Question: Is there a difference between wines made from Blaufrankisch and Kekfrankos?

Answer: Not really as they are the same grape. They use the name Blaufrankisch in Austria, Kekfrankos in Hungary, and Lemberger in Germany. There are terroir differences between the growing regions to explore but both wines have good fresh acidity, tannins, and spicy notes. They are often used in blends rather than as a single variety. For example Kekfrankos has an increasing role in the well known blend of Egri Bikaver (Bull’s Blood), replacing the Kadarka grape. Blaufrankisch is really making a name for itself in Austria especially in Burgenland. I suggest you do a comparative wine tasting of both grapes to learn more.

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Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin Sous-Commanderie de Vancouver held an excellent Une Soiree de Printemps dinner on April 7, 2026, at Blue Water Cafe. Dr. Christine Collison Grande Senechale organized the event so well. Your scribe again appreciated how Blair Curtis and his team smartly selected the three flights of wines for interesting comparison purposes and meaningful insights into the specific appellation and vintages. The wine service organized by Melissa Lu Assistant Wine Director and the whole culinary service crew was exemplary. We started with JEAN LALLEMENT ET FILS CUVEE RÉSERVE NV VERZENAY GRAND CRU BRUT CHAMPAGNE, composed of 80% Pinot Noir & 20% Chardonnay disgorged on June 15, 2022. These special 4 hectares of north facing older vines yielded a Champagne that offers great value, creamy textural richness, and vibrancy. The two hors d’oeuvre warrant special mention; they were exquisite salmon aburi and octopus so perfectly matched with the fine bubbles.

The meal began with mixed seafood in puff pastry, paired with two Puligny-Montrachets from nearby similarly high-slope terroir, both from outstanding producers in different vintages:

2010 PULIGNY-MONTRACHET LES CHAMPS GAINS PREMIER CRU PIERRE-YVES COLIN-MOREY: Outstanding white Burgundy vintage with lower yields on thin soil at elevations up to 360 metres in the north near St. Aubin, which started picking on September 22. Les Champs Gains is a 10.7 hectare vineyard where determining the optimal picking time is difficult; avoid picking too early or too late. Bottle variation at 15 years of age, but the grape selection is well-chosen, maintaining a rich, ripe, intense, complex, and mineral-pure focus with still fresh acidity at 13.5% ABV. Lovely delicious plateau now.

2007 PULIGNY-MONTRACHET HAMEAU DE BLAGNY PREMIER CRU ETIENNE SAUZET: Hameau de Blagny is only 4.28 hectares situated just north of Les Champs Gains with Jadot’s La Garenne to the west. Also on thin stony soil without the body of vineyards lower down the slope. Sauzet has only a small holding of less than 1 hectare (.18) with attractive mineral character, this wine is approaching 20 years old and needs enjoying now as it is more forwardly mature from this variable white vintage.

The local quail course, prepared by Executive Chef Frank Pabst and his brigade, was truly outstanding and complemented the wines perfectly. 2016 CHOREY-LES-BEAUNE ROUGE DOMAINE TOLLOT-BEAUT: This appellation below the highway covers 154 hectares, consisting of over 90% red grapes, and contains no Grand Cru or 1er Cru vineyards. Nonetheless, the wines produced are underrated, especially those from the top quality house from 1880 of Tollot-Beaut, which has 8.28 hectares (and also 1.47 hectares of their denser single vineyard, La Piece du Chapitre). During many visits to Burgundy in the eighties & nineties, your scribe stayed at the Gite in Chorey-lès-Beaune across the street from the winery and on several visits admired the conscientious work of the dedicated family including fifth-generation Nathalie Tollot. Purchased quite a few vintages of their great Corton-Charlemagne .24 hectare vineyard (6 bottles of the amazing 1985 in January 1988 for $44.70/bottle and 3 bottles of the elegant 1979 for $25.50 all from importer Al C. Giusti Wine Company in Portland, Oregon). I’ve always marvelled at the fantastic ageability of all their wines and finished the last bottle of each C-C in 2025, still in remarkably fresh, complex condition! This 2016 C-L-B harvested September 20 (after a dry & sunny Summer) is surprisingly darker and deeper than 2015 even though 2016 was affected by late April frosts and rain until mid-June. Like the young primary intense cherry fruit notes. Will improve.

2015 CHOREY-LES-BEAUNE ROUGE DOMAINE TOLLOT-BEAUT: This highly touted vintage was released with hype after the less ripe vintages of 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011. It’s a bit lighter at the rim than the 2016, but it has riper aromatics with fruit concentration plus fair acid tension lift. I like the structure, and it will develop nicely. An educational comparison of two good quality young red Burgundy AC wines at lower, restaurant-friendly prices. Well done.

The main flavourful Chateaubriand with sauce Bourguignonne (and cheese course) had two classy Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru wines to study and enjoy:

2006 CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY 1ER CRU LES CHATELOTS DOMAINE GHISLAINE BARTHOD: Chambolle-Musigny has 24 Premier Cru vineyards with magical sensual attributes. This is 2.96 hectares (GB has .33) in a bit earlier maturing vineyard situated north of and above Aux Combettes & Les Charmes, bordering Les Feusselottes to the west and Les Gruenchers to the east. It has less rich soils, containing more stones and pebbly limestone sometimes resulting in “sappy” notes for the wine. Ghislaine Barthoid has been a highly respected producer since 1987. However the family roots trace back to the 1920s when Marcel Noellat’s daughter married Gaston Barthod. Later, their daughter Ghislaine married Louis Boillot (who is also excellent). They keep both domaines separate, but their son Clement has been managing both since 2019. Admire their meticulous approach in the vineyards (now with 11 different 1er crus) and the cellars, which results in powerful, elegant wines that age well. 2006 is variable with the possibility of rot so sorting is the key. Grapes are destemmed, briefly cold-soaked in stainless steel and concrete vats with punch down (rather than pumping), and aged in 20-30% new oak with only one racking after 18 months. Slightly darker than 2009 – again a surprise. This wine is very clean, delicate, with minerality, sous-bois notes, and soft tannins. Approachable now. No rush.

2009 CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY 1ER CRU LES CHATELOTS DOMAINE GHISLAINE BARTHOD: This vintage is driven by the very ripe larger crop of 2009 fruit. What a difference. They must have picked the grapes when they were phenolically ripe with firm yet silky tannins and developing structure. Very long and impressive. It needs further aging to show all its sensual brilliance, but it’s enjoyable already. Another good comparison of vintages.

Your scribe on April 10 was at another dinner where the 2006 MUSIGNY GRAND CRU DROUHIN-LAROZE (one of two in Chambolle-Musigny with Bonnes-Mares) was served. This 10.32 hectare vineyard is without a doubt one of the world’s greatest! Even from the variable 2006 vintage and not from the highest priced producers like Comte de Vogue, Roumier, or Mugneret, this shone brightly indeed. The sensual perfume, elegance, and velvety texture are beautiful at 20. It will develop further complexity but is already otherworldly. Not that the 1er Crus weren’t worthy but this is what a Grand Cru is all about. Noted: a memorable comparison of Grand Cru & Premier Cru in Chambolle-Musigny. However, perhaps 1er Cru Les Amoureuses would have been a fairer closer match. Fun.

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Question: I hear there is a relatively new grape used to produce Amarone. What is it?

Answer: It is OSELETA. This old Veronese grape variety has been brought back to add more structure and fruit depth to the blend with the traditional Corvina for some Amarone & Valpolicella.

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On March 31, 2026 the Vancouver Group of Eight event #140 at Blue Water Cafe took another in-depth look horizontal six years later at the underrated 2002 red Burgundies that we spotlighted in detail here on February 24, 2020. This vintage 2002 has often been erroneously compared with the more powerful 1999 and the riper 2003. It should be judged on its own merits for the light, delicate, and complex true Burgundy finesse it conveys. Also your scribe appreciates the delicious succulent minerally floral fruit with balanced acidity. All this, combined with the refined, precise, terroir-driven charm of the wines shows a vintage aging gracefully that deserves more respect. Another nine completely different 2002 wines to study this time with similar conclusions reached.

We started with the excellent 2008 BILLECART-SALMON CUVEE NICOLAS FRANCOIS BRUT from this independent family house, established in 1818. Wonderful richness with balance. Bottle contributor Nick Wright pointed out the valuable information available online by referencing myorigin.billecart.fr (081077) from the back label: top Pinot Noir 60% & Chardonnay 40% from 83% Grand Cru & 17% Premier Cru with partial malolactic conversion, only 2.9 g/l dosage (really Extra Brut) in early 2022 (13+ years on the lees). They describe there the aromas of nuts, stone fruits, and floral notes, along with the palate’s intensity, complexity and balance. The website includes an interesting Vintage Map of the 5 stages of Champagne development: Freshness, Blooming, Spices, Maturity, and Complexity.

We finished with 2007 CHATEAU CLIMENS BARSAC, which had a golden look and was deliciously ready with ginger and spice for the appropriately paired Orange and Pineapple Tart.

A few comments on the main 2002 red Burgundy focus:

1. 2002 VOLNAY SANTENOTS-DU-MILIEU 1ER CRU DOMAINE DES COMTES LAFON: Admire the Lafon whites and this special Volnay Santenots vineyard of Du-Milieu, which spans only 8 hectares—nearly half of which they own—and usually requires aging. The fruit intensity is usually better than that of the regular Les Santenots, which is much larger at 29+ hectares on clay-heavy soils. Lafon has many older vines from the sixties and since 1989, they have been declassifying their younger vines into village AC Volnay. This is clearly the darkest of the first flight of four wines, offering a deep intriguing nose. It shows slightly more openness than it did a few years ago. It retains plenty of intense fruit, offering complex flavours that will continue to improve rounding out and developing further complexity with more aging. It isn’t charming presently but it is too young and needs time; allowing for more cellar aging is best. Like the 13% ABV. Your scribe voted it the best potential wine of this Flight but was outvoted 7-1.

2. 2002 POMMARD LES RUGIENS 1ER CRU VIEILLES VIGNES DOMINIQUE LAURENT: This former pastry chef, who has been a negociant bottler since 1988 has the next two wines. Les Rugiens has two roughly similar parts of 6 hectares each. The lower section (Bas) is clearly the best featuring iron-rich soils (like Clos des Epeneaux) while the upper section (Haut) delivers less weight and flavours. DL bought grower-vinified juice and supplies his own oak (200% for early vintages). It is difficult to obtain the finest grapes from the Bas section which is shown here, as this Pommard has a lighter ruby rim and a less dense rustic character. Ready. Outclassed.

3. 2002 NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES LES SAINT-GEORGE VIEILLES VIGNES DOMINIQUE LAURENT: Another old school style from this prized NSG vineyard, grown on brown clay with small stones. Both Laurent wines use “Vieille Vignes” on the label for marketing. Lightest colour of the flight, but the best open bouquet of red cherries and fragrant roses. Attractive upfront, but the stewed fruit is coarser, lacking the typical charm and finesse of the 2002 vintage and it finishes tart. Nonetheless, everyone but me voted it the best of the first flight. Your scribe was clearly out of step.

4. 2002 NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES LES CAILLES 1ER CRU BOUCHARD PERE & FILS: Les Cailles is a top vineyard similar in size (7 hectares) to the bordering Les St. Georges with Bouchard holding just over one hectare. Second darkest look, but with less depth than Lafon Volnay. Fresh, elegant, and stylish nose developing well with a balanced structure and spicy plummy fruit. Not the cleanest bottle I’ve had but this wine usually improves with time and is reasonable value. First flight of Premier Cru was overall a bit disappointing but the Quail course, served “en croute,” was spectacular and otherworldly delicious!

5. 2002 GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN CLOS ST. JACQUES 1ER CRU DOMAINE ARMAND ROUSSEAU PERE & FILS: Last of the Premier Crus, much better than those in the First Flight. Rousseau was very successful in 2002 and they rate their wines from this vintage highly. Only 5 owners possess Clos St Jacques with Rousseau owning the most westerly vineyard (steeper than Chambertin). All run up the hill with clay at the bottom and more white marl towards the top. On visits to Rousseau they always describe this outstanding vineyard as: “Fresh, very Harmonious & Tannins well integrated, Powerful, Intense, and lots of Delicacy.” Most appropriate with an exquisite bouquet but a more forward bottle than the last couple enjoyed. Remarkably pure smooth entry, harmonizing with charming elegant finesse. This was a miraculous match with the special rabbit course. Yes please.

6. 2002 CLOS DE TART GRAND CRU MOMMESSIN SEUL PROPRIETAIRE: Clos de Tart dates back to 1141 and was a Mommessin monopole of 7+ hectares in Morey-Saint-Denis since 1932 acquired by Artemis Domaines (Francois Pinault of Chateau Latour) in 2107. This 2002 top wine was made by winemaker Sylvain Pitiot (who retired in 2015) and shows their trademark “Finesse & Elegance.” Mommessin always correctly stated that “Its balance underlines the rich & complex aromas” that are still showing fresh and youthful. At 13.5% ABV, it reminds me of the 1985 style, featuring refined balance and real depth. It’s already impressive, but it will still improve. Patience is required. A beauty.

7. 2002 CORTON CLOS DES CORTONS FAIVELEY GRAND CRU DOMAINE FAIVELEY: Darkest deepest colour right to the edge. Big extract but Ewan Faiveley says it’s almost atypical: “As hard-edged, too structured, and too long macerations to get more colour – missing out on the refined charm that other producers found in this unique vintage.” It shows powerful backwardness with tight tannins, suggesting possible improvement far down the road. Not singing tonight. Question mark?

8. 2002 CHAMBERTIN GRAND CRU DOMAINE ROSSIGNOL-TRAPET: R-T combines the 1961 marriage of Rossignol (Jacques) from Volnay with Trapet (Mado) from Gevrey. Started Bio in 1990 and applied for certification in 2004. Great vineyard using measured extraction to highlight the outstanding terroir. At 13.5% ABV, it’s lighter than expected for this usually powerful style wine from a very top vineyard. Clean, firm, and classy, but it could be more precise and enchanting. However, still young and should put on more weight over time. Presently, it lacks definition, but it’s still early days. Expect more complexity with further bottle aging. An excellent special bottle on its own.

9. 2002 CHAMBERTIN CLOS DE BEZE GRAND CRU DOMAINE ARMAND ROUSSEAU PERE ET FILS: Served double blind as a Mystery wine. Good mid range young red look. Aromas are deep but closed in while opening slowly in the glass. Fresh, smooth, silky entry with outstanding balance and real length. Another 2002, though some speculated 2005 Chambertin. Very bright and classy but less evolved. Amazing combo of power with gentle finesse coming slowly together. Perhaps you expect the deeper subsoils of Chambertin will yield weightier, bigger, firmer wines with more spice than Clos de Bèze, which might be juicier, with more finesse and approachability. Clos de Beze is slightly steeper and warmer than Chambertin which benefits from cooler winds. It showed that way when both were Rousseau but here the Clos de Beze has a much greater, more intense quality than the R-T Chambertin. This was the clear winner for me at 14% ABV and it was educational: the mystery wine was the missing Clos de Bèze. It will eventually be an unbelievable treasure of enjoyment. Many thanks to Ian for letting us taste it along this remarkable journey.

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Question: I liked the information you provided us last week in Ask Sid about the 50-year-old Paris wine tasting where California beat France. Your loyal blog followers would surely appreciate knowing your current personal thoughts on the matter. Please post something!

Answer: Very kind. Yes, here are five main issues on JOP you might consider.

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