French Wine Explorers
Wine e-Newsletter
www.wine-tours-france.com
- March 2007
This month's wine explorations:
- Montrachet, Burgundy's Greatest White
- 4 Great Ways to Visit Burgundy in 2007, and Early Booking Savings
- Burgundy's Scenic Beauty and Impressive History
- Some Exceptional Wine Tasting & Touring Opportunities This Month
- Grilled Lobster Recipe (to serve with Montrachet!)
Bonjour!
This month, we take a look at Burgundy, home to some of France's greatest red and white wines. This region, with its 100 or so appellations, is considered by many to be impossible to understand. Still others prefer to visit Bordeaux, a region they feel has better quality wines. While Burgundy is certainly not the easiest wine region to understand, it really is not as difficult as many would think, and there are definitely as many great wines in Burgundy as there are in Bordeaux (and most at more reasonable prices for the same quality!). What's the best way to really understand and appreciate Burgundy and its wines? By taking a wine tour, of course! French Wine Explorers now has many different options for visiting Burgundy, from the ultra-luxury sojourn to some very affordable alternative trips - check them out in our "Special Burgundy Tours for 2007" article below. We'll also be taking a close look at Montrachet, Burgundy's greatest Grand Cru white (and perhaps the finest white wine in the world), in an ideal pairing with grilled lobster (mmmm - there's even Jean-Pierre's recipe for you). Find out more about touring in the Côte d'Or in our feature on the scenic beauty and amazing history of Burgundy.
We also have several great wine tasting opportunities to tell you about. We often hear about special tastings and trips that are very exclusive and not available to the general public, and we offer them only to you, our newsletter subscribers - that's one of the great perks of joining our emailing list (be sure to tell your friends)!
A bientot (see you soon),
Lauriann Greene-Sollin, Sommelier-Conseil
President/Founder
Montrachet, Burgundy's Greatest White Wine
Sometimes
a great bottle of wine can transform a simple meal from ordinary to
extraordinary all by itself. Such was the case recently when
Jean-Pierre and I opened a bottle of Montrachet with a sommelier friend
and his wife.
Montrachet (pronounced "moh-rah-shay") is one of those mythic wines that inspires awe in the hearts of wine lovers. Thomas Jefferson called it "the greatest dry white wine in the world," and most present-day critics would likely agree with that sentiment. Straddling the wine villages of Puligny Montrachet and Chassagne Montrachet in the Côte de Beaune, this tiny appellation (just 8 hectares, or approximately 19 acres) produces only 52,000 bottles per year on average. In true Burgundy style, this small vineyard has been subdivided over the centuries and is now owned by 16 different producers, from large négociants like Bouchard Père et Fils to small family producers like Marc Colin et Fils. Like its counterpart in the Côte de Nuits, La Romanée Conti (considered the greatest red wine in Burgundy), Montrachet is a rare commodity and fetches astronomic prices in great years (as much as $2-3000 per bottle). But besides its rarity, what is it about this wine that inspires such reverence, and moves wine lovers to spend so much money to experience it?
First, consider the vineyard it comes from. Montrachet, and its neighboring Grand Cru appellations of Batard Montrachet and Chevalier Montrachet, sit on the best piece of vineyard land for white wine in all of Burgundy. Placed ideally facing east/southeast, so the sun hits at just the right angle, and at mid-slope, so the drainage is perfect, the Chardonnay vines find the ideal environment for perfect ripening. The name "Montrachet" means "bald mountain," and you can understand this moniker when you look at the ground: the topsoil is so thin that you can clearly see the limestone bedrock just beneath it. The vine roots reach down many meters through tiny cracks and crevices in the rock itself. This limestone is purported to give the wines their characteristic minerality, race and elegance. Batard and Chevalier are no slouches, either - in some years, they can be as great as their princely neighbor. But Le Montrachet is more consistently great year after year, with a special character and complexity that sets it apart. While the wine is extremely full-bodied and powerful, it is also totally dry, with not a hint of the sweetness one can find in other wines of this area, like Meursault. Le Montrachet is more comparable with the best Grand Cru Chablis in this way than it is with the other white wines of the Côte de Beaune. The aromas are amazingly complex and intense, yet discrete and elegant in a seemingly impossible paradox that is compelling and fascinating.
Montrachet has always been Jean-Pierre's favorite wine, so we have several bottles in our cellar. When we kenw that our sommelier friend and his wife were going to be in town, we seized the opportunity to open a bottle. As Montrachet is one of the few white wines that can age 20, 30 or more years, it's a shame to drink it too young and miss out on experiencing it at its peak. Being impatient to try at least one of our prized bottles, we chose the oldest one we had: a 1997 Montrachet from Joseph Drouhin Marquis de Laguiche (who own one of the larger parcels in the Montrachet vineyard).
When you're opening such a great wine, it's
important to serve foods that will complement the wine but not mask or
distract from it in any way. The wine should remain the star of the
show, and the food the supporting players. We chose lobster, the most
noble of shellfish, very simply grilled on the barbecue. This is a classic
wine/food pairing: the rich flesh of the lobster with its distinctive but
discrete flavors would stand up to the richness of the wine, but not
overpower it in any way, forming a perfect backdrop for the complex aromas
of the Montrachet.
I was standing next to the table when Jean-Pierre opened and started pouring the wine. You can tell a wine is extremely aromatic when you can clearly smell the aromas from six feet away, so I was immediately impressed. And what aromas! In the air hung the most beautiful, subtle oak imaginable, with a bit of grilled bread, followed by lemon and grapefruit. The wine seemed very young, with an aromatic palate still dominated by the fruit. In the mouth, it was huge - amazing concentration, full and ample, and yet just behind it came that totally refreshing combination of minerality and acidity that keeps this wine so pure and elegant. Beyond the noble oak and citrus fruit were aromas of fresh almond, white flowers, peach, and just a hint of butter. The pairing with the lobster was wonderful, and we marveled at how the Montrachet's aromas changed and developed in the glass from minute to minute, revealing hints of other aromas that would have developed with more time in the cellar. While we were a bit sorry to have opened the wine so young, we did have an amazing gastronomic experience that we will all remember for quite a long time. See Jean-Pierre's recipe for grilled lobster below - we hope you'll have the opportunity to recreate this extraordinary pairing at home!
Discover the great white and red wines of Burgundy this year on a selection of great tours, from luxury tours to value-priced tours and even some special barge wine tours - keep reading below for more information!
4 Great Ways to Visit Burgundy in 2007, and Early Booking Savings!
In 2007, we're offering more opportunities than ever to discover the beauty, history and fabulous wines of Burgundy, no matter what your budget:
- May 28-June 2: on the Burgundy & Champagne Prestige tour, you'll enjoy very special VIP tastings at the absolute top estates of Burgundy, as well as the most prestigious Champagne houses, large and small, with luxury accommodations and the finest Michelin-starred dining;
- July 2-7: Robin Garr of WineLoversPage.com joins us for the very special, value-priced Terroirs of Burgundy tour. This affordable tour (only US$2995 per person) includes the best of the Côte d'Or and also explores the great wines and beautiful countryside of the Côte Chalonnaise and the Maconais;
- Sept. 10-14: Great Estates of Burgundy tour (with special savings - see below), offers a wonderful overview of the famous Côte d'Or (Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits), including top estates, luxury accommodations and sumptuous dining - this 5-day tour is a great add-on to a trip to Paris or elsewhere in France;
- Wine Tasting Barge Cruises in Burgundy: charter a luxury barge (4, 5 or 6 guests) and cruise through the gorgeous Burgundian countryside with a special wine itinerary, including visits to fine wine estates, expert-led wine tastings on-board, great dining with fine wines and even a jacuzzi to enjoy on board! Available dates: May 13-19, June 3-9, July 1-7, July 8-14, July 15-21, July 22-28, July 29-August 4, August 19-25, August 26-Sept. 1, Sept. 2-8, Sept. 16-22, and Oct. 14-20.
See our Burgundy Wine Tours page for more information, or contact French Wine Explorers for itineraries and details for these great Burgundy tours.
Remember that we're offering special early-booking savings of $250 PER PERSON on selected tours: Great Estates of Bordeaux (September 3-8, 2007); Great Estates of Burgundy (September 10-14, 2007); and Alsace Christmas Markets (December 13-17, 2007). That's a savings of $500 per couple! This special offer is good only until April 15th, so be sure to contact us today for itineraries and full information.
Don't forget our popular Bordeaux Prestige tours, with luxury accommodations exclusively for our group at the totally private 2nd Growth Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron, tastings at all 5 First Growths and the top estates of Saint Emilion, Pomerol and Sauternes. They're already filling up, so do be sure to sign up soon before we sell out. Dates are May 21-26, 2007 or June 4-9, 2007.
Of course, private wine touring is also possible in any of the French wine regions, or in the finest wine regions of Italy, Spain and Portugal. Private tours can be customized as you wish, and can include hotels and chateaux from comfortable and charming 3-star to the most luxurious 5-star, gastronomic dining, cooking classes, special wine tastings and wine classes, hot-air balloon or helicopter excursions, cultural sightseeing, and, as always, the very best, most prestigious wineries, large and small, famous and soon-to-be-famous. Jean-Pierre and I will be in Avignon next summer, and we'd like to extend a special invitation to come and tour with us in the Rhone Valley or Provence, these regions we know and love so well. Special in-depth tours are also available for wine tasting clubs, and for wine and food professionals.
See our web site and download a printable 2007 schedule, contact us by email or telephone us at 1-877-261-1500 (toll free U.S. and Canada) for full itineraries, details and reservation forms. Join us for an unforgettable wine tour in 2007!
Burgundy's Scenic Beauty and Impressive History
Many wine lovers choose to visit Burgundy, and the reason is not only the region's fantastic wines. Burgundy is one of the most scenically beautiful and historically rich regions in all of France. Both the vineyards and the cities of Beaune and Dijon offer many wonderful sights and cultural landmarks to fascinate any visitor to these parts.
The Côte d'Or, or "golden slope", is the area that produces most of the great wines of Burgundy. This narrow strip of land is roughly 5 km wide and runs approximately 65 km between Dijon to the north and Santenay to the south. Travelling down the small highway that passes through the Côte d'Or, the most famous vineyards of Burgundy are stretched out before you. Vosne Romanée, Gevrey Chambertin, Morey Saint Denis . . . the road signs along the route recite the contents of a Burgundy lover's cellar. Lush, green hillsides covered with grape vines are dotted with these lovely, ancient villages, each with its church steeple and its typically Burgundian roof of colorful, patterned lacquered tile.
Burgundy is the epitome of the French expression "to live well, live hidden", and beautiful stone walls surround everything: the homes, the chateaus, even the vineyards (the famous "clos" vineyards, like the Clos Saint Denis and the Clos de Vougeot, are enclosed by walls). Although people here are a bit reserved, they are passionate about their wines, and wine lovers who visit are rewarded for their interest in the region by the vignerons' broad smiles and a seemingly endless parade of bottles (or barrels) of their best wines for our guests to taste.
At
the heart of this famous wine region is Beaune, a lovely small city of
22,000 inhabitants. This intimate city
(really more like a town) has an extensive historic district that houses
many wonderful examples of Renaissance architecture. Until
the 14th century, it was the residence of the powerful Dukes of Burgundy,
before they later settled definitively in
Beaune is best known for the Hôtel Dieu, also known as the Hospices de Beaune, built in 1443 by Chancellor (to the Dukes of Burgundy) Nicolas Rollin as a charitable hospital for the poor. The outside is quite plain, attesting to the Hospices’ earnest mission to help the poor, but once inside, the wealth of the patrons who built the Hospices is evident in the elaborate varnished tile work and other decorative elements typical of high Renaissance style. Each November, the famous Auction of the Hospices de Beaune is held to sell wine from the 58 hectares of vineyard owned by the Hospices. The vineyards, located between Meursault and Aloxe-Corton (including most of the Côte de Beaune’s most famous “crus”), was donated over the centuries by wealthy patrons. The proceeds from the auction are used to maintain the Hôtel Dieu, and to fund other hospitals in the area.
On our 2007 Burgundy tours, you'll stay in the very center of Beaune, sample its many fine restaurants, and enjoy the charm, history and beauty of this remarkable region.
Exceptional Wine Tasting and Touring Opportunities
I'm sorry that these are so last-minute, but if you happen to be available, we heartily encourage you to participate. In any case, these are annual events, so you can mark them down in your calendar for next year if this year doesn't work for you:
- Great Wine Seminar: March 16-18 at the Marriott West Palm Beach, Florida.
This annual event is moderated this year by Serena Sutcliffe, Master of Wine, Head of Sotheby’s International Wine department as well as one of the staff writers for Decanter magazine. The seminars (each including extensive vertical tastings) this year are:
Friday, March 16: Taylor & Fonseca Port (Fladgate Partnership Group), presented by Alistair Robertson, Chairman of the Fladgate Partnership Group, including a dinner buffet.
Saturday, March 17: Chateau Cos d'Estournel, presented by Jean-Guilleaume Prats, President; Tenuta Dell'Ornellaia, Bolgheri Super Tuscan, presented by Leonardo Raspini, General Director; and Peter Michael Winery (an American Cult Wine), presented by Nicolas Morlet, winemaker. There is a Gourmet Dinner that evening by chef Brad Kelly, formerly of Lautrec, Le Bec Fin and La Cote Basque.
Sunday, March 18: Domaine & Maison Leroy, Burgundy, presented by Martine Saunier, importer.
There are just a few spots open at this time, and you can reserve them online at: http://www.localwineevents.com/Palm-Beach-Wine/ (on this page, click on the listing for the Great Wine Seminar).
For this event, the West Palm Beach Marriott has a special rate of $269 for a regular room and $399 for suites on a limited basis. They also have a FREE shuttle to and from the Palm Beach Airport (PBI) for your convenience. Please call them directly at 1-800-376-2292.
-
Attend the Futures Tastings in
Join wine experts from
around the world as they descend on
It's really quite simple to make wonderful, delectable grilled lobster. There are just a few ingredients: the key is the cooking time, the freshness of the lobster, and the basting:
2 large LIVE lobsters
(about 2 lbs each)
Juice from the lobsters
1 glass of white chardonnay wine (NOT Montrachet - save that for
drinking!)
Salt & White Pepper to taste
Prepare the barbecue grill so it's hot and ready. Cut each lobster in half lengthwise (I'll spare you the gory details - just be humane!) on a wooden cutting board with a groove around it to hold the juices. Place on a platter. Pour the juice into a bowl, add the glass of white wine, 2 pinches of salt and 6 turns of the peppermill, stir to blend.
Place the lobster halves on the grill, on the shell (so the flesh side is up - see photo in the article). Position the lobster so the claws are a bit off to the side, out of the hottest part of the grill - they will cook faster than the rest, so you don't want them to get too hot. The fire should be very hot, but not raging - better for the lobster to cook slowly and evenly. Baste the flesh regularly with a spoon, so it remains always moist. The lobster will become red - that doesn't mean it's finished cooking! When the flesh has become white (no longer transparent) and it has pulled away from shell, it's ready. For us, it took about 1/2 hour, but it depends on the size of the lobster and the temperature of your grill.
Serve immediately, one half lobster per guest (this recipe is for 4 people), preferably with a Montrachet, Batard Montrachet or Chevalier Montrachet (a Puligny Montrachet will also be very good). Bon appetit!
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© 2007 French Wine Explorers. Articles © 2007 Lauriann Greene. All rights reserved. Fla. Seller of Travel Reg. No. ST36431