2014 Serafin Bourgogne Rouge

Domaine Christian Serafin is in Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy. The 12-acre domaine includes parcels in Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St.-Denis and Chambolle-Musigny. The domaine’s grand cru is Charmes-Chambertin and there are several premier crus produced too. Christian Serafin’s father, Stanislaus, arrived in France from his native Poland in the late 1930s and worked as a cabinet maker before joining the Polish resistance during World War II. After the war, Stanislaus found agricultural work in Gevrey and began buying parcels of land. By the late 1950s Christian was working with his father in the vineyards. Christian has operated the domaine since 1988, with help from his daughter and niece. Burgundy expert Clive Coates has written that “Serafin’s wines are full-bodied, meaty, and abundantly rich, with a good touch of spice, and are nicely oaky rather than excessively so.”

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.