Burgundy

Cherry, earthy minerality...elusive and expensive. What wine are we describing?

Burgundy!

The world has seen the price of Burgundy sky-rocket and this is down to a few factors, mainly:

🍷Scarcity

🍷Fragility: Pinot Noir is finicky, hard to grow and its hard to make into wine. It takes a talented wine master and very specific weather conditions.

🍷AOC's (appellations d'Origine Contrôlée) In Burgundy, label classifications are geographically-focused while in a region like Bordeaux, classifications are based upon individual chateaux. A single vineyard in Burgundy might be split between dozens of owners. Folle!

As the region develops and the climate changes, Jancis Robinson MW has identified some more approachable way to drink good quality Burgundy without selling your first-born.

Whilst we'd love to taste our way through Burgundy, we sadly don't have the bank balance that allows it, so we’re loving Jancis’ unvetted access and current recommendations for us to begin our research.

According to Jancis, Red Burgundy from a cooler area like Hautes-Cotes du Nuits have a longer ripening period and yet in warmer years manage to fully ripen the grapes (when previously they didn't).

For white Burgundy, perhaps a Domaine Armelle & Bernard Rion "Magnatum"; The family Rion hand-pick and directly press the grapes. Delicate aromas of white flowers and spices, honey, rich and round white wine.

Saint-Aubin also gets the balance right of having nice refreshing acidity plus ripe grapes. Jancis mentioned that Saint-Romain produces great white and red Burgundy these days where previously there would be years when the grapes didn't ripen at all.