Where and who to start with for GC white burgs?

I’m a big fan of chardonnay. Oxidative, steely, mineral. Anything but overly-oaked. But as I was thinking about buying more 1er Cru Chablis it dawned on me that maybe I should save up and buy some GC white Burgundy instead. The closest I’ve come is an '05 Raveneau MdT. I was thinking of pulling the trigger on an '18 PYCM Corton-Charlemagne but maybe I should be thinking older?

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No disrespect intended, but if you have to “save up”, Grand Cru Burgundy with the possible exception of Chablis is probably a bad idea. Plenty of values to be had with Chablis producers such as Servin.

Think about Bouchard CC. It is generally awfully good and a lot cheaper than PYCM.

Also, unless you have specific tasting notes from someone you trust, I would rather have a 2014, 2016 or 2017 than a 2015 or 2018.

Please note that I have not tasted the 2018 PYCM but the 2017 was quite good. My thoughts about the Paulee Grand Tasting this year - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers

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Why not move from 1er Cru Chablis to Grand Cru Chablis? You’ll stay in the style you like, whereas going from Chablis to Corton-Charlemagne is a bigger change.

I think Bouchard in general is a very good value; meursault Perrieres and cc are both good values.

Don’t forget Jadot’s Corton Charlemagne, which is domaine and now under DIAM

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That’s great news. I had completely given up on Jadot whites. Is the same true for all their whites?

Yes I believe they are DIAM across the board from the 2011 vintage onwards

What I gathered from your post (maybe incorrectly) is that you are looking for an epiphany experience with Chardonnay. So, you’re willing to lay out a c-note or two hoping to achieve that new benchmark. One of the local retailers that I do business with recently had 12 2014 Bouchard Corton-Charlies 375’s on the shelf for $65 per. I was tempted to pick up 6 or 12 but decided to buy just one. When I drank it, it was thoroughly enjoyable but I knew that I am holding white Burgs that are just as good for which I paid considerably less. If I had gone long with them, I would not have regretted doing so, but I also didn’t regret not doing so. You can probably easily get 2 or 3 Grand Cru Chablis from a producer like Servin, for what that 1 bottle C-C would cost. For my money, I’d go with the former.

I’m more looking for a baseline for what GC Burgundy “should” taste like and my expectation is that the best producers make the most typified GC Burgundy. But I also might be conflating a producer’s style with typicity. I’m not looking to have my mind blown.

I hadn’t even thought of the Jadot GCs. Thanks!

Jadot’s whites have been sneaky great for a few years now and they are under DIAM

I would second Jadot whites…especially the Genevrières and Perrières. I would also look at the other Colin brothers…Joseph and Simon. Lastly, I have really liked what Pierre Girardin has been doing with his whites…

EDIT: Simon is the son of a different Colin.

Hope this helps!

I guess I’d start from a slightly different premise - which producers in Burgundy have you really enjoyed? There are a lot of threads on this board about vintages, at which point everyone agrees that the most important thing is the producer, so…if you’re interested in a real grand cru experience, why not start there? Personally, I’ve had more “grand cru” like experience from top 1er cru sites from my favorite producers than somewhat random grand cru purchases. I don’t think a bottle of a mediocre producer will be better because it says “grand cru” on the label than a top producer’s Meursault Perrieres or Chassagne La Romanee, to use just a few examples.

I don’t mean this to discount the suggestions people have given above! Bouchard makes good quality whites and I’d expect a 2015 to be drinking well now - I had a 2009 Chevalier blind last November that was still quite young and very nice. I have less recent experience with Jadot.

I always think about going the Grand Cru route because I think it has to be better. Then I find 1er or less that are just as good per WK and I just stay the path. Just can’t seem to pull the trigger over $100 for white.

there are many good to excellent producers in chablis that don’t cost an arm and leg.
Don’t waste your money to try one bottle of PYCM CC
Patrick Piuze
Thomas Pico Domain Pattes Loup
Domaine Servin
Jean Claude Bessin
to name a few

What do you think of Bessin? Another winemaker in Chablis suggested him as an up and coming producer but I haven’t managed to track down the wines yet, for some reason.

Have you tried Jura? Bornard’s Melon Queue-Rouge (chardonnay) is mind-blowing.

they are worthy of your attention. The Foret is just under $50.00 in my Florida wine shop

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Back to the original question: If your aim is to understand the difference between 1er cru wines and grand cru, then you might, as many have suggested here, stick to Chablis. Try a bottle of 1er cru from a good producer alongside a grand cru from the same producer. A few months ago I had the Billaud-Simon MdT 2012, which was delicious. This wine is still available, for $60 or so, as is the Billaud-Simon Grand Cru Les Preuses from the same vintage (for $85). Or do the same experiment with wines from any of the other excellent Chablis producers mentioned in the thread. If you can find wines from 2015, they may be more suitable for early drinking, or you might find older vintages at auction. (In the past, Louis Michel has produced wonderful wines, completely unoaked, but I believe that there is a new team there and I don’t know whether the new style and quality are consistent with the old.) I would also note that wines from Montee de Tonnerre are often very close to grand cru quality.