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Burgundy and nibbles at Lamont’s
I love Burgundy. I love the town of Beaune, the region, the people and I adore the wines! So when I heard about the Lamont’s afternoon tasting of 16 wines I was so keen to attend, even though it meant missing a great surf that afternoon!
I went to Burgundy for the first time in 2009 on a press trip then returned in June and July of 2010 to visit more wineries with different journalists. Nothing can beat actually going to Burgundy and meeting the winemakers and families involved behind the label. However to travel from Perth to Burgundy would not just require the funds but also the time, at least 2 weeks to give you enough time to get over the jet lag and visit the wineries. So because I can’t do that and because I love exploring Burgundy and there are hundreds of domaines to try, I really enjoyed the wines on Sunday 16th June. See below the line up (with Erin’s hand) for the whites:
White Burgundies at Lamont's
These were the white wines:
Thierry et Pascale Matrot Bourgogne Blanc 2010 RRP $38.40, on the night price $25.50
Sylvain Mosnier Chablis 2010 RRP $37.50, on the night price $29.85
Aurélien Verdet Hautes-Côte de Nuits “Prieure” Blanc 2010 RRP $49.95, on the night price $39.80
Patrice and Cédric Martin St Véran “Champ Rond” 2011 RRP $31.75, on the night price $25.95
Sylvain Mosnier Chablis Premier Cru Côte de Léchet 2010 RRP $49.95, on the night price $39.85
Patrice and Cédric Martin Pouilly-Fuissé 2011 RRP $67.75, on the night price $55.45
Jean Monnier Meursault Genevrières Premier Cru 2010 RRP $106.75 , on the night price $87.35
Then after the whites, there were the reds to try!
Red Burgundies at Lamont's
Red wines:
Philippe Livera Bourgogne Rouge 2011 RRP $42.30, on the night price $34.50
Domaine Humbert Frères Bourgogne Rouge 2010 RRP $51.00, on the night price $39.85
Philippe Livera Fixin 2011 RRP $69.55, on the night price $56.90
Domaine Humbert Frères Fixin 2010 RRP $75.00, on the night price $59.80
Aurélien Verdet Morey-St-Denis 2010 RRP $83.95, on the night price $68.70
Philippe Livera Gevrey Chambertin Clos Village 2011 RRP $99.95, on the night price $84.10
Aurélien Verdet Vosne-Romanée 2010 RRP $95.95 on the night price $78.50
Domaine Ecard Savigny-lès-Beaune Serpentières Premier Cru 2011 RRP $88.75,on the night price $69.80
Jean Monnier Pommard Grand Epenots Premier Cru 2006 RRP $105.50, on the night price $86.50
It was fantastic to be able to try wines from so many ACs back to back rom Chablis in the north to St Véran in the Mâconnais further south. I especially enjoyed trying the two Fixins side by side – same area, same grape, same soil and climate but so different.
Starting with Chablis, all Premier and Grand Cru vineyards in Chablis have been planted on mainly predominantely Kimmeridgean soild which actually gives the wines in Chablis that flinty note. In Chablis as well as in the Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise the weather is continental. Further south in the Mâconnais and in Beaujolais, there is a slightly warmer influence. In such a continental climate, frosts can be a problem and hail can be a threat in the summer as well as at harvest time.
I love Burgundy because the two main grape varieties; Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are so expressive and so different depending on where they are grown, winemaking style etc. To be able to put AOC on a wine label, the winemaker needs to comply with 7 regulations; land, grape varieties, viticultural practices, permitted yields, alcohol, winemaking practices and submitted to an officeial tasting since 1979.
Chardonnay has made its reputation in Burgundy. It’s a grape that buds early and ripens early and overall it produces consistent yields. Chardonnay in Chablis is minerally and crisp with high acidity – the driest style in Burgundy. Whereas Chardonnay from Côte de Beaune has more buttery aromas, tropical live peach, white peach and citrus aromas. In Côte Chalonnaise, this grape will give wines an aromatic style, floral, melon and citrus aromas. With the different scenery and climate in the Mâconnais you’ll find more rolling hills interspered with orchards and the wines have more of an apple, melon and honey aromas.
So why is Burgundy so expensive? Think about the lack of economies of scale; there’s hundreds of domaines on small lots, there’s strict regulations so it’s not possible to overcrop. So really if you’re on a budget and want to buy Burgundy; you have two choices. You can either buy the village wine from the highly acclaimed AOCs or buy Premier Cru from the less well known AOCs. So go for a Marsannay, Fixin, Chorey-Lès-Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune or a Auxey-Duresses instead of a Pommard, Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny. Look out for the name of the grower.
There’s so much more to say about Burgundy but I think I’ll need to write another post!
Posted in: Wine 4 Christmas, Wineries and tastings | Tags: Chablis , Fixin , Gevrey Chambertin , Hautes-Côte de Nuits , Meursault , Morey-St-Denis , Pommard , Pouilly-Fuissé , Savigny-lès-Beaune , St Véran , Vosne-Romanée
