Anthony Bourdain's Top Wine Picks Aren't What You'd Expect

Beloved celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain was perhaps best known for uncovering the actual best places to eat abroad. But apart from his ability to sniff out the most authentic food haunts on his travels, he was also famous for his grounded outlook on food and life — alongside some downright savage food takes. The wine aficionados of the world were certainly not sheltered from Bourdain's disdain. Anecdotally, as seen on his shows, he tended to avoid the stiff-upper-lip snobbery normally associated with fine wine — but that doesn't mean he didn't know his share about these pours.

One of the most revered wine regions is Bordeaux in France, but it seemed to have fallen out of favor with Bourdain as the years drew on. Per a 2018 Orange Coast Magazine article, Bourdain once spoke to Wine Enthusiast regarding his preferences, and it didn't take long before he took a jab at the distinguished Bordeaux region in favor of others with more rustic charm. Specifically, he named Burgundies, which he labeled "unpredictable," as well as wines from Côtes du Rhône and Italy. This sentiment also surfaced during a 2012 Mixed Palate interview with Bourdain, in which the chef explained that, as he grew older, Côtes du Rhône and Burgundy wines began to take precedence over Bordeaux varietals. So, while Bordeaux wines definitely have their place, that place was not at the table of the traveling chef.

There's a lot you can learn from reading wine labels. That information can steer you toward an expectation of that wine's character, but that wasn't Anthony Bourdain's main concern. Still, by analyzing both Burgundy and Côtes du Rhône, you might better be able to glean why Bourdain specified these two as his favorite spins of the wheel, to borrow his phrase.

Burgundy, a region roughly in the northeastern portion of central France, has a vast range of wines over several unique sub-regions. Red and white wines fall under the Burgundy label. To really oversimplify things, Burgundies are noted as balanced and floral, and a specific terroir (the effect of soil, climate, and similar factors on wine production) plays a large role in determining the wine's personality. This is likely why Bourdain liked the lottery approach of choosing a random Burgundy instead of, say, a Côte de Nuits (a region within Burgundy).

Meanwhile, Côtes du Rhône is one of the world's oldest wine regions and has a ton of grape varieties — 21 to be exact. It is also France's second-largest wine region and features dozens of wine-making villages, giving the Côtes du Rhône label even more variability. Your chances of finding two matching Côtes du Rhône wines might be slim, but they're nonetheless reputed as tasty and delicate wines. Since variety is the spice of life, following Bourdain's wine choices is one way to spice up your glass.