an odd wine from France's Burgundy region, a rare wine.
Made in fairly large amounts - more passtoutgrain than Premier and Grand Cru combined - yet very rarely exported. An "every day" drinking red wine of Burgundy found on many bistro and cafe wine boards. The word translates "nothing in particular." It is a blend of at least 33% Pinot Noir with as much as all the rest being Gamay. Green grapes (Chardonnay) can make up as much as 15% of the mix but rarely do. Although its legally produced in any village level zone anywhere in the region, the majority is made in the cote Chaolonaise where Gamay begins to take over from Pinot Noir and granite sub soils take over from limestone ... connection?
A good passetoutgrain is light to medium in body, translucent with fresh aromas, red berry-fruit flavors and innocent, thirst quenching acidity. Although it's characterized easily as a country wine of little real stature, a good producer using Pinot Noir grapes from a good village can make a very pleasing, rambunctious and spirited red Burgundy. It should be drunk young but that means within three or four years of vintage. Many are made with more than a third Pinot Noir and thus have the ability to progress a bit over time.
Passtoutgrain wines accompany simple foods with great charm, all the foods associated with Burgundy and the earthy, homey restaurants and cafe's of the little villages.
Try the Henri Jouan Bourgogne Passtoutgrain 2007. Very good producer from Morey St Denis. Expect to pay $20 to $25.
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