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A Burgundy tasting
I am just home after several days of intensive wine tasting in France. I'm not expecting too much sympathy but I've got to tell you that it's an absolutely exhausting job.
As always, there was a bit of straw-drawing for day one and I, happily, landed Burgundy.
My first ever trip to a wine region was to Burgundy and it made a lasting impression on me. I knew so little at the time and I was both fascinated and intimidated by the seemingly endless myriad of vineyards and individual sites.
Visiting domaines wasn't about swanky tasting rooms; rather I spent my time ringing doorbells and being hosted in garages stuffed with presses and fermentation tanks. It was completely charming and I loved every minute of it.
It is true though that there were substantially more misses than there were hits and despite coming home with a boot laden down with pinot noir, I did then understand the importance of buying Burgundy at home from a reputable and knowledgeable merchant.
So, a day of tasting nothing but Burgundy was a bit of a treat for me and I couldn't wait to get started.
I spent the best part of the morning focusing on the wines of Givry. It is not the most posh of the appellations but it remains on my list of the more reliable - and often better value - sources of red Burgundy. Givry is to be found in the Côte Chalonnaise, which is further south than the better known Côte d'Or.
The Chalonnaise gains extra points too for being just so incredibly pretty. The vineyards are planted alongside arable farms in the rolling hillsides which offer up their fair share of perfect picnic spots.
It's always heartening when your long-term loyalty to the wines of a particular area is rewarded and I am delighted to report that the wines of Givry really did shine.
In vintage terms 2004 was not one of the easiest vintages to contend with. Summer wasn't overly warm and there was a pretty nasty storm towards the end of August which meant reduced crops and more sleepless nights for the winemakers. Happily, September was warm and settled, allowing the remaining grapes to ripen well.
Quality producers have delivered clean, well-structured wines with good fruit. It might not be a classic in vintage terms but there are some great wines to be drunk now.
Come the afternoon I headed north into the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits (which make up the Côte d'Or). Here, it was all about trying the 2005 and 2006 vintages.
2005 was what can only be described as a blinder of a year in Burgundy. It was as though the weather had decided it wanted to deliver the perfect wine. The long, cold winter ensured that the vineyards were bug-free and this was followed by a frost-free March. In April and May there was sufficient rain to replenish the water table. June was warm and dry, while July and August were hot, hot, hot! Drought meant there wasn't excessive foliage and the dryness of the vintage delivered exceedingly healthy grapes. All in all, an excellent year.
The quality 2005 wines I tasted were full of fruit, with excellent structure and length.
What then of 2006?
The weather was significantly less helpful in 2006. Winter seemed to last forever and August was damp and the rain continued to the start of September. The result was a substantial loss of crop as vineyard owners paced the vineyard rows, removing bunch upon bunch of rotting grapes.
The success of the wines in 2006 fell directly upon the shoulders of the winemaker. Where the crops were judiciously managed, the remaining grapes did have excellent fruit, good colour and natural alcohol of between 13 per cent and 13.5 per cent. In truth, the consistency isn't there but when the wine is good, it is good.
The Oxford Times Wine Club case this week is a Burgundian six-pack of these three fascinating vintages. I am also pleased to report that two of the bottles are from my beloved Givry. Santé.
Click here for The Oxford Times Wine Club offers.
2:08pm Thursday 7th February 2008
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