Oceans of Burgundy

When I married my husband, the tenth of fourteen children, a friend asked how I was able to remember all of my new in-laws’ names. Now that I am in the wine trade, I have a similar challenge in studying the French region of Burgundy.

I’ve heard it said that to fully grasp the complexities of Burgundy, one must dedicate years and drink oceans of wine. My attendance at a recent Burgundy seminar was intended to make a dent in this daunting task.

The seminar was part of a larger event organized by Daniel Johnnes and called La Paulée de New York -- an homage to La Paulée de Meursault, a Burgundian celebration that is held at the end of the grape harvest. For Johnnes, the event is a humble attempt to transport the Burgundy spirit of generosity and camaraderie to an enthusiastic and passionate American clientele.

The three-day program includes dinners and lunches featuring wines from twenty of the most sought-after domaines of Burgundy, served alongside the cuisine of some of the world’s leading chefs. A charity auction is conducted at the final gala dinner. Past Paulées have raised more than $1 million.

At the seminar -- a small and affordable segment of the overall event -- Becky Wasserman, her son Peter, and sommelier Robert Bohr of the restaurant Cru guided us through a tasting of six wines and led a discussion about life in Burgundy that was part history, part inspiration, and part geology lesson.

Visit www.lapaulee.com for more information about future Paulée events.
 
For information about Becky, her wines, and her musings on life visit www.leserbet.com.

Tags: wine | Burgundy, France