Going To (Wine) School

This morning we attended a seminar - conducted by Jean-Pierre Cropsal - on the geology, history, and various appellations of Burgundy. I thought I was back in IBM training. Flip charts!!

The French have made the laws pertaining to vineyard designations in Burgundy so complex it's amazing anyone can figure out what to buy. We now know that "Villages" desingation means it's good stuff and probably grown on the flat, valley floor. "Premier Cru" designation means it's very good stuff from grapes probably grown on hillsides with limestone and lots of rocks. And the "Grand Cru" designation means it's so good and so expensive that you better protect your credit cards. The "Grand Cru" designation for a vineyard is limited and controlled. Collectors cherish Grand Cru wines from Burgundy and bid up certain ones at auction to astronomical prices.

We have also learned that several wineries may own blocks in the same Grand Cru vineyard, one owner may sell grapes to multiple wineries, and there are "negociants" that just buy grapes and make their wine wherever (and maybe buy wine bottled by someone else so they can merely stick their own label on it). Do you follow all this?

It is getting close to lunch time and you know what that means? Our first wine of the day and a scrumptous meal prepared by Conn.