Pinot noir is synonymous with Red Burgundy. With few exceptions, it’s the only red grape Burgundians may grow. In Burgundy Pinot Noir produces some of the most extraordinary red wines in the world. But the grape also thrives elsewhere in France, yielding wines of a different character.
It’s almost harvest time in Burgundy. As winemakers gather their teams of pickers for the important weeks ahead, the hillsides of France begin to buzz with activity. This is an exciting time, full of promise, expectation, and celebration.
It’s still summer for a few more weeks, but in the Northeast the evenings are already starting to feel like fall. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the ultimate cold weather wine, and while it’s at its best in the dead of winter, well balanced examples are an excellent way to slide into autumn.
Much has been written about the 2015 vintage in Burgundy, one of the best in a generation. But the vintage also brought impressive wines from elsewhere in France. In particular, the syrah-based wines of the Northern Rhône had a banner year in 2015. Master of Wine Jancis Robinson in a recent article proclaimed them “the best in 55 years.”
Excepting the famous towns surrounding Montrachet, the richest and most luxurious white Burgundies come from Pouilly-Fuissé. Grown an hour to the south of the Côte d’Or in the Maconnais, the wines of Pouilly-Fuissé show Chardonnay’s soft and opulent side. When carelessly made, Pouilly-Fuissé can be heavy and flat; but from a careful producer it can be a revelation.
We enjoy the challenge of pairing food and wine. We’re enthusiastic home cooks chez Wilcox, and experimenting with flavors is one of our favorite pastimes. But it’s also nice to have a few wines that pair well with everything — a “house wine” that you can get out and not think too much about.
Sancerre gets most of the Sauvignon Blanc attention in the Loire Valley. But in fact the upper Loire has many excellent sources for the grape. Our favorites from the less well-known towns is Pouilly-Fumé. Located just across the Loire river from Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé can be just as good as its famous neighbor.
Europe has been unusually hot this summer. Though the south of France is no stranger to summer heat, the country’s continental climate is important in helping its wines achieve balance. Overripe grapes contain too much sugar and too little acid, which boosts alcohol levels and flattens the palate.
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.
There has been no shortage of ink spilled about the 2015 red Burgundies, and indeed the praise is warranted. But it might mean that 2014, a truly excellent vintage, won’t receive nearly enough hype. We are stocking up on 2014s, and we encourage fellow Burgundy enthusiasts to do the same.
Nicolas Maillet is our new source for chardonnay from southern Burgundy. His wines are classic examples of the best Maconnais — cool, round chardonnay with excellent balance and little or no oak. If the Côte d’Or is home to Burgundies of pedigree and refinement, then the Maconnais is…
Gevrey-Chambertin is the largest appellation in Burgundy’s Côte d’Or. Because of its clay rich soils, its wines are similarly grand. Known for power and longevity, Gevrey-Chambertin shows dark, intense fruit and a sturdy tannic structure.
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.
Most wine buyers think Pinot Noir produces only red wine, whether light and elegant or rich and fruity. But in fact the juice of Pinot Noir grapes is clear. The color of red Pinot Noir comes from soaking the grape skins in the juice — press the juice off the skins and ferment it on its own, and you get a wine that’s much closer to a white.
Morey-St-Denis exemplifies the small scale of Burgundian winemaking. Wedged between two more famous neighbors, this village of 680 people has a vineyard surface of under 4 tenths of a square mile. It’s dark, delicious, classic red Burgundy — there just isn’t much of it to go around.