearest first.
- Tradition
Saint-Vincent de Chitry
A weekend in January, close to the feast of Saint Vincent on 22 JanuaryChitry
Guides about Saint-Bris
Questions
Saint-Bris is about 1 h 35 from Beaune by road (140 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €355 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? Saint-Bris is the only appellation in Burgundy that uses Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grown on the same slopes must be sold under other names, such as Bourgogne Côtes d'Auxerre.
Sources
Saint-Bris with a private driver
Long-day wine tour from Beaune: €880 for the car, up to 4 guests