James Bercovici - The Big Red Wine Company

Andrew Jefford, so often a champion of the underdog asks if, with the wave of interest in Burgundy and the current problems the region faces because of atrocious weather, it is time for the region's eternal bridesmaid to step out of the shadows.  His report focuses on the five villages, from north to south: Bouzeron, Rully, Mercurey, Givry and Montagny, advising readers what to expect, broadly, before listing recommended producers from each.  Of course, for me interest is enhanced by his particular recommendation of Domaine Joblot 's 2010 "Clos du Cellier aux Moines", a Premier Cru from Givry which he describes as: "Precise, fresh scents of mingled red and black cherries with poised and vivacious fruit flavours which warm, fill and fatten on the palate." Andrew told me he had made two short research trips to the Cote Chalonnaise in the last nine months, and that he intended to write the region up for the second of his "Jancis stand-in" ...

Even after 15 years in the wine trade, and even having eschewed most wines from the New World (and many parts of the Old World) in commercial terms, there is still much to learn, it seems. Recent dabbling with Italian wines should have been enough to forewarn me that I really know next to nothing about wine. I reassure myself that, with very few exceptions, few do. This was highlisghted to me when, having received some samples of Refosco from the producer of our new Prosecco (unsurprisingly a great success this summer), Grandi e Gabana, I posted a query on Wine-Pages to ask what I should expect from this grape. This forum is made up of enthusiasts who, in many cases, like to try virtually every style of wine imaginable. Only seven people seemed to have any experience whatsoever of the grape. Why is this? It's an easy name to pronounce, after all - pronunciation is all important to the English consumer after all (and, perhaps, to residents elsewhere in the British Isles but the ...