My first DRC

Agree about the quote, it summarizes what I was trying to say. And generally I have a hard time concentrating :wink:

    1. champagne.gif

DRC is the real deal. Shows the heights which Burgundy can reach w top class management from soil to bottle.

Jean-Marc, is a sometimes-actor (in movies and stage) and a stand-up comedian (though I can’t confirm the latter and his personality doesn’t confirm it either). He has, in my experience with him, a pretty negative affect. It is a nice quote…that the obvious wines are for idiots, is what I think he probably really means.

Stuart : from what I read recently about JM…he is (or was) also a sometimes stand-up comedian.

Any comments regarding what Alan said about DRC [wink.gif] or do you agree with his message ?

Very good note Humberto! So nice to read your first experience was with an aged DRC and not a current release. Have been fortunate to open 3 of the 88 DRC GE in the past. All consistent and thrilling experiences. It is one of those wines from beginning to end, makes you want more, so many dimensions to the wine!

i shared a few tastes of a 90 DRC GE with nick wittman once. that wine was an epiphany. most all burgundy is red fruit for me, but this GE was black & purple fruit. iodine, inky with strength and structure that captivated me in a similar way to what humberto describes. seamless integration with an endless burnt popcorn blueberry finish.

this DRC GE was alongside several other top-shelf burgundies and still showed a profound singularity.

And the opposite as wel, most of the times neener

One of the top 10 at any rate!

See Humberto?
Burgundy’s charms will get you, eventually…
CHEERS

This J guy probably bought it from Rudy.

I had not considered that, it was really Marcassin, that explains it :slight_smile:

Or Domaine Serene! :slight_smile:

DRC is the real deal. Shows the heights which Burgundy can reach w top class management from soil to bottle.

Peter…I can’t disagree with Alan on this, though I think that there are/have been plenty of other Burgundies on those “heights”…and at better values to my thinking. DRC is all grand crus…and many excellent producers make grand crus that don’t charge as much for their “management” or their name on the label.

I’ve never bought a bottle of DRC. Ever since I started paying attention to Burgundy (on my honeymoon there in 1983), I 've thought DRC was priced too high for my values…and budget. The ones I’ve had over the years have been mostly impressive, when given time to “mature”. But, I also sought/seek value in my Burgundies…and always have. That’s why I’ve bought accross the hierarchies…not just grands cru.

Many 1er crus from “top class” estates there also show the “heights Burgundy can reach”, without paying the premium for the trophy.

So…though I don’t/can’t disagree with Alan’s non-controversial statement…I don’t regret never owning any DRC. There’s much more to explore in Burgundy that isn’t on those “heights”. And, the air is easier to breathe “down” there, too.

As someone relatively new to exploring burgundy, I’ve been toying around with the idea of seeking out one of these top tier burgundies to reference as a benchmark. Can you mention some of the producers that are making burgundies on comparable “heights” to DRC that won’t set me back quite as much? Thanks in advance.

Charles…are you “toying around with the idea” to buy current releases or older vintages? If so…from what era? Things change there…and many new “stars” have come onto the scene, estates have been broken up, parcels, estates sold, etc. in recent years (as often happens in Burgundy).

I am not that familiar with the current scene, as I stopped buying after the 2006 vintage, for the most part.

But…if you’re looking for “benchmarks” from the time I’m familiar with that aren’t DRC…I might have some thoughts, even if I don’t know the aftermarket prices for them.

welcome to the exploration/voyage. You won’t regret it. No one does, even if they don’t get that far.

Thanks for the reply Stuart. I was definitely planning on trying to buy an older vintage that is currently in its proper drinking window. I live in an area where wine shipping laws aren’t going to allow me to order online, so I was probably planning on acquiring the bottle at a restaurant here in town that has a sizable list of aged burgundies.

Thankfully, I can’t appreciate the subtleties of these wines. This GE was my wife and I’s first DRC as well. I’m the wine geek, and was non-plussed, while my wife went on to describe the wine as ‘sheet music’ despite giving two shits about wine usually. It’s probably best Burgundy is lost on me. My current love Napa is already a mistress I can’t afford. Glad you had a great experience!

Keep us posted what you find, Charles. Then we can all argue about it and the “best” way to prepare the wine to taste.

This whole subject raises lots of “chicken and egg” issues.

Very well said… [welldone.gif]

I totally agree with you that there are others…

Many 1er crus from “top class” estates there also show the “heights Burgundy can reach”, without paying the premium for the trophy.