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Getting reacquainted with the iconic Gallo wine popular in '60s

By Bill Daley, Chicago Tribune, Source: MCT News Service

"Burgundy," my late mother-in-law once said to me. "Whatever happened to Burgundy?"

My reply was snarky: "It's still part of France last time I looked."

"No, no, no," she said, proceeding undaunted. "Burgundy, the wine. You used to be able to go into the stores and always find wine with Burgundy on the label. Not anymore."

"Well, yes," I replied. "Now it's called 'pinot noir.'"

Mary was not mollified. She wanted to make her famous boeuf bourguignon as she used to back in the 1960s with a wine labeled "Burgundy."

Gallo's Hearty Burgundy to be exact.

I must admit I feel funny using the term Hearty Burgundy without quotes around it. I know it's the trademark name of a wine brand, but I also don't want to anger my French friends who insist the only wines that can be called Burgundy must come from Burgundy in France, not from somewhere in California. So pretend there are imaginary quote marks, OK?

Gallo introduced Hearty Burgundy in 1964. In a November 1972 cover story on the growing American wine scene, Time magazine quoted the Los Angeles Times wine critic, Robert Balzer, as saying, "Gallo Hearty Burgundy is the best wine value in the country today." That line put the wine on the map and in the glass.

"It's part of many people's first experience with wine," said Kristina Kelley, a Gallo spokeswoman.

I had thought Gallo's Hearty Burgundy was long gone, but it's still out there, part of the Gallo Family Vineyards' Twin Valley line.

Kelley said the wine was originally made from grapes grown in California's North Coast, mostly zinfandel, petite sirah and carignan. Now the wine sports a California appellation and is made from zinfandel, syrah, sangiovese, pinot noir, grenache and cabernet sauvignon. It's a distinctly non-Burgundian blend, but the price is right: only $5 for a 750-milliliter bottle and $8 for a 1.5-liter jug.

The wine was a favorite of winery founders Ernest and Julio Gallo, Kelley said, "because it was the kind of hearty red wine they were raised on and it went well with their evening meal."

Today, Kelley thinks "there's always room for a food-friendly robust red wine." True, but is that wine Hearty Burgundy still?

I went looking for wines named Burgundy to match against Gallo's famed brand in a blind tasting. And I put them up against a real Burgundy from France. Burgundy or "Bourgogne" in French, is the basic appellation for wines made in the province. In France, most wines are named for their location, not their grape variety. Generally, the smaller the area listed on the label _ and in Burgundy the naming can get right down to individual vineyards _ the finer and more expensive the wines.

As for my mother-in-law and her "Burgundy" boeuf bourguignon, let me finish the story. She flat-out refused to buy any of the wines I suggested as a substitute: zinfandel, syrah, merlot. Eventually, she found a jug of something red and "Burgundy" _ not Gallo _ and glugged it defiantly into the pot. Didn't work. The wine was too light, too sweet, not at all hearty in any sense of the word.

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BOURGOGNE VS. 'BURGUNDY'

I went wine shopping at a neighborhood supermarket and was both surprised and a bit pleased to find "Burgundy" wine a rather scarce product even in the value wine section. What I found came in a range of sizes, from standard 750-milliliter bottles to 4-liter jugs. The French Burgundian red was indeed a Bourgogne, but as is the trend these days with lower-priced French wine, the label is now adorned with the name of the grape variety, pinot noir. Interestingly, the real Burgundy won, but only by a hair.

2007 Louis Jadot Bourgogne Pinot Noir

Lightest in color of the four wines, with a slight scent of mushroom and cherry. The wine sported the most tannins, giving it something of a finish, but the flavor was little more than bland berries. Serve with grilled cheese sandwich, roast chicken.

$21.99 (750 milliliters)

NV Gallo Family Vineyard Twin Valley Hearty Burgundy

This California red was colored a deep plum. The nose offers hints of chocolate, berry and earth. The flavor is jammy, almost overripe. Expect lots of bright berry notes. Serve with macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, pot roast.

$5 (750 milliliters)

NV Inglenook Burgundy Classic Series

A "Burgundy" wine made in Argentina for a California wine-maker? Believe it. The wine is a clear black cherry in color, the nose is also of cherry with a touch of earth, and the candied cherry flavor is simple, one-dimensional. Tied with Gallo for second place. Serve with burgers, meatloaf.

$7.99 (1.5 liters)

NV Carlo Rossi Burgundy

Like cherry Kool-Aid, this California wine was watery, sweet, very one-note. Serve with barbecue ribs, smoked ham.

$16.99 (4 liters)

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(c) 2010, Chicago Tribune.

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PHOTO (from MCT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): UNCORKED