Ah, burgundy! This self-designated wine capital of the world with its fairytale vineyards and chateaus has been the subject of countless poems, songs and dreams of wine lovers and is considered the mecca of the wine world by some. It produces, arguably, the most consistently expensive wine available, but it’s also one of the least consistent wines in terms of quality.

Why such a small area that basically only makes two types of wine can be so complex is deeply rooted in the history of the region. Many centuries go monks mapped the region in an Yes, it’s expensive, and yes, it’s not always easy to find a dependably consistent source. But Dominic Rivard advocates that effort spent finding and savouring good burgundy delivers sublime rewards attempt to identify parcels of specific geography or terroir. Burgundy has a higher number of appellations d’origine contrôlée (AOCs) than any other French region, and is often seen as the most terroir-conscious of them all. What we call burgundy is typically only made from pinot noir for the reds and chardonnay for the whites. Both varieties struggle to reach ripeness in this cooler northern climate, which can lead to an incredible variance of vintage character from year to year as well as a range of quality among the region’s many vineyards.

Doing a bit of research on Burgundy’s reputable winemakers can lessen the risk of buying this coveted and pricey wine. Seeking wines from the better-known producers such as Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine Leroy, Domaine Jean Grivot, Emmanuel Rouget, Domaine de Montille, Domaine Leflaive and Domaine Armand Rousseau is a good idea as is buying from reputable negociants such as Louis Jadot, Bouchard Pere & Fils and Joseph Drouhin who blend wines from small parcels. Grand crus command steep prices, even in poor years, but look for villagelevel wines from top producers at quite reasonable prices. Following are a few domains worthy of note and seeking out.

Whites

-Domaine Meo Camuzet, Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits, Clos Saint Philibert 2004: Sophisticated character despite an origin in a lower appellation, this wine shows a subtle fruit profile with excellent balance between ripeness and acidity. Modest oak influence and pleasant minerality lend complexity to the finish.

-Domaine Rapet, Pernand Vergelesses ler Cru, En Caradeux 2004: This is an impressively intricate wine, showing lots of nuances on a solid foundation of fruit recalling peaches and pears.

-Domaine Michelot, Meursault 1er Cru, Genevrières 2005: A generous, rich wine in keeping with Meursault’s reputation, this is nevertheless complex as well, with lovely accent notes of minerals, vanilla and toast. Already delicious, this will only get better over the next five years.

- Domaine Paul Pernot, Bienvenues Batart Montrachet Grand Cru 2004: An undeniably great wine, this shows the large leap in quality that can justify the leap in price from premier to grand cru white burgundy. Rich and concentrated, but also lively, it blends power with intricacy in the form of spice, toast, vanilla and mineral notes along with a nutty character, and somehow manages to present all of this sensory information in a package that seems integrated, symmetrical and harmonious.

Reds

-Domaine Lafouge, Auxey Duresses 1er Cru, La Chapelle 2005: Given the high prices that the exceptional 2005 vintage burgundies command finding such a bargain within this vintage is a pleasure. Pure and admirably deep in flavour, it shows a lot of breeding for the money.

-Domaine Rapet, Aloxe Corton 2005: A marvelously expressive wine with a remarkable scent of fresh red raspberries, this is perhaps one of the most vocal Aloxe Corton I’ve ever tasted. It will need time to pick up aromatic complexities, but the fruit component is so pure and sweet and intense that it is already delicious. Give this wine a bit of cellar time.

-Domaine Philippe Naddef, Fixin 2005: This winemaker makes excellent wines from Gevrey, but his Fixin can also be excellent. This shows impressive intensity and power, with serious density to the dark fruit notes and lots of finegrained tannin.

-Domaine Bouvier, Gevrey Chambertin Les Jeunes Rois 2005: This gorgeous wine has a winning combination of soft, fresh, open fruit aromas and exotic, earthy elements. The fruit is sweet and expressive, and the earthy note is clean to the palate. The oak integration is subtle but adds to the balance.

-Domaine Rene Leclerc, Gevrey Chambertin1er Cru, Combes aux Moines 2005: This Gevrey vineyard is usually associated with masculine wines based on heavier black fruit notes, but this wine is a rather feminine offering based on charming notes of red raspberries and cherries. Soft, fine-grained tannins support its invitingly delicate flavours

-Domaine Lamarche, Echezeaux Grand Cru 2005: Notes from new oak barrels dominate the initial impression, but a closer look shows lots of concentrated fruit. Its density and slightly dry, smoky character hide the fruit at first blush, but continued scrutiny reveals an impressive tenderness and delicacy that produces a terrific balance when aged for several years.