Irancy,a little known Burgundian jewel.

Vines and fruit trees above Irancy

Irancy always has a special place in my heart as it was the first ever wine I tasted with Jane back in 2002.   It is a light Pinot Noir red wine from the northern reaches of Burgundy near Auxerre and not far from Chablis.   Occasionaly the wines also contain the local grape - Cesar.   The best producer is Colinot and I have enjoyed their wines a number of times over the years.  If in Chablis, you can also buy Irancy from many of the Chablis producers such as J-M Brocard.

It was only recently that I finally visited the village and it is quite pituresque so I would recommend a detour if in the area.  It is only a small village and won't take long unless you decide to taste all the different producers' wines.  There is a viewpoint above the village to take some nice photographs. Some of my snaps accompany this blog.  Do try the wines of Irancy - we often cool them down and let them warm up over the course of a meal so that it will suit fish, meat and then cheese.

The Irancy vines with the church and village in the distance.

Driving through the narrow streeets of Irancy

The best Irancies have a lovely strawberry flavour with a hint of plums.  Very enjoyable to drink on its own, it can accompany many dishes that are not too powerfully flavoured.   The first occasion I had it was with langoustine lightly smoked over rosemary and then lamb with tapenade.  Both matched surprisingly well but then the company was excellent that day!

The wines can age well but never seem to last that long in my house!

If you look hard enough you may find this wine in the UK but go to the specialist retailers rather than the supermarket.