Burgundy

Reds:

Red Burgundy is a versatile wine ideal with spring and summer foods. A light pinot with soft tannins, such as Saint-Aubin, is delicious with poached salmon and new potatoes.Top-quality Burgundy is well matched by cold cuts of roast beef or gammon. The simpler wines like Marsannays are ideal chilled at picnics with pork pies or cold cumberland sausages served with potato salads. One of the best matches, hot or cold, is with roast guinea fowl. Try to serve red Burgundy between 14° and 16° C.

Whites:

There is a wealth of delicious, generously flavoured, well priced wine from this region. Quality is on the up. 2010 was a superb year, and 2011 is a delicious all rounder: a fruity vintage with a nice fresh finish. Guillemot-Michel's vineyards have now been upgraded to Viré-Clessé. Celebrate with a glass of their wonderful 2010. The St Vérans from Château de Beauregard are delicious. Two contrasting wines from different vineyards in Chasselas, the taut, unoaked Vernay and the richer, part oak-aged La Roche are lovely in their different ways. Saumaize make understated wines from cool sites in Vergisson and price them very attractively.

Toby Morrhall
Burgundy Buyer