New York

THE finale of La Paulée de New York last Saturday saw a gathering of 400 or so wine lovers, including groups from as far as Mexico, Brazil and Scandinavia, who had paid US$1,500 apiece for the seven-course meal and a chance to mingle with more than 40 of Burgundy's finest vignerons, the people who grow the grapes and make the wine.

For the price, which included courses of a gala dinner prepared by all-star chefs, a modest amount of wine was included. More important were the hundreds of bottles brought by the guests and the vignerons themselves, to share around the room. Even at a moment of global fear of contagion, a spirit of generosity and communal love of Burgundy overcame inhibitions.