Burgundy Refocused

While in some cases that statement remains true today it must be used for specific wines, hailing from specific sites, made by specific producers at prices everyday wine drinkers seldom spend. In other words the blanket statement that Burgundy makes the best pinot is simply no longer sustainable. The rest of the world is catching up, and while you can argue pinot noir made outside of France doesn t have the same flavour profile as French pinot it's not much of an argument. In fact, some might say that's a good thing. At the inexpensive level, if you are willing to concede $20 is inexpensive, it might be beneficial not to make pinot noir that tastes anything like the Burgundy version. Certainly in my more recent tastings I'm finding New World efforts including some locally produced pinot noir that are outscoring the dodgy category of simple French pinot noir known as Bourgogne rouge. For the most part, much of this French category is lean, dry, bitter and lacking fruit. That's not to say excellent examples don't exist, but only that you can simply no longer reach out for any old Bourgogne rouge label and expect it to be first rate. For the first time since I began tasting wine back in the late 1970s, Burgundian producers have begun to revisit their quality commitment. Pushed by global competition, they now understand that the perfect slope and the perfect soil are only part of the quality equation. Today we look at a selection of Bourgogne wines, both red and white (the white made from chardonnay), along with a single Beaujolais representing yet another struggling category of French wine. Clearly it's a category in transition. Here's what I found. The Chartron et Trebuchet 2000 Bourgogne Blanc is made in large wooden vats and really only gets a touch of oak. It's crisp and clean with refreshing citrus notes on the nose and in the flavour. This is dry, stylish, Bourgogne blanc for the consumer who understands the restrained nature of Burgundian chardonnay. The Moreau & Fils 2000 Chablis opens with bright fresh, slatey/baked apple/citrus aromas. The flavours are similar. The entry is soft, the mid-palate nutty and the finish dry. A crisp, everyday-Chablis at a reasonable price. I enjoyed the Louis Latour 1999 Montagny Les Buys with its rich, slightly nutty aroma laced with toasted apple and citrus scents. There s a fine intensity of flavours reminiscent of ripe apples and minerals. The finish tastes of toasted nuts. A perfect restaurant wine. Jadot makes charming Beaujolais and so it comes as no surprise that the 2001 Beaujolais-Villages (made from gamay) should exhibit textbook aromas of raspberry and pepper. The textures are soft and round with likeable cherry berry fruit. An easy-sipping, sensible introduction to the world of light red wine. Next was the Joseph Drouhin 2000 Laforet Bourgogne Pinot Noir. The nose is a mix of delicate floral and raspberry aromas with a trace of vanilla. It's well balanced in the mouth with earthy raspberry flavours but the finish is firm, dry and acidic. An elegant if rudimentary example of what you get from Burgundy for $22. The last glass this week goes to the Faiveley 2000 Bourgogne Paulée Pinot Noir. Expect sweaty, celery, carrot top nose with streaks of spicy Worcestershire sauce. Lots of dry fruit here, with hard, lean tannins. It's very difficult to get excited about this type of pinot noir. This is one style that has to change. A mixed bag tasting at best where, frankly, the whites are outshining the reds. To get a sense of comparison pick up a Shingle Peak Pinot Noir ($19.95; #554824) or B.C.'s CedarCreek Estate Select Pinot Noir ($19.99, #56741)2 or from Chile the Valdivieso 2001 Pinot Noir ($19.99; #427112) and see what I mean about the competition catching up. Sun wine columnist Anthony Gismondi is also co-host of The Best of Food and Wine, which airs at noon each Saturday on CFUN 1410 AM. - - - Weekend Wine Tasting: Bourgogne Wine: 2000 Chartron et Trebuchet Bourgogne Blanc Price: $19.95 Stock No.: 603787 Score: 14.5/20 Comments: Classic introductory white Burgundy. Wine: J. Moreau & Fils 2000 Chablis Price: $21.95 Stock No.: 349597 Score: 14/20 Comments: Crisp clean oyster wine. Wine: Louis Latour 1999 Montagny Les Buys Price: $21.95 Stock No.: 619106 Score: 15.5/20 Comments: Rich mineral apple nutty fruit. Wine: Louis Jadot 2001 Beaujolais-Villages Price: $18.99 Stock No.: 469924 Score: 14/20 Comments: Soft, cherry, berry, fruity red. Wine: Joseph Drouhin 2000 Bourgogne Pinot Noir Price: $21.95 Stock No.: 286682 Score: 13.5/20 Comments: Elegant, firm, dry, uninspired pinot. Wine: Faiveley 2000 Bourgogne Pinot Noir Price: $22.95 Stock No.: 142448 Score: 13/20 Comments: Simple, lean, dry red.