Corton-Charlemagne is one of the world’s great white wines. The large hill just north of Beaune has produced fine and long-lived white Burgundies for over a thousand years. As you might expect from such storied Grand Cru terroir, the wines don’t come cheap.
Ask a group of sommeliers to name their favorite wine region and most will say Burgundy. But ask them to pick a single favorite grape varietal, and we’d put some money on Riesling. Aside from its excellent food friendliness, Riesling communicates terroir with as much honesty and precision as any other grape.
We tend to drink simply in the summer. Some summer moments call for grand bottles -- weddings, graduations, etc. But when we think of “summer wine,” it’s something refreshing, uncomplicated, and inexpensive.
After a long and snowy winter, it seems Spring (or maybe summer) has at last arrived in the northeast. We avoid rigid rules for seasonal drinking — sometimes the moment calls for Chablis in December, or a Châteauenuf in June. But with the arrival of warm, sunny days, we find ourselves reaching for a certain style of wine.
For years we’ve searched for a Cornas producer to add to our portfolio. The appellation is tiny (only 145 hectares, compared with Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s 3,133) and a wave of popularity in recent years has made it difficult to get an appointment. But luck was on our side last week, and we’re excited to report that we’ve found not one Cornas source…
The 2015 reds continue to be the favorite child here in Burgundy. The wine lists of the local bistros and restaurants are bursting with juicy, delicious 2015s, and there’s little left at the domaines.
Of all the white Burgundy we import, none is a purer expression of Chardonnay than Nicolas Maillet’s classic Maconnais cuvées. They’re cool, round, unadulterated Chardonnay with excellent balance and little or no oak. If the Côte d’Or offers Burgundies of pedigree and refinement, then the Maconnais offers Burgundies of vibrancy and joy.
When the words “muscular” and “red Burgundy” appear together, Gevrey-Chambertin is likely the subject. The wines of Gevrey-Chambertin are generally considered Burgundy’s richest, and can be among the longest lived. Clive Coates MW calls them “sturdy, rich, masculine” and “fleshy,” concluding that they’re “more flamboyant than Vosne, and more substantial than Chambolle.”
Chablis remains one of the best bargains in the wine world. Though the past few years have brought devastating frosts and hailstorms to the region and available quantities have plummeted, winemakers have only gently raised prices. Where village level white Burgundies from the Côte d’Or quickly push past $60, fine Premier Cru Chablis can still be had for under $40.
The best food-wine pairings enhance both elements. Oysters and Chablis, blue cheese and Sauternes, tomato sauce and Sangiovese — these classic pairings have been around so long for a reason. And among the most traditional (and successful) is steak and red wine. Bordeaux may be more famous for its marriage with steak, but we think […]
Now six years on from the growing season, the 2012 vintage has become a favorite among French wine drinkers. In the Southern Rhône, a dry, sunny summer made for happy vignerons and delicious wines. Nature brought Burgundy a far more difficult vintage -- everything from frost to hail to inconsistent flowering made vignerons’ lives difficult -- but an even more…
The 2015 vintage in Burgundy has been a delight. We greatly enjoyed our sun-drenched visit in the summer of 2015, exciting barrel tastings in 2016, and last year’s arrival of the wine in the states. The wines are popular, delicious, and built to last. We’ve stocked up on as many as our shelves can handle, and hope to have them…
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 writes she considers them them “the best in 55 years.”
The 2015 red Burgundies are nothing short of a sensation. After months of hype and a frenzy of enthusiasm upon release, they’ve lived up to nearly all of their acclaim. With sturdy tannins suggesting long and happy lives, the wines also offer near-term hedonistic delight -- the best are juicy, lively, and, as the French say, gouleyant (gulpable).