Why Burgundy

WINE TALK
21

Highest risk/ reward factor of any wine

You never know what you get when you open a bottle

Burgundy can be great in so many different ways.

22

When I drink great wine,I’m transported to a place I love to be. Although it has happened with other wines,the majority have been burgundies.( usually I close my eyes and drink in the aroma and hope the palate takes me to the same place. Sometimes it does,but then again this is burgundy and only the rarest of wines perform on both levels)
Once you’ve been seduced by this greatness, it’s hard to go back to more one dimensional wines.I do love other wines,but you can never drink enough( or own) great burgundy. Sharing and experiencing it with friends is also at the top of my list .

23

Simple:
Pinot is, to me, the most complex and delicious of varietals, and the expression of it in Burgundy (when it is good) is the most complex and delicious of those expressions. I had a moment of truth the other night when I had to confess that, if I had to choose between Pinot and Nebbiolo, I would have to choose the former.

24

Not to heavy, great flavors, pairs well with food, enjoyable on its own, ages nicely yet is enjoyable in its youth…what isn’t to like?

25

The intellectual challenge posed by the rubrik’s cube of Burgundy terroir and its appelation system; medium-weight red wines with delicious flavors that appeal on the basis of nuance and complexity; consistently refreshing acidity; interesting narratives and personalities; the discipline of terroir.

That’s just the reds. And then, of course, there’s Chablis.

26

This is a great question that my wine-drinking friends sometimes ask me, and my answer includes nearly all the points mentioned thus far.

  1. Epiphany - No wine has ever moved me like a great Burg. Some have bordered on the spiritual.

  2. Enjoyment - Even most of the well-chosen, but non-epiphany, Burgs deliver the aromatics and power without weight that I seek. And specifically, there is something about the nose of a well-made wine from pinot noir (usually, not always, from Burgs) that instantly triggers the pleasure centers in my brain.

  3. Intellectual curiosity/fascination - How such dramatically different wines can be made from the same grape variety, in the same small geographic region simply by altering the 3 “V” variables - vintage, vineyard, vigneron, is endlessly fascinating to me. A significant percentage of the enjoyment I get from collecting/drinking/talking about red Burgs is the pursuit of trying to “understand” them, particularly in the context of these 3 variables.

  4. Romanticism - most of the producers whose wines I drink are also the farmers who tend to the vines. Many of them sink all of their passion into every aspect from dirt to bottle. Perhaps it’s a romantic notion, but for me it’s important for the people who make the wines about which I am so passionate to be at least as passionate about what they do. I have been fortunate to meet many of my favorite producers, and this adds a level of personal connectedness with the wines for me as well, it gives them an even greater soul. (Note this is certainly not exclusive to Burgundy as I can say the same for some of my favorite non-burgundy producers as well, however those other regions don’t fulfill the first 3 reasons like Burgundy does).

After a reply like this, my friends often regret asking me this question and seek out other conversation… [wow.gif]

27

FMIII, you make a very salient point that I can relate to greatly. With perhaps a sophomore’s perspective, I feel like I’m still very early in the learning curve despite having been smitten about 12 years ago. The relatively slow pace has a lot to do with the cost, but the upside is that there is so much unchartered and exciting territory yet to cover. Heck, I’ve yet to taste a Musigny, Chambertin or Montrachet; and have yet to experience what Rousseau, Mugnier, Roumier, Fourrier, DRC (except a sole bottle of the 1er cru) can do. So much to look forward to!

28

Most of the reasons I love Burgundy are said well above. It comes down to the fact that it’s the only region whose wines have satisfied me on a sensual and intellectual level. There are producers from other regions that do it - but not whole regions. 18 years in and I still feel like I’m learning. The aromatics can be bewitching, the challenge of figuring out why THIS vineyard from here tastes like that but not like another vineyard close by… it’s fun.

I noticed a couple of people talk about expense… but not all great Burgundy is from grand cru vineyards and top producers. Don’t neglect the ‘lesser’ communes or producers who don’t produce high scores. As I think people know, I find scores pretty much useless in general, but there’s no place where they are of less use than Burgundy. Try wines. Find what you love. Ignore the rest.

29

It’s infuriatingly complex and I’m a masochist. besides that, everything that everyone else has said specifically Steven Lawrence (except my heart belongs to Chardonnay not Pinot).

30

As much as I love Burgundy, I would respond by adding

Why Rhone?
Why Bordeaux?
Why Alsace?
Why Loire?
Why Bandol?
Why Rousillon?
Why Mosel?
Why Nahe?
Why Rheingau?
Why Wachau?
Why Kamptal?
Why Kremstal?
etc.
etc.
etc.

31

And those are different threads. This thread fell out of a couple of others that seemed to be asking of people who like Burgundy “why don’t you like X?” Feel free to start those other threads though - the discussion would be interesting

32

33

The glory that is the great wines of France consists of a triumvirate: Champagne, Bordeaux, and Burgundy.

It is difficult for me to separate the small, intimate, beautiful, and very complex region that is Burgundy, from the wine.

But if I could, I would say that Burdundy’s aromatics and warmth, it’s earthiness and sensuality are unique, and that unlike Cabernet, cannot be copied anywhere else in the world.

Alex R.

34

I start out that I love Burgundy because it tastes so good. If it wasn’t for this, probably everything else would not matter.

And, to me, it does not start with the epiphany wines. Sure, I love DRC, Musigny, etc. But, I also love Cheval Blanc, Haut Brion and Monte Bello. For me, Burgundy starts with the well-made simpler wines. The wines with intense flavors and no weight. What a combination!!! Recent examples of this at a very high level for me are 2007 Jadot SlB les Narbontons and 2001 Truchot MSD les Ruchots.

Next comes the smell of a well-made Burgundy. There is little as sensual as the nose of a great Burgundy. I think the order may be (1) Beautiful naked woman, (2) Nose of red Burgundy. [Three might well be great artisanal cheese.]

Then I love the complexity of Burgundy. That Truchot’s MSD les Ruchots may taste different from his CM Sentiers. That his GC Combottes may taste more similar to his Charmes Chambertin than to his Clos de la Roche, even though Combottes is right next to Clos de la Roche. That there are numerous producers named Boillot (including two named Louis), Gros, Morey, etc., and that I never will master Burgundy.

And, I love the long traditions of Burgundy. The family owned estates that have been around for generations. And the fact that a young American with a wife and daughter can go resettle in Nuits St. Georges and make great Burgundy as well. A great combination of tradition, terroir and meritocracy.

And, I love visiting Burgundy. The food, the wines, the vineyards, the towns, the wonderful smells and flavors and sights all around you. And, the people, who to me have always been warm and inviting.

I guess I kind of like Burgundy.

35

The potential…on so many levels: sensual, intellectual, historical, agricultural, geological…and many others…to excite and wow.

And, the primal connection between man/woman and wine communicating essentially through two media: chardonnay and pinot noir, rather than blends…so that it remains a primal effort. (Which is why, for me, negociant or bigger operations’ wines have never thrilled me, as they lack that “primal” aspect, which is, I think, what makes “Burgundy” unique.

And, there is always something to learn and experience for the first time.

36

Love to read… flirtysmile all the thoughts. grouphug

[dance-clap.gif]

37

I think Howard has expressed the order of the universe perfectly. Although nose of a high quality Barolo/Barbaresco must be in there somewhere. and cheese is definitely #3.

38

Many great responses in this thread. My reasons for loving Burgundy more than all other wines have been stated by others above. I think Berry said it best… with the small difference that I would place the intellectual gratification slightly before the hedonistic appeal of the wines. The site-derived nuances and complexities are endlessly varied and never boring to me.

39




Lew…does the word …* Burgundy * …in this thread includes chardonnay grown on the CdOr ? neener

[drinkers.gif]

Why not white Burgundy ?

I love white Burugndy too but …lately …my girlfriend ( who have a hot temper ) does not smile at me too, too often. [oops.gif]

40

Peter, do they still make white Burgundy? I could have sworn that was removed from the market years ago due to defective product. I’m pretty sure only red Burgundy is being grown now.
Rouge = flirtysmile Blanc = [smileyvault-ban.gif]