Region Details
Despite frequent attempts, nowhere else in the world has succeeded in replicating the complexity, poise and elegance of a typical champagne. Its qualities are ascribed to the region's northerly, continental location to the east of Paris, to its ancient chalk soils and to its deep-rooted traditions. Its success is due in part to one of the most enduring public relations and marketing campaigns ever seen, which has served to link the drinking champagne on special occasions across the globe. Demand has the capacity to outstrip supply despite pushing production, and appellation boundaries, to the limit. Producers are now focusing their attention on special cuvées, vintage styles and new formulations to increase value rather than volume. A consequence of the rising trend of prices has been to encourage growers to bottle and commercialise their wines themselves, rather than to sell to the big houses.
Grape Variety
The reputation of the red wines of Burgundy rests squarely on the shoulders of Pinot Noir. At all levels above Passtoutgrains, where Gamay is blended with it, Pinot Noir alone is employed. Hardly an easy grape to ripen even in its homeland, the thin-skinned variety offers the potential of delicacy, complexity and refinement, and perhaps better than any other grape anywhere in the world could do, it holds a mirror up to each of the region's varying appellations, subtlely reflecting the characteristics of each. And when grown on the great slopes, despite its apparent fragility, Pinot Noir is capable of producing wines of penetrating presence, a heavenly affinity to oak and with tremendous ability to age. Pale in colour, it offers the scents of red berry fruits when young, a crisp, satisfying acidity and a captivating lithe body-weight. With maturity the flavours evolve into complex notes of game, undergrowth and spice. Around the world, winemakers have sought to emulate Pinot Noir's success in Burgundy. It is found in both Sancerre and Alsace where it makes a fragrant wine, though new wave versions aged in barrel are found. And in neighbouring Germany, as Spätburgunder, it produces a delicate red, almost rose in colour. It can be found today in the cooler regions of almost every wine-producing country of the world, from Italy to South Africa and New Zealand to the USA. In the latter, it is the state of Oregon that claims the greatest success to date. Pinot Noir is a key component of many sparkling wines, most notably in Champagne. Here it is usually blended with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, however many Blancs de Noirs styles depend exclusively on the variety.
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