|
Burgundy
French Wine
The region of Burgundy has been famous for
its wines for as long as Bordeaux. The question of which is the
greatest, Bordeaux or Burgundy, is still unsolved.
Cheerfully, wine-lovers go on comparing,
without ever succeeding in making up their minds - so, they
continue drinking both, tasting and comparing, and meanwhile,
having a wonderful time.
The wines of Burgundy have “warmth” and a
strong bouquet. They
Burgundy red wines are full-bodied and mellow. The Burgundy white wines are
very dry.
Burgundy wines are sold under the name of the
township or district they come from, Those bottled in the same
estate where they were made and aged, bear the name of that
estate with one of the following sentences on the label: "Mise
de la Propriété" ; "Mis en Bouteille par le Propriétaire" ; "Mise
du Domaine" ; "Mise en Bouteille au Domaine".
The region of Burgundy may be divided into
-
Chablis
The small town of
Chablis up north of Burgundy produces a dry, white wine so
famous that it has been imitated with poor success in many
other countries.
The wine of Chablis is very dry, light and
heady. It has a characteristic flavor, usually described as a
flinty taste. Its color is a light yellow with a slightly
greenish overtone.
The Côte d'Or which
produces the greatest of the great Burgundies is divided into
two parts : The Côte de Nuits to the north and the Côte de
Beaune to the South.
The wines of Côte d'Or
possess the qualities of the Burgundies to the highest degree.
They age well although
they mature quicker than the corresponding Bordeaux.
-
Côte de Nuits – the wines of the Côte de
nuits are very full-bodied and
generous with a remarkable bouquet. The best know come form
the following townships: Fixin, Gevrey-Chambertin,
Morey-Saint-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny,
Vougeot
Flagey-Echezeaux, Vosne-Romanee and the well
renowned
Nuits St Georges
-
Côte de Beaune -The wines of Côte de Beaune are somewhat lighter than
those of Côte de Nuits. They are delicate and smooth with a
very strong bouquet. The whites are dry and fruity and rank
among the very best.
The principal wine townships are: succulent Aloxe Corton. Pernand-Vergelesses, Beaune,
Volnay, generous Meursault, harmonious Chassagne and supple and elegant Puligny-Montrachet
|
POMMARD,
pretty aromas of spice, cherry, and wild mushrooms; on the
palate this wine exhibits strength and jammy fruit |
 |
| |
|
The wines of Southern
Burgundy are lighter than the Côte d'Or wines. They are fruity
with a delicate bouquet. They have freshness and are excellent
when young.
Southern Burgundy wines includes : Chalon, the crisp
aromas of Macon and lively and energetic Beaujolais.
Châlon produces the well known wines of gentle Mercurey, charming Rully,
Givry and superb Montagny.
Mâcon produces both red and white wines, both
very fine, the most famous being
the zesty and seductive Pouilly-fuisse, a dry,
fruity, heady, white wine.
The wines of Beaujolais are
fresh, light with an earthy flavor and bouquet. They are best
when young.
The principal wines of
Beaujolais are: Saint Amour, substantial Julienas, suave Fleurie, Chiroubles, sturdy Morgon, soft and alluring Côte de Brouilly, and loaded and loveable Moulin-a-Vent.
Beaujolais Nouveau
A word about this annual festive tradition. Beaujolais nouveau is a wine of the Gamay variety produced in the
Beaujolais (AOC) region of France that is authorized for
immediate sale after fermentation. It is the most popular vin de
primeur, a wine harvested in fall and sold before spring (much
sooner than it could be produced through normal fermentation).
Beaujolais nouveau is produced by carbonic maceration followed
by Pasteurization. A process that bypass malolactic
fermentation. The wine is ready to be drunk a scant six weeks
after the harvest. On the third Thursday of November each year
the new Beaujolais is officially released and just after
midnight a race begins to ship the wine out all around the world
as quickly as possible.
For a vintner the economic advantages of selling one's wine
before the end of the year are substantial, although the wine
itself varies dramatically in quality.
Beaujolais nouveau is not a wine to keep; it must be rapidly
consumed within a few months of its production.
Young, Beaujolais should be served chilled, at approximately 55F
(13C), to encourage its fruity complexion. The fuller
Beaujolais, on the other hand, are best at about 60-65F (17C).
Around 450,000 hectolitres of Beaujolais nouveau is produced
each year, making up about a third of the region's total wine
production. About half of this is exported, some of it as far as
Asia. By far the largest production comes from the négociant Georges Duboeuf, who makes the well-known "flower labels".
Enjoy... moderately.
In part from Wikipedia on
Beaujolais nouveau
|
