A Gentleman’s Wine Guide: Impressing Your Date with Burgundy
Covid is over and getting “vaxxed and waxed” isn’t a prerequisite for her to introduce you to her grandma on Thanksgiving. So crank that Hinge radius to 300 miles and polish those Common Projects, it’s time to get serious (Don’t think her mom isn’t already attending the JP Morgan job fair or standing outside of Equinox West Village giving out her daughter’s headshot).
That’s why I’m giving you a few tips on Burgundy. It’s basically the wine capital of the world for insiders. From the top winemakers to the most seasoned collectors, this quiet French region makes the some of the highest quality and most expensive wines in the world. The best bottles have weightless finesse, intoxicating aromas and extraordinary length. There is one issue though: Burgundy is really hard to learn (you’ll have a better chance understanding what Biden is saying).
In September, I spent a few days driving up and down the northern end of the Côte d’Or, which is a thin sliver on a map that includes the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, two sub-regions known for Pinot Noir.
Pinot Noir is a thin-skinned grape that makes light red wine (you may remember from my guide to a first date). Burgundy has been growing it for like a 1,000 years, probably more, which is why they’ve reached the closest thing to perfection when it comes to wine. From monks to spoiled sons and daughters to today’s winemakers, the vineyards have been passed down through generations and the wine is now being poured between you and your date. History combined with a sexy wine? Do you even need to open your mouth (at least at the dinner table)?
I suggest looking at the wine lists before choosing the venue. Go to the Burgundy section and see what weapons they got in stock. Recent vintages such as 2018 and 2019 were very warm, so you’ll get riper, medium-bodied styles, whereas 2014 and 2017 are prime examples of classic Burgundy, where slightly cooler weather produces wines with vibrant acidity and a lighter feel (my favorites). An awakening amount of cherry, spice and minerality, combined with classic elegance, purity and length will have you booking New Year’s plans together before dessert arrives.
When looking at the menu, look for these key words which represent sub-regions in Burgundy known for incredible Pinot Noir:
Savigny-Les-Beaune - On the less expensive side, but great quality, this is the ideal pick for a first date. It’s a full-bodied Pinot with plenty of rich cherry and strawberry aromas. It’s like Drake. It just doesn’t miss.
Aloxe-Corton - Similar to Savigny (since they are pretty close to each other), Aloxe-Corton also makes Pinot on the fuller side and houses a great producer called Louis Latour. You snag a bottle of their Corton Grancey Grand Cru ($180) and all you gotta do is sit back in silence. Your job is done.
Vosne-Romanée - Sheesh. Home to the famous Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (a bottle could run you $10,000+), this sub-region’s got all the fame. But bring the price down and the heat up with more affordable producers like Louis Latour or Albert Bichot. These are powerful, but very smooth with herbs, spice and exotic cherry. Bad at closing? Get this.
Chambolle-Musigny - This is my favorite. It’s a small village shoved into one of many monumental slopes of Burgundy. It houses the famous Georges Roumier domaine, which makes some insane Pinots. These are lighter in body, but gain plenty of depth with their complexity of flavors. These take a while to open up, but once they do, the bouquet of flowers you forgot to grab will be floating in the glass.
Gevrey-Chambertin- Grown in the northernmost part of Burgundy these wines are powerful, with strong tannins and firm structure. They’re built for the long haul (like most of these wines), but even a young wine could impress her seasoned palate. If she knows her wine, take the risk. What do you have to lose?
Morey-Saint-Denis - You need one more ace to win the pot…this is it. MOREY ME. It’ll cost you heavy, but if you find a Domaine des Lambrays on the menu, and she seems like a talker, then send it. These wines take hours to drink, unfolding with every smell and sip. Even if the date is going horribly, this’ll have you occupied.
Burgundy is the heart of the wine world. And that’s where you start when it comes to love. So use this guide to choose right. It won’t steer you wrong. Because Burgundy never steers wrong. Not after 1,000 years of making liquid gold.
