Earliest Drinking Grand Cru Red Burgundies?

I know this will vary a lot by producer and year, but that said, some of the GC’s are certainly widely thought to take less time than most: Charmes Chambertin, Mazis, and Chapelle Chambertin come to mind. I would also suspect some Clos de Vougeot might fall into this category, and perhaps Clos de la Roche, about which I most curious.
Thoughts? Other suggestions? (Useful for those of us moving up in age.)

I wouldn’t put mazis in that category.

Tough question, I would be targeting vintages rather than vineyards. 2000, 2007, 2009 and 2014 are examples of more charming vintages that have delivered good early drinking experiences for me. You’re correct that some vineyards in the hands of certain producers can be approached sooner than others. I’ve had good luck with early drinking Charmes-Chambertin 07 and 09 from Rousseau and Thibault Liger-Belair for instance. Same with Esmonin Mazy-Chambertin and Esmonin Ruchottes-Chambertin from 2005 and 2007. But I believe you have to dial in vintage, then producer before vineyard.

The reds Charlie drinks on his rapido trip to France.

I’d also think vintage and not vineyard. Maybe Chapelle Chambertin, Latricieres Chambertin, because they are usually more delicate—but that also depends on whose hands the vines are . . .

I’d add producer to vintage, elevage and cooperage matters, over vineyard.

I reckon you can drink any Grand Cru young and derive quite a bit of pleasure. The real questions are how much upside are you going to miss out on, and when is the wine going to shut down? There is no definitive answer and you certainly can’t generalize by vineyard.,

The flip side is how long these ‘early drinking GCs’ will stay in a good place before declining?

No, certainly not Mazy(Mazis-)Chambertin - nor Ruchottes-Ch.

Very much depending on producer style, vintage AND location inside the vineyard … and due to than VERY generally:
Chapelle-Chambertin and some Charmes-Chambertin (those from Mazoyeres down at the Route N), some Latricieres-Chambertin (usually located at the Southern end nearby Combottes),
Clos St.Denis (more than Clos de la Roche), Clos de Lambrays, some Clos Vougeot (with parcels in low location),
some Musigny from less than stellar producers (Christian Confuron, Dufouleur …),
some Echezeaux (more at the border than the center),
some Corton from lower sites in Ladoix-S. or Pernand-V.

It has to be said that some of the above mentioned wines are often not up to the standard of a typical Grand Cru …

Thanks for all the interesting responses,

What I am getting, which I already suspected, is that this is not the best way to put the question–a sort of never say never kind of thing. I am aware of vintage variation and producer (Bachelet’s or Roty’s Charmes won’t be early drinkers). I am curious about Gerhard’s comments that Clos St Denis is earlier drinking than Clos de la Roche, which is not my experience. On vintage, yes '07’s, which I have bought for that reason, but also maybe 12’s? Or do others disagree?

I personally treat wines as if life. They are meant to be dunk and enjoying during their whole life after they have been bottled. Young, closing down , closed down, getting into maturity age, matured and too matured .

Vintage year and producer, besides…I vote : Charmes-Chambertin.


*The flip side is how long these ‘early drinking GCs’ will stay in a good place before declining?

FWIW - Last year we had a tasting of 12 C.St.Denis and CDLRoche each - and it was quite obvious that the former were usually more advanced that the latter, I would not say that the differences were huge, but noticable … of course depending on producer, vintage etc.
(BTW - the same applies to RSV vers. Richebourg … but I would not recommend drinking both too early)

I didn´t write it explicitely, but for sure all GCs will benefit from longer cellaring (as most 1er Crus will), but that was not the question.

Thanks Gerhard,

You obviously have more experience than I with this; it’s good to know, as I just purchased some 2016 Dujac Clos St Denis, in preference in fact to the CDLR. Did you post the notes previously? They would be good to read.

When you add up all the variables, not least if which is your personal preference for how aged you like your wine, I think this is a question which resists a simple formula. My approach is to use this board, professional reviewer comments, and Cellar Tracker notes. The key thing is to do your best to ignore numerical scores and look at the descriptors people use to understand where wines are in their life cycle.

One interesting phenomenon is that professional reviewers (gross generality incoming!) seem to be able to appreciate wine quite a bit younger than I do. I think that comes from deep experience of understand how the now of a tight, tannic, hard bottle relates to its future self.

based on what Charlie drinks i’d say La Romanee from Liger Belair… 2016 seems approachable now!

I might argue that this might simply be a factor of CSD almost always tasting better than CdlR rather than the latter needing more time

I agree with this, Rich,

I always look to Cellar Tracker for windows, and how a wine is currently drinking. Just always interesting to get different “looks” at Burgundy, as it is so varied–for example, Jay’s last remark, which actually coincides with my more limited experience.

Even if it´s “approachable” now
a) it is showing max. 50-60% of what´s eventually there
and b) it will shut down sooner or later (I guess sooner …)

It was tongue in cheek Gerhard
Of course i wouldn’t drink a '16 Romanee… then again if you have several cases of it, it’s a decent table wine?

'16 LB La Romanee is one of the greatest (if not the greatest) young wines I have ever had…right up there with '99 La Tache as a youngster.

To the OP - I’d say vintage is the biggest determiner of early drinking pleasure, followed (a long way next) by maker - some stylistically just make wines that suit earlier drinking, some not so much, then last I’d say vineyard influence as to determining early drinking.

I rarely regret drinking a GC young (unless it is heavily reduced/totally closed), as it always provides some sort of useful data point as to maker/vineyard/vintage. GC’s on release often before they shut down can be surprisingly enjoyable…