Can you drink better Bourgogne rouge than Lafarge and Chevillon?
I do like Bachelet but these two just really hit the sweet spot for Bourgogne.
What is your favorite(s)?
BTW, 2012 Lafarge tonight. Refreshing. Red fruited. Not long but very satisfying.
I love the Chevillon Bourgogne. I miss being able to buy Mugneret-Gibourg.
I picked up some Hudelot Noellat but haven’t tasted one yet. Do you have thoughts Don?
2010 Glantenay was/is pretty spectacular.
Haven’t had the Hudelot Bourgogne.
I love the Bourgogne from the sisters but I think that Lafarge and Chevillon seem to really capture the essence of what Bourgogne should be.
Arnoux and Tremblay are pretty special.
I continue to enjoy Roumier and Barthod 2005s.
So I don’t know if this counts as Bourgogne Rouge since the terroir is actually more than that but
Pataille Montrecul (Dijon) is really nice as well as the Clos du Roi (Chenove). Bizot also have some nice ones from the northern Cote de Nuits but those are expensive.
The Barthod is amazing but quite a bit more pricey. I think what I like, is to discover growers who have nice terroir but the wines are classified as Bourgogne because of the AOC system. I find Lafarge nice but a bit of a one note wine, unless recent vintages are different. Last one I had is 09.
Used to buy a lot of Mugneret-Gibourg’s bourgogne rouge, was always my favorite. For that matter, I always found their Vosne Village to be one of the better Village wines in the Nuits.
Although the Barthod and some of the others mentioned are good, buying a BR at $50 plus defeats
The purpose for me. I do like Meo and Arnoux.
Personally I prefer Bourgogne in riper vintages like 09. The wines, lacking the stuffing of village and 1ers, often strike me as thin and weedy in leaner years. But I also love Sonoma Coast low octane pinots, so not a strictly old world palate.
Agree Lafarge is a standout. M-G and Bachelet too. Never had a Chevillon, need to try.
Some of my faves from the producers I represent:
-Mugneret Gibourg (a few vosne vineyards)
-Hudelot Noellat (many nuggets of Chambolle)
-Patrice Rion Bons Batons (single parcel chambolle)
-Alain Michelot (two northern nsg parcels) This is a crowd favorite.
-Denis Bachelet (gevrey)
-Michel Lafarge (volnay parcel)
-Robert Groffier (one or two parcels in gevrey?) - This is outrageously good in '13, like all of Nico’s '13s. If you can find some somewhere, get it. I’m sold out.
-Francois Bertheau - (single parcel chambolle) Drinking the ‘13 tonight, first time since tasting it in tank. It is absolutely delightful. Shows the hyper classic face of the vintage, quite bright, pale and pretty, with sneaky power. Many substantial Bourgognes serve as great intros to the house style, and this one shows the hallmark delicacy of Bertheau at his best.
-Michel Noellat (vosne)
-Robert Arnoux (vosne)
-Gerard Julien Cotes de Nuits (comblanchien) This kid (Etienne) is making waves, in a big way. On 10+ Michelin 3 star lists throughout France. While not technically “Bourgogne” for the price point we’re talkin’, a must see. As he said to me once, “La mayonnaise arrive”.
-Thomas Bouley Hautes Cotes de Beaune (above Volnay)
I also adore Ghislaine’s and Cecile’s Bourgognes.
Sooo much value and everyday useful refreshment in those wines.
Big fan of Roty Bourgogne “Pressonier” (given time to mellow out)…
TTT
Do any of you age these wines? If so, how long?
Chevillon, for sure. Lafarge, yes, but I’d say less consistently. Maume, same thing, inconsistent but some vintages excellent. Clavelier “Champs d’Argent,” though I haven’t seen it around for a few years. Rouget, also haven’t seen for years, but used to be quite good, and a fun “terroir” experience as 100% Couchey, which I’m not sure exists anywhere else, or at least not from a domaine at this level. Montille and Burguet going back, but nothing all that compelling since the 1999s. A&P “Digoine” if we move out of the Côte d’Or.
Some other stuff that doesn’t really count, as Nick points out, like Roumier, Dugat-Py “Halinard,” Bizot “Chapitre.” In fact, I doubt Rouget would count anymore, either, now that I think about it. Even Bachelet is now beyond the pale.
Yes, same as any other red burgundy.
My two favorites have long been the Bons Batons of Patrice et Michele Rion and the bourgogne of Mugneret Gibourg (from vineyards that were formerly, ie, before the AOC eliminated the vineyards accross the former RN 74 from Vosne vlllages status, Vosne villages). They have a Chambolle and Vosne aspect, not surprisingly. The villages from Chevillon has a nice Nuits aspect, though is a relatively simpler wine than the rest of their stable.
Aging? As long as a villages wine…or even 1er cru. The upside might be a little more limited. And, in my home, they are the first to get sacrificed to see how a vintage is doing after, say 12-15 years. But, they are likely no “readier” than the rest of the vintage…just less costly to sacrifice.
I really like H-N’s Bourgogne rouge. The '09 was excellent. Went through a case and should have bought five at the PC price ($10? $12 maybe)
Roty’s Pressonier is good.
Leroy can be good but variable and now pricey.
Anyone had Fourrier’s BR? I have some on pre-arrival.
Mongeard Mugneret makes a good one too. They don’t lather it with all the oak the upper crus get.
I haven’t seen Lamarche mentioned. I really like Nicole’s.
As others have said, I age them as long as the village wines. I’m enjoying 93 and 95 Bourgognes currently. Personally, unless it’s year like 2009, I don’t particularly like drinking them early, unless it’s soon after release. (there are some that are vinified for early drinking, but I don’t seek these out. most estates just vinify them like their village wines.)
I’d love to see a treatise on Bourgognes, and where they come from with the better estates, and which are declassified higher level wines, etc.).