I expected to learn a lot on my first visit to Burgundy. After years of tasting the region’s wines at every opportunity afforded to me in San Francisco and during my travels abroad, I looked forward to the education that comes only from driving unpaved roads, tramping with muddy boots in the vineyard, and the conversations to be had standing around in a cellar. My trip, arranged by the BIVB (Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne) to coincide with the 150th annual Hospices de Beaune wine auction, fulfilled these expectations and more, but also left me puzzled at how far behind their American counterparts Burgundy’s appellations and vignerons appear to be in terms of collaboration.

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This is the beginning of an article I wrote that was published today on Jancis Robinson’s Purple Pages, a very fine web site about everything wine. It includes a number of very pointed anecdotes about how Burgundians seem to be missing the boat when it comes to working together.

If you’ve never had a chance to check out Jancis’ web site, I encourage you to do so, as it is one heck of a resource. Even just the electronic access to the Oxford Companion to Wine is worth the roughly $12 a month it will cost you to subscribe.

Continue reading “Burgundy vs. The USA: A Human Perspective” at JancisRobinson.Com or click here to sign up for a membership.