I'm talking about weather problems like hail or heavy rain or some other climatic stress, when a producer makes adjustments in the vineyards and sometimes in the cellar, and makes the best wines they can. This wine suffered from a case of under-ripe tannins, and no amount of cellaring can fix that. But that's because it's true. MORE >>

Every visit without exception was excellent, an incredible learning experience, compelling wines, and the excitement each time of walking into a dark cellar full of barrels, glass in hand - what wines will they pour and what will they taste like? One of my favorites was our visit to the cellars of Philippe Pacalet in Beaune. MORE >>

We made our way slowly, nervous husband driving 6 months pregnant wife in tiny stick-shift car on narrow and windy roads through thick fog to Beaune for the Hospices de Beaune wine auction. The Hospices de Beaune ( pictured below ) has served the poor and sick in Burgundy for over 500 years now. Alliteration, anyone? 2003 P. MORE >>

We enjoyed our lunch, but 3 courses took way too long at 3 hours (and there was no way to speed things up - only one waitress for all of those tourists), and it was far too expensive for what you get. We loved our dinner that night at Le Ciboulettes, a small bistrot just inside the walled area of Beaune. And tourist prices too. MORE >>

According to my records in Cellar Tracker, Burgundy accounts for upwards of 25% of my wine consumption in 2007 (I'm not getting into actual numbers, because I don't want you to think that I'm some sort of booze-soaked sot, or something). There are exceptions of course, and I hope to identify them here for us to share. Why not? what). MORE >>