Puligny Montrachet

Whilst I sip on a very disappointing Chablis, when will I learn there are so many much better wines in this region than C? One such has to be Puligny-Montrachet, a village if you blink you have missed it. In fact driving through the vineyards I was shocked at how so many vines were on the flats. Surely that cannot be right? I will investigate and find out more. Meursault was a touch bigger and represents one of my favourite wines so it was a real pleasure to be driving around and taking in such famous names as Ampeau, Bouzereau, Coche-Dury, Fichet, Javillier, Girardin, Jobard and many many more.

Beaune really is a delight, the Hospices de Beaune is well worth a visit but the wine shops are some of the most informative and well stocked for wine parafinalia I have ever seen in my life. 6 snails cooked with traditional garlic and herbs and a beef bourgignon to die for was a simple lunch washed down with one of the above makes the trip very worth while.

The complexities of wine making in this region seem to be boundless, I love the challenges winemakers make very day, do they use chemicals on the vines or not? Guyot or cordon? Cold or warm maceration? How long for? Remove leafs or not? Added yeasts that are different or not at all? What temperature to restrict fermentation 30 degrees or 35? How long to leave in cask? What wood from which forest to use? All good stuff and all done with land handed down through generations scattered throughout the cote d'or.

A trip to talk to some neighbours is on the cards so bottoms up and cheers.

Should the Wine House only serve American Wine?

Should the Wine House only serve American wine?

I read an interesting article in Decanter this month that referenced an online debate on the Slate about the US Presidents policy of only serving American wines at the White House. Apparently this has been their stance since Lyndon Johnson decided this course of action in the 1960’s. Perhaps Barack Obama should listen to his own rhetoric and follow his own lead for change?

Allowing foreign wines into the White House will not be damming the American wine industry and I am sure that it is quite right to keep the majority of their cellar to some of their fantastic wines. However, a small selection of the very best from around the rest of the world will not only support this President’s foreign policy of being more open and inclusive of the world outside of their shores but it will also give his guests a real treat and open up their minds to what the rest of the world is capable of.

I’m not going to start a debate about US wines verses the rest of the world but I am sure it would be nice touch to treat senior American officials with some of the excellent wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Spain, Italy, Australia or New Zealand. Equally make sure the French Ambassador continues to experience the very best from Napa, Sonoma or St. Helena.

What a great way to show the world that the Americans are not myopic in their views over everything and in this time of credit crunch what a great treat for all visitors to this fine institution.