Category: Burgundy

Burgundy is best known for its wines of refinement and elegance. The delicate, often ethereal Pinot Noirs from towns like Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny are unlike any others in the world, and rightly receive the majority of Burgundy’s press. But there’s a whole other world of red Burgundy to the South of the Côte d’Or.

Nicolas Maillet is our new source for chardonnay from southern Burgundy. His wines are classic examples of white 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 home to Burgundies full of vibrancy and joy.

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.

St-Aubin is the insider’s white Burgundy. While writers spill most of the ink on the great wines from Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, savvy drinkers know of the treasure that lies three minutes to the west, in a valley between the two famous towns. The wines from the tiny, hidden village of St-Aubin may lack the aging power and depth of Chassagnes…

In 1787, Thomas Jefferson visited Burgundy, recording his favorite wines in a journal: Chambertin, Romanée(-Conti), Clos Vougeot, and Montrachet. Jefferson wasn’t the first or the last to recognize the greatness of Montrachet, and today most consider it the finest white wine vineyard in the world.

Like many in Burgundy, the Domaine Roger Belland isn’t flashy. There’s just a small sign next to the door on the street, and you have to enter the cellar before seeing any of their many winemaking awards. But the Bellands have made wine since 1839, and Master of Wine Clive Coates calls them “among the best sources in Santenay.”

The town of Morey-St-Denis is typical of the tiny scale of Burgundy. Home to fewer than 700 souls and boasting less than half a square mile of vineyards, the town has long played second fiddle to its more famous neighbors Chambolle-Musigny and Gevrey-Chambertin. But in fact Morey holds five Grand Cru vineyards and produces excellent red Burgundies that age beautifully.

If Burgundy is the heart of the Pinot Noir universe, then Vosne-Romanée is the heart of Burgundy. Celebrated for eight centuries and boasting some of the world’s most sought-after wines, Vosne-Romanée is considered Mecca for Burgundy enthuisasts and Pinotphiles around the world.

It’s easy to forget just how small the scale of winemaking is in Burgundy. The entire town of Chambolle-Musigny, for instance, has a population of 320 and covers about 430 acres, less than a square mile. But the wines from this tiny town have been highly sought after since the 15th century.

In the debate about the value of material goods vs. experience, most assume that goods create greater satisfaction because they’re less fleeting. Science suggests, however, that experiences actually provide longer-lasting happiness. We like to think that wine is a perfect mix of the two.

The US tends to be wary of monopolies, with various laws set up to prevent their abuse. But in Burgundy, monopolies are both rare and highly sought-after. With most plots across Burgundy divided up in the generations after Napeleon’s 1804 anti-primogeniture edict, single-owner vineyards are very uncommon.

“If gold were a flavor,” Matt Kramer once wrote, “it would taste like Meursault.” Though it has no Grand Cru, the wines of Meursault are some of the most sought after in the world. For most, the name recalls white Burgundies of decadence, opulence, and style.

Nestled side by side just south the city of Beaune, three neighboring towns represent the crown jewels of White Burgundy: Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, and Meursault. This trio produces the finest whites in Burgundy, which most consider the greatest white wines in the world.

In Burgundy, it’s important to know your geography. Tiny changes in location can have large effects on the wine in the bottle. But because almost all vineyards are divided among several growers, it’s even more important to know your winemaker.

Of the 12,000 acres of vineyards planted in Chablis, only 250 qualify as Grand Cru. This highest tier includes seven distinct vineyards, each famous in its own right. But among the seven, the Grand Cru “Les Clos” is generally considered the finest. And it is from these hallowed 68 acres -- just one tenth of a square mile -- that…