For centuries Burgundy has swung back and forth between two models of winemaking: domaine bottling, where a winemaker makes wines from grapes he grows himself; and negociant, where a house buys grapes from local vignerons and crafts them into wine. With a few exceptions, most of the top names in Burgundy are the former (grower-producer) model, with the winemaker shepherding his product all the way from vine to wineglass.
With the temperature barely cracking 50 in recent days in New England, it appears Spring may have had some supply chain issues of its own. But yesterday’s warm sunny afternoon was worth the wait – we reinflated the bike tires, put on some sunscreen, and soaked in some long awaited Vitamin D.
“Crémant should never try to be Champagne.” That’s how winemaker Philippe Chautard answered when one of our guests asked him to compare the two. “Crémant is from Burgundy, and should act like it.”
Winemaking can be unglamourous work. Behind the romance of the craft lies months of labor-intensive farming: tractor maintenance, spring frosts, hand pruning, bookkeeping, trade shows, and so on. Even for us importers it can be easy to forget the work that goes into every bottle of wine.
“Oaked” or “unoaked” sounds like a yes-no question, but it really is a range. Most of the wines we import spend some time in oak, but the strength of its influence depends on the age and size of the barrel, the chauffe (how heavily the inside is charred), and time in the barrel. With this […]
For years we searched for a source in Chambolle-Musigny. The town has both a stellar reputation and miniscule size (population 300), and it hasn’t been easy to find a domaine without existing importing relationships. But a few years ago we finally stumbled upon the Domaine Boursot, a humble family of winemakers right in the heart of Chambolle.
Sauvignon blanc is among the world’s most widely planted grapes, but its origin is the Loire Valley. In the Loire, Sauvignon takes on a floral, mineral style, juicy grapefruit notes with a lively minerality, often notes of flint, and pleasant herbal finish.
We usually place our order from the Mas Foulaquier in January, and by the time the wines arrive in March the earth has barely begun to awake from its winter slumber. This year the wines have arrived a month later, with Spring in full bloom.
With a supply crunch from recent small vintages and seemingly inelastic demand, the cost of Burgundy is headed in one direction. And yet amid ballooning prices Chablis has maintained its place as a consistent source of value. Even Grand Crus from top tier producers still rarely break the $100/bottle mark.
We used to wonder why the humble Bourgogne rouge from the Domaine des Varoilles was so good. During our visit to Philippe Cheron last month we found the answer. He explained that the grapes for this cuvée come from vines planted in what until recently was village-level Gevrey-Chambertin.
France’s Southern Rhône valley produces rich, smooth red blends. At one end of the spectrum there’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape, famous and long-lived; at the other there’s Côtes du Rhône, uncomplicated and inexpensive. Today’s wine is from the middle.
All of the winemakers we work with in Burgundy are grower-producers, meaning they farm their own grapes and produce their own wine. But over the last few years of severely diminished yields, we’ve seen several winemakers add “négociant” operations, making additional wine with purchased grapes under another label. These cuvées often put winemaker skill on […]
More than anywhere else in Burgundy, winemakers in Chablis have felt the impact of recent warm vintages. Earlier harvests and more sun exposure have meant riper grapes and wines with fleshier, richer textures. This style of Chablis can support more oaking, and some winemakers have begun to increase the exposure to oak barrels.
Last week we finally met Philippe Cheron, winemaker at the newly created Domaine du Couvent. The new domaine combines the holdings of the shuttered Domaine des Varoilles and Cheron’s family vineyards, including several plots his grandfather planted in the 1930s. It’s a new lineup with a new label, but with a highly experienced winemaker, and vineyard holdings steeped in history.
White Burgundy is an easy wine to pair with food. At the high end, an ageworthy bottle Meursault or Puligny can exceed the subtlety and depth of a red Burgundy. Paired with a lobster risotto or veal in cream, it’s a marriage of opulence and charm.