Now that we have a visual of Burgundy's backbone from Part I, we are ready to demystify the label, make a choice...then get on to drinking!
Burgundy Labels:WTF?
What the flip is right. One surefire way to give yourself a headache is to think too much about the label. The trusty triage I am going to give you will solve all your problems. It concerns the vintage, producer, and apellation, which is really all you need to know. Other info which will be present, however, includes the classification--a geographical demarcation determined by a council of terroir experts. These are pretty straightforward and generally reflected in the price. Burgundy classifications, in descending order of quality, are: Grand crus, Premier crus, village appellations, and regional appellations.
The Trusty Triage for Selecting and Buying a Burgundy
I am going to do my favorite thing ever, that is, contradict Robert Parker, the lawyer turned founder of Wine Spectator and propagator of numeric evaluation methods. In his book Burgundy: a Comprehensive Guide (vomit) he says that the factors one ought to consider when selecting Burgundy are, in order, 1)Producer, 2)Terroir/Apellation and 3)Vintage. This is wrong people. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. (Did I mention this was my favorite thing to do?) The factors are right, but, as usual, he missed the point by 180 degrees. Here's your trusty triage:
1. Vintage
While a vintage technically has less impact than terroir, if you are buying for immediate consumption, this HAS to be the first thing you consider. How do you find out about Burgundy vintages? Although I would readily burn most of his documents (vis a vis Burgundian Abbeys, French Revolution), I would hang on to RP's vintage chart. Fold it up and carry it in your wallet. Why does the vinatage matter so much? Burgundy is genius in the bottle. During its life it has several peaks, and you have to be sure to catch it on a good one. Heaven forbid you catch a prodigy in a dumb phase.
2. Terroir/Apellation
This is the single most important factor in determining taste (and would be number one on this list if you were stocking your cave). Consider the style of the wine you're after. e.g. powerful/dried roses (Beaune) or delicate/lavender (Chambolle-Musigny). What's going to go best with your meal? Pinot Noir (and Chardonnay to a lesser extent) is a terroir sponge. The main differences you'll taste are attributable to dirt. What kind of dirt are you into??? Burgundy is your chance to find out.
3. Producer
This is the least complex factor, as in: you usually like one or you don't. If you like Mommesin's style (I don't, I find it overly oaked) in one wine, then you'll generally like their others. If you like Jean Grivot's very minimal intervention (as I do) in his Nuits-St.-Georges, then you'll probably like his other wines. Why is this last on the list? Burgundy wine-makers are trying to express the dirt and not themselves. They take pride in the art of s'effacement, in erasing their signature. Also, even if they had a monstrous ego, the brute fact is that the delicate grapes and quirky soil do most of the work for them.
How to Drink Your Burgundy
This last bit is easy. Drink it with food. Old world wines are meant to accompany a meal. This is especially true for Burgundy, which has a high acidity and tastes of mushrooms and herbs. Try having it with a delicious dish from the same region, like Epoisses, boeuf bourguignon, or escargots. Also, it is worth it to invest in a few Burgundy glasses which are tapered at the top to trap the delicate aromas. No need to get fancy crystal ones which break easily (unless that's what you're into). The shape will do the trick. Lastly, don't refill your glass until the first one's finished. The wine changes at a rapid rate and likes to keep its soul intact.
A Votre Santé,
SJB
Related Posts:
Making Sense of Burgundy, Part I of II
What's in a Vintage: Is it Really Just Good Weather?
How to Maximize Your Nose's Wine Potential
How I Fell in Love with Wine
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