Recognized in 1975, the appellation crémant-de-bourgogne replaced the Sparkling wines whose quality was not very homogeneous. Its geographical area, very vast, covers more than 300 communes, of Châtillonnais, with the borders of Champagne auboise, with Beaujolais included. The AOC imposes conditions of harvest and elaboration as strict as those of the Champagne region and copied on this one, the difference residing in the duration of Maturation on lees, which is of nine months minimum, against twelve for the champagne. The Grape varieties used also bring Crémant-de-Bourgogne closer to its illustrious Champagne model, for although all the varieties of the region can be used, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are favoured.
The white Crémant-de-Bourgogne can be blanc de blancs (made from chardonnay, blended or not with Aligoté), blanc de noirs (made from pinot noir vinified as white); it can also be a blend of white grapes and pinot noir and/or gamay vinified as white. The rosé is based on pinot noir, sometimes married to gamay. The Finesse of the blanc de blancs, the Power of the blancs de noirs, the delicacy of the rosés, the crémants-de-bourgogne offer varied profiles.
The Francs de Pied (Ungrafted Vines) group, which last met two weeks ago at Pasquet’s Liber Pater winery in the Graves, consists of a growing circle of vignerons who work with ungrafted vineyards planted to native varieties. The list includes Francs de Pied president Loïc Pasquet himself, vice-president Egon Müller (Mosel), and secretary Andrea Polidoro of Cupano (Montalcino) and Contrada Contro (Marche); as well as Gocha Chkhaidze of leading Georgian winery, Askaneli; Thibault Liger-Belair (Bur ...
According to lifestyle and happiness guru Gretchen Rubin, you ‘bring your own weather to a picnic’. Ms Rubin, I’d suggest, has never shivered under a tree watching raindrops turn her fish-paste sandwich to mush because the weather forecast was wrong. There are, it’s safe to say, picnics and Picnics. It’s a term that takes in everything from a rubber baguette in a French ‘Aire’ off the Autoroute du Soleil to a four-course spread while listening to opera at Glyndebourne. What’s definitely true is ...
Sotheby’s said wine and spirits auction sales rose by around 44% to $132m (£99.6m) in 2021, boosted by record prices, fresh partnerships and a wave of new buyers. Its figures also offered more evidence of a strong fine wine market this year. Wine represented $111m of Sotheby’s 2021 auction sales, with famous Burgundy labels dominating a list of best-selling lots. Other highlights included a recent sale of Châteaux Rauzan-Ségla and Canon wines, sourced direct from the Chanel-owned estates in Bord ...
