Always a time of year for giving as well as consuming, the New Year holiday season for wine lovers is a time for sampling the best: not only for quality and enjoyment, but also with an eye on future investment value. As a time of merrymaking in many parts of the world, what better than to learn while celebrating in one of France’s most delightful areas: the winemaking region of Burgundy.
Whether picking a few festive bottles or selecting a choice of cases to profit and to impress, for many wine lovers the exciting trend of late 2011 was certainly the ‘discovery’ of the pleasures – as well as the values - of the Burgundy region. After a Bordeaux boom which for years has bordered on insanity, the time at last has come for wise investors in French wine to explore other frontiers.
However, learning to love Burgundy for those used to Bordeaux is a whole new game – so many things are different and so much –structure as well as sensation, colour as well as complexity have to be experienced to be appreciated – so what better way to start than to join with us and take a winter trip to Burgundy itself!
Arriving in the Bourgogne region from Dijon in the north, the visitor quickly catches sight of the trademark colourful glazed tile roofs that are a part of the region’s architectural tradition, and just as much a part of the countryside as its vineyards, villages and distinctive domains. Passing southward along the vineyard route through the famous domaines of Gevrey Chambertin and Nuits St. Georges, the thirsty traveler soon arrives in historic Beaune itself, with its famous castle, and ancient ramparts dominating the skyline.
In January in Burgundy, the weather is cold outdoors, and the vines along its south-west facing slopes are ready for pruning, in preparation for the new growing season and another year of magical winemaking ahead. But indoors, the ambiance is warm, and the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays - the main grapes of the region, are ready for drinking by the fireside as the festive season is alight!
Red Burgundy is perfect for a winter dinner– not only because it is clear and light in appearance, and best drunk at fresh temperatures, but also because it is an ideal accompaniment for traditional foods like turkey, goose and duck. In texture and composition, the aromatic, spicy, sensuous properties of Bourgogne and the fact that, unlike Bordeaux, it loves to be drunk while it is young and vital, is a big attraction of France’s most up-and-coming wine of the moment.
In fact, experts say that 70% of the pleasure of Bourgogne derives from the nose and not the palate; whereas Bordeaux is all about design and structure, Burgundy is about bouquet and sensuality. Add to that the fact that Pinot Noir can be drunk with a variety of dishes, and often throughout a long afternoon of entertaining and eating, it makes catering for demanding guests easier and you can quickly see why it is the host and hostesses’ choice for a perfect party.
But for cold-weather wine lovers and those enjoying the season of goodwill, it is the difference that delights the soul and what better way to celebrate the end of the old year and prosper in the new than with the ethereal power of a beautiful Bourgogne?
