I have a customer who has become excited about Burgundy which subsequently has directed me to learning what my client is learning. Researching Burgundy is so fun and hard at the same time. Keeping up with vineyards, producers and negociants is quite the challenging task, especially for someone without the highest level of organization skills naturally.
I knew what Burgundy was - Pinot Noir - and I knew I liked it. While working at a local hot spot restaurant, I got to open a few different wines from Burgundy like Jean-Marc Pillot and Jean-Marc Morey wines which I now understand have completely different styles. At that time I was suggesting upon basic understandings of the regions and paying attention to the nuances of the wine when I poured it in the glass and smelling the bottle as the client was tasting and approving. At BEST the customer would recognize my honest passion and offer a glass for me to taste - the best way to learn. I also learned the specialty within variations of vintage. To give a visual, 2007 Calera Jensen wines compared to 2009 Calera Jensen Pinot. We had a party of about 12 gentlemen, a client that likes to BUY GOOD WINE (you know what i mean). We had about 6 of the 2007 and then had to move into 2009. The '07 showed a bold, deep richness and the '09 shows an elegance and grace that only Pinot Noir can. AWESOME differences.
About 2 months ago a client talked about finding Burgundy wines for him because the storms in Burgundy the past few years ruined a bunch of crop and will affect availability of the wines especially here in the RI market. The first wine I started looking for was Hubert Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis 2009, 2010 and 2011. We found zero 2009, 3 bottles of 2010, and a 12 pack of 2011. Finding the wines, which wasn't even really hard, receiving them and selling them to him made me so proud. I felt like I knew what I was doing... I kinda still do.
Something that I know about myself is that I am so lucky to have found something that I do, and can make money with, that I do not question at all - learning and teaching wine. There is no hesitation in my movement forward with this. As I learn, I realize how much I did not and do not know- and I am totally ok with that. I get even more excited knowing there is more to learn!
I've acquired and am reading some new books. The two I currently have in my bag are The Great Domaines of Burgundy and The Secrets of the Sommeliers. Thanks to my client for doing it first and telling me what he is reading.
Things will come up that can momentarily seem like extra work (researching where to find Burgundy wines). The reward comes in the end of learning something new - adding to the repertoire in weapons of experience. No one can make you know something you want; you must be introduced and then go and get more of it! You must be humble and open to new experience, recognize the value, see it as something you want, and go get more of that image and information you now desire.
Dick took me aside while carrying cases to his car and said, "If you really want to make money, you have to sell Burgundy. You have to learn Burgundy!" I will never forget that. I am currently on that mission to learn and see the truth of that statement.
Here is a few recent finds:
2007 Barthod Chambolle-Musigny
2009 Barthod Chambolle-Musigny
2011 Barthod Chambolle-Musigny
1999 Anne Gros Chambolle
2010 Fourrier VV Gevrey-Chambertin
2011 Fourrier VV Gevrey-Chambertin
2011 Fourrier VV Morey-Saint-Denis "Clos Solon"
2010 Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis
2011 Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis
2012 Lignier Bourgogne Rouge
and more...
I have my eyes set on the Rene LeClerc Bourgogne Rouge (declassified Gevrey-Chambertin)
CHEERS!
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