A (Bon) Voyage of Discovery
I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that, prior to my exceptional trip with Smooth Red, I was more comfortable buying new world wine than I was French, with its myriad and often impenetrable variations in grapes, appellations and vineyards.
So part of the point of our trip was to begin to understand the huge history and character of what French wine has to offer, in particular the regions of Burgundy and Champagne.
Not to mention enjoy some fabulous food and wine along the way.
And what a trip it was….
We began in Beaune, the heart of Burgundy wine, with easy access to the wine-makers along the Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune. The town itself is picture-book pretty, but still feels like a real working French town. There were too many incredible wine tastings and meals to explain in detail here, but one experience stands out for me:
This was a morning and afternoon spent visiting the estate of Olivier Leflaive at Puligny-Montrachet. Walking through the vineyards and discussing the variations in the terroir that shape the different appellations (areas often divided by as little as a single track, but which produce markedly different wines) was a huge eye-opener for me in the intricacies and artistry in how grapes are grown.
But the stand-out experience was a subsequent tour of the winery with Olivier himself. Having direct access to the owner and being able to talk in detail about the philosophy behind their methods and the history of the family, felt like a truly unique experience. And knowing what had gone into making it made the already beautiful wine taste that little bit better.
Having mastered (ish) the peculiarities of Burgundy wine we then moved on to Champagne, based in Reims. The villagey and artisanal charm of the Cote De Nuits was replaced with the glamour and grandeur of the Champagne houses of Mumm and Moet. It offered a great contrast, and was equally educational in how great wine is produced on a huge scale. As with Beaune, we enjoyed some of the best food we’ve ever eaten, washed down with some truly sensational wine.
The trip was – no pun intended – completely smooth at all stages. We felt looked after without being overly-managed, had amazing access to properties without ever feeling like we were intruding. In fact, we are already planning a follow-up trip to Bordeaux, so Margaux and Latour here we come.
All in the pursuit of knowledge, of course.
Dan Hauck, May 2011