Nowadays, we've taken it for granted that we will be growing Auxerrois, but there was a time when we knew nothing about the variety and in fact confused it with a grape from the town in Burgundy called Auxerre. At the time this confusion occurred, I was reading a guide to Burgundy and Auxerre is one of the communes located in the northern region of Burgundy. I was with a friend at a wine bar when I saw a tasting of Auxerrois on the menu and decided that I must try it, though I normally default to Sauvignon Blanc. Unbeknownst to me, the person who gave me a taste was James Morrison, who I had met recently, but my mind had not processed the connection. I liked the taste that James gave me and decided to have a glass. I mentally remarked that it was a nice healthy pour and enjoyed the drink and the company of my friend. I then went home to tell my husband of my new found great white wine called Auxerrois and he asked me what it was I drank. Well, I didn't really know except that it was Auxerrois. My husband was curious enough that he went to our nearby package store (this is the New England term for liquor store) and met James Morrison who told my husband how he served me a glass of Auxerrois last night. Mystery solved. The maker was Clos des Rochers and we have since enjoyed many bottles of Clos des Rochers, enough so that we will be planting Auxerrois in the spring.
In the newly released book,
Wine Grapes (to be reviewed in a separate blogpost) compiled by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz, there is an entry on
Auxerrois. Auxerrois is a natural offspring of Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc which makes it a sibling of Chardonnay, Gamay Noir, as well as Aligoté.
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