So often, customers will come into our store and say: “I don’t like
chardonnay.” The only honest response to
this would be: “That’s because you’ve never had a truly good white Burgundy.” Of course, I can’t say something quite that
snooty in a retail environment, and so I bide my time, and try to explain why
the sugary and/or overoaked chardonnays they’ve had from California shouldn’t
prejudice them against the real thing.
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| a name to remember... |
Side note number one: it’s surprising how many consumers don’t know
that white Burgundy is composed of chardonnay. Although there's a
tiny amount of another white grape called Aligoté produced in Burgundy, it's
quite rare to see it on the shelves of wine shops in the USA.
Side note number two: there are, of course, plenty of good chards from
California, but those who say they don’t care for the varietal have, invariably,
never tasted the really good examples from Sonoma, Napa, Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills, Monterey, etc. Their tastes have been warped by low-cost
wines produced for a mass market, or by pricier, overblown wines that appealed
to Americans at a time when their tastes were less evolved. Now that more and more people are seeking
elegance when they pop the cork – or twist the screwcap – they still retain
memories of the clunky wines that gave them a distorted idea of what chardonnay
can and should be.
Whenever I can, I try to introduce these folks to a wine that will open
their mind, and their palate, to the glory of chardonnay grown in its ancestral
home. Here is such a wine…
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| An exciting white Burgundy at an affordable price |
2013 Domaine Xavier Monnot
Les Grandes Coutures Bourgogne Blanc (Burgundy, France): Lovely, pure
yellow-gold. Compelling bouquet here,
with elements of quinine, citrus, ripe banana and subtle oak in the background. Some distinct green apple notes surface as
the wine opens out. According to Robert
Kacher, the grapes for this wine are grown just outside the boundaries of
Meursault – literally behind the town cemetery there. Meursault is one of the legendary spots on
this planet for fine chardonnay. The
grapes for this one may not come from within the appellation, but the
bloodlines from the terroir show through very clearly, especially on the
palate, which is big and buttery – a hallmark of fine Meursault. Balanced and lovely. Bourgogne Blanc can be a hit-or-miss affair,
but this is strictly a hit; a large wow factor to this offering, especially at
our price of $22.00. Frankly, it would
be worth it even if the price were $30.00.
A perfect partner with a roast chicken breast, and a richly satisfying
wine. **** - **** ½
