Saint-Vincent Tournante du Chablisien

The Saint-Vincent Tournante du Chablisien: The Great Winegrowers' Festival of the Yonne

Every year, at the end of January or the beginning of February, a village in the Chablis vineyard (Yonne) dons its finest attire to host the Saint-Vincent Tournante du Chablisien. This traveling winegrowers' festival, which celebrates Saint Vincent, the patron saint of winegrowers, is one of the most vibrant and popular Burgundian traditions. Each year, it brings together between 10,000 and 20,000 visitors from all over France and abroad.

A Winegrowers' Tradition Born in 1966

The Saint-Vincent Tournante du Chablisien was launched in 1966 on the initiative of the Piliers Chablisiens brotherhood, with the support of the Union des Viticulteurs de Chablis. The idea was to create a traveling festival, moving from village to village each year, to celebrate the winegrowers of Chablisien together and promote Chablis wines. Since then, the festival has moved from village to village throughout the appellation: Chablis, Fleys, Courgis, Fontenay-près-Chablis, Béru, Fyé, and many others have had the honor of hosting the event.

A Weekend Dedicated to the Vine and Wine

The Saint-Vincent Tournante du Chablisien takes place over a weekend with a rich program:

• Saturday evening: Saint-Vincent ball and grand winegrowers' banquet (reservation required, sold out weeks in advance)
• Sunday morning: Solemn mass in honor of Saint Vincent, with brotherhoods in costume, hunting horns, and orchestra
• Sunday 9 am-5 pm: Opening of participating winegrowers' cellars for free tastings
• 11 am: Official ceremony on the podium: speeches by dignitaries, inductions into the Piliers Chablisiens brotherhood
• Street entertainment: musical groups, decorated floats, festive parades

Cellar Openings: The Heart of the Festival

The core of the Saint-Vincent Tournante lies in the opening of winegrowers' cellars. About sixty winegrowers open their doors to visitors for tastings of Chablis Premier Cru, Chablis Grand Cru, Petit Chablis, and Bourgogne. Visitors with their official glass (provided at the entrance for a fee) wander from cellar to cellar, discovering the different vintages and the personalities of the winegrowers who welcome them generously. It's a unique opportunity to visit cellars often closed to the public and to converse directly with the producers.

The Chablis Vineyard: An Exceptional Terroir

Each year, the Saint-Vincent Tournante highlights the Chablis vineyard, one of the northernmost in Burgundy, planted on Kimmeridgian soils (limestone and clay) that give the wines their characteristic minerality and freshness. The Chablis Grand Cru (Blanchot, Bougros, Les Clos, Grenouilles, Preuses, Valmur, Vaudésir) and the numerous Premier Crus represent the elite of a vineyard with a worldwide reputation.