November 13, 2015 • 4

Culinary Travel: Museum of Vine and Wine at Château de Boudry

The village of Boudry, in the canton of Neuchâtel, has a museum devoted to wine and its production, housed in a 13th century castle. I visited the Château de Boudry last weekend for an event highlighting produits du terroir from this region. If you visit Boudry, this museum perched on a hillside above the Areuse River should not be missed.

Produits du Terroir au Château

After I entered the château on Sunday, I first stopped at the front desk to pick up my tasting glass for CHF 10. This entitled me to sample wine from 10 or so encaveurs showcasing their products. The various food and wine producers set up throughout the museum’s main floor and cellar, which also serves as the oenothèque for the canton of Neuchâtel. I wandered through and sampled local Chasselas, Pinot Noir, Oeil-de-Perdrix and more.

The Château de Boudry doesn’t typically serve meals, but local caterer Cinq Sens had a pop-up restaurant for the event. I ordered a plate of rösti topped with slices of ham and an entire disc of tomme neuchâteloise. This comforting dish is one I’ll try to replicate at home for my family.

Musée de la Vigne et du Vin

The Château de Boudry is home to the Musée de la Vigne et du Vin (Museum of Vine and Wine). It has an impressive collection of paintings, vineyard tools, bottles and other winemaking artifacts from the canton of Neuchâtel. Along with its permanent collection, the museum also hosts temporary exhibitions. Its current offering is “Viens donc prendre un verre!” (“Come have a drink!”), which presents wine glasses from several eras dating back to the 17th century.

If you’re considering a visit to the Château de Boudry, here’s some more information to help plan your trip:

Open hours: Wednesday through Sunday from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: CHF 7 per person. Guided tours and Neuchâtel wine tastings are available, when requested in advance.
Directions: From the center of Neuchâtel, a tram ride of about 15 minutes will bring you to Boudry. Then, it takes about 10 minutes to walk up the hill to the castle.