Christmas Burgundy with Ed Addiss, Wine Traditions

Writer Jay McInerney once said, “If it's red, French, costs too much, and tastes like the water that's left in the vase after the flowers have died and rotted, it's probably Burgundy.” Unless it’s Burgundy from Falls Church-based importer Ed Addiss. Because Burgundy from his Wine Traditions shop is always delicious, full of fruit, and costs…well, at the least, a lot less than what you’d pay for similar quality from bigger names.

And we can prove it to you – just take a little time out of your pre-Christmas shopping, wrapping and open housing to come by CBC on Saturday from noon-4pm and taste what Ed is pouring.  It’s a great line-up of really good wine made by really interesting folk. Here’s the line-up:

Dom Billard Bourgogne Aligote 2023 – Yes, Aligote makes a great base for the classic French Kir cocktail. But when it’s grown and made like this, it’s even better solo where the crisp texture and crunchy fruit and mineral flavors shine.

Dom Rois Mages Rully Blanc Les Cailloux 2022 – Anne-Sophie Debavelaere and her son, Felix, make just 600 cases or so of this wine from a fine vineyard covered in light-reflective white chalk pebbles. It’s a bit Meursault in style but with Rully’s open, easy, immediacy.

Dom Du Chetif Quart Bourgogne Cote Chalonnaise Les Passereaux 2023 – When two professors of ecology start a Burgundy estate in the 1980s, it’s no surprise that they chose to farm organically. It’s delightful that they also figured out how to make a wine like this, pure and lovely with amazing purity and style.

Patrick Giboulot Hautes Cotes de Nuits Les Grandes Toppes 2023 – From higher-altitude vines above the Cote de Nuits, this is so lovely and weightless it's hard to believe it's 100% whole cluster. And the fruit is so ripely delicious it's a bit hard to believe it's from the Hautes Cotes!

Patrick Maroiller Gevrey Chambertin 2022 – I’ve kind of missed the boat on Patrick’s wines because when I tasted with Stephane Maroiller standing next to a barrel of this in February, 2023, I thought he said he used no sulfur AT bottling vs BEFORE bottling. So even though everything this guy makes is just stellar, I believed it might not be stable and ignored it until now. When it is shining. Just a handful of bottles made, so don’t miss it now that I’ve come to my senses.

If all you want is Burgundy from famous names with big press write-ups and prices that give your more bragging rights than joy, this is NOT the tasting for you. If what you love is drinking beautiful Burgundy you can actually afford, then come see Ed from noon-4pm Saturday.