UPDATES AND ADVICE

It is a month since we wrote that last entry, even if we did just post it. Part of the delay can be attributed to trying to remember what we ate at Le Montrachet, including asking the Prince Consort. “Je ne sais pas,” was his answer, but loyal readers among the Audience probably knew that already; he says it often! The other portion of the delay… oh, laziness, mea culpa, mea culpa!

Despite not completing our side of this unspoken agreement (informing you, our loyal Audience, of our eating and drinking), we have been eating and drinking. However, before we weave you back into our fabulous story, some reality. Last night, the Personal Historian cooked dinner for us and a friend of his. The PH asked about our holdings of Loire Valley wine, and when we quizzed him on this, he admitted to liking wines with more minerality than the wines from the middle of Burgundy – Puligny, Montrachet, etc. – but with less austerity and more fruit and flower than a Chablis.

Within these requirements, we strongly suggested white wines from the southern reaches of Burgundy – Rully, Saint-Aubin, Mercurey, and the Macon group – because the geography offers something very specific here. Southern Burgundy is closer to the mountain range in France known as the Massif Central. Millions of years ago, volcanic forces forming these mountains pushed levels of rock to the surface, rock from the same period, surprisingly, as the surface rock in Chablis. Careful readers in the Audience will remember that the make-up of the soil, including the chemical characteristics of the rocks in the soil (all that the French so concisely label “terroir”) determines the minerality of Burgundian wine.

Now, at the same time, the fact that these ‘southern’ Burgundies – Rullies, Macons, etc. – are south of Chablis, with different exposure, potentially longer daily sun, warmer temperatures, even if they are only 50 to 100 miles from Chablis, means that the grapes develop differently and produce a different juice when pressed. From this difference arrive the fruit and flowers balancing the minerality.

Rereading our explanation above, we are more intrigued by Burgundy than before. Unlike so many wines, Burgundy is made from one grape. Pinot Noir for the red and Chardonnay for the white. This tradition disallows adjusting ratios of different grapes to produce a consistent product year after year. It also calls the terroir into full display with each bottle of Burgundy.

We enjoy defending this theorem by offering a degustation of two or three different wines, different appellations, created by the same producer. For example: Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault and Saint-Aubin produced by Leflaive. Same grape – Chardonnay, same producer – Olivier Leflaive, but dramatically different wines. Incredible, just incredible. Not to mention how much we enjoy drinking good wine, but you knew that already, didn’t you dear Audience.

To close out this post, a bit of technical advice. N’inquiétez pas, don't worry, it is not technical advice from us, but from the Great Communicator. Recently at dinner (and yes you will read about this dinner soon, we promise), following an enlightening soliloquy of ours on the virtues of Burgundy, the Country Lady and the Great Communicator discussed this blog. Both mentioned that they had posted comments that never appeared when suddenly the Great Communicator remembered that she had heard previewing a comment to a Google-hosted blog, such as ours, prior to posting, deleted the comment instead of posting it. The secret is to review the comment (for appropriateness and succinctness, of course!) in the Compose window and Post directly without Preview.

Who knew?! Fascinating, isn’t it? And all along, we thought the only commentator was His Nibs when in reality, he, being French and therefore seeing himself and his actions as inherently perfect, naturally posted his comment directly without preview! Mind the wisdom of the Great Communicator.

Read, Drink, and Comment!