Posts Tagged ‘burgundy france’

In each and every wine drinkers journey there comes a point where you want to learn more about specific wine regions and some of the wines and events which make them so special.

Burgundy is one wine region that is entirely complex and almost impossible to understand, however there are plenty of incredibly interesting people and stories which make the region what it is today. I’ve chosen some of the incredible highlights from Burgundy to share with you. From one of the most famous charity auctions in the world, to the inherent language barriers between French and English, there is a little here for everyone.

Evolution: One of the main factors that draws so many wine drinkers to Burgundy is its propensity to evolve in your glass. Often times people will find one or two flavors when they first try a glass, only to find that within ten to fifteen minutes other flavors have become more noticeable. When serving a fine Burgundy this type of evolution makes it imperative to neither top off glasses not decant very long before drinking.

Charity: Perhaps the most prestigious wine event in the world on a yearly basis is the Hospices de Beaune. An annual charity event in the Hotel Dieu, which was originally built in 1451 and now owns over 150 acres of vines, the auction raises money to benefit local hospitals.

Cote D’Or: Quick how does this translate? Often translated as golden slope, which many people believe is in reference to the fact that they vineyards turn golden in autumn…this is actually an incorrect assumption. Our modern term for this region is actually a shortening of the original term which means south facing. This is an important term in the area because all vines are planted on south facing slopes in order to catch every available minute of sunlight.

Language Barrier: No term in English quite comes close to terrior which is a combination of all the unique traits of the land which lead to the wine including soil, climate, rainfall, orientation etc etc. However, very few people are aware that no term in French is accurate for winemaker. The closest approximation is vine grower, which given the French wine industry and their obsession with terrior….might actually be accurate.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this short primer on some important facts in regards to wine from Burgundy and the events and facts associated with it. As always with wine, find what you like and drink it!

Author: Mark A Aselstine
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: How Electric Pressure Cookers Work

Burgundy is one of the most difficult regions in the wine world to predict, but knowing a little something about the larger AVA’s in France can do one a lot of good when beginning to choose wine.

Cote D’Or: When people speak about Burgundy, they are almost always talking about this region. The region is approximately thirty miles long and is almost exclusively planted in limestone soil, which is split into two halves as far as the wine drinking public is concerned. The northern half grows solely red wine (Pinot Noir) and the southern half grows both red and white wine, although it grows more white wine than red. One village which literally everyone has heard of is Dijon which lies at the northernmost point of Burgundy. Yes, Dijon is the town which the mustard is named after and the village still produces 70% of the mustard consumed in France.

Chablis: It’s placement at the northernmost edge of Burgundy once made Chablis an important supplier of Chardonnay to the Paris bistros. Alas, with so many new producers of Chardonnay from all over the world and easier transit of wine in general, both the pedigree of Chablis and the quality of its wines has dipped over time.

Cote Chalonnaise: Situated next to Cote D’Or, this is the region to look toward if you want to drink a quality Burgundy, but can’t afford one of the premiere wineries of the region. Again, the top producers may vary from year to year and if you get a year with less then ripe grapes the wine may end up watery and uninteresting….but in good years, WOW! Again, this is a region where is makes sense to find a quality wine shop and receive recommendations based on recent vintages from someone whom has had the chance to try and wines themselves.

Maconnais: Despite the fact that the village of Chardonnay can be found in this region, the wines produced here are more characteristic of jug wine then anything of higher quality. Historians are even suspicious of the name of the village, there is plenty of debate regarding the time line of the Chardonnay wine being produced, or the village named. It is possible the village took the name of a famous wine to encourage tourism and bring in more jobs.

In general the average wine drinker should look for wines from either Cote D’Or, if you can find an affordable version, or Cote Chalonnaise for a more affordable version of the great Burgundy that so many people crave.

Author: Mark A Aselstine
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger