French Wine Regions
History of French WineFrance’s history with wine dates back to the 6th century BC, when the city-state of Massalia (modern-day Marseille) began trading wines with other Mediterranean cultures. However, viticulturally speaking, …
Burgundy
Andre Delorme Blanc de Blancs Brut Reserve, Burgundy
Shopping for wine in Pennsylvania can be tough. It’s not just the sluggish bureaucracy. It’s not just the on-average-higher prices. It not just the communist-era fluorescent lighting. It’s the fact that …
Antonin Rodet 2010 Clos de Thorey 1er Cru
Thorey is a Rodet monopole in Nuits Saint Georges and one of their best bottlings. For the serious lover of Pinot Noir, this is a dramatic bottle of Premier Cru Burgundy that …
Evening Land 2011 Pouilly Fuisse
About Pouilly Fuissé Way back when I was in my early twenties, Pouilly-Fuissé was all the rage. The restaurant I was working at had three on their wine list. One of the …
Domaine Collotte 2010 Fixin Cote de Nuits, Burgundy
Domaine Collotte is a family estate dating back a few hundred years, with vineyards in Marsannay and the nearby town of Fixin. The current winemaker, Philippe Collotte, was making some of …
Philippe Collotte 2009 Marsannay les Champsalomon
A remarkably aristocratic Burgundy, remarkable especially considering the price point (Burgundy is the bizarro world of wine, in which spending under $30 usually gets you an average everyday bottle). The wine boasts deep …
Pierre Amadieu 2009 “Romaine Machotte” Gigondas
Gigondas is one of the most complex wine regions in France, terroir-wise. Some in the valley are remarkably similar to the princely Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Some have the imposing structure of the Hermitage. …
Kumeu River Estate 2006 Chardonnay, New Zealand
The aromas and flavors of chalk, lemongrass, and honeysuckle scream out White Burgundy. Chablis, even. Pretty notes of exotic fruit round out the profile. A lovely wine that shows character and …
J.M. Bouley 2004 “Clos De Chene” Volnay 1er Cru
A beautiful Burgundy which is just starting to develop and will continue to do so for another decade. Lush and tannic for a Volnay, a filigree of freshly cut roses and …
Louis Latour 2005 “Les Chaillots” Aloxe Corton
Again with the 2005’s! So many of them are priced out of reach of all but those with the deepest pockets. But here’s an example of a cherry-rich, age-worthy bottling from …
Unexpected Pairings
This past summer, I fell madly in love with a perhaps unexpected food and wine pairing: Braised beef ravioli with tomato sauce alongside a bottle of Grand Cru Burgundy. This past …
Is Burgundy Worthwhile?
Wine educators constantly find themselves in a neutral zone defined by advocating too strongly for certain wines while damning others with less than faint praise. Or, in my case, of practicing …