Glassware

In France, the classic Burgundy glass is simply called a "Ballon," named after the round, almost spherical shape of its bowl. This shape is no accident of this region. Pinot Noir has little color and little tannin, but a fine, layered bouquet of red fruit, earth, and sometimes something a bit wild. A wide bowl gives this delicate scent room to unfold. The narrowing rim then funnels it toward the nose.

How seriously this is taken here is shown by the history of the official tasting glass. In the 1960s, winemakers from different regions argued over which glass shape was fair for judging, since every shape noticeably alters the impression a wine gives. In 1970, they agreed on a standardized glass, the INAO glass, developed under Burgundian leadership: slender, tulip-shaped, with an oval bowl and a slightly tapered rim. It was meant to be neutral enough for any wine. Even so, it still clearly bears the traits of the great Burgundian Ballon.

A similar but slimmer rule applies to white Burgundy. A young Chablis with high acidity calls for a narrower glass that concentrates its taut, almost stony freshness, while a mature, oak-aged Meursault needs more room for its buttery, nutty notes. Anyone who tastes both wines from the same narrow glass loses half of what Meursault has to offer.

Temperature is where Pinot Noir is most often mishandled. Fourteen to sixteen degrees Celsius is right, noticeably cooler than for full-bodied reds from the south, because its delicate aromatics quickly tip into pure alcohol fumes when warm. White Burgundy tolerates even more chill, ten to twelve degrees. Otherwise, even a good Chablis can suddenly seem clumsy and flat.

Only fill to the widest point of the bowl, never higher. Otherwise there's no room left for the aromas to gather before rising to the nose. A young village wine from Gevrey-Chambertin can easily handle half an hour in a decanter, whereas a twenty-year-old Grand Cru can barely tolerate more than a single, careful pour straight into the glass. Its delicate, mature aromas can dissipate within minutes in an open decanter.