A step into White Burgundy

Burgundy, the word carries a lot of connotations. At first we visualize ancient wine cellars, perhaps a stooped old Frenchman, blowing the dust of an old bottle and gently opening the wine. To most of us Burgundy means expensive wine. This is accurate to some degree. Many Burgundies will set you back several hundred a bottle. But not all Burgundies will break the bank.

This week we will talk about white Burgundies. As you know, white Burgundies are made from the Chardonnay grape. Let’s start with wine labeled Bourgogne Blanc. This will be you basic, entry level white Burgundy. You can expect a crisp, clean wine. Most of them just have a kiss of oak. Some of your better producers can make a wine with richness and complexity. You can get many of these wines for $15-$30. Try the Bouchard or Remoissenet 2006.

We all know the famous white appellations such as Puligny-Montrechet and Corton Charlemagne. But there are other appellations you should try, if you are not a millionaire. Macon-Villages, produces Chardonnays with bright fruit character. These wines are delicious on hot August evening. Look for the Perrusset 2005. This is a really enjoyable wine. Wines from the Macon can be found in the $15-$20 range.
Wines labeled as Saint Veran, can come from seven different communes. The wines exhibit some of the mineral quality you expect in wines that will cost you much more. The buttery oak flavors are a little more pronounced in the Saint Veran wines as compared to Macon and your basic Bourgogne Blanc. Some think of the wines as being fatter the Macon. St Veran should be in the $20 to $30 range.

My advice is start with some of these wines before you step up to the big boys.

Madame Butterfly and Moscato

Once again I have found out that some experiences cannot be repeated. I have been lucky in my life to have attended some exceptional artistic events. I was at the American premier of Les Miserable’s. It was held at the Kennedy Center, with all of official Washington in attendance (obviously I lived in D.C., because only those living within the “beltway” would use the term “official Washington”). I saw Deric Jacobi play Hamlet, at the Folger Theater. I saw Les Miserable’s years later and it did not move me. I have seen Hamlet numerous times, and never got the thrill I did those years ago, at the Folger. A few years ago, I went to L.A. to see the opera Madame Butterfly. It was one of those special nights. The dinner was great before the opera and the opera itself was exquisite. It was a unique production. I can even remember the cool breeze, dancing up the street, as we walked past the Disney Concert Hall.

I should not have been surprised that the next time I saw Madame Butterfly, it did not compare. It was a few nights ago, outside in an amphitheater, on a warm August night. You are probably wondering about the wine part, well here it is…As I sat there listening to the music I was sipping on a Coppa Moscato d’ Asti. It was the perfect drink for the night. Moscato has a tasty apple flavor; some have a touch of citrus or quince. They are slightly effervescent, the Italians call it Frizzante. I like saying that word, Frizzante! A good Moscato has just the right match of acidity and sweetness. They tend to have lower alcohol, which is nice, when you leave an opera at intermission.

Many people in the wine world do not consider Moscato to be a “serious” wine. Sometimes, we in the wine business are our worst enemies. We have built a mystique around wine that often gets in the way. Wine does not have to be serious, it can be a tasty sip on a hot summer night.

Some of my favorite Moscato’s to look for come from Prunotto, La Spinetta and of course Coppo.