Taste of Burgundy

Also known as white wines I could drink forever. Frederick Wildman & Sons Importers transformed the Boston Harbor Hotel’s Atlantic Room  this past week from hotel conference room to Burgundy tasting salon, making for an elegant and educational afternoon for all.

Burgundy 2009: A Barrel Tasting of the Vintage was an industry wine tasting, and as I am trying to get more into wine blogging again, including starting up my old Tasting Room Series, I was delighted to get an invitation. The 2009 Burgundy vintage, because of the weather conditions of the growing season, is considered, as Stephen Tanzer writes “a splendid and alluring vintage from the get-go.”

I didn’t get many photos; the event as quite full, and I wanted to concentrate more on tasting wine than fumbling with my overwhelming camera.

The Burgundy tasting was set up in a sort of L-shaped set of rooms, with a small foyer hosting clean wine glasses, registration, and tasting information. The middle of the larger room featured a huge array of cheeses, which, as you can see, were quite a hit with the crowd!

Large windows made up one wall of the room, letting participants enjoy natural light and sweeping harbor views. I happened to get married just beyond that little gazebo, so I had to take a photo  

Once I arrived, I wandered around the entire tasting to check out the available wines and to figure out a game plan. I always go for the least crowded tables. I first visited the Domaine Olivier Leflaive table, and it was here I wanted to stay. I actually discovered when looking to link to their website that I can indeed stay with them. Noted for the trip to Burgundy I have been planning in my head since my wine class. I spent quite a bit of time at the Leflaive table, tasting through their whites, noting how balanced they were, with a nice level of acidity, just so refreshing and, for me, often exposed to New World Chardonnay, unexpectedly enjoyable. As I was savoring each taste, I ran into Cathy from Red White Boston, and we chatted about a few things going on with RWB including the Facebook group and forum I am working on, and the Napa Valley Marathon which we are both scheduled to run next month.

I said goodbye to Cathy to move on with my tasting, and headed next to the Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils table, where their 2009 Chablis Grand Cru “Valmur”, with lovely stone fruit and spice flavors, impressed and left me wanting more. My eyes and palate were opened, excited, and ready to keep tasting.

What a fine collection of Burgundy wines in one room! I also tasted a fantastic Bourgogne Aligote  (white) and a Premier Cru Cote Chalonnaise red, both by Domaine Faiveley, both standing out to me from the rest of the wines tasted.

The room was too crowded for me to handle taking too many notes, while juggling my glass, my information booklet, camera, and purse, so I do not have as many tasting notes as I would like. I did, however, come away from this tasting with a great appreciation and interest in some of the 2009 Burgundy wines I tasted and a desire to expand our mostly US and Spain-dominated wine collection to include more from this region. It is, after all, in Burgundy, where the concept of terroir is said to be most evident in the wines, made from single vineyards and therefore true to place.

With regards to the event organization and quality of the wines poured, Frederick Wildman & Sons deserves a huge thanks for pulling off such a great event. From the beautiful location to the actual growers pouring their wines, the event made everyone take away a little piece of Burgundy and for me, wanting to taste even more.

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. . . will you be pouring or ordering wine? What wine says Valentine’s Day to you?