The Spirit of Burgundy

Our first evening on the barge, I asked for a digestif of marc de Bourgogne. I was shocked to learn that they had none on the barge because so few people ever requested it. What a shame that this delightful spirit languishes in obscurity. Distilled from the leftovers of winemaking, it has a grappa-like grapiness, but because marc de Bourgogne is also aged in oak barrels (unlike grappa), it takes on a caramel color and appealing notes of wood and vanilla. Inexpensive marc can be a bit rough, but high-quality bottlings are smooth and complex. The Hirondelle staff procured some for me the next day, and for the remainder of the cruise it was my digestif of choice.