I have been researching a trip to France for Michael and I and have started looking into a few days in Burgundy. So…Michael and I, who have a supply of beautiful California wines, set out to find a couple of wines from Burgundy. We picked up a 2011 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Galopieres and a 2011 Bourgogne Pinot Noir from Louis Latour.

a Burgundy Dinner

So what to pair with them? Well both of these wines are great food wines. I had a Delicato Squash from the Downtown 3rd farmers market as well as 2 ears of sweet corn and we picked up some Wild Salmon and scallops.

The squash, Stu had told me could be cooked just like summer squash, “slice and sauté it like you would a zucchini” he said! I love the color and markings on it and was excited to try this! Then…I tried to cut it. I think I was confused by what Stu meant.

So after a little online research, I discovered that I needed to peel and seed the squash then cube it for roasting, steaming or microwaving. So… treat it much more like a butternut. We went the microwave route and Michael added an herbed ice cube (olive oil and chives).

We nuked the corn also and Stu was completely right on this one…this corn was soooo sweet. Michael grilled the salmon, skin side down on the stove with a little salt and some of the Spanish blend of spices from Spicy Camel Trading Company. He did the same with the scallops. We also had some Spanish cheeses to munch on while things cooked.

Ingredients for a Burgundy pairing

The pairings

The Puilly-Fusse was bright and made my mouth tingle a little. It was heavier in viscosity reminding us of a Viognier, one review of the wines of this region called the texture “opulent”.  With the cheese it was beautiful, as well as with the scallops.

The Pinot was lovely, light and elegant with great flavor and it was perfect with the salmon.

So it was not a typical dinner from Burgundy…being as we had so much seafood with it, but none the less we enjoyed the pairings and the wines and now I am ready to dig further into this area and learn some more.

The Wines – some background

I will admit that I find it very hard to find information on French wines.  I suppose mostly, it is because I look for information like I do with US wines.  I want the story behind the vineyard and winemaker, I want to know what the terroir is like and the climate.  French winemakers don’t market their wines in the same way that American winemakers do, so it’s hard to find this info.  So…here’s a little information.

2011 Pouilly-Fussé and 2011 Bourgogne

Pouilly-Fussé Les Galopieres 2011

The Pouilly-Fuissé Les Galopieres is a White Burgundy or Bourgogne…which translates to Chardonnay. This wine comes from the Maconnais subregion in Burgundy which is in the Southern part of Burgundy just above Beaujolais. The soil here is clay and limestone.  

The appellation was instituted in 1936. The area takes in the four villages of Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly, Vergisson and Chaintré.  In Solutré and Vergisson you can see the rocky outcrops of hard fossil corals which have resisted erosion.

2011 Vine de Bourgogne Pinot Noir from Louis Latour

The 2011 Vine de Bourgogne Pinot Noir from Louis Latour was labeled – A Beaune – Cote-D’Or – France. It is 100% Pinot Noir from Bourgogne and is aged 10-12 months in stainless steel. The soil here is clay and limestone and the average vine age is 25 years, all grapes are handpicked. Not much cellaring potential…it says 2 to 3 years. This wine is considered by importers to be a classic reliable Burgundian Pinot Noir.

If you find yourself interested in the wines of Burgundy, but like me are having a hard time finding information you can connect with, I suggest renting the movie “A Year in Burgundy”.  

This movie allowed me to get to know some of the Burgundian wine makers and their individual styles and gives me a starting point that I can identify with.  So head to your local wine store and take a trip to Burgundy right in your living room.  It’s a great way to travel without having to pack!