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If you love wine, especially Bordeaux, you need to pay special attention to this category. It provides some of the very best values in the world for red wines in the $20 - $50 range. And I’m going to explain why in a short series of posts.

 2014 was one of those rare vintages in Burgundy that was equally good for red and white wines.  Most of the hyperbole was directed to the fantastic quality of the white wines.  Indeed it is true that from Macon, through the Cote Chalonnaise and in the great growths of the Cote de Beaune - even all the way up to Chablis - the 2014 white Burgundies were hailed by everybody as the greatest vintage since 1992 and so on and on.  They are undeniably marvelous.

I recently spent a few days in the Fingerlakes, and though I certainly had my fair share of Riesling and Cabernet Franc, I was also excited about some unexpected wines that several wineries are producing. 

...in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, there was a castle that the pope lived in. In the 14th century a castle was built on the hill over the village. This was during the Avignon Papacy when the Pope(s) lived in Avignon rather than Rome. Why? Because French King Philip IV finagled the election of a Frenchman, Clement V to the papacy.

What is Sauvignon Blanc?

It is a white wine grape variety. It's "home" is in the Loire Valley, but it is one of the French grapes, like Chardonnay, that has become a widely planted and widely consumed "international" grape variety. As many consumers decided that Chardonnay was too "oaky and buttery", many of them moved to Sauvignon Blanc, which is typically crisper, more fruit forward, and more herbaceous.

 

They are both made 100% from Nebbiolo grown in the Langhe. But Barolo and Barbaresco are clearly not the same wine.

What's the difference?

The easy answer is the legal one: Barolo and Barbaresco are two different DOCs. They are located in slightly different parts of the Langhe (see the map above).

There are slightly different rules that they have to follow -- for example Barolos have to be aged for 38 months, of which at least 18 months are in barrel, while Barbaresco only requires 26 months, of which 9 must be in barrel. Barolos have to hit 13% alcohol and Barbarescos only 12.5%.

I guess that sort of thing is great to know for your WSET exam, but it doesn't get you into the heart and soul of how these wines are distinct. Hopefully this list of five key differences will help you do that:

This year promises to have a lot of very exciting releases. Here's what collectors need to watch out for:

It works out beautifully when the marketplace determines that X = Good, and suddenly the vintners can make and sell more wine for a higher price.

The great modern day example is Sancerre. As any American wine merchant will tell you, any bottle that says "Sancerre" on it will sell very easily. It is a brand, and a very successful one. But are there downsides?

The 2013 Barolo vintage is impressive. The 2013 Barolos manifest themselves as comparatively restrained, showcasing classical structure and marked complexity. The wines exude pronounced acidity and tannic rigor, making them ideal candidates for extended cellar maturation. A vintage for the ages in the making.

For some time now, we've had a goal of shooting videos to educate and entertain wine enthusiasts near and far. Though we are now out of January, the month when all resolutions typically begin and end, we found a way to persevere and are proud to share our inaugural effort with you today!

As it turns out, even amongst our multi-talented staff there was no one who happened to moonlight as a professional cinematographer...so apologies if our first release is less than Oscar worthy. It can only get better from here, right?

So, without further ado, please press play (if the video hasn't started already)!

-Your Friends at Flatiron Wines

P.S. We'd love your feedback so feel free to leave a comment below or at our Flatiron Wines YouTube Channel.

Chantereves is an absolutely brilliant tiny negociant in Savigny-les-Beaune. The Chantereves team is the very outgoing and charming – Tomoko Kuriyama and her shyer and more reticent husband, Guillaume Bott. Tomoko went to wine school in Geisenhem and became the estate manager at Freiderich Altenkirch in the Rheingau.

I decided that the way to try something new was to stop trying new bottles of wine, and start drinking the same wine over and over again. What I wanted to know is, what’s it like drinking the same wine every evening, like most people in wine regions do around the world? It’s something I had never tried before.