For the casual wine drinker the grape specific labeling of US, Australian, and South American wines (labeled Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, etc...) is easy to understand. Pick your grape, a general place (Sonoma, Napa, etc) and perhaps a known producer.
Burgundy might appear a bit more confusing at first, but the basics are actually quite simple.
Peter Wasserman of Selection Becky Wasserman provides a quick overview for the Burgundy novice.
When Peter says it is all about geology- you don't have to worry that you slept through every lecture of "Rocks for Jocks" sophomore year of college. With Burgundy, the grapes are a given. So the more specific the labeling on the bottle, the more definitive the place the grapes in that bottle were grown-- and the magic of Burgundy is in its place.
When you found out you liked domestic Chardonnay, you probably went through a specific route-- Liking general CA Chardonnay, then zeroing in on a smaller region like Sonoma County (finding some producers you liked along the way), then focusing even more to say the Russian River Valley, then maybe down to a sub-region like Chalk Hill, and perhaps getting as specific as a particular vineyard.
Burgundy can be approached the same way.
In the upcoming videos with Peter Wasserman, we will discuss and taste Burgundy in greater detail, taste and discuss some amazing Grower Champagnes, talk viticulture and Biodynamics, and include some awesome wine and food pairings with our friends from Woodfire Grill.
