Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome again to the Carpe Vinum Weekly Newsletter of the Week and Week’s End Weekly Tasting Announcement of the Week! With extra redundancy, this time! This week we’re having another Carpe Vinum first. It’s out first tasting of the French Burgundy! Yes, in the nearly-three years we’ve been open, it’s taken that long to find examples of this fine French region that are affordable enough to which opening would not be a crime. Okay, not really. There are quite a number of affordable Burgundies, if you look hard enough. (Or if you know a guy like me who will look hard enough for you.) But a more valid reason for postponing this wonderful tasting, is that Burgundy is confusing. . .and therefore fascinating.

Contrary to what the Gallo family has been saying on wine labels for years, Burgundy is not a generic name for red wine. Burgundy, or Bourgogne to the French, is a wine from Burgundy, (Bourgogne to the French). If Paris is the center of the universe, or at least the center of the wine universe, then Burgundy is due Southeast of the center of the universe. Actually, even closer to the center of the universe, at least in this example, is Champagne, which is only about 30 miles east. (Being in close proximity to the center of the universe causes wines to start to bubble. . .or so I guess. . .but I digress.) Some people consider Champagne to be part of Burgundy. . .but I don’t, so Champagne will be a different tasting, altogether.

Closest to Champagne is Burgundy’s Northernmost district of Chablis. Contrary to what the Gallo family has been saying on wine labels for years, Chablis is not a generic term for a white wine. It is a Chardonnay-based Burgundy from the district of Chablis. Yes, Burgundy can be a white wine. A good portion of wine from Burgundy is white, lending less credence to “Burgundy” as the name of that dark-reddish color we’ve been seeing on paint swatches for years.

From there, all the information on the rest of the Burgundian regions that continue South of there would take up far too much space. So in short, there’s the Cote d’Or which is divided into Cotes de Beaune and Cotes de Nuits. Also, and further South is Chalonnaise, Maconnais, and Beaujolais. The reds are mostly comprised of Pinot Noir and the whites of Chardonnay and are the model to which Oregon wineries aspire. The region boasts some of the highest-priced wines in the world; wines of unmatched complexity and finesse. Or so I’ve heard from wine critics and folks that can afford those bottles of unmatched elegance and complexity. For the rest of us, there are good values that can give us the experience without bankrupting the bank account.

So Friday, June 9th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Burgundy!!
De Villaine 2004 Aligote, Bouzeron
Domaines des Malandes 2003 Fourchaume, Chablis Premier Cru
Louis Latour 2003 Le Bourgogne de Louis Latour
Robert Chevillon 2004 Bourgogne Passetoutgrain
Domaine Bertrand Ambroise 2002 Vielles Vignes Bourgogne Rouge

Bourgogne!!
Mongeard-Mugneret 2003 Bourgogne Rouge
Domaine Francois Gay 2003 Chorey les Beaune

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours
Hope to see you here!
Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Viognier!
M