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If one considers the grape varietals used in a region,
Burgundy is perhaps the easiest to understand. With
a few minor variations, Chardonnay is the grape for
whites and Pinot Noir makes the feminine red wines.
But it gets complex-hill from there on.
Due to the inheritance laws enacted during Napoleon's
regime, the vineyards have to be bequeathed to all members
of the family-whether they are interested in or deserve
the inheritance or not. This has resulted in fragmentation
of vineyards; ownerships of a single row of vines or
production of one barrel of wine is not uncommon. No
wonder wine aficionados consider Burgundy as the last
frontier.
In such scenario, the names of Domaine Faiveley which
owns 115 h/A and Bouchard Pére & Fils with134
h/A as one of the biggest are noteworthy-not only for
quantity but also quality. With several wines with Grand
Cru Appellation (the highest in Burgundy echelon) and
the Premier Cru (the next highest appellation) tucked
under their belt and a few of them to be presented at
the Rick's Bar at hotel Taj Mahal by Sanjay Menon, owner
of Sonarys of Mumbai, it promised to be a long but enjoyable
afternoon.
For white wine lovers, there were also wines from a
much smaller but leader of the Macon region, Southern
part of Burgundy- Chateau de Fuissé, was the
third Beauty presented by Philip Tuinder, the Dutch
son-in-law of Vincents-the current owners.
In all 19 wines were tasted. If this were not enough,
13 more were available for a quick tasting, if one had
the time and chauffer to carry one home. These also
included the other two appellations of Burgundy- Village
and the more generic regional (Bourgogne). Bruno Pepin
had the audience taste the Bouchard beauties.
In Burgundy, the vintages depend a lot on the vagaries
of nature. Perin emphasised it does not mean that one
should not buy wines of poor vintages but it is more
important to drink these wines at the right time. For
instance, Bouchard 2000 is ok to drink now while 1999
is not ready yet, though it will turn out to be a great
vintage 10 years hence. Similarly 2004 is a 'useful'
vintage as it is expected to mature faster.
The flight of whites took the taste buds from the entry
level Bourgogne Blanc JJ Vincent 2006 from Chateau Fuissé
costing a modest Rs.810 to the hotels lucky enough to
buy them duty free in Delhi. There were also top-of–the-chart
elegant and complex wines like Chevalier Montrachet
Grand Cru 2004 from Domaine Bouchard, that will linger
in the mind for a long time.
It was not a matter of concern for the tasters that
the 'Chevalier' costs Rs.14,010 a bottle (don't miss
the Rs.10 – these are a few of Sanjay's favourite
things) + VAT of Rs.2802 a bottle to the hotels-duty
free. At a modest mark-up of 300%, it would be listed
for Rs.42000 (+VAT of Rs.8400) which may be rather steep
for us ordinary mortals. But those of us in Delhi should
feel good because our brethren in Mumbai will have to
shell out Rs. 126,000, give or take! (my calculator
gives up calculating the VAT that would make the finance
ministry officials salivate).
The beauty of wines presented was also in that many
different village appellations were at hand-Meursault,
Corton, Savigny-Les-Beaune, Mercurey, Gevry Chambertin
(Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru 1999 from Faiveley was my
favourite), and Monthélie etc. depicting different
styles of winemaking.
I don't know how much he set the 3 producers back financially,
but the passionate Sanjay converted the tasting of the
19 Burgundy beauties (and 13) into a Burgundy Seminar
by bringing out a booklet that described not only all
the appellations (inclusion of Beaujolais who consider
themselves an independent appellation notwithstanding),
but also including the maps of all the vineyards which
otherwise can be very confusing for a novice or a connoisseur
alike, unless he is from Burgundy or married into a
Burgundy family.
Sanjay was ably assisted by the staff at the Rick's
who seemed to be visibly and understandably confused
in their back-end operation involving 32 wines behind
the bar counter. The service for the tasting earned
them the 5-stars though.
Burgundy wines may disappoint but they cannot be boring.
Wines tasted this afternoon from Château de puissé,
Domaine Faiveley and Bouchard Pére and Fils showed
that a fine producer can make any vintage come out a
winner, the style notwithstanding.
Wines Tasted
1. Bourgogne Blanc JJ Vincent 2006 Faiveley 
2. Macon-Villages Champ Brule 2005 JJ Vincent
3. Saint-Veran 2004 Ch. Fuissé 
4. Pouilly Fuissé Tete de Cru 2003 Ch Fuissé
5. Monthélie Les Duresses 2005 Bouchard Pere
6. Mercurey 1er Cru Clos des Myglands Monopole 2005
Faiveley
7. Savigny-Les-Beaune Les Laviéres 2005 Bouchard
Pere
8. Beaune Marconnets 2005 Bouchard Pere
9. Beaune Greves Enfant Jesus 2004 Bouchard Pere 
10. Nuits St -Georges 1er Cru Aux Chaignots 2002 Faiveley
11. Nuits St -Georges 1er Cru Les Porets 2002 Faiveley
12. Gevry Chambertin 1er Cru Clos des Issarts 2005 Faiveley
13. Le Corton Grand Cru 2000 Bouchard Pere
14. Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru 1999, Faiveley 
15. Mercurey Clos Rochette 2005 Faiveley
16. Meursault 2005 Bouchard Pere
17. Meursault Le Porusot 2004 Bouchard Pere
18. Meursault Genevriéres 2004 Bouchard Pere
19. Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 2004 Bouchard Pere
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