If you like a bit of game at this time of year, you have the perfect excuse to head to the Burgundy shelves of your local wine emporium.
The reds of the Cote de Beaune make for an ideal partnership with a game bird and they tend to be more affordable than their famous counterparts from the Cote de Nuits. Also, a huge benefit of trying a wine from a lesser-known village is that you’re less likely to happen upon a producer living off the reputation of their appellation. What I mean is that these winemakers have to work harder simply because they’re not based in Nuits-St-Georges or Gevrey-Chambertin.
Try a Pernand-Vergelesses, an Aloxe-Corton, a Volnay or a Chorey-les-Beaune and you’ll see just what I’m getting at. The wines don’t necessarily trip off the tongue, but they certainly slide over the palate.
In general, the reds of the Cote de Beaune are lighter bodied and they mature more quickly than those from further north. So, you don’t have to cellar them for years before indulging. In fact, a quick decant and you’re good to go.
Volnay Domaine Nicolas Rossignol 2015 (Inverarity One to One, £63.99). This is a classic Burgundy and a study in wine-making perfection. Nicolas is a fifth generation winemaker, and he travelled the world working in different countries and regions before returning to the family estate. He has just twelve hectares, and he makes over thirty different wines (including some wonderful premier crus) in very small quantities. The attention to detail is second to none, and the wines have layers of complexity that you have to taste to believe.
Cote de Beaune-Villages Louis Jadot 2014 (Majestic, £22.99). Louis Jadot is one of the most reliable negotiants in Burgundy, and this wine uses grapes sourced from throughout the region. This means you get a more complex style at an affordable price, and the wine is a great introduction to the area.
Chorey-les-Beaune Domaine Maillard Pere et Fils 2017 (Waitrose, £19.99). This is a lovely soft Pinot Noir from another great producer. It partners pate very well, and also works with partridge or duck. I’d suggest keeping two bottles in the rack as you’re sure to make short work of the first one.
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