The immense variety of white
wines from Burgundy comes primarily from
one grape: Chardonnay. Chardonnay
adapts itself to the different soils and
climates of the area to produce some of
the finest white wines in the world.
In this installment of the
Skinny Guide to French Wines, we’re
going to cover a handful of Burgundy whites.
They are from different parts of the region
and are sufficiently distinguishable from
each other to give you a quick, but broad,
knowledge base on the subject.
When you look for these
wines in the stores, keep in mind that
you may also see variations on the names.
For example, when looking for Montrachet,
you may also see Bâtard-Montrachet or
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru. As you
might imagine, these wines are from areas
very near and associated with Montrachet.
But they are in fact different than Montrachet,
even if only by specific degrees. For
purposes of this article, we’ll focus
on the benchmarks. Starting with...
The only grape permitted in Chablis is
Chardonnay, known locally as Beaunois.
Chablis should be a pale yellow in color,
sometimes with even a greenish tinge,
but should never look too watery. The
bouquet is decidedly flowery, but not
heavy. Rather it should smell fresh and
clean. In the mouth, Chablis is crisp
and fruity, and it should have a solid
finish. Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis
Grand Cru are often preferred as superior
examples of what Chablis should be.
($46). A great example of a
Chablis Grand Cru, this wine is ripe and
rich with forward fruit, including apple
and pear, with a citrusy crispness that
gives terrific balance. The firm finish
lingers exquisitely. This should really
age for at least another couple of years.
($48). Beautiful
buttery yellow in color, this is a fantastic
Chablis. Ripe fruitiness is the star from
start to finish, with a toasty, nutty
undercurrent that finishes crisp and clean.
Best after 2005.
($15). Fresh, clean Chablis with bright
fruit and a strong, crisp finish. Perfect
example of classic Chablis. Great with
food. Drink now.
These wines are often considered to be
one of the finest examples of white Burgundy.
They are rich and nutty, full-bodied,
and extremely long-lived – 10 years
or more from the vintage date. A well-aged
Corton-Charlemagne should have a rich
greenish gold color. The bouquet and palate
of these wines is fruity, but with generous
doses of almonds, cinnamon, honey, and
oak.
($88)
Good grief, this is incredible stuff.
Excellent profile of honey and cinnamon
behind the fruity pear make this a really
big, rich wine. Beautifully balanced,
velvety in texture, great finish. This
will age for at least ten years, maybe
more like fifteen.
($98). Rich and sophisticated,
this is outstanding. This wine has plenty
of fruit, with characteristic cinnamon
and honey, but also some surprising vanilla
oak. Very attractive mineral core adds
balance, and the acidity is perfect. This
wine is drinking pretty well now, so it
may not have quite the expected longevity,
but should age another five or so years.
If white Burgundy had a poster child,
it would be Meursault. These are the prototypical
white Burgundy wines. They are extraordinarily
varied, but the good ones share a buttery,
nutty, rich characteristic that is unmistakable.
They should not be heavy-handed, however,
and the finish should be dry and clean.
As with Chablis, the Meursault Premier
Cru wines are more reliably fine examples
of the wine.
($38). This is a
great bottle at a fantastic price. Ripe
fruit, smooth on the palate, it offers
an array of rich fruit, lime, honey, and
nutty toasty oak that is fabulous. Great
example of a rich wine that maintains
the classic Meursault clean finish. Pretty
darn good now, but will be even better
in a couple of years.
($34).
Lush, buttery, and rich, with plenty of
toasted nutty oak, this Meursault is quite
good. Very fruity, with pear and citrus,
this wine needs a bit of time to achieve
the balance that it surely will. Try again
in about five years, then drink until
2010.
Montrachet is the pinnacle of white Burgundy.
The soil (particularly high in limestone
content) and climate conditions are unmatched
and not replicated anywhere in the world.
The bouquet is a Montrachet’s first
telltale sign: floral. Intensely floral.
On the mouth it is rich and full of finesse,
very fruity, and with honey and almond
notes. Yet for all its richness, the finish
is clean and dry. Montrachet typically
needs about five years in the bottle to
reach its best maturity. These are pricey
little numbers, so shop wisely; but a
great Montrachet is heaven, pure and simple.
($248). Great fruit here, including classic
pear and a touch of melon. The characteristic
honeyed smoothness is in full force, as
is the clean acidity and balance. Lush
floral bouquet. Outstanding! This wine
is actually drinking surprisingly well
now, which makes me think it might not
be quite as age-worthy as most –
two or three years ought to do it.
($240).
There is a floral bouquet, but you practically
have to inhale it to detect it. Ditto
for the rich fruit layers and almond notes.
But that’s because it is still so
young – this wine will need a minimum
of ten years to open up. When it does,
though, hold on to your hat. This latest
in the Jadot line of fantastic Montrachet,
is going to be a killer.
Mâcon Blanc and Mâcon Village are Chardonnays,
(with sometimes a bit of Pinot Blanc in
the Mâcon Blancs), from the Mâconnais
area of Burgundy. These wines are generally
lighter, clean, fresh and fruity. Look
for green apple and citrus notes with
these wines. They should be drunk young,
generally within two years of the vintage.
These are great go-with-food wines, since
they match nicely with just about all
fish, poultry, hors d'oeuvres, etc. They
are also easy-drinking on their own. Prices
are generally low here, and you can often
get great value for your money.
($10). Crisp, refreshing,
with plenty of tart apple, citrus, and
an appealing grassy quality, this is a
go-with-seafood wine if ever there was
one. Fresh finish, if a bit short.
($15). From famed winemaker Dominique
Lafon of Comtes Lafon, comes this lovely
and refreshing wine that bursts with typical
green apple, grass, and citrus, plus a
touch of soft pear thrown in for balance.
Love the mineral trace that lingers on
the finish.
($16). Another great Mâcon from reliable
Verget – this wine has all the refreshing
apple and lime that you expect, but it’s
just done very well. Good acidity. Nice
balance. Very enjoyable clean finish.
Pouilly-Fuissé is also from the Mâconnais,
but generally considered to be the finer
white wine from the area. They are extremely
popular because of the balance between
rich complexity on the one hand and youthful
green freshness on the other. When you
taste a properly aged Pouilly-Fuissé (generally
three to five years), you will be aware
of both elements. The bouquet is floral,
though less so than a Montrachet. It’s
the green wood, sappy, new, grassy (you
get the idea) note that is the Pouilly-Fuissé
signature.
($35). This
is a great example of the intriguing paradox
of Pouilly-Fuissé – immediately rich,
ripe, and complex, but still clean and
young tasting. This has the new, green
wood element that is so wonderful in this
appellation. Very nice pineapple notes
are both ripe and tart. Wonderful!
($11). Great value at this
price – this wine has plenty of rich
body, including toasty oak and full fruit.
There’s also enough youthful tang,
including a certain clover freshness,
to make it even more appealing.
Chablis is pale yellow in
color, crisp and fruity in the mouth,
with a firm finish.
Corton-Charlemagnes are typically
rich and nutty Chardonnays with honeyed
and/or spicy notes.
Meursaults are rich and buttery,
but with a dry clean finish.
Montrachets have a floral bouquet
that gives way to a fruity sophisticated
palate that is usually nutty and rich.
Finish clean.
Mâcon Blancs typically have a citrusy,
crispness balanced young, fresh fruit
notes. These are great go-with-food and
drink young wines.
Pouilly-Fuissés balance rich complexity
with youthful green freshness and often
have a floral bouquet.
I encourage you to jump
in and start trying some of these wines.
If you are familiar only with American
Chardonnays, then you already have some
idea of what these wines will taste like.
But you will definitely notice the difference
in style! And with the wide range of prices
available, you should be able to find
something that fits your budget. Cheers!
