French (coffee) country ☕️🇫🇷
St. Romain Coffee Roasters is located in French wine country, 15-minutes from the medieval walled town of Beaune; it sits among the Côte d'Or vineyards. This shapes founder Matt McClune’s entire approach to coffee. “The parallels between Ethiopian coffee and Burgundian pinot noir are many,” Matt says. Recognizing attributes of Burgundy wine in Ethiopian coffees, St. Romain Coffee works with exclusively Ethiopian coffee and utilizes winemaking techniques to process coffee cherries in Ethiopia.
Matt McClune, who also plays in a band and paints contemporary abstract art (see here), founded St. Romain in 2021.
Matt McClune founded Saint-Romain Coffee in the Côte d'Or vineyards of Burgundy, and uses winemaking techniques to process coffee cherries in Ethiopia. Photos courtesy of Matt McClune
Filter: What do you do for fun around Saint-Romain?
Well, both the hiking and biking around here are phenomenal. There are hiking routes everywhere, they're well-marked, and take you through vineyard, forest, village; each is unique. The region is also full of small, well-paved roads but there's not a lot of traffic, so the road biking is excellent. And when you spend the day outside, you build an appetite... which brings me to the REAL thing to do around here: eat and drink!
Filter: If a good friend is in town, where are you taking them?
If it were their first time, we'd hit the Hôtel Dieu, built in 1452—walk through and within 30 minutes you understand the history of Beaune enough to appreciate where you are.
Obviously we would visit a couple friends' wineries and say hi, taste a couple things, see who wants to meet up at Le Soleil or La Dilettante later for apéro…
Filter: What do you love most about Saint-Romain?
Honestly, the beauty (for me) of this place is it's high-quality and understated character... of the wine, the food, the cultural scene in Saint-Romain, I would even suggest the general welcome... granted, we've lived here 20 years and that's changing more and more towards the high-end. But you'll enjoy your visit the most if you slow down a bit, and don't try to see everything all in one visit. Pick just a few things, take the time to go for a hike, give yourself all afternoon for lunch…
Filter: How would you describe the cultural scene in Saint-Romain right now?
At the moment, there's really an interesting mix of history and tradition, coupled with dynamic energy (often inspired by driven expats). There are definitely a lot of exciting, small projects scattered throughout the area which are all just starting to bubble... you can feel the energy.
I love the community of ancestral winemakers trying to express the unique "terroir" they've inherited and I love the community of expats, full of respect and energy to create something exciting. The fact that this place has the two communities, kind of in symbiosis, is really special.
Filter: What’s a good day trip from Saint-Romain?
The Jura is just over an hour drive from Saint-Romain; in France, there's lots to discover/enjoy in addition to the Savagnin and Comté. Dijon, the capital of Burgundy, is a quick 20-minute train ride from Saint-Romain, and it goes up along the Côte d'Or through all the famous pinot noir vineyards. There are great walking streets and there's classic Burgundian architecture everywhere you look.
In the summertime, there's a tiny, remote village called Lusigny-sur-Ouche with a crystal-clear stream running slowly under the shade of giant oak trees. THIS is the place to go with a couple of friends for a picnic, with your feet in the water. There's a great hike up in the woods around the spring too.
Fifteen minutes from St. Romain is Cormot, one of the best rock climbing crags in Burgundy. We've got 3 exceptional crags, each unique, all within 20 minutes from here. Super-lucky (if you climb).
Filter: What's one other coffee shop there that you really admire, and what about them stands out to you?
A couple friends are working on a project that should open by summer 2024 called "Crème" in Beaune center... it's going to be exciting.... again, this is something all about exceptionally high-quality, yet with an understated character. The work they're putting into nailing down each specific detail is fun to witness... it'll be fun...
Filter: What makes Saint-Romain feel most like home?
Well, like I said, we've been here 20 years. When we first moved, there were only a very small handful of expats around; now there are more than I can count. The effect of this is quite interesting on many levels, but I think if foreigners arrive with respect and the desire to add positively to this place, it's all good.
I feel like over the course of 20 years, we have respectfully, quietly, tried to do our best to add positively to this place in several ways. And when you do that for 20 years, you will feel attached to the place
Filter: How did you end up starting a coffee shop in small town France?
I've always been an abstract painter who often has worked other jobs; in the US it was restaurants, which brought me to Beaune to learn more about wine. Upon arriving for harvest, I was instantly and profoundly moved by the architecture and history, how you immediately feel like this is just a tiny moment in time; that the history of this place is so big and will continue long into the far future... I never experienced this in the US.
As a painter, I wanted to see what would change in my work, with this "terroir" all around me, so I moved here.
During the last 20 years I've done many things to supplement my irregular painting income and I finally landed on roasting Ethiopian coffee; it seems to me something that really makes sense for this place. The parallels between Ethiopian coffee and Burgundian pinot noir are many. Plus, we really needed a good roaster around here! Since I'm not interested in growing the coffee business, my goal from the beginning was simply to try and do it really, really well. I want to give you the best cup of Ethiopian coffee you've ever had, in a totally unpretentious setting.
Filter: Is there a place in Burgundy that holds a special memory for you?
I'm in a band with a bunch of amazing individuals and each Tuesday night we meet up in an undisclosed, hidden practice space up above St. Romain for a few hours of loud rock... that place, that thing... it's very special.
Filter: How do you find inspiration in travel?
For over 20 years I traveled regularly for my painting exhibitions and always brought my bike. By day, I checked out all the top cafés and asked questions/took notes. It's so important as a barista to visit your colleagues in different cities! SO IMPORTANT!!! It's inspiring, it's fun, it's good to remember you're part of an amazing community. We don't do this for money, remember.... we do this because we're passionate people
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St. Romain Coffee Roasters is located in Saint-Romain, nestled in the Côte d'Or vineyards of French wine country and just 15 minutes from Beaune.
Food & Beverage
Nearby Towns
Landmarks & Museums
Rock climbing
Day Trips
