Beaune Appetit
After a little internet trouble, I’m back in action with the PDF version and the text-only version of my January 2004 article from France Magazine, entitled Beaune Appètit. Take a look!
Download domaine_germain_jan_04.pdf
Beaune Appètit
There are many chateaux in France and there are even many chateaux in France that open their gates to overnight visitors, but it is rare indeed to wake up in the midst of a working chateau producing wonderful wines and spectacularly located just a few minutes from Beaune, Burgundy’s picturesque wine capital. You’ll want to pinch yourself as you’re breakfasting on homemade gingerbread and jam or savoring an afternoon bourgogne blanc on the terrace over-looking the vineyards, but it’s all quite real. It’s Chateau de Chorey.
The Domaine du Chateau du Chorey-les-Beaune is set on 42 acres in the village of Chorey-les-Beaune just northeast of Beaune. Chorey-les-Beaune is a village which is part of the wine region called the Cotes de Beaune. The Cotes de Beaune and the Cotes de Nuits to the north make up The Cote d’Or (Golden Slope) which is the nucleus of Burgundy. It is a narrow strip of hills running north-south from Fixin down to Santenay. Most every wine you’ve ever associated with Burgundy–Meursault, Volnay, Pommard, Gevrey Chambertin, Beaune are all part of the Cote d’Or.
The Cote d’Or is a wine Eden of one-cafe villages, ancient stone houses, narrow roads that twist through-out the vineyards and the whole scene seems to be frozen in time in the most charming way imaginable. And, the wines are probably the most complex and intriguing in the world when they are made well and the individual terroirs of each village are expressed.
Every hill and valley of the Cote d’Or has been painstakingly scrutinized and evaluated and ranked by the French government. The vineyards are classified into grand cru, premier cru and village categories. The village wine will carry the name of the appellation on the bottle. The premier cru wine will also have the name of the appellation, but will have premier cru somewhere in evidence. The grand crus and the premier crus are vineyards more favorably situated on the slope–perhaps higher up or on a greater incline. The exposure to the sun will usually be better and the soil will have a greater limestone component rather than sand. I caution you, however, there are no absolutes. There is no substitute for tasting a lot of Burgundies and seeing what you like.
The styles are quite different from village to village; The Gevrey Chambertin are robust while the Chambolle Musigny can be quite delicate and elegant. And, the wines can be very different from grower to grower and vineyard to vineyard. Add to that the rarity of Cote d’Or wines and it all comes together to create that thing we yearn to crack called the Burgundy mystique.
With regard to buying Cote d’Or wines, I generally look to the premier cru or the village wines made by particularly clever wine makers. The grand crus are very rare and often prohibitively expensive; just a few hundred cases may be made, if that.
Chateau de Chorey is smack in the middle of the Cote d’Or and the perfect spot for your Burgundy tutorial. The Germain family has owned the chateau for generations. Francois who ran the estate since 1969 is now retired. His son Benoit is in charge of the vineyards and his daughter, Aude, handles the commercial side of things.
The moat and towers of the Chateau go back to the thirteenth century. The Chateau itself dates back to the seventeenth century and there is a spectacular, elegant wrought iron gate that dates back to the seventeenth century as well. You’ll feel very young, indeed, when you cross the moat into Chateau Chorey. And, you’ll also feel very welcome. The Germain family makes sure of that. And, there will usually be a band of very friendly family dogs giving you their version of a greeting, too.
But, what of the Germain wines? They have a worldwide reputation and if you’ve ever gone for the big splurge at Taillevent, L’Arpege or La Tour d’Argent in Paris, to name a few of the most prestigious, you will find the Germain wines on the menu which is a statement in itself.
When you go to Chateau de Chorey, arrange for a taste-through of the wines. The Germain cellars on the property are the real thing: ancient, dusty, moldy, and cold–so don’t forget your wool socks.
Tasting the Germain wines gives one the opportunity to learn all about Beaune wines. The estate makes many different wines from different vineyards in that appellation and has a winemaking philosophy that allows the different terroirs to shine through. This is a refreshing change from some growers who have a “style” that they like to impose on all their wines. The Germain family will be happy to answer your questions about the different vineyards and start you on a lifelong relationship with Burgundy wines.
The Germain wines, with a few notable exceptions, come from parcels within the premier cru vineyards of Beaune. The Domaine makes wines from Les Bucherottes and Les Cents Vignes. The vines are younger in these vineyards (25-35 years old). Then there are Beaunes from the premier cru vineyards of Les Vignes Franches, Les Cras and, my favorite, Les Teurons. Here the vines are considerably older (45-55 years old). These wines are a little more structured and more concentrated.
The Domaine makes a fabulous white Beaune from the premier cru vineyard, Sur Les Grèves. This wine is very rare, but taste it if you can. It is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes as are all the Burgundy whites that you know: Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne Montrachet etc. This is a very rich, though dry, wine with exotic fruits flavors and aromatics. It will age well for a decade.
The estate makes a couple of other wines which I really like: Chateau de Chorey-les-Beaune, a red village wine from the town in which the Chateau is located and a white from the village of Pernand Vergelesses, just northwest of the Chateau.
The Chorey-les-Beaune village wine is a very delicious structured, yet fruit-forward red wine. The fabulous white Pernand-Vergelesses comes from a parcel of land just adjacent to the appellation of Corton Charlemagne which is arguably the finest white wine in the world. The Germain Pernand-Vergelesses is a honeyed, buttery wine with superb flavors and richness. It is also a rare wine, not much is made, but it is worth making an effort to get your hands on a bottle or two.
It cannot be denied that the wines of the Cote d’Or are some of the most unique and seductive wines in the world and I can think of no better place to enjoy them than the very unique Chateau de Chorey.
Side Bar Information
Chateau de Chorey
2 rue J. Germain
21200 Chorey-les-Beaune
(Fr) 3 80 22 06 05
email: chateau-de-chorey@wanadoo.fr
internet: www.chateau-de-chorey-les-beaune.fr
When you buy the Beaune les Teurons at the Chateau it is 33 euros each if you buy 6 bottles and 30 euros each if you buy 12 bottles.
The Pernand Vergelesses and the Chateau de Chorey-les-Beaune is 16 euros when you buy 6 bottles and 14 euros when you buy 12 bottles.
Open Easter until November 1.
5 guest rooms each with private bath
Breakfast is included. Dinner is not served
Room rates: 150-190 euros depending on number of people in a room
There is one suite (two rooms) which houses up to four people – 360 euros. Please check Chateau for 2004 room rates.
Wines can be purchased in the UK online at everywine.co.uk
Tel.: 0800 072 0011
Is offering Chateau de Chorey-les-Beaune 1999 and 2000 for 168.56 pounds per case
and also Georges Barbier of London LTD
at the rear of 267 Lee High Rd.
London SE 12 8 RU
020 885 25801
In the United States at:
MacArthur Beverages
4877 MacArthur Blvd. NW
Washington DC 20007
(202) 338 1433
email: wine@bassins.com
The Beaune Les Teurons was being offered for $49.99 a bottle
Always call retailer to confirm availability and prices
Best years: 1999 was a great year for both reds and whites in Burgundy
2000 was better for whites than reds
2002 was a great year for reds and whites
2003 potentially very, very good, but small quantity
Chateau de Chorey-les-Beaune – best drunk with roast chicken, pork dishes.
Beaune les Teurons – best drunk with roast meats, stews
Pernand Vergelesses – best drunk with grilled chicken, smoked and poached salmon, mature cheddar cheese, grilled veal chops.