Neal Rosenthal on his book

Reflections of a Wine Merchant

Gamay is the new Black

GAMAY IS THE NEW BLACK

I'm not sayin' you heard it here first but everybody is talking about Gamay! Gamay has always been a grape that hasn't been treated seriously. Crush it, ferment it as quickly as possible, and pour out just as fast was the model. That alter ego of Gamay is fading with time and a completely more earnest style is replacing it. Pay attention, the new gamay is worth it. Just ask the French government. Decanter magazine recently reported the French government has decided to develope a new program to study the terrior of Beaujolais and reclassify based on potential quality.

Map of France's A.O.P. Wine Regions

2004 Burgundy Vintage

Here is a piece from the Burgundy report that I find interesting.

I must say that I've notice a more rustic edge to the 04's that seems to be showing itself more and more as the wines age however I've just assumed the wines were showing their age due to the vintage character. As a man of little money and less years of collecting burgundy under my belt this has been something that attracts me to the vintage. On the whole the wines of 2004 are showing more interesting layers right now than any other recent vintage since 2001 for the money.



What recent vintage do you prefer drinking?

Ub40 - Red Red Wine
by djoik

Chambolle Musginy Vineyard Map

This map was sourced from Scott Paul's blog. You can find a mini Burgundy wine 101 and 102 with allen meadows along with more maps of Burgundy here.

Languedoc Roussillon Sub Regions Map

Map of Burgundy, France

Wine Region Map of Rhone Valley, France

Gevery Chambertin Vineyard Map

Note: The key is incorrect. The colors for village Gevery and grand cru are switched

Morey St Denis Village Vineyard Map

Total Average Village Production
RED White
Morey Villages 300,000 bottles 20,000 bottles
Morey 1er Cru 80,000 bottles 4,000 bottles
Morey Grand Crus 190,000 bottles 0 bottles

Grand Cru Vineyards
Clos St Denis
Clos de la Roche
Clos des Lambrays
Clos des Tart
Bonnes Mares

Maps and way more on Burgundy can easily be accessed at the Burgundy-Report.com

11. How many Premier Cru villages are there in Champagne?

Answer: 38

Avenay Val d'Or - Marne
Bergeres- Aube
Bezannes- Marne
Billy le Grand- Marne
Bisseuil- Marne
Chamery- Marne
Champillon- Marne
Chigny Les Roses- Marne
Chouilly- Marne
Coligny- Marne
Cuis- Marne
Cumieres- Marne
Dizy- Marne
Ecueil- Marne
Etrechy- Marne
Grauves- Marne
Hautvillers- Marne
Jouy les Reims- Marne
Les Mesneux- Marne
Ludes- Marne
Mareuil sur Ay- Marne
Montbre- Marne
Mutigny- Marne
Pargny les Reims- Marne
Pierry- Marne
Rilly La Montagne - Marne
Sacy- Marne
Taissy- Marne
Tauxieres- Marne
Tours sur Marne- Marne
Trepail- Marne
Trois Puits- Marne
Vaudemanges- Marne
Vertus- Marne
Villedommange- Marne
Villers Allerand- Marne
Villers aux Noeuds- Marne
Villers Marmery- Marne

Map of the Loire Valley

click on the map to see a full size version

From Laurent Noblet at Jon David Heidrick Selections

10. How many Grand Cru villages are there in Champagne?

There are 17 Grand Cru vineyards in Champagne.

1. Ambonnay
2. Avize
3. Ay
4. Beaumont sur Vesle
   
5. Bouzy
6. Chouilly
7. Cramant
8. Le Mesnil sur Oger
9. Louvois
10. Mailly Champagne
11. Oger
12. Oiry
13. Puisieulx
14. Sillery
15. Tours sur Marne
16. Verzenay
17. Verzy
    

What are the grapes allowed in Cremant d'Alsace AC?

Auxerrois Blanc
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Gris
Pinot Noir
Riesling

Alsace approved grape varieties that are not allowed in Cremant d'Alsace:
Gewurztraminer, Sylvaner, Muscat

Alsace Grand Cru Vineyard List

Cote de Beaune Map

Bordeaux 1855 Classification

Disclaimer: Laws are always subject to change!!

The 57 appellations of Bordeaux are not classified in a single official ranking. But the Médoc, Sauternes and Barsac, Graves, and Saint-Emilion districts do have their own official internal classification systems. Pomerol, one of Bordeaux's greatest assets, was not included in the 1855 Classification, and remains unclassified to this day. However, Château Pétrus is often included with the First Growths (Premiers Crus) of the 1855.

Much like our World's Fair today, Napoléon III's 1855 Expositon Universelle de Paris was a chance for France to display its very best for the world to see. The Gironde Chamber of Commerce requested that a classification system be devised to accompany their display of the fine wines of Bordeaux. The Bordeaux Wine Brokers' Union went to work on the project and came up with what we now refer to as the Classification of 1855.

They came up with a five-class ranking system of the red wines from the Médoc region, with the exception of Château Haut-Brion from Graves, which had to be included due to its renown. The white wines of Sauternes and Barsac were also included in a two-class ranking. The list reflected the market's view of the relative quality between the wines in terms of the selling price and reputation of the various châteaux. Within each category, the châteaux were ranked in order of quality — or selling price.

Considering the fact that many châteaux have changed hands and with them the managment, thereby possibly effecting the quality of the wines for better or worse, the classification has held up remarkably well. The classification has only undergone one significant change in the last almost 150 years. By decree, on June 21, 1973, Château Mouton-Rothschild was promoted from a deuxieme cru to a premeir cru. At the same time, the premeir crus were to be listed in alphabetical order.

The 1855 Official Classification of the MÉDOC

First Growths (Premiers Crus) Commune
Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac)
Château Margaux (Margaux)
Château Latour (Pauillac)
Château Haut-Brion Pessac (Graves)
Château Mouton-Rothschild (Pauillac)

Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus) Commune
Château Rausan-Ségla (Margaux)
Château Rauzan-Gassies (Margaux)
Château Léoville-Las Cases (Saint-Julien)
Château Léoville-Poyferré (Saint-Julien)
Château Léoville-Barton (Saint-Julien)
Château Durfort-Vivens (Margaux)
Château Gruaud-Larose (Saint-Julien)
Château Lascombes (Margaux)
Château Brane-Cantenac Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron (Pauillac)
Château Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande (Pauillac)
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou (Saint-Julien)
Château Cos d'Estournel (Saint-Estèphe)
Château Montrose (Saint-Estèphe)

Third Growths (Troisièmes Crus) Commune
Château Kirwan Cantenac (Margaux)
Château d'Issan Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Lagrange (Saint-Julien)
Château Langoa-Barton (Saint-Julien)
Château Giscours Labarde (Margaux)
Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry (Margaux)
Château Boyd-Cantenac Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Cantenac-Brown Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Palmer Cantenac (Margaux)
Château La Lagune Ludon (Haut-Médoc)
Château Desmirail (Margaux)
Château Calon-Ségur (Saint-Estèphe)
Château Ferrière (Margaux)
Château Marquis d'Alesme-Becker (Margaux)

Fourth Growths (Quatrièmes Crus) Commune
Château Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien)
Château Talbot (Saint-Julien)
Château Branaire-Ducru (Saint-Julien)
Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild (Pauillac)
Château Pouget Cantenac (Margaux)
Château La Tour-Carnet Saint-Laurent (Haut Médoc)
Château Lafon-Rochet (Saint-Estèphe)
Château Beychevelle (Saint-Julien)
Château Prieuré-Lichine Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Marquis-de-Terme (Margaux)

Fifth Growths (Cinquièmes Crus) Commune
Château Pontet-Canet (Pauillac)
Château Batailley (Pauillac)
Château Haut-Batailley (Pauillac)
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste (Pauillac)
Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse (Pauillac)
Château Lynch-Bages (Pauillac)
Château Lynch-Moussas (Pauillac)
Château Dauzac Labarde (Margaux)
Château Mouton-Baronne-Philippe (Pauillac)
Château du Tertre Arsac (Margaux)
Château Haut-Bages-Libéral (Pauillac)
Château Pédesclaux (Pauillac)
Château Belgrave Saint-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)
Château de Camensac Saint-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)
Château Cos-Labory (Saint-Estèphe)
Château Clerc-Milon (Pauillac)
Château Croizet-Bages (Pauillac)
Château Cantemerle Macau (Haut-Médoc)

The 1855 Official Classification of SAUTERNES – BARSAC

First Great Growth (Premier Cru Supérieur) Commune
Château d'Yquem (Sauternes)

First Growths (Premiers Crus) Commune
Château La Tour-Blanche (Bommes)
Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey (Bommes)
Château Clos Haut-Peyraguey (Bommes)
Château de Rayne-Vigneau (Bommes)
Château Suduiraut (Preignac)
Château Coutet (Barsac)
Château Climens (Barsac)
Château Guiraud (Sauternes)
Château Rieussec (Fargues)
Château Rabaud-Promis (Bommes)
Château Sigalas-Rabaud (Bommes)

Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus) Commune
Château de Myrat (Barsac)
Château Doisy-Daëne (Barsac)
Château Doisy-Dubroca (Barsac)
Château Doisy-Védrines (Barsac)
Château d'Arche (Sauternes)
Château Filhot (Sauternes)
Château Broustet (Barsac)
Château Nairac (Barsac)
Château Caillou (Barsac)
Château Suau (Barsac)
Château de Malle (Preignac)
Château Romer-du-Hayot (Fargues)
Château Lamothe-Despujols (Sauternes)
Château Lamothe-Guignard (Sauternes)

THE GRAVES CLASSIFICATION
Other than Haut-Brion, the clasification of 1855 did not take into account the châteaux of Graves. It was first classified in 1953, but the classification did not became official until the 1959 ranking. The one class list is divided bewteen red wines and white wines, which means that some châteaux are mentioned twice, once in each category. To avoid disputes the châteaux within each category, are not ordered by quality.

The 1959 Official Classification of the GRAVES

Classified Red Wines of Graves Commune
Château Bouscaut (Cadaujac)
Château Haut-Bailly (Léognan)
Château Carbonnieux (Léognan)
Domaine de Chevalier (Léognan)
Château de Fieuzal (Léognan)
Château d'Olivier (Léognan)
Château Malartic-Lagravière (Léognan)
Château La Tour-Martillac (Martillac)
Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte (Martillac)
Château Haut-Brion (Pessac)
Château La Mission-Haut-Brion (Talence)
Château Pape-Clément (Pessac)
Château Latour-Haut-Brion (Talence)

Classified White Wines of Graves Commune
Château Bouscaut (Cadaujac)
Château Carbonnieux (Léognan)
Château Domaine de Chevalier (Léognan)
Château d'Olivier (Léognan)
Château Malartic Lagravière (Léognan)
Château La Tour-Martillac (Martillac)
Château Laville-Haut-Brion (Talence)
Château Couhins-Lurton (Villenave d'Ornan)
Château Couhins (Villenave d'Ornan)
Château Haut-Brion (Pessac) (added in 1960)

The St-Émilion Classification
Saint-Émilion was omitted from the 1855 classification. As a result, the local Wine Growers' Union decided to formally draw up a Classification of St-Émilion in 1955. It was to be revised every ten years to keep it from becoming to rigid and outdated. Although this is not happening on schedule, it has been revised twice, most recently in 1985.

The classification was based on soil, a tasting of the wine, and the reputation of the vineyard. Work on a new revision is being done now and should be published any time.

The 1985 Official Classification of St-Émilion

First Growths (Premiers Crus) Classés — A
Château Ausone
Château Cheval Blanc

First Growths (Premiers Crus) Classés — B
Château Beauséjour-Duffau La Garrosse
Château Belair
ChâteauCanon
Clos Fourtet
Château Figeac
Château La Gaffeliére
Château Magdelaine
Château Pavie
Château Trottevieille

Grands Crus Classés
Château L'Angelus
Château L'Arrosée
Château Balestard La Tonnelle
Château Beausejour-Becot
Château Bellevue
Château Bergat
Château Berliquet
Château Cadet Piola
Château Canon-La-Gaffeliére
Château Cap de Mourlin
Château Le Chatelet
Château Chauvin
Château Clos Des Jacobins
Château Clos La Madeleine
Château Clos De L'Oratoire
Château Clos Saint-Martin
Château La Clotte
Château La Clusiére
Château Corbin
Château Corbin Michotte
Château Couvent Des Jacobins
Château Croque-Michotte
Château Curé-Bon-La-Madeleine
Château Dassault
Château La Dominique
Château Faurie de Souchard
Château Fonplégade
Château Fonroque
Château Franc-Mayne
Château Grand-Barrail-Lamarzelle-Figeac
Château Grand-Corbin
Château Grand-Corbin Despagne
Château Grand-Mayne
Château Grand-Pontet
Château Gaudet-Saint-Julien
Château Haut-Corbin
Château Haut-Sarpe
Château Lanoite
Château Larcis-Ducasse
Château Lamarzelle
Château Larmande
Château Laroze
Château Matras
Château Mauvezin
Château Moulin-du-Cadet
Château L'Oratoire
Château Pavie-Decesse
Château Pavie-Macquin
Château Pavillon-Cadet
Château Petit-Faurie-de-Soutard
Château Le Prieuré
Château Ripeau
Château Saint-Georges-Coat-Pavie
Château Sansonnet
Château La Serre
Château Soutard
Château Tertre-Daugay
Château La Tour-du-Pin-Figeac (Giraud-Belivier)
Château La Tour-du-Pin-Figeac (Moueix)
Château La Tour-Figeac
Château Trimoulet
Château Troplong-Mondot
Château Villemaurine
Château Yon-Figeac