Domaine Billard Père et Fils

Village:
Larochepot
Appellation:
26ha
Hautes Cotes de Beaune
Saint Romain
Saint Aubin 1er Cru
Auxey Duresses
Santenay
Beaune
Pommard
Grower:
Jérôme Billard

Domaine Billard has approximately 26 hectares of vineyards in different appellations throughout the Cotes de Beaune. Their largest holdings are in the Hautes Cotes de Beaune with other small plots located in Saint Aubin 1er Cru, Saint Romain, Auxey Duresses, Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru, Chassagne-Montrachet, Santenay, and Pommard.

When the domaine passed from father to son, Jérôme Billard brought a new philosophy with him. The farming practices changed to eliminate chemicals, rebalance the soils and follow the principles of organic farming. Jerome hired a specialist to work a few of their vineyards with a horse, and in 2019, after seeing the results, the Billards purchased their own horse, which enabled them to expand the number of vineyards they work without a tractor.

In contrast to his father, who sold his wine to the local cooperative, Jérôme developed a market for his wines, and estate bottles his entire production. Yields are kept low by severe pruning and the use of cover crops. The vines are harvested by hand and Jérôme likes to harvest on the “late side,” to give good concentration to his wines. Fermentations utilize indigenous yeasts and a modest amount of SO2 is added before bottling; 25mg/L for whites and 15mg/L for reds.

There are about 20 villages included in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune appellation. These old villages, many of which are barely inhabited, are secluded in the hills and their vineyards are interspersed with woodlands and farms that grow a variety of crops. The Billard family home and winery are located in one of these, La Rochepot, a small village noted for its elaborate 13th century chateau which is set into a rocky hillside.

Hautes Côtes de Beaune Blanc

The Billard’s HCB Blanc is 100% Chardonnay. The 10-hectare vineyard has the place name, “lieu dit,” of La Justice and is located in the village of La Rochepot. The soil is very chalky, and the land has good drainage and exposure. The grapes are fermented in barrel and then matured for 6 months “sur lie” before bottling. The resulting wine is rich, well-structured, and elegant.

Hautes Côtes de Beaune Rouge

The Billard HCB Rouge comes from a plot of 6 hectares with alluvial clay soil in the village of Saint Aubin. Before harvest, a rigorous bunch selection is done in the vineyard to insure that only ripe and healthy grapes are brought into the winery. The Pinot Noir is fermented in vat with the extraction obtained by foot pressing. The goal is to preserve the delicate nature of the grapes and obtain a purity of expression. The wine is then matured in barrel for 6 to 9 months.

Aligoté

The Billard’s have 2.5 hectares of Aligoté planted in the village of La Rochepot. The vineyards are planted with “massale” selections, and the average age of the vines is 45 years, with the oldest parcel dating to 1947. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel and then matured in tank for 6 months “sur lie” before bottling. The resulting wine is both high-toned and sensual. Saint Aubin is a small commune that produces both white and red wines, and is located just behind the Montrachet vineyards. The soils are very chalky, and the slopes can be quite steep. The whites have recently received a great deal of attention and the reds, of which there are only 57 hectares planted, are slowly making their way into the pantheon of classic Côtes de Beaune.

Saint Aubin 1er Cru “Vignes Moingeon" Blanc

The Billards have .75 hectares of Chardonnay planted in the 1er Cru vineyard “Vignes Moingeon” producing about 300 cases a year. The “Vignes Moingeon” vineyard has a very chalky soil known as “marnes blanches” with good elevation and south-eastern exposure. The Saint Aubin Blanc is barrel fermented in wood from the Tronçais forest in the Allier. One third of the barrels are new and the wine remains in barrel “sur lie” for a year before bottling.

Saint Aubin 1er Cru “Les Castets" Rouge

The Billards have .32 hectares of Pinot Noir planted in the 1er Cru vineyard “Les Castets,” producing about 100 cases per year. The “Les Castets” vineyard is on a gentle incline and has a blend of “marnes blanches” and “marno-calcaires” soils that favor the Pinot Noir grape. The Saint Aubin Rouge is fermented in vat with daily pigeages. It is matured for a year in Vosges and Troncais barrels, a third of which is new. Saint Romain is a small appellation that is deserving of more attention. The vineyards are nestled between 300 and 400 meters in elevation along a valley that runs east to west behind Meursault and Monthelie.

Saint Romain Blanc “La Combe Bazin"

The Billards own 2.25 hectares in Saint Romain with 1.25 h of Chardonnay planted in the lieu dit “La Combe Bazin.” The white wine is barrel fermented with 25% new wood. It is matured “sur lie” for a year and is minimally fined and filtered before bottling. The “La Combe Bazin” terroir produces a wine with lively acidity which offers a perfect balance to the sensual mouth feel of this classic Burgundy.

Saint Romain Rouge “La Perrière"

The Saint Romain Rouge is produced from 1 hectare on calcareous clay soil. The grapes are fermented in vat with indigenous yeasts and the pressing is done partially by foot. The wine is matured in barrels, 20% new, for 9 months.

Santenay “Les Hâtes”

The Billards farm 1 hectare in the Santenay “lieu dit” Les Hâtes. Les Hâtes is one of the larger “climats” in Santenay and is situated between the 1er Cru vineyards, Passetemps and Beaurepaire. The vines in the Billard’s parcel are 45 years old. The wine is fermented in cement tanks at low temperatures with a daily punching down of the cap. The wine is then matured in oak barrels for 9/10 months. Typically, 20% of the barrels are new.

Beaune 1er Cru “Les Chouacheux”

Beaune is the third largest commune in the Côte D’Or after Gevrey Chambertin and Meursault. Most of the vineyards are classified as Premier Cru with smaller parcels of “village” wine on the southern and northern fringes. The Billards farm .33h in the “Chouacheux” vineyard, a 1er Cru on the Pommard side, close to “Clos des Mouches.” It has the deep clay soil characteristic of its sector. The wine is vinified in cement vats and the maceration lasts about 15 days. During this time, the “pigeage” is done by foot. The wine is matured for a year in Tronçais oak barrels, 25% new.

Pommard

The Pommard is produced by combining two very small parcels of vineyards; “Les Tavannes” and “Le Bas des Saussilles,” each parcel approximately a quarter hectare in size. As with his other wines, Jerome harvests on the late side and all grapes are harvested manually. Fermentation in cement vats with a maceration of up to two weeks is followed by 15 months of maturing in oak barrels, one third new. The wine combines the typical structure of Pommard with a fleshy texture and fine tannins.

Chassagne-Montrachet “Les Morichots”

The Billards farm .5 hectares in the Chassagne “lieu dit” Les Morichots. Les Morichots is located in the lower part of the appellation and has a soil that is particularly rich in iron and flint, giving the wine a distinctive minerality. The vines in the Billard’s parcel have an average age of 45 years. The wine is fermented in cement tanks at low temperatures with a daily punching down of the cap. The wine is then matured in oak barrels for 9/10 months. Typically, 20% of the barrels are new.

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FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2014

13 French Winemakers Presenting their Wines at a Dinner at Buck’s Fishing and Camping in Washington DC, USA

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Husband and Wife Team M. Jean Francois Meynard and Christelle Gauthier from Chateau La Bouree, Cotes de Castillon, Bordeaux

This was a very exciting winemaker dinner: With 13 visiting winemakers from all around France. It took place a Buck’s Fishing and Camping in the Chevy Chase area in Washington DC. The winemakers were in town for the annual portfolio tasting of Wine Traditions, an importer of French wines.

Ed and Barbara Addiss’ Wine Traditions

Wine Traditions: Created in 1996 by Edward Addiss and Barbara Selig, the philosophy of Wine Traditions is to discover independent winemakers whose passion for their vineyard and mastery of their winemaking craft combine to create a product that is a beautiful expression of the land from which it comes. They believe their portfolio demonstrates that wonderful wines can be found beyond well-known appellations and need not be overpriced. For them, wine is meant to be enjoyed with dinner, every day and at prices that make it an appropriate component of the meal.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Barbara Assiss, and Ed Assiss, Owners of Wine Traditions

Buck’s Fishing and Camping

Tom Sietsema, Washington Post: This arty and eclectic restaurant serves classic food made with the best ingredients. There are few local kitchens that do its familiar dishes better than Buck’s.

The 4 expertly prepared courses of American cuisine from Chef James Rexroad were indeed excellent.

Picture: Buck's Fishing and Camping on 5031 Connecticut Avenue, Washington DC

Owner James Alefantis, who told us that he also owns a restaurant in Berlin, Germany, is charming and welcoming as is his restaurant: We are a small, neighborhood independently owned Fish Camp of a restaurant, where a woody, fire lit atmosphere is a great place to enjoy the best local produce, meats and fish.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Ombiasy PR and WineTours, Christian G.E. Schiller and Owner James Alefantis

See: 3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux

Winemaker Dinner with 13 Producers from France

At this totally unique event, after a Champagne and oyster welcome, the 13 French winemakers were on hand to present their wines. We had the opportunity to select one of three wines with each of the 4-courses to pair side-by-side with Buck's beautiful menu.

Pictures: The Dinner

Welcome

Oysters on the 1/2 Shell, Warm Gougeres, and Selection of Saucisson


Bourdaire-Gallois, Brut Champagne NV


First Course

House Applewood Smoked Salmon with its Roe


3 Wines and 3 Winemakers

Pictures: Brigitte Ardurats, Felix Debavelaere and Katia Mauroy-Gauliez, and their Wines

Chateau Magneau, Graves Blanc 2012

Brigitte and Jean-Louis Ardurats: Winemakers/ Owners of Chateau Magneau, a beautiful Graves producer in the south of Bordeaux. The Graves region is often referred to as 'the cradle of Bordeaux wine' and has been described as a beauty asleep in her woods and forests. We were delighted to taste their Graves Rouge.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Brigitte and Jean-Louis Ardurats, Winemakers/ Owners of Chateau Magneau

Domaine de Bel Air Pouilly-Fume 2012

Owner/ Winemaker Katia Mauroy-Gauliez from Domaine de Bel Air hails from the Loire Valley where the Sauvignon Blanc grape thrives. Katia Mauroy-Gauliez and her brother Cedric Mauroy are the ninth generation to manage Domaine de Bel Air. Their 15 acres of vineyards straddle the towns of Pouilly-sur-Loire and Saint Andelain. Pouilly-Fume is one of the Loire Valley’s most famous wines – a quintessential expression of flinty, vivacious Sauvignon Blanc.

Domaine Rois Mages "Les Cailloux" Rully Rouge 2011

Anne-Sophie Debavelaere, a native Burgundian, began her Domaine in 1984. 5 years ago, her son, Felix Debavelaere, who was sitting next to me at the dinner, took over. He now farms 11 hectares of vines which are mostly in Rully, but include small parcels in Bouzeron and Beaune. The vineyards are all worked with respect for the land in a fashion known as "lutte raisonnée". The winery or "cave de vinification" is a vaulted cellar which was dug from the Rully hillside in 1850. It was originally built by a local negociant who wanted to have a cellar for sparkling wine similar to those in Champagne.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Felix Debavelaere

Second Course

Wild Local Mushrooms with Tagliatelle Pasta and Herbs


3 Wines and 3 Winemakers

Pictures: Samuelle Delol, Elisabeth Billard, Michel Champseix with Ed Addiss

Domaine Billard Hautes Cotes de Beaune Blanc 2012

Winemaker Elisabeth and Jerome Billard, Domaine Billard have 12.5 hectares of vineyards in different appellations throughout the Cotes de Beaune. Their largest holdings are in the Hautes Cotes de Beaune with other small plots located in Saint Romain, Saint Aubin 1er Cru, Auxey Duresses and Beaune.

Chateau Vieux Chevrol Lalande de Pomerol 2009

The Champseix family has made wine at Château Vieux Chevrol for many generations and continues to do so in a traditional manner. Jean-Pierre Champseix runs the estate today (20 hectares), aided by his son Michel. He has a profound respect and veneration for his land, a relationship that truly guides his work. The vineyard lies on the Neac plateau overlooking the vineyards of Pomerol. The soil is clay mixed with gravel and iron-rich sandstone known locally as "crasse de fer". The vineyard is planted to 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Picture: Jean-Pierre Champseix, Château Vieux Chevrol, Lalonde de Pomerol, and Christian G. E. Schiller

Chateau Gueyrosse Saint Emilion 2003

Winemaker Samuelle Delol, owns two estates Chateau Bel Air and Chateau Gueyrosse in St. Emilion. Chateau Gueyrosse dates from around 1750 and the Delol family obtained the property in 1850. Samuelle, who has recently taken over from her father, is the sixth generation to make wine at Gueyrosse. The vineyard is in the southwestern corner of Saint Emilion, on the outskirts of Libourne and has a soil of "graves rouge", a soil type similar to that found in the southern corner of Pomerol.

Third Course

Magret Duck Steaks with a Frisee Salad of Duck Cracklins and Farm Poached Egg


3 Wines and 3 Winemakers

Pictures: Ed Addiss, Dominique Ressès, Christelle Gauthier and Catherine Roque, and their Wines

Chateau La Bourree Cotes de Castillon 2011

The husband and wife team M. Jean Francois Meynard and Christelle Gauthier, who were sitting next to me at the dinner, own 4 chateaux with a total vineyard area of 40 hectares. Chateau La Bouree extends over 10 hectares. The vineyard is planted with 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc and Malbec. The yields are kept to 45h/hl by green harvesting and leaves are pulled as needed to insure proper ripening. Fermentation on the skins lasts for three weeks after which the wine is aged in used barrels for a year

Picture: Annette Schiller, Ombiasy PR and WineTours and the husband and Wife Team M. Jean Francois Meynard and Christelle Gauthier, Bordeaux

Chateau La Caminade Commandery Cahors 2009

Dominique Ressès: The Chateau La Caminade vineyards (34 hectares) lie in Parnac, in the heart of the Cahors region. The vineyard covers a variety of soil types including gravelly sand and clay/limestone. The Ressès family has been making wine here for four generations.

One of my early posting were about Dominique Ressès and his beautiful wines: The Wines of Chateau La Caminade in the Cahors, France - Malbec from its Birthplace

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Dominique Ressès, Cahor

Mas D'Alezon Presbytere Faugeres 2012

Catherine Roque, Languedoc, is owner and winemaker of Mas d'Alezon and Domaine du Clovallon. Catherine says that seeing the results of bio-dynamic farming practices has greatly inspired her. Both of her estates are in Languedoc.

Fourth Course

A Selection of 3 Regional Cheeses


3 Wines and 3 Winemakers

Pictures: Julien Teulier, Laurent Charrier, Jean-Marc Grussaute and Ed Assiss, and their Wines

Camin Larredya La Part Davan Jurancon Sec 2012

Jean-Marc Grussaute: The Grussautes have a small but remarkable vineyard (9 hectares) situated in the Chapelle de Rousse area of Jurançon. The word "Camin" used instead of Domaine is the local dialect for chemin or road.

The majority of the vineyard, planted by Jean-Marc’s father 40 years ago, is terraced and lies on steep and curved slopes that form an amphitheater. The vineyard is planted to 60% Petit Manseng and 37% Gros Manseng and 3% Petit Courbu. Jean-Marc Grussaute began estate bottling in 1988. He has farmed organically since 2007 with the first certified vintage being 2010. Jean-Marc names his wines after the vineyard parcels from which they come.

The Jurançon Sec which is called La Part Davan, blends two thirds Gros Manseng with Petit Manseng and a small quantity of Petit Courbu.. The wine undergoes a "maceration pellicullaire" before fermentation in stainless steel tanks and foudres. The wine then is kept "sur lie" for at least six months.

Picture: Jean-Marc Grussaute and Christian G.E. Schiller

Domaine du Pas Saint Martin Jurassique Saumur Blanc 2011

Domaine du Pas Saint Martin is set among troglodyte caves formed out of ancient fossilized marine life that covered the Saumur region 10 million years ago. During the Middle Ages these caves served the Protestants as secret places of worship.

Laurent Charrier and his mother run the domaine which is a certified organic farm. Laurent’s father was not interested in producing wine and thus in 1994 when Laurent took over the responsibility of the domaine, he picked up where his grandfather had left off. He immediately set out to acquire certification for organic farming which he received in 1997. The family vineyards are a bit spread out with small holdings in Anjou and Coteaux du Layon in addition to their primary vineyard in Saumur. The average age of the vines is 25 years with a good part being older than 35 years. Vinification is carried out in temperature controlled stainless steel vats.

Domaine du Cros Lo Sang del Pais Marcillac 2012

Winemaker Julien Teulier: Deliciously fruity red wine from Marcillac, first used to quench the thirst of pilgrims on their way to the shrine of Santiago di Compostella, and then miners from nearby coalfields. Made from the local fer servadou grape from a vineyard that was saved from extinction by a handful of dedicated growers in Southwest France.


Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Julien Teulier

Dessert

Tanis Bark and Fresh Ginger Wafers


We enjoyed a lovely, superbly attended to dinner at Savona Restaurant on the Main Line outside of Philly. A wonderful restaurant and historic spot, where Aaron Burr held headquarters during the Revolutionary War.
Sommelier Michele Gargiulo is in front, behind her left to right are Elisabeth Billard from Domaine Billard, Thierry Gaudrie from Chateau Villars, Franck Lihour from Domaine Castera and Catherine Dargaud from Chateau Le Breuil Renaissance. At the last minute our friend Nico Roumagnac could not make the trip, he was called early to harvest.

WINE MAKERS DINNER
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015

Nicolas Roumagnac

Fronton Rosé, Chateau Roumagnac, 2014

Wilted Endive & Radichio Salad, Sungold Cherry Tomatoes, Parmagiano Reggiano

v

Elisabeth Billard

Hautes-Cotes de Beaune Blanc, "La Justice", Domaine Billard, 2012

Plancha Quick Seared Scottish Salmon, Local Sweet Corn, Pearl Onions, Vanilla

v

Catherine Dargaud

Medoc, Chateau Le Breuil Renaissance, 2012

Carolina Quail, Barley & Farmer’s Cabbage, Natural Jus

v

Thierry Gaudrie

Fronsac, Chateau villars, 2012

Hereford Beef Short Rib,

Preserved Truffle-Root Vegetable Ragu

v

Frank Lihour

Jurancon "Cuvée Privilege", Domaine Castera, 2011

Frecon Orchard Roasted Peaches, Rosemary Cake, lavender Crema

Finewine.com
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February 17th, 2014


New Happenings Coming Up at Finewine.com!!!
Dinner with 13 French Winemakers & Aussie Wine Class!!!


We've been asked many times to do more wine dinners so we're delighted to parnter with Buck's Fishing & Camping and Wine Traditions Importers for an epic evening of great food and wine. We will welcome 13 visiting French winemakers who will ALL be at the dinner to share annidotes and stories about their great domaines and wines. We've also got a fantastic "Outback Adventure" with a wine class on New Zealand and Australian wines!

Bucks Logo
French Winemaker Dinner at
Bucks Fishing & Camping

Featuring 13 Winemakers and Your Choice of Wine for Each Course
Sunday March 2nd at 6:30pm - $99
(Tax and Gratuity included)

We've planned a thrilling wine dinner with 13 visiting winemakers from all around France at one of DC's hottest and upcoming restaurants! "This arty and eclectic restaurant serves classic food made with the best ingredients." says The Washington Post

This wine dinner will feature four expertly prepared courses of American cuisine from Chef James Rexroad. At this totally unique event, after a Champagne and oyster welcome, 13 French winemakers will be on hand to present their distinctive and delicious wines. You will have the opportunity to select one of three wines with each of your 4-courses to pair side-by-side with Buck's beautiful menu.

At Bucks Fishing & Camping you will taste the real deal , Washington Post Food critic, Tom Sietsema says "there are few local kitchens that do its familiar dishes better than Bucks," "the kitchen distinguishes itself is so many small ways" full of localy sourced foods; these flavor are simple and excellent. Owner James Alefantis, is charming and welcoming as is his restaurant. We will have full run of the place as they are closing their doors to all other diners on Sunday night! This is the perfect venue for great wine, wonderful food and friends! Join the finewine.com team and dine with us!

Menu ~ Buck's Fishing & Camping
13 French Winemakers with chef James Rexroad
& Wine Traditions Ed and Barbara Addiss
Welcome
Oysters on the 1/2 Shell, Warm Gougeres, & Selection of Saucisson.
Bourdaire-Gallois, Brut Champagne NV

first course
House Applewood Smoked Salmon with it's Roe.
choose one; Chateau Magneau, Graves Blanc 2012, Domaine de Bel Air Pouilly-Fume 2012 or Domaine Rois Mages "Les Cailloux" Rully Rouge 2011

second course
Wild Local Mushrooms with Tagliatelle Pasta & Herbs
choose one; Domaine Billard Hautes Cotes de Beaune Blanc 2012, Chateau Vieux Chevrol Lalande de Pomerol 2009 or Chateau Gueyrosse Saint Emilion 2003

third course
Magret Duck Steaks with a Frisee Salad of Duck Cracklins & Farm Poached Egg
choose one; Chateau La Bourree Cotes de Castillon 2011, Chateau La Caminade Commandery Cahors 2009 or Mas D'Alezon Presbytere Faugeres 2012

fourth course
A Selection of Three Regional Cheeses
choose one; Camin Larredya La Part Davan Jurancon Sec 2012, Domaine du Pas Saint Martin Jurassique Saumur Blanc 2011 or Domaine du Cros Lo Sang del Pais Marcillac 2012

dessert
Tanis Bark & Fresh Ginger Wafers

Buck's Fishing and Camping is located at 5031 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (NW Washington- Next to Politics and Prose - Connecticut and Nebraska). This dinner is a great value as you will be drinking 5 outstanding French wines to compliment each delicious course. Call 301-987-5933 or click on the "sign up" button below. This dinner will sell out VERY quickly, so don't delay. All seats must be reserved and pre-paid in advance through finewine.com.

SIGN UP

Region: Bourgogne

The wine region of Burgundy extends from the town of Chatillon sur Seine in the north to Lyon in the south, though; I prefer to put the southern boundary at Macon, and in this way leave the Beaujolais region as a separate entity. Thus, Burgundy includes the wine regions of Côtes de Chatillon, Yonne, Côte d’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Côtes du Couchey and Maconnais. The vast majority of Burgundy’s wines are produced from three grape varieties: Aligoté, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and they are produced without blending the different grape types. The result, therefore, is a mapping of these three grape types onto the whole range of Burgundy’s vineyards which consequently offers the wine lover a unique window through which to notice and appreciate the concept of terroir. The difference in taste between Chardonnay grown in Chablis and Chardonnay grown in Macon is something that will always delight me...

The Burgundy vineyards have been intimately worked and studied for many centuries which has resulted in a complex and highly detailed system of nomenclature, one that beginning in the 1930’s the INAO has tried to formalize into a logical network of “appellations controlees”. The system of appellations is uniform in its general outline for Burgundy’s different wine regions, but much less uniform in its application. For example, each of the Premier Cru vineyards in the Côte D’Or and Côte Chalonnaise is associated with its village of origin and corresponds specifically to one plot of land within that village, whereas in the Yonne or Chablis to be exact, the Premier Cru vineyards never make reference to their villages of origin and moreover, the 79 Premier Cru vineyards typically use only 17 names. So, putting differences aside and embracing contradiction, one can say with confidence that the overall appellation structure is organized from the general to the specific. At the most general level, vineyards from any of the Burgundy wine regions can produce white, red, rosé or sparkling wines with the Bourgogne appellation. At the first level of specificity (and beginning of disparity among the regions), there are 24 regional appellations, each of which is comprised of a group of villages which share a common appellation name. Two examples, which illustrate the possible variation in size, are Côtes de Nuits Villages and Macon-Villages. Côtes de Nuits Villages includes nine villages whereas Macon-Villages includes 83 villages. At the next level of specificity, there are 44 local appellations, each of which corresponds to a specific village such as Gevrey-Chambertin and Chassagne-Montrachet. Within the local appellation structure, but higher up the hierarchal scale, there are 750 Premier Cru appellations which mark specific vineyard boundaries within a particular village. Examples are Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru “Petite Chapelle” and Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru“Les Chenevottes”. At the highest level of the paradigm, there are 33 Grand Cru appellations which similarly mark specific vineyard boundaries within a specific village (or spanning two!).

Examples of Grand Cru vineyards are Mazis-Chambertin and Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. One of the lovely idiosyncrasies is evident from these examples; namely, why the grand cru vineyard “climat” names Chambertin and Montrachet are attached to their respective communes at all appellation levels.

If one is interested and persistent enough to comprehend the lay of the land in terms of its geography, geology and nomenclature, the picture quickly becomes much more complex when the land is divided between the many thousands of Burgundian wine-growers. The average land holding in Burgundy is two hectares (five acres) and in some of the most illustrious vineyards such as Batard-Montrachet a mere twelve hectares can be divided among 55 growers.

A deep knowledge of the wines produced in Burgundy, it is easy to see, would be best left up to those who have lots of free time. People that are teachers or NBA basketball players might have enough vacation time to tackle such a project, but only the NBA player would have the money to taste the wines. Happily, even without four months of vacation or enormous resources, the wines of Burgundy are there to give us all the taste of one of the vine’s favorite places on earth.

Burgundy wine growers certainly have no special claim to the concept of terroir, but they have embraced the notion of terroir in a way that brings it to our attention and gives us much to think about. If our attention is turned to the infinite variations of our mother earth and its ability to give these variations expression through the grape vine and its transformation into wine, then what a lovely reminder that we are from the earth, nourished by the earth and will return to it.