2017 Domaine Cecile Tremblay Bourgogne Côte d'Or

Domaine Cecile Tremblay was founded in 2003 by Cecile Tremblay, who comes from Burgundian winemaking aristocracy. She is the grandniece of the late, legendary Henri Jayer, and she is also descended from the famous Mugneret winemaking family. So it is perhaps no surprise that In little more than a decade her wines have become stars of the wine lists in some of Paris’ most prestigious restaurants. Cecile Tremblay’s 10 acres in the Cote de Nuits were passed down through both sides of her family, and her holdings including prime Grand Cru, Premier Cru and villages parcels, all worked according to strict biodynamic principles. Wine Advocate has called her wines “very fine, very classy,” and noted that she is “one of the new wave of cult winemakers whose small productions are rapidly snapped up by devotees.”

Burgundy in eastern France is, if not the most famous and storied wine region in the world, certainly one of the top two or three. Its winemaking history dates from the Roman era, and its relatively small size and reputation for outstanding wines means that the best wines of Burgundy are generally among the world’s most prized – and costly – wines. At about 110,000 vineyards acres, Burgundy is only 40% as big as Bordeaux, and its system of dividing up vineyards into small, family-owned parcels makes understanding the wines of Burgundy a life-long pursuit for Burgundy enthusiasts. The three main grapes of Burgundy are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay. Burgundy is a long, narrow, north-south running region consisting of five main areas. They are Chablis in the north, Côte D’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Beaujolais, which is just above the Rhone Valley. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown throughout most of Burgundy but Gamay is grown primarily in Beaujolais. The appellation system and rules about labeling can be confusing and the system classifies regions, villages and even individual vineyards. Grand Cru is the most prestigious appellation category, followed by Premier Cru and many village and regional appellations.

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.