2005 Nicolas Rossignol Beaune

Domaine Nicolas Rossignol was founded by Nicolas Rossignol in 1997 when the young winemaker acquired 7.5 acres of vineyards in Volnay, Pommard, Beaune, Aloxe Corton and Pernand-Vergelesses. Rossignol comes from a family of winemakers, and he is the fifth generation to make wine in Volnay. In addition to starting his own domaine he continued to make wine at the family domaine, Rossignol-Jeanniard. Today Rossignol manages his own estate and his family’s, which together include about 65 acres. The parcels are mostly Premier Cru, and in addition to his original appellations, he also has Premier Crus in Savigny-les-Beaune. There are also village wines.

Beaune is the heart, soul and capital of Burgundy. A walled, medieval city of ancient buildings and cobble-stoned streets, Beaune is home to the annual Hospices de Beaune wine auction, a charity auction dating to the 15th century. Beaune has always been a natural crossroads, and it was a commercial center as far back as the Roman era. Today Beaune is home to many of Burgundy’s most famous negociants, including Drouhin, Jadot, Latour and Bouchard Pere et Fils. The Beaune appellation includes 1,620 acres of vineyards, of which 95% are planted to Pinot Noir, with the remainder to Chardonnay. Although there are no Grands Crus, there are 44 Premier Cru vineyards which account for nearly half the appellation’s vineyard acreage. The best vineyards are on the upper slopes around the town, and Beaune is especially known for its “clos,” or small, walled vineyards that are often parcels of larger vineyards. There are also Beaune village wines. Robert M. Parker Jr. wrote that the primary traits of Beaune reds in the best vintages are “an intense bouquet of berry fruit, principally black cherries and strawberries. The wines are rarely massive or large scaled, relying more on their smooth, silky, berry fruitiness and harmony to seduce…”

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.