Wines of Burgundy

[David Naylor]

I have noticed a number of threads covering wine from other regions (alsace, rhone etc) but i wonder if any of you could recommend good reading material and links to existing threads on the boards concerning wines from Burgundy.

Much appreciated

David

[JohnL]

I have noticed a number of threads covering wine from other regions (alsace, rhone etc) but i wonder if any of you could recommend good reading material and links to existing threads on the boards concerning wines from Burgundy.

Much appreciated

David

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IMOP there is one work that stands out for its thoroughness in dealing with Burgundy:

"Burgundy" by Anthony Hanson (Mitchell Beazley Classic Wine Library)

be sure to get the latest edition (mine is 2003 I have heard he is working on a newer edition).

Serena Sutcliffe's "Wines of Burgundy" is a compact well written guide.

also from Mitchell Beazley--again, make sure you get the latest edition.

[bobferdon]

I have noticed a number of threads covering wine from other regions (alsace, rhone etc) but i wonder if any of you could recommend good reading material and links to existing threads on the boards concerning wines from Burgundy.

Much appreciated

David

←

IMOP there is one work that stands out for its thoroughness in dealing with Burgundy:

"Burgundy" by Anthony Hanson (Mitchell Beazley Classic Wine Library)

be sure to get the latest edition (mine is 2003 I have heard he is working on a newer edition).

Serena Sutcliffe's "Wines of Burgundy" is a compact well written guide.

also from Mitchell Beazley--again, make sure you get the latest edition.

←

subscribe to www.burghound.com It is consider the best spot to learn about Burgundy.

[JohnL]

Good suggestion--I subscribe to Mr Meadows newsletter.

However--I disagree that this is the best place to "learn" about Burgundy.

Meadows is a critic whose primary function is to critique and rate the wines of Burgundy.

(he does a good job--IMOP).

For one who is interested in buying the wines of Burgundy--the Burghound is a good resource to how various wine makers/properties are performing.

[wkl]

"making sense of burgundy" by matt kramer. out of print, but check amazon for used copies. i understand that can get expensive however.

[Craig Camp]

Alan Meadow's Burghound is more than just reviews as it offers great insight to the how-and-why of the various domaines. Most wine books are almost out-of-date when they are published, but certainly the Serena Sutcliffe and Anthony Hanson books are very useful overviews of the region. Don't forget the excellent Côte D'Or: A Celebration of the Great Wines of Burgundy by Clive Coates. I also find Bill Nanson's website, The Burgundy Report to be a very useful and up-to-date resource.

Edited August 18, 2006 by Craig Camp (log)

[Florida Jim]

Alan Meadow's Burghound is more than just reviews as it offers great insight to the how-and-why of the various domaines. Most wine books are almost out-of-date when they are published, but certainly the Serena Sutcliffe and Anthony Hanson books are very useful overviews of the region. Don't forget the excellent Côte D'Or: A Celebration of the Great Wines of Burgundy by Clive Coates. I also find Bill Nanson's website, The Burgundy Report to be a very useful and up-to-date resource.

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Yeah, Coates book is about as comprehensive on the Côte d'Or as one gets. I have read all those mentioned and enjoyed them but Coates' book is the bible.

Best, Jim

[JohnL]

Alan Meadow's Burghound is more than just reviews as it offers great insight to the how-and-why of the various domaines. Most wine books are almost out-of-date when they are published, but certainly the Serena Sutcliffe and Anthony Hanson books are very useful overviews of the region. Don't forget the excellent Côte D'Or: A Celebration of the Great Wines of Burgundy by Clive Coates. I also find Bill Nanson's website, The Burgundy Report to be a very useful and up-to-date resource.

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Yeah, Coates book is about as comprehensive on the Côte d'Or as one gets. I have read all those mentioned and enjoyed them but Coates' book is the bible.

Best, Jim

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Coates is quite good too but a large part of his "bible"

consists of his ratings and scores for wines!

[Florida Jim]

Coates is quite good too but a large part of his "bible"

consists of his ratings and scores for wines!

John,

He does have a lot of tasting notes (no scores though) but he lists them under the description for each domaine which, I think, gives one a little background info. about what kind of wines (by comparison to others) the domaine makes. So rather than a compendium of "this is what's good and bad" I get a some relative information as to style over the years. Anyway, helpful for me.

The information on the land, villages and vineyards is pretty detailed and his introduction about Burgundy in general is comprehensive.

I do wish he'd do a new edition as the vintage comments are a bit dated. Hence, the strong point of Meadow's publication.

Best, Jim

[JohnL]

Coates is quite good too but a large part of his "bible"

consists of his ratings and scores for wines!

John,

He does have a lot of tasting notes (no scores though) but he lists them under the description for each domaine which, I think, gives one a little background info. about what kind of wines (by comparison to others) the domaine makes. So rather than a compendium of "this is what's good and bad" I get a some relative information as to style over the years. Anyway, helpful for me.

The information on the land, villages and vineyards is pretty detailed and his introduction about Burgundy in general is comprehensive.

I do wish he'd do a new edition as the vintage comments are a bit dated. Hence, the strong point of Meadow's publication.

Best, Jim

←

Unfortunately, Coates has ceased publishing his newsletter. I believe he has not been in the best of health recently.

His book Cote D' Or has about three hundred pages of notes and scores arranged by vintage--the last third or so of his book.

His book on Burgundy is somewhat similar to Robert Parker's book (Parker's was published 1990 and Coates 1997).

Both are very good in terms of general information. Both contain tasting notes.

I would note that Parker's buying guides contain very good overviews of most wine regions and are very informative in terms of general information and reasonably up to date.

Neither one IMOP, touch Hanson in terms of pure scope of information, knowledge and insight into Burgundy.

The Hanson book was last updated in 2003 and I have heard that a revision of that book is in the works. What sets it apart aside from its scope and depth, I believe, is his straightforward assessments and opinions--he is very open and honest when expressing an opinion. refreshing!

Sutcliffe's book was updated in 2003 and remains for me, number two. It is also the briefest of these.

Kramer's book does make for interesting reading--he is always provocative--but his single minded approach often boxes him in and gives a somewhat skewed view.

I also highly recommend "The New france--a complete guide to contemporary French wine" by Andrew Jefford (Beazley 2002). It also covers all of France but it is loaded with very good insight into the wines and winemakers (his section on burgundy is superb)--he is a very good writer.

Burghound's newsletter is still basically a newsletter with reviews and scores of specific wines.

It is good--Meadows is branching out and including a broader focus than just Burgundy.

(can one make a living writing about just Burgundy?).

But the focus is on tasting notes and scores. As with Coates and Parker (and Tanzer and Kolm and....) they are what they are. certainly good tools for any enthusiast.

Edited August 21, 2006 by JohnL (log)

[David Naylor]

Thank you to those who replied much appreciated

David