August 18th marks Pinot Noir Day, so let's celebrate with a selection from the motherland — Burgundy. This week we scratch the surface of the Côte d'Or, "the Golden Slope" that produces some of the most complex and intellectual Pinot Noirs. This slope is comprised of fleshy water holding clay along with limestone, the nervy element that frames Burgundy with such grace. |
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Côte d'Or 101
The Golden Slope of Côte d'Or is a strip of limestone comprised of the Côte de Nuits & Côte de Beaune. Speaking in broad strokes, wines from the Côte de Nuits tend to be more structured, intense and ageable — making the region home to 24 Grands Crus (compared to the Côte de Beaune's 8 Grands Crus).
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Terrain
The topography of Burgundy is largely influenced by 'combes' — the French word for small valleys in the edge of a plateau, created by rivers of thawing permafrost back in the glacial ages. There are 4 combes in the Côte de Nuits, which are narrower and deeper than in the Côte de Beaune. These combes funnel cold air, divert storms, influence sun exposure, and affect the hardness of the stone being eroded over millions of years. The Côte de Beaune is part of the same limestone escarpment that covers the Côte de Nuits, but the soil is younger and the hillsides are more gentle. The East facing Côte de Beaune also receives more morning sun, compared to the hotter afternoon sunshine in Côte de Nuits. In both the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, the best vineyards lie along a narrow band of limestone facing south-east to maximize exposure to the sun. Lower-lying vineyards with more clay drain less well and tend to produce less dynamic wines.
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Côte de Nuits
Iconic villages from Côte de Nuits include Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St
Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, and Nuits-St-Georges. The Pinot Noirs range from weighty to elegant, dry and savory to juicy and fruit forward. This is determined by both the terroir, but also the unique weather circumstances of the vintage. There are certain "legendary years" such as 2015, where the wines were most collectible, with aging potential beyond 30 years! Other vintages, such as 2018, produced big, dense, fleshy Pinot Noirs that are delicious in their youth but don't benefit from decades in your cellar. The good news? We have a knowledgeable team eager to help decode the Burgundy aisle for you! Dip your toes in with the 2020 Michel Noëllat Marsannay Es Chezots for a taste of the Vosne style intensity.
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Côte de Beaune
Pinot Noir from the Côte de Beaune are known to be quite aromatic with beautiful warm bouquets. Generally speaking, the wines have a slightly lighter body than in Côte de Nuits, along with a quicker maturation. Iconic communes from the Côte de Beaune include Volnay, Pommard, Savigny-lès-Beaune, and Aloxe-Corton. This Pinot Noir Day (Friday) we'd suggest the 2019 Bouchard Pére & Fils Volnay Les Caillerets, a Premier Cru with a deep-pitched bouquet of dark raspberries & violets with a firm structure and long finish. This is a beautiful wine to enjoy now, or to cellar for the future!
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Budget Burgundy
As you explore the great landscapes of Burgundy, it's important to remember that you can find exceptionally delicious wines that do not break the bank. Bourgogne Pinot Noirs are a great place to start. The regional appellation 'Bourgogne' will give you a glimpse into the great wines of Burgundy, and are fabulously food friendly. We love the 2020 Philippe Rossignol Bourgogne Côte d'Or, which is a delicious option to start exploring the "Golden Slope" of Burgundy! This Bourgogne is made from grapes sourced just East of Gevrey-Chambertin.
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Cocktail of the Week: Pinot Ritas
In honor of Pinot Noir Day, and soaking up what's left of summer, we've decided to make Pinot Ritas this week! Why not combine our two favorite things?
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INGREDIENTS
Course Salt, for your glass (optional)
2oz Blanco Tequila
1oz Lime Juice, fresh-squeezed
1oz Pinot Noir Syrup
.5oz Cointreau
Lime Wedges, for garnishing
Pinot Noir Syrup Instructions
Simply cook down 8oz of Pinot Noir with a half cup of sugar until it becomes thick and syrupy, then cool.
Cocktail Instructions
Salt the rim of your glass, if desired. Combine the tequila, lime juice, pinot noir syrup, and Cointreau in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Pour the contents of the shaker into the prepared glass. Serve with a lime wedge, if desired.
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Friday Tasting Table
Friday, 08/18/23, 4 - 8 p.m.
Join Kate of Breakthru's Aspect Division for a FREE wine tasting this Friday!
Get 10% off any single bottle of wine from the tasting table.
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6oz Pour
Wine Education Classes
You Can't Make Great Wine If You Don't Have Great Grapes
Thursday, August 24th
7 p.m. - 9 p.m., $55
Join us at North Loop Wine and Spirits for our Wine 101 Class: "You Can’t Make Great Wine If You Don’t Have Great Grapes." While this is a stand alone class, it could also be considered Part 2 of our Introduction to Wine Series. In Part 1, Vineyards, Varietals, and Vintages, we focus on the classics. In this class, we stray a bit off the straight and narrow and dive deeper into the relationship between vineyard and winery - wherever and however that may lead us. We'll investigate classic, trendy, and under-the-radar wines. This is a great class to supplement any level of wine knowledge from beginner to connoisseur.
Reserve your seats on Tock
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Staff Picks - What to Drink this Week
Try these special, staff-selected libations!
2016 Buganza 'Uva e Mani' Nebbiolo D'Alba - $27.99
'Uva e Mani' translates to grapes and hands, paying homage to the producer's soft and artistic touch to making the wines. The vineyards they farm are organic and biodynamic, and the vinification is done using indigenous yeasts and minimal sulfur. There 2016 Nebbiolo offers a rare opportunity to try a mature Nebbiolo from an epic vintage, that is aged in concrete allowing for the brilliance of the varietal to shine through and show some of its legendary secondary characteristics. The nose shows purple flowers and notes of brambly underbrush and the palate delivers red cherry fruit balanced with great acidity and tannin. Try this ready to drink Nebbiolo with a wild mushroom risotto or a bolognese.
-Rob
N/V Peillot Montagnieu Brut Method Traditional, Bugey - $28.99
Rolling into the end of Summer and not quite ready for the savory reds of Fall, I thought I’d dust off this perennial favorite. Bugey AOC and the village of Montagnieu are on the far edge of the Savoie, about half way to Jura in eastern France. The wines are not well known outside of cafes and ski runs in this alpine corner of France. For us, the old world competists, there is something special in this wine. Cremant, or French sparkling wine in the style of Champagne, has long been a value option for sparkling wine lovers but quality and style vary widely. This particular wine benefits from a healthy dose of red grape, the use of wild yeast and a bit of lees aging. With a 60 percent ratio of Mondeuse, these bubbles will appeal to lovers of Rose’, Blanc de Noir and generally richer styles of cremant while the lees aging adds a savoriness and complexity often missing in this category. Buy some soon and enjoy with everything.
-Dave
2020 Pra 'Morandia' Valpolicella - $26.99
Graziano Pra and his family grow the grapes of Valpolicella (mostly Corvina and Rondinella) in their estate vineyards in rich active limestone soils at a higher elevation than most other Valpolicella producers. Viniculture here has always been Certified Organic. The grapes are allowed to dry for 20 days before native yeast fermentation is carried out in stainless steel tanks, with only neutral French Oak barrels being used for 3 to 6 months of aging. Their slightly unusual approach for Valpolicella makes a beautifully juicy and crunchy wine, slightly akin to a Beaujolais but with a minerally core. Aromas of raspberry, rose petal, fresh thyme, and green peppercorns lead to a refreshing palate of juicy black cherry, plum, and spice bolted with zippy acidity and minerality. The low tannins do not interfere with its crisp and fruity finish. This is a wonderful red wine for summer, served with a slight chill.
-Patrick
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VERY IMPORTANT - Furry Friend Visits! |
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Cheers, Everyone!
The Team at North Loop Wine & Spirits
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