DISCOVER BURGUNDY
MW Wines managing director Nick Stamford provides his insights on highly sought-after French pinot noir.
It can sometimes prove difficult to articulate a wine’s appeal, but not so for MW Wines managing director Nick Stamford. At least, not when it’s about red Burgundy. “I think what makes the wine so beguiling is this concept of power and complexity of interest without palate weight,” Nick says of France’s much-loved pinot noir. “It’s this light, ethereal-looking wine that just delivers so much impact and also finishes so savoury and fresh. It leaves you wanting to come back and have another glass.”
Nick was enthralled with Burgundy from his first sip. “It was a bit of an epiphany in the sense that I’d loved Aussie pinot noir for a few years, and what I tasted was a pretty low-level, affordable Burgundy at the time, but I found it offered something different,” Nick says. Soon after that first taste, he took his first trip to the French region and the rest is history.
Today, MW Wines claims the broadest collection of old and rare Burgundy in Australia; the company’s Museum Wine Shop stocks more than 500 red Burgundies, equating to about
2700 bottles. This makes up around 30 per cent of their offering, with the portfolio also comprising old and rare wines from Australia, New Zealand, elsewhere in France, Italy and the US. In addition to their store, MW Wines operates as a wine storage facility and is Australia’s largest independent wine auction house.
While Nick plays an integral role in curating their wider collection, it’s clear he has a soft spot for Burgundy. The relationships he has built with wineries, merchants and collectors across France have also given MW Wines an advantage in sourcing the very best wines they can find.
That’s no easy feat when Burgundy has become such a rare and inaccessible gem in the world of wine. Prices may be sky-high – the pinnacle of current vintage Burgundy releases can cost up to $25,000 a bottle – but Nick believes value can still be found.
It all means taking the time to get to know red Burgundies, which Nick acknowledges can be “absolutely, deeply intimidating” due to the region’s complex geography, terroir hierarchy and “the fact the labels don’t even list the grape varietals”. So, where to start? The most important thing, Nick says, is to attend as many tastings as possible. “Talk with merchants and friends, and people who have experience with Burgundy,” Nick says. “And by attending tastings, you’ll get a handle on what you like in terms of the villages and styles.”