Bubbles From Burgundy

You likely know that Crémant is a French sparkling wine made in exactly the same way that Champagne is made, only in a region other than Champagne. That's not the only difference, though. Crémant also often utilizes different grapes than those favored in Champagne: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. 

A Crémant from Alsace may use Pinot Blanc, while one made in the Loire Valley may use Chenin Blanc and one from Burgundy may use Gamay. Here, though, is a Burgundian Crémant which relies on the tried and true grapes of Champagne.

The Albert Bichot Crémant  de Bourgogne Brut Reserve has a blend of 60% Chardonnay grapes and 40% Pinot Noir. The fruit was grown in Beaune, in the areas of Châtillonnais, Côte Chalonnaise & Mâconnais. 

Fifteen percent of the cuvée was aged for six months in oak and the remainder in stainless steel tanks. That’s the standard for reserve sparkling wines at Bichot. The regular stuff only needs 10% of the cuvée aged in wood. After the tank or barrel aging, the wine rests for another 18 to 20 months in the bottle. Alcohol sits at a very Champagne-like 12.5%, but it sells for around $25.

This wine offers plenty of bubbles, which dissipate quickly. The golden wine that remains has aromas of various citrus fruits, dried apricots, minerality and yeasty notes. The palate is savory and toasty, with a good level of acidity. The finish is lengthy, which is a good thing since is tastes so good. 

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Château de Pommard Dinner

Château de Pommard has been a Burgundy institution for nearly three centuries.  The Micaults, the Marey-Monges and now the Famille Carabello-Baum have all gotten dirty feet and purple hands in the vineyards and cellar of the domaine.

A recent dinner at L.A.'s Katana Robata introduced me to CEO Michael Baum and winemaker Emmanuel Sala, pictured.  Baum's family are the first American owners of a wine-producing château in the Côte d'Or.  They have brought a more open attitude to Burgundy from their California roots. They even had a music festival this summer, Rootstock.  Baum didn’t come to Los Angeles to talk about tunes, though.

He came to talk about wine, specifically what his part of Burgundy is doing to educate people to the wonders of the region. Baum said Château de Pommard has launched six immersive wine experiences designed to "untangle the web that makes Burgundy the most envied wine region in the world."

He must be a real character in Burgundy. Not only does Baum carry a Silicon Valley pedigree, and looks a little like Bill Mahr, he even speaks highly of Oregon's Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs. As for the guy in the cellar, Sala's 28 years in winemaking has led him to "focus more on soil than wine." Here's what we tasted during the dinner:

Bourgogne Chardonnay 2012 - Peaches and minerals grace the nose, while the palate shows nice heft with citrus and fresh acidity. Made from grapes that came from 25-year-old vines, this blanc aged for 24 months in 15% new oak.

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 2013 - Softer than the 2012, it pairs better with Asian dishes and shows more earthy qualities than minerals.

Maranges Premier Cru "Les Loyères" 2013 - Medium ruby in color, this one has a gorgeous nose of soft black raspberry and tea. Very soft tannins make for an extremely elegant drink. It's as mellow as it gets, from a challenging vintage. Baum says, "To make beautiful wine, you have to like bad weather." The wine pairs perfectly with tuna carpaccio.

Vivant Micault 2013 - From the oldest vines in the clos, there's black tea ahead of rustic minerals on the nose. A gentle structure is carried forward on the palate by an even stronger note of tea. It's a great pairing with shrimp tempura.

Clos Marey-Monge 2012 - A very earthy nose full of black tea leads to a bit more tannic structure on the palate, but it’s still smooth. Raspberry, mineral and a bit of cola are notable. I found it reminded me somewhat of California Pinot, and it went well with spare ribs and pork belly.

Simone 2013 - More cola notes come around on the nose here with the expected black tea and minerals. The palate showed the biggest of the evening's selections. Muscular, but still elegant. This was paired with the chocolate lava cake at dessert, and pleased the crowd.


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Chardonnay In Chablis

Chablis is a region in France’s Burgundy wine region. Chablis wine is made with the Chardonnay grape. In America we call that "white wine." Or, at least, some of us do.

The biggest hurdle most introductory wine drinkers have to clear is understanding all the nuances, like the fact that French wine is labeled by region, not grape. Chablis is Chardonnay, you just sound a lot more continental when ordering it their way.

On a recent Twitter gathering of Chablis lovers, some wine writers were invited to join in the fun with samples provided. I was there. The four samples were all consistently good examples of what Chardonnay, er, Chablis can offer. I don't know if you can really go wrong by simply ordering "Chablis," with no other information given. If you have had trouble in that area, I'd love to know about it. My thoughts on the wines follow comments from some of the other participants.

One Twitter Taster branded Chablis as, "Wonderful elegant white wines from France," which the Chablis people must be happy with. Another posted that "most people in the "ABC Club" usually find their way out by way of #Chablis," referring to the blinkered "Anything But Chardonnay" crowd. What’s good about it and why? "Nowhere else produces Chardonnay like Chablis: vines grow on prehistoric sea, w/ saline geology."

The cool climate in this northern neck of the Bourgogne woods also has a lot to with it. The Chardonnay comes out leaner, steelier, flintier than a big, ripe California Chardonnay.  As one Tweeter put it, "#Chablis is the essence of terroir."

Chablis, owing to its fresh acidity and flinty flavor profile, is a great wine to have with brunch. Have it with breakfast if you want, I’m not going to judge. It pairs great with eggs and croissants, in addition to the usual shellfish and sushi. Try it with guacamole and chips. Your football Sunday will never be the same.

Chablis, Albert Bichot, Domaine Long-Depaquit 2014

Utilizing grapes from four estate vineyards in Burgundy, this Chardonnay clocks in at a super-low 12.5% abv.  The nose shows its minerals well, in a shower of wet rocks, lemons and tropical fruit. The flinty palate fits perfectly with any type of seafood, but bring me some oysters Rockefeller.

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Chardonnay Wine In Chablis: Petit Chablis

How many times have I heard someone ask, "What kind of grape is Chablis?" It has happened more often than a wine nerd might think. It's almost as common as confusing "sparkling wine" with "Champagne," and right along the same lines, although nobody has ever asked me what kind of grape Champagne is. As long as it tickles the nose, what do they care?

Chablis, of course, is a region in France’s Burgundy wine region. Chablis wine is made with the Chardonnay grape. In America we call that "white wine." Or, at least, some of us do.

The biggest hurdle most introductory wine drinkers have to clear is understanding all the nuances, like the fact that French wine is labeled by region, not grape. Chablis is Chardonnay, you just sound a lot more continental when ordering it that way.

A recent Twitter gathering of Chablis lovers took place, with some wine writers invited to join in the fun with samples provided. I was there. The four samples were all consistently good examples of what Chardonnay, er, Chablis can offer. I don't know if you can really go wrong by simply ordering "Chablis," with no other information given. If you have had trouble in that area, I'd love to know about it. My thoughts on the wines follow comments from some of the other participants.

One Twitter Taster branded Chablis as, "Wonderful elegant white wines from France," which the Chablis people must be happy with. Another posted that "most people in the "ABC Club" usually find their way out by way of #Chablis," referring to the blinkered "Anything But Chardonnay" crowd. What’s good about it and why? "Nowhere else produces Chardonnay like Chablis: vines grow on prehistoric sea, w/ saline geology."

The cool climate in this northern neck of the Bourgogne woods also has a lot to with it. The Chardonnay comes out leaner, steelier, flintier than a big, ripe California Chardonnay.  As one Tweeter put it, "#Chablis is the essence of terroir."

Chablis, owing to its fresh acidity and flinty flavor profile, is a great wine to have with brunch. Have it with breakfast if you want, I’m not going to judge. It pairs great with eggs and croissants, in addition to the usual shellfish and sushi. Try it with guacamole and chips. Your football Sunday will never be the same.


Petit Chablis, Domaine Vincent Dampt, 2015

Petit Chablis is an appellation within the Chablis region. An incredibly golden hue is a delight to look at, but quit looking and pour. The nose is great, full of minerals and citrus and an earthy sense that underlies it all. The palate is full of apples and lemons. An earthy streak rides from the front to the finish, the acidity is very refreshing and the mouthfeel is full and round. This is a great Caesar salad wine, or with pasta primavera. On Twitter, comments like this one summed up the wine: "loved it, drank it, did not spit it out. Light and minerally, brisk and ethereal!"


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The Hidden Gems Of Bourgogne: Reds

Here are three excellent red Burgundy wines poured recently by some very nice folks from the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne. More about them in the repeat of the article below the wines.


Vincent Girardin’s Cuvée Saint-Vincent 2013 comes from an area near Volnay and Pommard, in the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, in the hills west of Beaune. The grapes of 40-year-old vines are vinified in steel, mostly, with about ten-percent seeing oak age. The $30 retail price puts it in the affordable range for Bourgogne Rouge. The perfumed, floral nose is a hallmark of the region, while the easy, low tannins make it extremely drinkable.

Frederic Esmonin’s La Belle Vue 2014 is a Côtes Nuit-Villages wine, also at $30. It’s made from grapes grown in Comblanchien and is a straightforward drink with beautiful roses and cherries on the nose and palate, and a stronger tannic structure than the Girardin.

The Michel Briday Les 4 Vignes Rully Rouge 2012 is produced using grapes from four different parcels in the Côte Chalonnaise. The 35-year-old vines make for a youthful and rustic Pinot Noir that retails for $20. More cherry notes than in the previous wines grace the nose, which is still a perfumed wonder. Bright cherry flavors dominate the palate.

The term Climat is unique to Bourgogne, says their leaflet. It is the Burgundian expression of terroir. Weather, soil and exposure, combined with non-interventionist cellar practices is what make Bourgogne Bourgogne. It’s what makes Burgundy Burgundy.

Twenty centuries of winemaking have taught them a thing or two in Burgundy since the Romans first planted vines there. They claim that Mediterranean influences to the south, continental influences to the north and oceanic influences to the west make for a vast and varied wine region, one with which none can compare.

Of course, Bordeaux will take exception to that, as will the Rhône Valley, the Languedoc, Napa Valley, the Finger Lakes and the high plains of Texas. I mean, what kind of wine region would you be if you didn't think your dirt was the best?

Native Burgundian Amaury Devillard (right) comes from a family that has owned vineyards in the Mercurey region of Bourgogne since the 12th Century. His father got a comparatively late start, waiting until 1934 to produce his wine.

Devillard was in Los Angeles recently for a spate of tastings and met with me for a picnic in the park. He and Cécile Mathiaud (left), the head of PR for Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne, along with Sopexa publicist Marguerite de Chaumont Quitry brought wine, a fine spread and their magnetic personalities to brighten an ordinary Wednesday afternoon. Mathiaud offered a theme for the picnic when she said, "In France, food is as serious as wine." While Devillard and I moved to the end of the picnic table, where the wine was, to let the ladies set up the feast, she quipped, "Ah, as always, the women in the kitchen and the men in the cellar!"

Devillard was here to, naturally, extol the virtues of Burgundy. He put a fine point on his effort, though, and emphasized the "hidden gems" of the region. "The mark of Bourgogne is balance," he said, referring to the scales of ripeness, flavor and acidity playing against each other. But he also wanted to show that there is balance at the checkout stand. "People think Bourgogne is expensive, but it does not have to be," he said. "These wines," he waved over the picnic table, "are quite affordable, very affordable, and they are excellent wines. You get a lot for your money."

I always think of of Pinot Noir when I think of Burgundy. But actually, 61% of Bourgogne wines are white, Chardonnay. 29% are red, 9% are cremant and just a fraction are rosé. Two-thirds of the winemakers in Bougogne are small producers, says Devillard.

In France they have a term for a farming philosophy which allows "treatments of the vines only when absolutely necessary," says their info. It’s called called Luttes Raisonnées - an idiomatic expression that literally means "reasoned fight" in English. Why they don't just call it laissez faire, I don't know. Maybe some vintners have to duke it out every now and then to protect their biodynamic and organic viticulture practices

Schooled in France, Devillard made wine in South Africa and worked in Spain for a while before returning to France to sell wine barrels. He later moved to New York and represented the Bourgogne négociant Antonin Rodet and has been back in Burgundy for eleven years, watching over the family’s domaines.

Here are my thoughts on Devillard’s own wine, the Chateau de la Chamirey 2012 Mercurey. In the coming days, we’ll sample some of the other "hidden gems" of Bougogne that they brought with them.

The Chateau de la Chamirey is a Chardonnay that is 50% steel aged, 50% oak.  It sells for $30, which makes it one of the more expensive gems on the table this day.  The nose is rich and funky, with a wonderful earthy aspect that balanced the fruit perfectly. On the palate, the limestone soil of the vineyard comes though plainly, with a flinty touch that I find irresistible in white wines. Devillard pointed out the "increased greasiness" of the wine, which I translated as an oily character - full and round.

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The Hidden Gems of Bourgogne: Whites

Here are three excellent white Burgundy wines poured recently by some very nice folks from the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne. More about them in the repeat of the article below the wines.


Louis Moreau Chablis 2014 is 100% Chardonnay with no oak, only natural yeast and a little more than two weeks in fermentation. It’s another of those "hidden gems" Devillard spoke about at just $19.  The nose smells just like the sea, loaded with minerals and salinity.  Flavors of fresh, crisp apples grace the clean palate.

Chateau de la Greffiere La Roche-Vineuse Sous Le Bois 2014 comes from another family estate. The wine is aged on the lees (spent yeast cells) in steel tanks. Devillard says this one comes from "down south." We might say, Mâcon, in southern Burgundy. Aromas of flowers are a delight, and the salinity on the palate definitely threw me off. I forgot where I was for a second and wondered aloud, "Sauvignon Blanc?" Devillard shot me a look and a grin. It’s an $18 bottle., and worth every penny.

The Jacques Bavard Saint-Romain 2013 from Puligny-Montrachet is grown at a high altitude, and has the cool-climate trademarks to show for it. The $20 retail is a steal for a Chardonnay with little oak, nice weight, fresh acidity and bright spice. It’s flinty, but round.

The term Climat is unique to Bourgogne, says their leaflet. It is the Burgundian expression of terroir. Weather, soil and exposure, combined with non-interventionist cellar practices is what make Bourgogne Bourgogne. It’s what makes Burgundy Burgundy.

Twenty centuries of winemaking have taught them a thing or two in Burgundy since the Romans first planted vines there. They claim that Mediterranean influences to the south, continental influences to the north and oceanic influences to the west make for a vast and varied wine region, one with which none can compare.

Of course, Bordeaux will take exception to that, as will the Rhône Valley, the Languedoc, Napa Valley, the Finger Lakes and the high plains of Texas. I mean, what kind of wine region would you be if you didn't think your dirt was the best?

Native Burgundian Amaury Devillard (right) comes from a family that has owned vineyards in the Mercurey region of Bourgogne since the 12th Century. His father got a comparatively late start, waiting until 1934 to produce his wine.

Devillard was in Los Angeles recently for a spate of tastings and met with me for a picnic in the park. He and Cécile Mathiaud (left), the head of PR for Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne, along with Sopexa publicist Marguerite de Chaumont Quitry brought wine, a fine spread and their magnetic personalities to brighten an ordinary Wednesday afternoon. Mathiaud offered a theme for the picnic when she said, "In France, food is as serious as wine." While Devillard and I moved to the end of the picnic table, where the wine was, to let the ladies set up the feast, she quipped, "Ah, as always, the women in the kitchen and the men in the cellar!"

Devillard was here to, naturally, extol the virtues of Burgundy. He put a fine point on his effort, though, and emphasized the "hidden gems" of the region. "The mark of Bourgogne is balance," he said, referring to the scales of ripeness, flavor and acidity playing against each other. But he also wanted to show that there is balance at the checkout stand. "People think Bourgogne is expensive, but it does not have to be," he said. "These wines," he waved over the picnic table, "are quite affordable, very affordable, and they are excellent wines. You get a lot for your money."

I always think of of Pinot Noir when I think of Burgundy. But actually, 61% of Bourgogne wines are white, Chardonnay. 29% are red, 9% are cremant and just a fraction are rosé. Two-thirds of the winemakers in Bougogne are small producers, says Devillard.

In France they have a term for a farming philosophy which allows "treatments of the vines only when absolutely necessary," says their info. It’s called called Luttes Raisonnées - an idiomatic expression that literally means "reasoned fight" in English. Why they don't just call it laissez faire, I don't know. Maybe some vintners have to duke it out every now and then to protect their biodynamic and organic viticulture practices

Schooled in France, Devillard made wine in South Africa and worked in Spain for a while before returning to France to sell wine barrels. He later moved to New York and represented the Bourgogne négociant Antonin Rodet and has been back in Burgundy for eleven years, watching over the family’s domaines.

Here are my thoughts on Devillard’s own wine, the Chateau de la Chamirey 2012 Mercurey. In the coming days, we’ll sample some of the other "hidden gems" of Bougogne that they brought with them.

The Chateau de la Chamirey is a Chardonnay that is 50% steel aged, 50% oak.  It sells for $30, which makes it one of the more expensive gems on the table this day.  The nose is rich and funky, with a wonderful earthy aspect that balanced the fruit perfectly. On the palate, the limestone soil of the vineyard comes though plainly, with a flinty touch that I find irresistible in white wines. Devillard pointed out the "increased greasiness" of the wine, which I translated as an oily character - full and round.


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Picnic In L.A. With The Hidden Gems Of Bourgogne

The term Climat is unique to Bourgogne, says their leaflet. It is the Burgundian expression of terroir. Weather, soil and exposure, combined with non-interventionist cellar practices is what make Bourgogne Bourgogne. It’s what makes Burgundy Burgundy.

Twenty centuries of winemaking have taught them a thing or two in Burgundy since the Romans first planted vines there. They claim that Mediterranean influences to the south, continental influences to the north and oceanic influences to the west make for a vast and varied wine region, one with which none can compare.

Of course, Bordeaux will take exception to that, as will the Rhône Valley, the Languedoc, Napa Valley, the Finger Lakes and the high plains of Texas. I mean, what kind of wine region would you be if you didn't think your dirt was the best?

Native Burgundian Amaury Devillard (right) comes from a family that has owned vineyards in the Mercurey region of Bourgogne since the 12th Century. His father got a comparatively late start, waiting until 1934 to produce his wine.

Devillard was in Los Angeles recently for a spate of tastings and met with me for a picnic in the park. He and Cécile Mathiaud (left), the head of PR for Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne, along with Sopexa publicist Marguerite de Chaumont Quitry brought wine, a fine spread and their magnetic personalities to brighten an ordinary Wednesday afternoon. Mathiaud offered a theme for the picnic when she said, "In France, food is as serious as wine." While Devillard and I moved to the end of the picnic table, where the wine was, to let the ladies set up the feast, she quipped, "Ah, as always, the women in the kitchen and the men in the cellar!"

Devillard was here to, naturally, extol the virtues of Burgundy. He put a fine point on his effort, though, and emphasized the "hidden gems" of the region. "The mark of Bourgogne is balance," he said, referring to the scales of ripeness, flavor and acidity playing against each other. But he also wanted to show that there is balance at the checkout stand. "People think Bourgogne is expensive, but it does not have to be," he said. "These wines," he waved over the picnic table, "are quite affordable, very affordable, and they are excellent wines. You get a lot for your money."

I always think of of Pinot Noir when I think of Burgundy. But actually, 61% of Bourgogne wines are white, Chardonnay. 29% are red, 9% are cremant and just a fraction are rosé. Two-thirds of the winemakers in Bougogne are small producers, says Devillard.

In France they have a term for a farming philosophy which allows "treatments of the vines only when absolutely necessary," says their info. It’s called called Luttes Raisonnées - an idiomatic expression that literally means "reasoned fight" in English. Why they don't just call it laissez faire, I don't know. Maybe some vintners have to duke it out every now and then to protect their biodynamic and organic viticulture practices

Schooled in France, Devillard made wine in South Africa and worked in Spain for a while before returning to France to sell wine barrels. He later moved to New York and represented the Bourgogne négociant Antonin Rodet and has been back in Burgundy for eleven years, watching over the family’s domaines.

Here are my thoughts on Devillard’s own wine, the Chateau de la Chamirey 2012 Mercurey. In the coming days, we’ll sample some of the other "hidden gems" of Bougogne that they brought with them.

The Chateau de la Chamirey is a Chardonnay that is 50% steel aged, 50% oak.  It sells for $30, which makes it one of the more expensive gems on the table this day.  The nose is rich and funky, with a wonderful earthy aspect that balanced the fruit perfectly. On the palate, the limestone soil of the vineyard comes though plainly, with a flinty touch that I find irresistible in white wines. Devillard pointed out the "increased greasiness" of the wine, which I translated as an oily character - full and round.


Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter