Burgundy

Good White Burgundy remains the greatest white wine in the world and its greatest Chardonnay. It is expensive. It cannot be otherwise, for the unique combination of soils and climate which gives White Burgundy its distinction is found only in a few favoured spots. In style, White Burgundy ranges from the steely Chablis of northern Burgundy to the soft, blossomy wines of the Maconnais in the south. The stars, however, are found in the Cote d’Or and the Cote de Beaune in particular.

 There is no greater expression of the sensuousness of the Pinot Noir grape than fine Red Burgundy. Drinking it is a privilege, for Red Burgundy is all about perfume and style. Almost all the great vineyards of the Cote d’Or – unlike, say, Bordeaux – are a patchwork of vines with many different owners and many different wine-making skills. It is essential, then, to buy from a merchant who knows each grower personally, his wine-making abilities, and, above all, his skill at capturing the subtle nuances that differentiate one vineyard from another – terroir.