Everything to Know about New York Burgundy Week and La Paulée: An FAQ
The Paulée 2014 is on, and New York Burgundy Week is here! What's that? You have no idea what I'm talking about? Well, you've come to the right place... Here, in a nutshell, is everything you need to know to get started celebrating the motherland of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the glorious land of Burgundy.
1. Who is this Paulée person, anyway?
Not, "who"; "what"... La Paulée is a party -- maybe the party, if you're a Burgundy lover. Let's start at the beginning. Back in the olden days (like, all the way back to the Middle Ages), the Paulée was a giant lunch to celebrate the end of the harvest. The monks would host and the whole community come out to eat a simple lunch, drink some wine, and take joy in the fact that another year's worth of grapes were in the tank.
In the 1920s the Count Jules Lafon revived the ancient event by inviting a group of friends for lunch at his place in Meursault. But the Count was one of the greatest winemakers of the day (as is his grandson, Dominique Lafon, today) and very widely respected. And when his friends and neighbors looked at his party, they saw a good thing. By 1932 the celebration was an official event, "La Paulée de Meursault," and a big part of the festivity was bringing wine to share. Not just any wine, of course: Burgundy. And not just any Burgundy: the best! Ever since, guests with deep cellars have tried to outdo each other, bringing the most delicious, most coveted wines in the world with only one thing in mind: enjoying them! Why wouldn't a party like this catch on? And it has!
2. What does French harvest celebration have to do with an American party in the month of March?
Now we get to a "who": Daniel Johnnes, one of the great representatives of Burgundy in America. Daniel was inspired by the Paulée de Meursault to organize a party right here in the U.S. of A. devoted to the glorious wines of Burgundy. Like the original, DJ's Paulée features BYOB meals where guests enjoy some of the finest wines on Earth. But unlike the original, our Paulée features incredible opportunities for everyone who is interested in Burgundy, not just those with deep cellars and good connections.
The big event moves from town to town; this year it's in San Francisco and next year it will be back in New York. But fear not, you don't have to wait 12 months to get your Burgundy on. There will be plenty of opportunity to get into the Paulée spirit of things right here in New York City this Burgundy Week!
3. So what's this Wine Week thing?
Our La Paulée is much more than just a lunch. In fact, it's a whole week! Burgundy Week! Restaurants and wine shops all over New York City will be organizing special events celebrating Burgundy. And we're thrilled to be part of it.
If you know our shop, you know that we love wine. But you also probably know how much of our shop is given over to the wines of Burgundy... almost half of our back room! It's just a region that inspires that kind of passion, that kind of devotion, that kind of love. And there's nothing we like better than sharing these wines with other people who share that love... unless it's introducing newbies to the joys of Burgundy by sharing an eye-opening, earth-shattering, palate-transforming glass. Either way -- whether you're a dyed-in-the-wool Burgundy-phile, or just someone with a passing interest, we hope you'll join us for a taste, or two, or more.
4. OK, I'm in. What have you got going on?
We've got a bunch of super-exciting events planned, from tastings, to dinners, to special offers of amazing value Burgundies. The details and highlights of our program are still being finalized but please stay tuned for updates by checking this Blog post or by following us on Facebook (FlatironWines), Google+ (+FlatironWinesSpiritsNewYork) or Twitter (@flatironwines).