It was 6:30pm at Astor Center and we were pouring our first three wines for the evening: Chaumes, Champs Gains* & Caillerets. All three are Chardonnay; all three are from the village of Chassagne-Montrachet; all three were produced by Jean-Marc Morey. However, all three were grown on different plots of land (the Chaumes was the northern most vineyard and Caillerets the southern most) and displayed incredible differences.
Neal Rosenthal poetically leads us through Burgundy with terroir, geography and history pulling the cart.
My friend, Jenna, and I sat there entranced as our senses danced from glass to glass. Rude de Chaux, Pruliers*, Vaucrains, Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru '04*, Les Bressandes '04, & Les Bressandes '05.
"We are the stewards of the vine to wine process," Neal said romantically. "It is a very spiritual, very poetic process".
I took detailed notes focusing on nose, flavor & texture. Color was secondary as we made sure to be conscious of the minerality and earthiness the wines offered to us.
The beauty of Burgundy, I've discovered, is beyond the perplexity of senses. My vocabulary and underdeveloped pallet cannot even distinguish a tenth of what is going on - but you have to think beyond "wine logic". Burgundy allows us to venture into our memories. It allows us to create new ones with those whom we are sharing the treasure with.
Everything from rich morning dew on my grandmothers farm (particularly condensing the berries and wheat) to the sea to animal scents to Ramapo College on a fall morning all appeared before me last night.
Burgundy wines, I now believe, are mirrors to their homeland that reflect the memories of our soul.
*my prefered wines of the evening.
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