For years we’ve 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 this spring we finally stumbled upon the Domaine Boursot, a humble family of winemakers right in the heart of Chambolle.
With football in season and a chill in the evening air, autumn is just around the corner. We haven’t abandoned the rosé or Chablis just yet, but we’re making preparations for the new season.
By Burgundy standards, Gevrey-Chambertin is an enormous appellation. It covers a thousand acres, including a whopping 135 acres of Grand Cru. Its wines are of a similar scale — rich, meaty, bold Pinot Noir balancing delicacy and depth.
Sancerre has always been the star of the Loire Valley. Though recent years have seen interest rise in the region’s other appellations, Sancerre remains the best known and among the best-liked. It’s popular, easy to drink, easy to pronounce, and pairs well with lots of dishes.
For years Pouilly-Fuissé was the darling of American wine drinkers. Fun to pronounce, rich and voluptuous in texture, it was among the first high-end French wines to gain wide appeal in the US. Beginning in the 1970s, it was a fixture of French restaurants’ wine lists.
Tomatoes have always been one of our favorite parts of summer. Whether raw and chopped into a bruschetta, baked into a tart, or cooked down into a rich tomato sauce, an in-season tomato is an entirely different fruit from the out-of season variety. For tomato inspiration, check out this list.
Jean-Louis and Chantal Amiot are a charming couple. Together with Jean-Louis’s brother Didier, they make wine in the tiny town of Morey-St-Denis, in the heart of Burgundy. They’re kind, warm, and welcoming; and they happen to be exceptional winemakers.
Pomerol is Bordeaux on a Burgundy scale. The small right bank appellation covers less than three square miles, and is home to only 150 winemakers. But the wines of Pomerol are anything but small. In his landmark World Atlas of Wine, Hugh Johnson calls Pomerol “richest, most velvety and instantly appealing form of red Bordeaux.”
We do lots of grilling in the summer. For nice cuts of meat we suggest fancier red Burgundies or Bordeaux — something complex to sit with and enjoy slowly. But for simpler fare — burgers, shish kabob, vegetables, chicken, steak tips, etc — we like reds that aren’t too complicated.
Thomas Morey makes some of the most delicate white Burgundies we know. Far from the rich, opulent style of the past decades, Morey’s Chassagnes are refined, subtle, and sophisticated. Burgundy expert Jasper Morris MW calls them “very pure, precise and elegant,” as well as “excellent.”
The Loire Valley is known as the Garden of France. Its lush rolling hillsides produce nearly every type of wine, from dry to sweet, light to dark, and white to red to sparkling to rosé. One of region’s most distinct styles is an unoaked, juicy Cabernet Franc from the central Loire Valley.
Rosé has exploded in popularity over the last few years. Open a well chilled bottle on a muggy August afternoon, and its appeal isn’t hard to find. With the market continuing to grow at 30-40% year over year, consumers around the world have imposed higher standards, and the quality of rosé has risen.
Oysters are a common sight at French markets. Huitres are a natural pairing for wine, in both the gustatory and philosophical senses. Just like wine, they’re an expression of terroir (or merrior, if you like) whose character changes with their origin. And in matters gustatory, well, it’s a match made in heaven.
Champagne is a complicated place. Since its early days the region has been inseparably linked to a sense of glamour and marketing. It can be easy to lose track of quality and distinctiveness amid Champagne’s glossy promotional haze.
Sometimes it pays to do business face to face. This April, during a tasting at Domaine des Varoilles with owner Gilbert Hammel, he left the room suddenly, saying “I think I have something you might be interested in.”