Burgundy Is Not the Easiest Place to Begin
That is precisely why we are beginning there.
Few regions generate as much confusion. The labels are minimal, the hierarchy looks designed to repel outsiders, and the pricing often feels like someone threw darts at a wall. And yet Burgundy remains the reference point for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, for site expression, and for the stubborn idea that place matters more than grape.
If you can read Burgundy, you can read almost anything. If you can't, you'll spend a lot of money learning the hard way.
This is the first Field Note.
From now on, Sorting Table will follow a simple rhythm. One region, style, or idea each month, examined across four notes, then rounded off with a live tasting at month's end. One theme. Examined properly.
Start here: in Burgundy, a good producer in a village appellation will consistently outperform a mediocre producer in Premier Cru. The postcode matters less than you think.
Take Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Amoureuses. It's officially a Premier Cru, yet it regularly trades for more than most Grand Crus from the same village, including Bonnes-Mares. Or look at Hudelot-Noellat's Vosne-Romanée village wine, which critics consistently describe as offering Grand Cru quality at a fraction of the cost.
The classification was formalised in 1936, and while it gets adjusted (four vineyards were upgraded to Premier Cru just last November), the system has remained remarkably stable. Which tells you something: it mostly works. The exceptions are where the opportunities lie.
Across March we'll cover:
How the hierarchy actually works (and why it doesn't always)
Why the producer matters more than the postcode
The practical difference between village and Premier Cru
How to buy without guessing
Later this month we'll conclude with a live tasting built around four wines. Details to follow.
Next note arrives next week.
Mike
Sorting Table
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