Taste négociant Burgundy next week & Chianti Classico preview.

The word négociant, according to the Oxford Companion to Wine, is a “French term for a merchant and one used particularly of wine merchants who buy in grapes, must, or wine, blend different lots of wine within an appellation, and bottle the result under their own label.”

In another era, the négociant merchants were the big players in Burgundy. They were called the “shippers” by the English at the time. But by the 1990s, many Burgundy lovers had began to shift their interest to grower producers. In other words, grape growers who produced and bottled their own wine under their family or domaine name. This was due in part to the fact that by the end of the 20th century, a new generation of Burgundian winemakers had begun to come into focus: the children of the post-war era producers. And they were more interested in selling their own wine instead of selling their grapes, must, or wine to the négociants.

But that’s not to say that the négociants stopped making great wine. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Today, as climate change continues to wreak havoc on the smaller single-family producers, the shippers are often the ones who are able to pick up the slack thanks to their vast network of longstanding relationships. In some cases, négociants today are paying family growers the same price for grapes as they would for finished wine. This helps to sustain the Burgundy community when severe weather or world events impact supply or demand. Because of their buying power, they can also offer added value for high-end wines.

Next week for our Wednesday complimentary tasting (September 28, 5-7 pm), we will be pouring four of our favorite négociant producers. See the wines below.

We hope you can join us! Thank you for your continued support.

And this just in: Boulder Wine Merchant has been selected by the Chianti Classico consortium as the official retail partner for the Festa del Chianti Classico October 28-29 in Denver.

See the flier below or click here to view the events on the Tavernetta website. Tavernetta wine director Carlin Karr will be one of the tastings, including a wine dinner at the restaurant.

Wines for next Wednesday:

Clos de Loyse Chardonnay 2020 ($28.98)
Louis Jadot Auxey-Duresses Blanc 2018 ($51.98)
Chateau des Jacques Morgon 2018 ($32.98)
Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 2018 ($85.00)