France

Burgundy

French wines ooze intimidation, the language, no grape listed anywhere in sight, countless vinyards and producers, and all this at often-exorbitant prices. But even though, France is worthy of our attention.

From Champagne to Beaujolais, the diverse Mediterranean to the renowned Bordeaux, and everything in between. French wines have dynamic personalities. The major obstacle for the understanding of French wines is understanding and interpreting the label. A great number of French wines are labeled by area of production, quite different from the basic wine label that is labeled by grape variety.

For this class we will be concentrating on the renowned region of Burgundy which begins about 70 miles southeast of Paris and extends south to Lyon. From this region come some of the worlds most raved about wines. The great white Burgundies are stunningly complex, steely, minerally exquisite wines, including one of France’s most popular wines, Chablis. The sensuous, velvety reds, earthy aromas and the delicious flavors overwhelm you, as layer after layer unfolds. Burgundy’s vineyards are mainly planted with just two grape varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

In this class we will not only taste some great Burgundian wines, partake in gourmet delicacies, but we will also address the basics of reading labels and other essentials in order to give you a better understanding of these delicious wines!