2019 Bachelet-Monnot Bourgogne Rouge

Domaine Bachelet-Monnot is a family affair and, for Burgundy, a young one. It was started in 2005 by brothers Marc and Alexandre Bachelet, who created the 53-acre domaine from land owned by their father and uncle. The vineyards are in the Maranges, Santenay and Puligny-Montrachet communes. The wines earn ratings in the low to mid-90s from reviewers, many of whom call the brothers among the best of the newest generation of Burgundian vignerons. In 2017 the Wine Advocate’s reviewer described his tasting at the domaine like this: “It was another superb set of wines from the domaine right from the commendable Bourgogne Rouge up to the spine-tingling Bâtard-Montrachet …. I strongly suspect (these wines) will represent some of the best values over the entire of the Côte d’Or this vintage, and if I were a millionaire…I would still buy them.”

Burgundy in eastern France is, if not the most famous and storied wine region in the world, certainly one of the top two or three. Its winemaking history dates from the Roman era, and its relatively small size and reputation for outstanding wines means that the best wines of Burgundy are generally among the world’s most prized – and costly – wines. At about 110,000 vineyards acres, Burgundy is only 40% as big as Bordeaux, and its system of dividing up vineyards into small, family-owned parcels makes understanding the wines of Burgundy a life-long pursuit for Burgundy enthusiasts. The three main grapes of Burgundy are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay. Burgundy is a long, narrow, north-south running region consisting of five main areas. They are Chablis in the north, Côte D’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Beaujolais, which is just above the Rhone Valley. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown throughout most of Burgundy but Gamay is grown primarily in Beaujolais. The appellation system and rules about labeling can be confusing and the system classifies regions, villages and even individual vineyards. Grand Cru is the most prestigious appellation category, followed by Premier Cru and many village and regional appellations.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.