Page 21 - Code de Vino, #12/18, s/s 2016

20 The Space of Taste Code de Vino #12 Code de Vino #12 Burgundy 21

Background
The Burgundians were one of the ancient Germanic tribes. The
Scandinavian sagas name the Danish island of Bornholm as their
ancient homeland. After settling on the continent, the
Burgundians migrated westward, first establishing a kingdom with
Geneva as its capital. In antiquity, the Burgundians formed an
alliance with Rome, which would turn out to be a great benefit to
both at various times. The Burgundians were easily assimilated by
the Roman population and adopted many of the features of
Roman culture, including its love of the vine. Before converting to
Catholicism, they professed Arian Christianity. They also
maintained good relations with Byzantium.
The Burgundians were spread across a wide territory: in the
Middle Ages, the Burgundian kings controlled land from
Switzerland and Lyon to Marseille. But that kingdom did not
occupy the territory of modern Burgundy. To the north of the
kingdom, there was also the Duchy of Burgundy with its capital in
Dijon, inhabited by the Burgundians that were conquered by the
Franks in the early Middle Ages. That is the polity to which
modern Burgundy traces its origins, after it gradually regained its
independence from the Franks and established its influence over
the region. The Duchy of Burgundy reached its golden age in the
fifteenth century, having conquered the Netherlands, Flanders,
and Luxembourg. But by the sixteenth century, it had again Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre, Yonne, erected
become part of France and continued to exist only as a province. under the Carolingians with its 9th century frescoes

Vineyards in Chablis
Classification
Burgundy’s wines were classified in 1861. Since the Wine Subregions of Burgundy They can be quite expensive; for example, twelve bottles of 1983
introduction of the general appellation system in France in vintage Chablis Le Clos Grand Cru were purchased for USD 3,000 at
1935, the classification of Burgundy wines has undergone an auction in Stockholm in 2011. Grand Cru wines go well with veal,
several changes. The best vineyards are now called Grands Burgundy has several large wine regions: complex dishes with sauces, or Italian risotto with mushrooms.
Crus and Premiers Crus (1er Crus). They are followed by
communal (village appellations) and regional appellations. • Chablis and Grand Auxerrois The harvest year is very important for Chablis wines. Of the recent
Burgundy’s Sparkling wines have their own appellation: • Côte-de-Nuits and Hautes Côtes de Nuits vintages, 2002, 2005, and 2010 particularly deserve mention.
Crémant de Bourgogne. • Côte de Beaune and Hautes Côtes de Beaune
• Côte Chalonnaise and Couchois
• Mâconnai Chablis wines have been popular in Russia since the eighteenth
While it is necessary to take into account Burgundy’s wine century. Pushkin himself wrote to his good friend, the bibliophile and
hierarchy, one should pay special attention not only to the • Châtillonnais bibliographer Sergey Sobolevsky:
vineyard’s classification but also to the manufacturer. An
owner of a Premier Cru vineyard often makes much more Chablis When they bring you trout,
interesting and better quality wine than their neighbor who Order it boiled.
owns a grand cru plot. Burgundy currently has 33 Grand Chablis wines are usually dry and fresh, with characteristic mineral And when it turns blue,
Cru vineyards (about 2% of Burgundy’s vineyards) and 584 tones created by the region’s limestone soils. Chablis produces 23% Add a glass of Chablis.
Premier Cru vineyards (about 15% of Burgundy’s vineyards). of all the wine in Burgundy. According to the current classification, it
has four appellations. Mikhail Kuzmin, a Silver Age poet, translator, novelist, and composer
Experts estimate the price of a single hectare of a simple wrote:
Pinot Noir vineyard at EUR 70,000. For a hectare of a Petit Chablis: The vineyards are located on a plateau. Petit Chablis
Premier Cru vineyard it would be EUR 700,000, and EUR 4 wines should be consumed one or two years after the harvest. They Where do I find the words to describe a walk,
million for a Grand Cru vineyard. make for a good aperitif. Chablis in ice, a roasted bun,
And the sweet agathe of ripe cherries?
Opening Grand Cru Burgundy wines earlier than five or six Chablis: The Burgundy appellation that is most well-known in Russia. The dawn is far, and from the sea comes
years after the harvest and Premier Cru wines earlier than It produces the largest volume of wine. Chablis wines are best The sound of hot bodies splashing in cool waters.
three or four years after the harvest is a waste of money. It consumed two to three years after the harvest.
should also be noted that experts usually do not Another remarkable Silver Age poet, Igor Severyanin, wrote in his
recommend decanting mature Burgundy wines. More than Chablis Premier Cru: These wines originate from the top forty climats. poem Gourmand:
64% of all Burgundy wines are produced by twenty-three They go well with seafood and fish salads.
regional appellations. Some of the most famous include When your favorite Arab
Abbey of Saint Philibert (X century) Bourgogne Aligoté, Mâcon Villages, and Coteaux Chablis Grand Cru: These wines originate from the seven best plots in Serves you a hazel grouse with pressed caviar,
Bourguignons. the center of the south-west facing slope near the town of Chablis. A jug of Chablis, and sterlet from Sheksna . . .