burgundy

Burgundy (Bourgogne in French) in the east forms one of the three great wine growing regions of France along with Bordeaux and the Loire Valley. When people talk about Burgundy wine they are usually referring to the red wines of the Cote d'Or even though there are both reds and whites produced in this region. The Cote d'Or is further divided in two, the Cote de Nuits and the Cote de Beaune. Burgundy is made from the Pinot Noir grape which those of you who have seen Sideways know is a finnicky grape to grow but one that can lead to complex taste.

So why don't the French just label there bottle by the varietal(grape) name? Traditionally winemakers in the old world have striven to create wines that reflect a concept known as terroir. Terroir refers to the combination of soil, underlying rock, weather and local geography that a vineyard has. Thus the labels tend to reflect the region rather than the grape. Old world winemakers strive to make the perfect Burgundy rather than the perfect Pinot Noir. Winemakers in the new world have concentrated on producing good wines that reflect just the varietal(grape). This has caused a problem for the winemakers in the old world as most of us buy wine based on the colour (will we get a red or white?), a lot buy based on country (Australian White or Chilean Red?) some of us may buy based on varietal (will we buy a zinfandel or cabernet sauvignon?) but very few of us would buy based on terroir (will we buy a Bordeaux or Burgundy?)

This along with other factors has led to the success of the new world wines even though now these countries are beginning to produced wines that reflect their terroir. The French are a little reticent to make there labels readable by people like us who know little about wine so to understand what you are buying can still be difficult.

If you are looking for a good Burgundy, 2002 is a good vintage due optimal summer and harvest conditions. In particular 2002 Burgundys from the village of Gevrey Chambertin in the Cote de Nuits are worth trying.