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Burgundy - Unapproachable surrounded by mystery and intricacy?
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in my GLASS Burgundy
Unapproachable, surrounded by mystery and intricacy?
Not really. BY » Trevor Burton PHOTOGRAPHY BY » Trevor Burton
Winter in Burgundy— a great time for cruising with crus
To many, Burgundy is at the pinnacle of the wine world. I’m kind of in that camp. But there are those who shy away from it. What’s going on? Burgundy wines are filled with nuance and finesse, not power. They’re a combination of elegance and complexity. To some, Burgundy is troublesome to get their arms around. To others, Burgundy wines lack the oomph that is mandatory—wines that make a simple, bold statement. But it’s not a case of one style of wine being better than another. They’re simply different. No right, no wrong.
Burgundy is all about wines that express the place they come from— they express their “terroir.” Burgundy has to be the most terroir intensive wine region in the world. The region has two main grape varieties, Pinot Noir for red wines and Chardonnay for white. What makes Burgundy so interesting is the way that wines taste so differently depending on what Burgundian soil and climate they’re grown in.
The, not so large, Burgundy region has 100 different Appellations d’Origine Protégée (AOP) wines. AOPs are address labels, indicating the place where grapes have been grown. Burgundy’s AOPs are grouped into four different classifications. From the lowest to the top, they are; Regional, Village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru.
Wines carrying “Regional” on their label are made from grapes grown in any number of plots throughout the region. “Village” wines are made from grapes grown in and around the village named on the bottle. “Premier Cru” wines are made from grapes grown in one single vineyard within a named village—both village and vineyard names appear on the label. A “Grand Cru” carries just the name of its vineyard. Rules are very strict. If an area is named on a label, grapes must come from only that area. It’s beautiful how wines vary from one plot of land to another.
The reason I’ve got such a soft spot in my heart for Burgundy is that it’s the region that got me really interested in wine. My wife, Mary Ellen, and I had always been fond of wine but one meal changed everything. It was our “aha” moment. I was working quite a lot in Paris at the time and a business associate invited us to a tasting meal in a pretty nifty place in the City of Light. Several wines were poured during the meal but one in particular was a showstopper—bells rang and lights flashed. It turned out that the wine was from Burgundy— a Nuit Saint Georges, a “Village” wine.
The next day we rented a car and drove to Burgundy to dig and sip deeper. To our delight, the evening’s wine had not been a “one off.” At lunch we tried the same type of wine—same experience. On leaving, we asked the restaurateur where she got her wines. List in hand, we started knocking on doors. Every wine we tasted was as good or better than the one we’d tasted in Paris. So began a beautiful friendship.
These are nuanced wines— understated but a lot going on. Like most “Old World” wines, it’s the nonfruit aspects that come out first. For me, white Burgundy is the greatest and most lingering expression of the Chardonnay grape. There’s a complex combination that is smoky, toasty, buttery, nutty and minerally. A firm acidity holds everything together. And I think Pinot Noir reaches its crowning point in red Burgundy. There’s a delicate complexity; perfumed and fruity, commonly with hints of undergrowth or mushrooms. Some wines have a gorgeous floral, violet finish. There’s even a hint of barnyard that sounds yucky but fits beautifully into the wine.
We’ve been going back to Burgundy as often as possible since that first experience. We go mostly in the month of January. Air fares are cheaper and it’s the least busy time in the region. The main activity is pruning vines and making small bonfires from the clippings. The region is a dull, winter grey with smoke rising into the air. Not as pretty as the rest of the year but it has definite charm. Another nice thing is that it often rains at that time of year. That drives us down into wine cellars to cruise through crus with winemakers. Maybe it’s the ambiance of the cellar but the wines we taste are nothing short of spectacular. The only downside is that these wines can be a little pricey. But everyone deserves a treat now and then. Sadly, COVID-19 has put a dent in our Burgundy exploration. But the door is re-opening. We’ll definitely be back.
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