Category: Burgundy

Beside Chablis, the best secret in a white Burgundy lover’s cellar is his stash of St. Aubin. The village is easy to miss, wedged in a valley between Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet. And though it rightly plays second fiddle to these two giants, it’s still a source for what wine writer Rajat Parr calls “some of the best-value Chardonnays in the…

Burgundy is expensive and luxurious by reputation. And with high demand and small supply, the number of Burgundies breaking the $100 per bottle threshold grows every year. We’re always on the hunt for honest, complex red Burgundy that won’t require a second mortgage.

Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, and Chassagne-Montrachet get most of the white Burgundy press. But surrounding towns can offer excellent value. Many whites from St-Aubin and Santenay punch way above their weight, as does today’s white Burgundy from Auxey Duresses.

We often write about wines that are delicately crafted and perfectly aged -- elegant Grand Cru Burgundy, dark woodsy Bordeaux, or mouthfilling Châteauneuf-du-Pape. These are special wines for special occasions, meant to be sat with, contemplated, and savored. Today’s wine is not one of these.

Pinot Noir is grown around the world -- from Germany to California and Oregon to New Zealand. But nowhere does it reach the same level of complexity and elegance as in Burgundy. Pinots from Burgundy inhabit a traditional style that’s increasingly distant from much of the New World’s oak-heavy, fruit-driven trends.

In Burgundy, Grand Cru is as good as it gets. Only 1.3% of wines from Burgundy have the designation, and these are the finest bottles the region has to offer. They’re not exactly priced for weeknight enjoyment, but when there’s a special occasion, they’re awfully nice to have around.

Vineyard plots in Burgundy often bear the names of nearby historic features, many long since vanished. In Meursault, Ormeau and Genevrières are named for the “elm” and “juniper” trees that once stood there. Vide Bourse in Chassagne refers to its location at a dangerous road crossing known for “empty purses.” And the famous grand cru Chambertin was once the the…

In France, Pommard has a reputation as a vin de garde (wine to cellar). Grown in clay- and limestone-rich soils, the wines are full of muscle, richness, and spice. A favorite of Thomas Jefferson, Pommard has made classic, well-respected red wines since at least the middle ages.

On most maps, Santenay is the last town in Burgundy’s famous Côte d’Or. Forever second fiddle to its famous neighbor Chassagne-Montrachet to the north, Santenay nonetheless produces excellent wines. With neither the staying power nor the tannic structure of wines from Chassagne, they are often far easier to enjoy young.

Chardonnay inhabits nearly every corner of the wine world, but nowhere does it reach the same expression as in Burgundy. The gently sloping hillsides of Burgundy are uniquely suited to growing perfectly balanced Chardonnay -- sunny enough to ripen grapes fully, but northern enough to retain enough acidity to provide lively freshness.

Gevrey-Chambertin is the largest appellation of Burgundy’s Côte d’Or. And because of its clay rich soils, its wines are of a similarly grand scale. Known for power and longevity, Gevrey-Chambertin often shows dark, intense fruit and a sturdy tannic structure.

“Puligny-Montrachet is the greatest white wine commune on earth.” Thus begins the chapter on the town in Clive Coates’s seminal tome on Burgundy. The tiny appellation covers less than a single square mile, and though neighbored on either side by the legendary towns of Meursault and Chassagne, many consider Puligny the source for the world’s finest white wine.

Time can have an extraordinary effect on a bottle of wine. Not all wines are meant to age, and indeed the world’s style continues to shift towards early maturity. But for wines that are designed to be cellared, the transformation by bottle aging is nothing short of magic.

Yesterday morning Vincent Ravaut began our tasting at the domaine with a simple glass of white from an unmarked bottle -- “just to arrange the palate,” he explained. The wine was a very pretty chardonnay, with a lovely nose of white flowers and almonds and a rich but lively mouthfeel. Noting our interest, Vincent explained it was the domaine’s entry-level…