In the coldest part of January, France celebrates Saint Vincent, the patron saint of winemakers. In Burgundy, the day extends beyond the cellar and into the villages themselves. The celebration belongs not only to those who work the vines, but to entire communities that commit years of preparation to a single winter weekend: the Saint-Vincent Tournante.
Last weekend, Saint-Vincent Tournante 2026 took place in the Maranges, and that long preparation showed at every turn. Hand-crafted decorations lined the streets, while the aromas of traditional Burgundian dishes warmed the chilly air. Live music followed visitors as they moved from one place to the next, settling into the rhythm of the weekend.
Across three villages, hundreds of volunteers welcomed guests throughout the event. Visitors explored freely between tasting points, discovering wines created specifically for the occasion. Local winemakers crafted these cuvées collaboratively, offering a rare opportunity to experience the diversity of the Maranges in one place. Once a discreet appellation, it is now drawing increasing attention in France and beyond.
Read on to see why Saint-Vincent Tournante 2026 marked a turning point for the Maranges, and how it reflects the appellation’s place in Burgundy today.
Menu
What is the Saint Vincent Tournante?
Maranges and its Wines
2026 Highlights
Tastings
Overall Thoughts
What is the Saint Vincent Tournante?
The Saint-Vincent Tournante was created in 1938 by the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin as a gesture of solidarity among Burgundy’s winemakers. Rooted in older village celebrations honouring Saint Vincent, the idea was simple: each year, one village would take responsibility for hosting the region during the heart of winter.
Since its creation, the Saint-Vincent Tournante has travelled continuously across Burgundy, moving from appellation to appellation and reshaping itself each time. While certain elements remain constant, a ceremonial procession, communal tastings, the presence of confréries, no two editions are identical. Each host village leaves its mark, shaped by its landscape, its wines, and the people who live and work there.
What distinguishes the Saint-Vincent Tournante from other wine festivals is the scale of its commitment. Preparation begins years in advance and extends far beyond the winemaking community. Volunteers, artisans, musicians, cooks, and families all play a role. Streets are transformed by hand. Temporary tasting spaces appear and disappear. The village becomes both host and participant.
At its core, the Saint-Vincent Tournante does not exist to elevate prestige or hierarchy. It centres on community and the appellation itself. Wine is poured collectively rather than competitively, with emphasis placed on shared labour, shared land, and the transmission of savoir-faire from one generation to the next.
You can read about previous editions here.
Maranges and its Wines
Maranges sits at the southern edge of the Côte de Beaune, marking the transition between the Côte d’Or and the vineyards of the Côte Chalonnaise. The appellation spans three villages: Cheilly-lès-Maranges, Dezize-lès-Maranges, and Sampigny-lès-Maranges. Officially recognised as an AOC in 1988, it has long occupied a quieter position within Burgundy, better known to those who work its slopes than to those who collect its labels.
The vineyards cover roughly 180 hectares and are planted predominantly with Pinot Noir, which accounts for more than 90 percent of production. Clay is the dominant soil, shaping wines defined by structure and firm, often powerful tannins. Neighbouring Santenay, Maranges shares certain stylistic affinities, though clear differences in terroir remain. At its best, the appellation can echo the character of more highly regarded crus, combining depth with a strong sense of place.
Chardonnay plays a smaller but increasingly confident role. Together, the reds and whites form a coherent but varied picture of an appellation that has refined its identity through collective work and vineyard stewardship rather than visibility alone.
Style and Tasting Profile
Red Maranges typically shows a brilliant colour, most often raspberry red, sometimes deeper and tending toward purple. Aromatically, the wines lean toward blackcurrant bud, spiced notes, and preserved red fruits. On the palate, freshness leads into liquorice, pepper, and a distinctly savoury, almost meaty core. Acidity provides balance and allows for short to medium-term ageing, while tannins remain smooth, warm, and melting. Vinosity is pronounced, giving the wines weight without heaviness.
White Maranges appears fine gold in colour and opens on white floral aromas such as hawthorn, acacia, and honeysuckle. With age, notes of honey or gunflint bring added depth. These wines favour finesse over force, offering a smooth, subtle palate built on detail rather than power.
Both reds and whites have gained recognition among wine lovers, particularly since the Saint-Vincent Tournante hosted in the appellation in 1997, a moment that marked a shift in how Maranges was perceived beyond its immediate surroundings.
Premiers Crus
Maranges counts no Grand Crus, but includes several Premier Cru climats, which represent the appellation’s most structured and age-worthy expressions:
- Clos de la Boutière
- Clos des Loyères
- Clos des Rois
- Clos Roussots
- Clos de la Fussière
- La Fussière
- Croix aux Moines
Lieux-dits
Maranges is further defined by a broad network of lieux-dits that may appear on labels and contribute nuance across the appellation:
- A la Croix de Bois
- Au Chêne
- Aux Artaux
- Borgy
- En Buliet
- En Crevèche
- La Tête de Fer
- Le Bas des Loyères
- Le Bas du Clos
- Le Bourg
- Le Chamery
- Le Clos
- Le Goty
- Le Plain
- Le Saugeot
- Les Aubuzes
- Les Meurées
- Les Plantes
- Les Regains Nord
- Les Regains Sud
- Les Varennes
- Sous les Roseaux
- Sur la Rigole
- Sur la Rue des Pierres
- Sur la Verpillère
- Sur le Bois
- Sur le Bois Sud
- Sur le Chêne
- Vigne Blanche
2026 Highlights
Saint-Vincent Tournante 2026 unfolded over the last weekend of January in the Maranges, following the format that has long defined the celebration. Activities spread across three villages, inviting visitors to move between them at their own pace and experience each one in turn.
From the first hours of Saturday morning, the weekend opened with the traditional procession of Saint Vincent statues, carried from the vineyards to the annual mass for winemakers. The morning was solemn, a moment of calm before the festivities began.
This year’s theme, Les Maranges en musique (“The Maranges in Music”), shaped everything that followed. Music filled the villages throughout the weekend, keeping bodies warm against the January chill. We felt cool and slick passing through Cheilly-lès-Maranges, as jazz cruised through the air and spilled into the streets. In Sampigny-lès-Maranges, familiar rock favourites inspired strangers to sing along with their neighbours without a second thought. By the time we reached Dezize-lès-Maranges, disco blasted through the speakers, and we boogied the rest of the afternoon away.
The decorations carried that same sense of joy and imagination. Each village adopted its own colour scheme and staged elaborate themed scenes that rewarded attention. Elvis made an appearance. A Maranges “Hollywood” sign rose in the hills. Disco divas struck poses beneath the lights, while a steampunk, cow-powered merry-go-round turned nearby. Oversized instruments lined the streets, and bon-vivant mannequins lounged mid-celebration, frozen in unmistakably local scenes. Here are some of my favourites!
Across the three villages, fifteen tasting cellars poured wines created specifically for the event, crafted collaboratively by local winemakers. The format offered a rare opportunity to experience the diversity of the Maranges in one place, without placing the spotlight on individual domaines.
One of the most meaningful highlights of the 2026 edition was organisational rather than visual. Under the direction of Marion Duchemin, the event was led by a woman for the first time since its creation in 1938!
Tastings
I had the opportunity to taste the wines ahead of the event. What follows are my tasting notes from that preview, alongside a note on additional wines served during the weekend.
Whites
- Maranges Village Blanc 2024: Bright and fruity, with clear aromas of orchard fruits and a lively, refreshing profile.
- Maranges Village Blanc 2023: Fruity with a hint of honey, showing floral notes, a buttery texture, and a richness that carries through the palate.
- Also served during the event
Maranges Blanc 2022
Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Blanc 2023
(not tasted as part of the preview)
Reds
- Maranges Village Rouge 2020: Marked by aromas of dark chocolate and coffee, with a structured and expressive character.
- Maranges Village Rouge 2018: Lighter in style, with fresh strawberry notes and an approachable, easy-drinking feel.
- Maranges Premier Cru Rouge 2018: Beautiful and very expressive, with flavours of homemade berry jam and a luscious chocolate note on the finish.
Together, these wines offered a clear snapshot of the Maranges, highlighting both diversity of style and a shared sense of place.
Overall Thoughts
I’ve had a soft spot for Maranges since first discovering it a few years ago. It is a wine we reach for often, and one we enjoy introducing to our friends’ tables. Seeing the appellation host the Saint-Vincent Tournante felt like a natural extension of that familiarity, and it was exciting to see others celebrate or discover the wines in such a joyful and immersive way.
The Saint-Vincent Tournante is not simply about drinking wine. It is about experiencing Burgundy in context, through its culture, its history, and its spirit. Tasting these wines where they are made brings an added layer of meaning. It changes how they are understood, offering a clearer sense of why they taste the way they do and how closely they are tied to their surroundings. Over the weekend, Maranges offered that experience openly, inviting people into its villages and into its rhythms.
Under the direction of Marion Duchemin, the 2026 edition showed that Burgundy’s most enduring rituals can evolve while remaining firmly grounded. Tradition held steady, but alive today and shared with many.
For Maranges, the weekend felt both celebratory and generous. And for those encountering the appellation for the first time, it offered a compelling introduction. Now, attention turns to Volnay. After Maranges, expectations for 2027 are high. I’m already looking forward to it!
