Bordeaux or Burgundy?

I suppose the question of which is best is like asking “which came first, the chicken or the egg?”  I love both of these wine regions but the one that truly takes my breath away is Burgundy.  More about that later.  Let’s talk about ranking; Bordeaux wines are ranked by Chateau and those are ranked in quality tiers….1st Growth, 2nd Growth… You have your regional wines (Bordeaux, Bordeaux Superieur, etc.) with sub-regions within those (Medoc, Haut Medoc, Grave) and communal or village wines within those (Margaux, St. Emillion, Sauternes, etc.)   Burgundy is rank by vineyards or plots of land with is ranked by general zones of production and further to more specific zones of production with these zones being quality ranked also; Premier Crus, Grand Cru and village wines within those.   Yes, confusing on both sides but Bordeaux Chateaux usually has just one owner for each or should I say style and point of view, whereas Burgundy vineyards could have as many as 20 owners, each with their own row of grapes for the production of wine, each row and owner having different styles and points of view.  We can thank Napoleon III for this mandate of dividing inheritable properties equally among siblings.  With Bordeaux you have a fairly good idea of what the wines are like based on the Chateaux name and its premiere location.  With Burgundy knowing the producer of a wine as well as its place of origin is key.  Aside from ownership differences the two regions use totally different grape varieties for their wines.  Bordeaux red wines are blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The white wines are a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.  Burgundy red wines are of a single varietal, Pinot Noir and Burgundy white wines are of a single varietal, Chardonnay.   Both regions have terroir or soils of the highest quality, but which is harder to do produce wines with depth of character from blended grapes or from a single variety?  This is why the wines of Burgundy take my breath away.  Each meticulously hand crafted row of vines produce wines with depth, individual character, and longevity from a single grape variety.  Pinot Noir and Chardonnay expressed through Burgundy from many different rows, in many different ways, is a beautiful experience.   Now, I’m not going to suggest individual wines for you to try here.  I’m going to point you to areas within Burgundy where you can pick your own producers and see which you like best.  In my opinion it’s the best way to learn about the wines of Burgundy or any wine for that matter…..taste your way through it.  Here’s my Burgundy villages to try “just because life is too short” list:

Red:  Pommard, Vonay, Vosene-Romanee, Marsannay

White:  Chassagne-Montrachet, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet

The red wines compliment hearty stews, the white wines compliment aromatic cheeses soft and hard.

enjoy