Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/11486
Taking the Long View As in other wine regions, Burgundy’s prices have been hit by the worldwide eco- nomic crisis, starting in late 2008. But after spending a week in the region this spring, I found that Burgundians are taking the long view and not panicking. Echoing their cool climate, the people of this region tend to be phlegmatic, and the winemakers seem resolved that their well-made, universally- appreciated wines will sell, even if it takes a few months longer. Due to this year’s long, cold winter, at the biennial showcase Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne in late March, I tasted a significant number of the 2008 red wines as barrel samples because they had barely fin- ished their fermentation. Other 2008 reds and some of the 2008 whites were recently bottled, which made them somewhat difficult to evaluate, as wines need time to settle down after the bottling process. But generally the 2008s are showing very well and are expected to be drinkable within a few months. This means that the 2007s, slower to develop, may overlap in their optimal time to drink—at least at the beginning. Traditionally, the longer the wine takes to develop, the longer it ages. After tasting only a few of the very new wines, I was not surprised to learn that Burgundians seem very happy with the 2009 harvest—though these reserved winemakers do not like to extol a vintage’s virtues until they’re absolutely certain it’s great, usually a couple of years down the road. All three of the latest vintages will remain fine drinking wines for at least five or ten years after release, and some for many more decades. A New Generation The new generation of winemakers is seamlessly produc- ing quality wines in fine Burgundian traditions. Some are taking over from their parents, while others have created their own labels by beginning to make wines instead of selling their grapes off to larger domaines and corporations. Land of change: A young woman leads a tasting at a domaine in Burgundy. These younger people may have trained locally in enology, but they have all traveled to other regions to work in fields and wineries there, and they bring a lot of energy to their ancient vineyards. Organic farming is such a huge trend it almost feels like the norm here. In addition, many more growers are moving toward—if not plunging into—natural rhythm–based biody- namic farming techniques. Fundamentally, this is a return to the growing systems practiced here for many centuries, before conglomerates and well-meaning Western nations threw the concept of fast-acting fertilizers and insecticides at France’s vineyards to jump-start this essential industry after World War II. Feminine Presence Much more recently, women in wine has become a new trend. This is not a new concept world-wide, but in Burgundy—a bastion of traditionalism—only a few decades ago winemakers wouldn’t let a woman in the winery because women were considered “unclean”; traditionalists believed that at a certain time of the month a woman’s mere presence could turn the wine sour. You’d never know it today. This year, the first-ever women winemakers’ tasting was almost too successful; the small winery was so packed with eager supporters jockeying for tastes it was nearly impossible to talk with the winemakers themselves. Thirty top women winemakers of Burgundy belong to this exhibiting group ExceptionElles, founded in 2000. Land of tradition: A plaque marks the historic château at the famed Clos de Vougeot vineyard. A final, happy note: throughout the region, more wine- makers are adding sparkling Crémant de Bourgogne to their lines. And they are selling increasing amounts of it in the U.S., where the upgraded quality is appreciated as much as the affordable pricing. june 2010 / the tasting panel / 77 PHOTO: BECKY SUE EPSTEIN PHOTO: BECKY SUE EPSTEIN