My Favorite Investments Part II

Originally posted April 18, 2014.

Outside of portfolio investments, my #1 concentration today is wine, specifically red Burgundy of Burgundy, France. Debbie and I will spend three weeks in France this fall, highlighted by four days of Burgundy research in Beaune and Gevrey-Chambertin.

Three books I have concentrated on in recent years are The Great Domaines of Burgundy, Professional Wine Reference, and Secrets of the Sommeliers by Rajat Parr and Jordan Mackay. The study of French Burgundy wines is an extremely complex subject, and the more I study the further behind the eight ball I feel. Without the help of the three references sited here, I would be hopelessly lost.

Here is a short list of some of the findings by Rajat and Jordan that I have found to be especially useful.

“My favorite wine, my obsession for many years is Burgundy. And I am not alone. The fixation of the Burgundy lover is easily explained: at their best, the reds and whites of Burgundy are perhaps the greatest wines in the world.”

Regarding Chambolle:

“Chambolle may well be the favorite of wine sommeliers. It has a rich, velvety grace that rivals the finesse of Vosne-Romanee and the power of Gevery-Chambertin.”

“You are better off buying a village Chambolle than any other village in the Cote d’Or as the quality is the highest among all communes.”

Regarding Vosne-Romanee:

“The main competition to Chambolle-Musigny for the world’s most ideal rendering of Pinot Noir (the red grape for all French Burgundy) comes from Vosne-Romanee, its near neighbor to the south. Vosne-Romanee, with its eight Grand Crus, is perhaps the greatest collection of vineyards in one place in France. You can barely take a step out of this village without tripping over some legendary vines that go into making the planet’s most prized and expensive wines.”

In Part III, I will bring you more red Burgundy intelligence from Rajat and Jordan.