Text: Commentarii de Bello Gallico
Author: Gaius Iulius Caesar
Date: 50s-40s BCE
Language: Latin
Notes: Drinkable, bright, consistent, somewhat self-aggrandizing
Elissa’s pick: a classic White Burgundy like this one
Gallia est omnis divisa in appellationes CCCLX… So for Julius Caesar’s classic commentarii on his adventures in the area, we knew we’d have our work cut out for us. After a series of skirmishes in Alsace and Languedoc, we settled on the perfect pairing: Bourgogne Blanc. Depending on your taste, you may think of this as the gold standard interpretation of the world’s most popular white grape OR as little more than chardonnay with a superiority complex. Either way, you’ll definitely have an opinion.
Though some of your better aged bottles can get quite complex, the most traditional and basic Bourgogne Blanc will feature approachable syntax with a good balance of mineral and bright fruit notes. This is a wine for mass appeal and mass consumption. For a truly excellent pairing, be sure to select something relatively young with a bit of a bite that will ravage your palate and flee in some haste. Avoid the oaky woods with their fantastical fauna and stick to the basics: too much high-flying Côte de Beaune will have you marching across the Rubicon and laying claim to someone else’s wine cellar!
vintellect 