We were off to a great start with a Burgundian wine tasting at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  Most of the wine tastings that I report on from my local shop have been curated by the owner and his staff.  On this particular occasion the wines all came from Michael Corso Selections and the wines were being discussed by Michael Corso from one of his portfolios of French wines.  He was ably assisted by his Midwest Regional Manager Zach Zilm.

Zach Zilm has been in the distribution and importing side of the wine industry for fourteen years.  He began his knowledge of Michael Corso Selections in the early part of this century.  His training is in Spanish, Italian, and French wines, both in sales and in first hand experiences traveling there.  He has plenty of experience with independent wine merchants and with restaurateurs.  I found him very interesting in some side conversations as well, in a kind of one-on-one tasting.

We then had Domaine Marc Colin Saint-Aubin “Luce” 2020.  Saint-Aubin is a village in the Cote de Beaune and known for red and white wines, though white wines are prominent; one-hundred-thirty-seven-hectares of white wines compared to thirty-one-hectares of red.  It is considered one of the top wine communes of the Cote d’Or, both in volume and quality.  The appellation was awarded in 1937, along with most of the other communes.  Domaine Marc Colin was established in 1970, from vineyards inherited by he and his wife Michele, and now the domaine is up to nineteen-hectares.  The winery is now run by three of their four children.  They try to make the wine as organic and sustainable as possible, using wild yeast and there is no stirring of the lees.  The Chardonnay vines are at least twenty-years of age and are grown on a soil of limestone and clay.  The grapes are hand-harvested, sorted, and pneumatically pressed.  Fermentation and aging are for ten months in used French Oak, then the wine is left to settle in Stainless Steel vats for an additional six months.  A very soft straw-yellow colored wine offering notes of baked apples and pear with a trace of vanilla.  On the palate a full wine with tones of white fruit with a drizzle of butterscotch and a medium count finish of terroir and some fruit.