Chablis

Chablis has become one of the best known French white wines - outside of France. This is due to many growers all over the world borrowing the word "chablis" to describe any dry white wine. Chablis is vinted from the Chardonnay grape, grown in limestone and clay soils, the main obstacle being the late spring frost. Growers sometimes need to use Chaufferettes (fuel heaters) at the foot of the vineyards to ward off frost, or they may spray their vines with water and allow it to freeze creating an ice blanket around the plant, keeping the plant itself from freezing. Using frost protection methods has contributed to the viability of the vine and thus to the expansion of vineyards, and wine production. White wine is the only wine produced in Chablis. While all of these wines are dry, there are differences in styles due to two different schools of thought on the production process. The traditionalists only age their wines in oak while those willing to try new methods choose stainless steel. The oak agers feel that because oak is the traditional way of aging (steel and concrete came later) that is what should be done. They also claim that oak enhances the wine, adding subtlety and complexity. Those in favor of steel say oak harms the intrinsic flavor of Chablis. Indeed, high quality Chablis after maturing in the bottle a few years, often shows the subtle nutty flavors generally associated with oak aging. In this case, choosing oak aging could create on off balanced wine. When it comes to Chablis, the quality of a wine depends more in the vintner rather then the vineyard. However, when reading labels it is good to know that Grands Crus is a top designation area, Premiers Crus is the next level and below that are the non-designated areas.

Côte D'Or

The Côte D'Or is France's "Golden Slope". It runs from Dijon in the north, south past Beaune. History and geography have been kind to this area. It was the location of the first monastery, the Benedictine abbey of Cluny, who, along with those to come contributed to the organization as well as the research of wine making. During the Middle Ages, many sources of wine languished with lack of funding and strict religious laws, not so in Burgundy. The Valois Dukes loved grandeur, particularly in food and wine. It was Duke Phillipe the Bold in 1375 who brought forward what we know of today as the Pinot Noir grape, and outlawed the Gamay grape. His ancestors maintained this law, gaining the reputation as "lords of the best wine in Burgundy" The Cote d'Or is divided in half by the city of Beaune. To the north is the Cote d'Nuits, making almost exclusively red wine, and to the south is the Cote d'Beaune, making both red and white wine using the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. The styles of wine made in Burgundy are as many as the wine makers themselves. Therefore care is needed when choosing a wine; find the status, then the name of the maker. In general, wines increase in complexity, longevity and price as they go up the scale from village AOC to Premier Cru to Grand Cru, however, as the locals say, "It is the man (maker) who matters". To make things more difficult for the wine lover, vintages are very important, and a good year for the Cote d'Nuits is not necessarily a good year for the vineyard just around the corner. It is helpful to have a good resource to help you when choosing a Burgundy. Although the best Burgundies cannot be aged as long as their counterparts of Bourdeaux, they are best after about three years, and can be laid down to mature for an average of 10 years. This is true of both the red and the white varieties.

Chalonnais, Maconnais and Beaujolais

In the southern most area of Burgundy lie the Cote Chalonnaise, the Maconnais and the famed Beaujolais. Although none produce the grand wines of their neighbors, all should be taken seriously as they offer the wine drinker a wider range of styles, generally at a lower price. The Cote Chalonnaise are entitled to the general regional appellations of Burgundy and have the right to use their own names as well, so you may see both on the bottle label. Both red and white wines are produced using traditional Burgundian grapes: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay and Aligote'. The Chardonnay whites offer a taste of the "real" white Burgundy style that won't break the bank. The red wines can be variable, however, true Burgundian reds can be found from reputable producers within good vintages. These are easy drinking wines to enjoy at the dinner table every day. Cote Chalonnaise also has a good-sized sparkeling wine industry, although they are still difficult to find outside of France. The Maconniase is where the warmth of the south begins to show itself. Here, the country is beautiful with lovely villages, and rich in livestock and other agriculture. Althought the area does not concentrate solely on vines, they are abundant in the rich limestone hills to the east. You will recognize the most well known names of this region, Pouilly-Fuisse' and St-Veran. The Pouilly-Fuisses are extremely satisfying, fat, rich in fruit, white wines. The same can be said about the St-Veran wines, with better pricing. Wine production is dominated by cooperatives who make wines in a range of styles to suit their market: some age in oak, for complexity and richness, others in steel for a light, crisp wine, the latter being the most popular, and most enjoyable. The Maconnaise does produce red wines generally from the Gamay grape. These are not well known, difficult to find outside of France, and should be drunk young.

For those individuals convinced they do not like red wine, there is Beaujolais: One of the best-known wines in the world. It tends to carry a bad reputation with wine drinkers as an easy to drink, unassertive young wine. The growers would like it to be taken more seriously, and indeed these wines fill a niche that others do not. Beaujolais gained its name from a small town nestled in the foothills called Beaujeu. This area was the medieval stronghold of the local lords who thought of this as their own province. The Paris government was not pleased, and Cardinal Richelieu pulled their castle down in 1611. The entire area of Beaujolais can use the AOC Beaujolais or Beaujolais Superieur (slightly higher in alcohol). Beaujolais-Villages is restricted to the hill vineyards in 39 communes in the northern half, and within this restricted zone there are ten villages that can use their own name, these are the crus. The crus can age in the bottle for three to seven years while the regular Beaujolais should be consumed within a year after bottling. Beaujolais is proud to use a different method of fermentation. It is called carbonic maceration or "the Beaujolais method". Normally, grapes are partially crushed prior to fermentation due to de-stemming. With the carbonic fermentation method, the grapes are treated with up most care so as not to break the skins. They are carefully poured into the vat, then the vat is sealed. Fermentation begins and carbon dioxide is produced. The carbon dioxide gathers above the fruit, slowing the fermentation process. The weight of the grapes on top slowly crushes the lower ones allowing that juice to ferment. The heat produces sparks of fermentation inside the whole grape, which then bursts, adding to the process. When this stage is finished, the grapes are then pressed, and fermentation is continued. The whole reason for this is to extract as much aroma and color as possible, and the Gamay grape is well suited for this as it is a fruity, juicy grape indeed. The new Beaujolais or Beaujolais Nouveau is released to great fanfare each third Thursday of November. It is light and fruity and best drunk within six weeks of bottling… check for each year's release at Beverage Nation in mid-November. In general, we recommend serving Beaujolais with a slight chill to bring out the fruit and liveliness (this is not needed for the crus).

Featured Wines- Chateau Thivin ~ Cote de Bruilly Louis Jadot ~ Chardonnay Jadot Georges Duboeuf ~ Morgon Beaujolais

This excellent vineyard produces a white Burgundy wine with an elegant bouquet. It is a full-bodied wine that pairs perfectly with poultry, seafood, white meats and cheese. This wine is also an excellent choice for the warmer months as it should be served chilled. The Chateau De Maligny is also easy on the pocket book (for a Burgundy).

Joseph Drouhin.

Savigny-Les-Beaune
Drouhin is an important negociant in the Cote d’Or and Chablis, located out of Beaune, with beautiful cellars and vast vineyards, they produce extremely well made, reliable wines. The Savigny-Les-Beaune village sits in a valley with its vineyards extending up the hills on both sides. The wine is known for its appealing scent, and clean fruity taste. They are reasonably priced as well, at about $20.00.

Producer	Varietal	Vintage	Price	Buy Now
Drouhin	Chardonnay	2000	8.99	Details
Drouhin	Pinot Noir	2000	10.99	Details
Drouhin	Burgundy White	1998	39.99	Details
Drouhin	Burgundy White	2000	16.99	Details
Drouhin	French White	1998	45.99	Details
Drouhin	Burgundy Red	1997	41.99	Details