Blog

Quote of the day: “When champagne is well made, there is nothing else like it in the world”. Frederic Rouzaud,

The story of Barolo and Barbaresco starts with Nebbiolo. Nebbiolo is a temperamental variety. It buds early and ripens late, making it susceptible to spring frost and autumn rain. It wants limestone soils and south or south-west exposure and like Pinot Noir it is terroir specific and likes to be in the upper parts of the region, while avoiding the top.

Burgundy law is full of quirks. For example the Premier Cru vineyard of Santenots when producing Pinot Noir must be labelled as Volnay, but if planted with Chardonnay it is labelled as Meursault. Musigny is a Grand Cru for both white and red wine, but there is no Premier or village classification for white Chambolle Musigny, so any Musigny Blanc not deemed ‘good enough’ by the producer must be declassified as Bourgogne Blanc, while Pinot Noir grapes can be declassified to 1er Cru Chambolle Musigny.

Now that the evenings are beginning to draw in and the BBC’s Strictly is almost in full swing, mid-October is the time to head off to Burgundy and see what the region’s latest vintage has to offer!

Quote of the day: “When champagne is well made, there is nothing else like it in the world”. Frederic Rouzaud,