J-P Brun Beaujolais Blanc

…not finished yet – Chardonnay Vinification Bourguinonne 2019. All the information, but possibly not in the right order. This is to differentiate it from J-P B’s Classique Chardonnay, a wine I haven’t tasted but have been told isn’t quite as good. That one is matured fully in stainless steel tanks. This one spends a year in oak casks where it is subjected to bâtonnage, or stirring up of the lees from time to time with a stick pushed through the bung hole. This gives the wine extra flavour and complexity if done in moderation. Too much or too long and everything goes pear-shaped, not to mention tasting rather musty and unpleasant. It’s done in Burgundy, hence the – oh, never mind, I can tell you are way ahead of me.

I know next to nothing about Burgundy, red or white – I always figured there were already far too many wines in the world that I spend excessive amounts of money on to learn about even more – but I’m willing to bet this mixture of creaminess, acidity and minerality is the kind of thing that Chardonnay lovers crave. It certainly hits the spot for me. One weird thing – for the first hour or so after opening I could have taken it for a Loire Sauvignon Blanc, or maybe a Saint Bris. There was a definite aniseed/gooseberry side that I associate with that grape. I even double-checked the label. After that – gone. Very odd.