Bordeaux is much larger than Burgundy. The region covers nearly ten times as much land, and the wineries themselves are usually far larger. For example Burgundy’s most famous vineyard, Romanée Conti, produces about 450 cases per year; Châteaux Margaux and Haut Brion are closer to 12,000 each.
We don’t import much Bordeaux. We’ve always taken more readily to the scale and culture of Burgundy, where the estates are much smaller and the atmosphere less formal. But it’s no secret that Bordeaux makes some extraordinary wines, and we like having some in our portfolio.
When most people think French sauvignon blanc, they think Sancerre. But the grape also thrives in Bordeaux. Loire Valley Sauvignon blanc (known as simply “Sauvignon” in France) is exuberant and fruit forward, showing the friendly, outgoing side of the grape. It's not that Bordeaux’s version is unfriendly, just perhaps a bit cooler and more intellectual.
One of the most intoxicating aromas in cooking comes from the Maillard reaction. It’s the flavor most often associated with browned meat, though it’s also found in bread crusts, chocolate, coffee beans, and dark beer. First identified by Louis Camille Maillard, the reaction is similar to caramelization, but produces earthier, more complex flavors.
Burgundy may be the heart of our portfolio, but that doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy wines from the other “B.” Bordeaux is different from Burgundy in just about every way -- scale, grapes, style, history, culture -- but the wines can be just as delicious. Particularly when there’s a well-browned steak around, it’s hard to beat a classic Bordeaux.
Prices in Bordeaux have never been higher, fed by global demand, particularly from China. With this spring’s release of the highly anticipated 2015s, the trend upward will likely continue. With value in mind, we often consider second wines of famous vineyards, or secondary properties from famous winemakers.
We spend more time in Burgundy than Bordeaux. Our small import business is usually a better fit with the family-run domaines of Burgundy than the large chateaux of Bordeaux. But we’ve been lucky enough to find a few Burgundy-scale producers in Bordeaux: small families making excellent wine away from the spotlight and marketing of the rest of the region.
Burgundy and Bordeaux are the two giants of French wine. In nearly every aspect — style, tradition, grape varietal, scale — they are opposites. Ansonia’s scale fits far better into Burgundy than Bordeaux; but the wines of Bordeaux continue to intrigue us, and we’re always on the hunt for something new there.
As fashion has changed, dessert wines have faded from collectors’ inventories. But no serious cellar is complete without them. We think everyone — even casual wine enthusiasts — should have at least one dessert wine in their arsenal; and if it’s going to be just one, it should be Sauternes.
Wine classification can be confusing — categorization changes dramatically from one region to another. The Old World tends to identify wines by place, while the New World tends to use grape varietal. It seems a minor shift, but it has important implications for the way people perceive wines.
Burgundy and Bordeaux are the two giants French wine. In nearly every aspect -- style, tradition, grape varietal, scale -- they are opposites. As a small père et fils enterprise, Ansonia’s model fits far better with Burgundy, and we work with more than four Burgundy sources for every one in Bordeaux.
The wines of Graves have been admired for nearly a thousand years. Located just south of the city of Bordeaux, Graves exploded as an international wine source in 1152 with Henry II’s marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine. Kings from both regions abolished tariffs, and by 1225 English imports of French wine totaled 1.9 million cases annually (to a country of…
Saint Emilion is an old place. Founded by Romans in the 4th century, the town is named for a monk who lived there until 787, and who began construction on the cathedral that stands today. Because of its location on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, Saint-Emilion has been a cultural and commercial hub in southwestern France for over…
Burgundy is at the heart of our portfolio. Most domaines in Burgundy are small and family run, just like Ansonia. But we always like to have a few wines around from the other “B.” Bordeaux presents a larger scale of operation -- it’s about 10 times the size of Burgundy -- and also a wealth of grapes, styles, and delicious…
If the Loire Valley is the world’s favorite choice for French Sauvignon blanc, Bordeaux is the underdog. Most Loire examples come from the neighboring towns of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, where the grape shows exuberant fruit and steely gunflint. But Sauvignon blanc (known as simply "Sauvignon" in France) also thrives in Bordeaux, a region whose famous reds often overshadow its undervalued…