BBM: Bienvenue Batard Montrachet.

few wines are recognized by abbreviation. This is one. BBM—Bienvenue Batard, welcome bastard. Who is best—Ramonet, Sauzet, Leflaive, Colin-Morey, Carillon? This white grand cru has a high level of winemaking and it’s hard to find a bad one. Not with the power of Batard or the razor sharp crystalline nature of Chevalier, it’s like a younger brother but definitely worthy of grand cru status. Sure, there’s the occasional sample that sits at the right of the bell-shaped curve—08 Colin-Morey comes to mind—but price shows it under BM and CM. Who do you like and why? Give me Colin-Morey.

When not premoxed, Carillon and Leflaive are the easy choices for me.

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The pureness and class of Louis Carillon BBM is hard to beat imo. But I need to try more examples… flirtysmile

I’ve only had Leflaive’s. And it’s superb.

Carillon’s and PYCM’s versions are two wines that I’m eager to try.

Just curious as one not very familiar with BBM, when you mention Laflaive do you mean Domaine Laflaive or Olivier Laflaive?

Regardless of the context of BBM, Leflaive universally refers to Domaine. Only Oliver’s importers and distributors would confuse the two. [wow.gif]

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Paul Pernot’s version can be really good. A 2002 I had last year was fantastic.

Carillon is my favourite, but as the OP has pointed out, pretty much all of the producers are great, and therefore so are the wines. I would tend to rate BBM above BM in part for that consistency (and I love the flavour profile).

PYCM and Ramonet.

Typically I prefer BBM over Batard.

Leflaive for me. When it’s on, it can be sublime. The ‘99 is still the best white Burgundy I’ve had to date. More subtle than the Batard, granted, but that’s not necessarily a weakness.

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Have only had Pernot

One time I buried any empty bottle in the yard of a NW DC home where I was setting a post or something

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On the younger side I like Leflaive and Carillon. On the older side (say pre 2000s) I like Ramonet

Domaine, for sure.

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I think that’s the strength of BBM as a vineyard, personally! I love BBM generally, since it seems to have such great tension, whereas I feel like Batard can often run fat, especially in warmer vintages.

Agree. I prefer BBM to Batard and, while I prefer Chev to BBM, BBM is usually a good bit cheaper so I usually end up buying more BBM than Chev.

Carillon is an emotional favorite for me, and the BBM I’ve drunk the most of. Ramonet is outstanding as well. I seem to recall someone on the site taking offense at the moniker BBM (too informal IIRC). That’s what my friends and I use.

Has anyone tried the recent Vougeraie versions?

I still remember the 88 carillon / ramonet BBM comparison you opened in SF 8 years ago (at least if I remember correct you opened both?).

Stunning wines. Thx again!

domaine Leflaive. I have no recent experience with the previously third rate Olivier.

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The Ramonet was Favre’s I think.