Favourite Villages in the Nuits?

Michael_P_P · May 29, 2021, 7:21pm

I know that many here are into specific producers in Burgundy.

If you were, however, to generalize wines from certain villages and appellations in Cote de Nuits -
Which ones are your favorites? Which ones are you currently drinking, currently buying from? Is there QPR to be found somewhere in this tiny region where prices are constantly climbing?

There seems to be some Gevrey Chambertin wines which are actually affordable. What about other appellations? Is anyone into Fixin and Marsannay?

And Chambolle. The prices are high - Does it actually live up to its reputation and the prices you have to pay for a bottle?

Scott_Brunson · May 29, 2021, 7:49pm

My wife loves Chambolle, so my answer is Chambolle

Robert_Sand · May 29, 2021, 9:19pm

Vosne-Romanee !
The highest overall level of wine making … and the best vineyards … unfortunately also the highest price level …
my most memorable experiences are from there …

Michael_P_P · May 30, 2021, 1:26am

I’ve seen some VR bottles which are around 45-50$. Do these bottles deliver as well?

Howard_Cooper · May 30, 2021, 12:26pm

Gevrey Chambertin, Morey St. Denis, Vosne Romanee and Chambolle Musigny, with Volnay, are IMHO the greatest red wine villages on planet earth. The separation among these five villages is much less than the separation of these five villages from the rest of the world. I have a fondness the wines from MSD so I will pick this as my favorite, but really I would virtually any wine from any of these villages from an excellent producer at almost any time (except maybe a lot of 2004s and some 2011s).

MChang · May 30, 2021, 1:11pm

No love for flagey, pommard, nuits, vougeot or chassagne?

Chris_V · May 30, 2021, 1:41pm

You’re already violating the first rule of burgundy: producer, producer, producer.

The answer to your question about $45-$50 VRs is no, they will likely not deliver due to the violation of the aforementioned rule.

I see a lot of people on the burgundy discovery journey, that goes something like this:

I’m trying to follow the first rule of burgundy but the producers recommended to me to are too expensive or too hard to find.
How much worse can this wine from the same appellation be from an unknown producer for 1/4 of the price be? (Spoiler: a lot)
I’ve ‘tried’ burgundy but there are too many ‘disappointments’ and it’s a ‘minefield’ (read: I violated the first rule of burgundy and it didn’t work for me).

The problem is in burgundy the appellation has to be the largest font size on the label. So you feel like I’m first and foremost drinking a Vosne-Romanee, which happens to be from Huelot-Noellat. Whereas in Bordeaux for example the Producer is most prominent. So when having Bordeaux you’re thinking damn this Pichon-Lalande is great, where is it from again? Oh yeah, right, I love Pauillac.

Howard_Cooper · May 30, 2021, 1:44pm

I think of Flagey as part of Vosne Romanee. I love Chassagne as you know, but FOR REDS, I cannot put the village quite at the level of my big five (maybe if they handed all the red vineyards to Ramonet and Moreau??? ) . Same with Vougeot. I am not a huge fan of Nuits and Pommard for stylistic reasons, but even from a quality perspective I would have to put them a rung or two down.

The harder question would be “no love for Pauillac or St. Julien”?

Howard_Cooper · May 30, 2021, 1:50pm

I know that many here are into specific producers in Burgundy.

If you were, however, to generalize wines from certain villages and appellations in Cote de Nuits -
Which ones are your favorites?

You’re already violating the first rule of burgundy: producer, producer, producer.

The answer to your question about $45-$50 VRs is no, they will likely not deliver due to the violation of the aforementioned rule.

I see a lot of people on the burgundy discovery journey, that goes something like this:

I’m trying to follow the first rule of burgundy but the producers recommended to me to are too expensive or too hard to find.

How much worse can this wine from the same appellation be from an unknown producer for 1/4 of the price be? (Spoiler: a lot)

I’ve ‘tried’ burgundy but there are too many ‘disappointments’ and it’s a ‘minefield’ (read: I violated the first rule of burgundy and it didn’t work for me).

The problem is in burgundy the appellation has to be the largest font size on the label. So you feel like I’m first and foremost drinking a Vosne-Romanee, which happens to be from Huelot-Noellat. Whereas in Bordeaux for example the Producer is most prominent. So when having Bordeaux you’re thinking damn this Pichon-Lalande is great, where is it from again? Oh yeah, right, I love Pauillac.

So, the key to Burgundy is a good pair of eyeglasses???

The answer to #1 has to be to visit Burgundy where you might find the wines that are too hard to find. The other answer is producers like Rossignol-Trapet, Pierre Amiot, Chandon de Briailles, Ramonet, Hudelot-Noellat, Bernard Moreau, Drouhin, Clerget and quite a number of others who make excellent villages wines and premier crus.

Chris_V · May 30, 2021, 2:01pm

I agree with and buy many on that list. But even many of these can feel comparatively expensive to others in their appellation to the Burgundy curious. Many of these have crept up in price lately too.

‘Why spend $70 on a Chandon de Briailles Savigny, when this other one from a random producer is only $30?’

And re: Ramonet, maybe they’re cheaper in other markets, but in North America, and in particular here in Ontario I don’t think their pricing works for people exploring Burgundy on a modest budget.

Howard_Cooper · May 30, 2021, 2:52pm

The answer to #1 has to be to visit Burgundy where you might find the wines that are too hard to find. The other answer is producers like Rossignol-Trapet, Pierre Amiot, Chandon de Briailles, Ramonet, Hudelot-Noellat, Bernard Moreau, Drouhin, Clerget and quite a number of others who make excellent villages wines and premier crus.

I agree with and buy many on that list. But even many of these can feel comparatively expensive to others in their appellation to the Burgundy curious. Many of these have crept up in price lately too.

‘Why spend $70 on a Chandon de Briailles Savigny, when this other one from a random producer is only $30?’

And re: Ramonet, maybe they’re cheaper in other markets, but in North America, and in particular here in Ontario I don’t think their pricing works for people exploring Burgundy on a modest budget.

Buying from a random producer anywhere in the world is a recipe for disaster. People buy Bordeauxs from producers they know, buy California wines from producers they know, etc., etc., etc., and then buy Burgundy because it says Savigny and German wines because it says Wehlener Sonnenuhr. That is exactly why most people think these regions are so difficult to learn, because they insist on buying wines randomly based on appellation. No experienced Burgundy or German wine lover does this.

And, I thought this was a thread about about wines from the Cote du Nuits, not a thread about budget Burgundies. It is like having someone start a thread about 1st growth Bordeauxs or rock star California Cabernet and have someone come in and ask about the budget ones. If you want to discuss Burgundies for budget prices, start a thread on the Cote Chalonnaise. For example, Ramonet is one of the most famous producers in Burgundy and his reds provide fabulous value for the price (esp. his villages CM, which still sell in the US for under $70 and in Europe for less (I have zero idea what wines of any type sell for in Ontario)). But, why would anyone be suggesting a producer like Ramonet for people on a modest budget. I really don’t understand your point. Wines can be fabulous QPRs even if not for people on a modest budget.

John_Telford · May 30, 2021, 3:03pm

Pommard and everything about Pommard…yes the answer is Pommard!

Chris_V · May 30, 2021, 8:53pm

The answer to #1 has to be to visit Burgundy where you might find the wines that are too hard to find. The other answer is producers like Rossignol-Trapet, Pierre Amiot, Chandon de Briailles, Ramonet, Hudelot-Noellat, Bernard Moreau, Drouhin, Clerget and quite a number of others who make excellent villages wines and premier crus.

I agree with and buy many on that list. But even many of these can feel comparatively expensive to others in their appellation to the Burgundy curious. Many of these have crept up in price lately too.

‘Why spend $70 on a Chandon de Briailles Savigny, when this other one from a random producer is only $30?’

And re: Ramonet, maybe they’re cheaper in other markets, but in North America, and in particular here in Ontario I don’t think their pricing works for people exploring Burgundy on a modest budget.

Buying from a random producer anywhere in the world is a recipe for disaster. People buy Bordeauxs from producers they know, buy California wines from producers they know, etc., etc., etc., and then buy Burgundy because it says Savigny and German wines because it says Wehlener Sonnenuhr. That is exactly why most people think these regions are so difficult to learn, because they insist on buying wines randomly based on appellation. No experienced Burgundy or German wine lover does this.

And, I thought this was a thread about about wines from the Cote du Nuits, not a thread about budget Burgundies. It is like having someone start a thread about 1st growth Bordeauxs or rock star California Cabernet and have someone come in and ask about the budget ones. If you want to discuss Burgundies for budget prices, start a thread on the Cote Chalonnaise. For example, Ramonet is one of the most famous producers in Burgundy and his reds provide fabulous value for the price (esp. his villages CM, which still sell in the US for under $70 and in Europe for less (I have zero idea what wines of any type sell for in Ontario)). But, why would anyone be suggesting a producer like Ramonet for people on a modest budget. I really don’t understand your point. Wines can be fabulous QPRs even if not for people on a modest budget.

Are you comments directed at me? I don’t think I really started the thread drift. The OP started the thread about burgundy villages, but then shortly after asked this question which is what sparked my response:

Jayson_Cohen · May 30, 2021, 9:18pm

If we are talking strictly Cote de Nuits, my favorite villages are Marsannay, Gevrey, Chambolle, Morey, Vosne, and Nuits St Georges.

Michael_P_P · May 30, 2021, 10:30pm

Hi Howard.

These are some of the villages I am trying to buy from. And if I see a good deal on Volnay, I try to get it. My main focus is on Beaune, but from advice from people here, I started to try to find some Nuits as well. Haven’t yet bought any MSD though.
In terms of Nuits, I recently purchased:

Confuron Gindre Gevrey-Chambertin (2018)
Pierre Naigeon Gevrey-Chambertin (2007)
Domaine Seguin Chambolle Musigny (2019)
Domaine Bryczek Chambolle Musigny (2018)

Will try to find some MSD. Hoping to find good QPR.

Michael_P_P · May 30, 2021, 10:34pm

Good points all.

But you have to start somewhere, right?
There are so many producers out there. And for me personally, I am looking for QPR.
I am, however, buying several appellations/wines from the same producer from time to time.

Michael_P_P · May 31, 2021, 1:33am

Yea, true.

Anyways. I think I will stop focusing on villages and appelations, and instead try to buy everything from different producers.
And try Marsannay, Fixin, GC, NSG etc, from the same producer.

TGigante · May 31, 2021, 1:43am

What is Cote de Beaune, Alex?

David_Bu3ker · May 31, 2021, 1:46am

Whichever village affords me the opportunity to buy a good wine without getting a 2nd mortgage.

Craig_G · May 31, 2021, 3:16am

I know that many here are into specific producers in Burgundy.

If you were, however, to generalize wines from certain villages and appellations in Cote de Nuits -
Which ones are your favorites?

You’re already violating the first rule of burgundy: producer, producer, producer.

The answer to your question about $45-$50 VRs is no, they will likely not deliver due to the violation of the aforementioned rule.

I see a lot of people on the burgundy discovery journey, that goes something like this:

I’m trying to follow the first rule of burgundy but the producers recommended to me to are too expensive or too hard to find.

How much worse can this wine from the same appellation be from an unknown producer for 1/4 of the price be? (Spoiler: a lot)

I’ve ‘tried’ burgundy but there are too many ‘disappointments’ and it’s a ‘minefield’ (read: I violated the first rule of burgundy and it didn’t work for me).

The problem is in burgundy the appellation has to be the largest font size on the label. So you feel like I’m first and foremost drinking a Vosne-Romanee, which happens to be from Huelot-Noellat. Whereas in Bordeaux for example the Producer is most prominent. So when having Bordeaux you’re thinking damn this Pichon-Lalande is great, where is it from again? Oh yeah, right, I love Pauillac.

It’s interesting that Kevin Zraly made almost the opposite observation about Bordeaux. In one of his books, he said that he specifically looked for Pauillac wines that he didn’t know, and bought them. I had good luck with exactly that and found 1982 Ch. Bellegrave which wasn’t as fine as Pichon Lalande but was a very fine wine for about 1/8th the price (and that’s when 1982 PLL was $50!). I do this now with Graves/Pessac, where there are a bunch of $15-30 wines that are quite good and have some real Graves character.

Unfortunately, I agree that it doesn’t work well in Burgundy. There is really good burgundy for $45 but it’s from places like Mercurey, Marsannay and Savigny.