I reach a milestone birthday in two weeks. Four of us are travelling to Maine for a vacation and I will spend my birthday overlooking the ocean with the best lobster I can find and white wine. I want to get a bottle of great white Burgundy to drink with it (long with other whites from places that most Burgheads would hate. Unfortunately, my cellar is bereft of such wines because I stopped buying serious bottles due to the pox risk, and I recently finished my last bottle of PYCM Puligny Montrachet. And the price of Le Montrachet has gotten silly, although the Jadot Le Montrachet that someone (Izzy’s father, perhaps) brought to the Heritage finals in Vegas was my WOTN.
So I am looking for a recommendation as to what I should go out and buy as the best bottle to pair with lobster on the shore. AND where should I get it? NY Metro area preferred.
PS - I haven’t had a good Batard Montrachet (loved it) in close to 50 years, and that is temping, but the CT motes on the few that I have found indicate a significant POX risk.
PPS - Any opinions on glassware for white Burgs? I can bring my Zalto universals because we are driving, and it seems appropriate.
I will say you don’t have to spend a fortune to get an excellent white burg that will go with your lobster. There are really, really good St Aubins out there, Chablis, and more.
I remember being at the Lobster Pot in P-town and ordering a Jadot village Burg. It was a brilliant match. You don’t to spend a ton to get something really good. The lobster should shine.
Leflaive Pucelles, 20’ if you can get it, but any year really Let it breathe 30-45 minutes first. But you know that I am sure.
If you want to spend big and can find it, 17’ Leflaive Chevalier
Lafon Meursault would be a great combo with lobstah. I like them all but Perrieres if you can find it.
Bouchard Chevalier Cabottes. I also liked the regular 19’ Bouchard Chevalier a lot at a Paulee-type dinner last Fall.
20’ Fevre or Christian Moreau Chablis Le Clos. Delicious. Easy.
09 Dom. Bernard Moreau et Fils Chassagne 1er Cru Grandes Ruchottes is delicious
given that you are worried about pox, go with a producer that uses DIAM. Jean-Marc Vincent whites, Domaine Leflaive (the Pucelles that Steve mentions is splendid), Bouchard Corton-Charlemagne, Meursault Perrieres or Chevalier, anything from Olivier Lamy and Droin’s Chablis offering back to 2012 would all be good choices.
A fantastic suggestion! Delicious, and pretty affordable. I’ve been loving Joseph Colin’s St. Aubins, and of course there’s always Lamy. A bottle of Dauvissat’s Village Chablis would be stellar with lobster.
I will say that I would personally stay away from most higher end burgs with Lobster. I find oak to be a bad match, especially if there’s butter involved.
But of course another Jadot Montrachet would fit the bill nicely, given you liked one recently. I’d also recommend their Chevalier Demoiselles or any of the Bouchard Grand Crus.
Re vintages: some have mentioned 2020s above but I’m not so sure. It’s a great vintage, yes, but I fear many of the great wines may be shut(ting) down or excessively blocky. I’d probably recommend 17-19 or 21s instead.
Domaine Bonneau du Martray - Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2014
Check wine-searcher - that is a terrific wine, showing well, and relatively available (at least compared to many of the other suggestions in this thread).
There are some great wines listed above, but Jay, you are a person who often criticizes Burgundy (and other French wines) and touts California wines. I had a super California Chardonnay last week (Mount Eden 2021 Chardonnay) that you probably would enjoy and would cost you a lot less than any of the wines listed above. You should at least consider this for your “long with other whites from places that most Burgheads would hate”. Unfortunately, I don’t know if this would fit there as I drank it with other Burg guys who seemed to all love it.
Sadly, I’m going to be of little help with the wine. I also prefer champagne with lobster, but the heart knows what it wants and I won’t dissuade you from that!
That said, for most types of Chardonnay, I like a burg glass. I would opt for that if it’s an option and you are bringing stems.
Ramonet is what I would pair for a special occasion.
the 2020 Jean Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet Les Ruchottes
is available in Garden City for $439.00 a bottle
Now that you mention it, why can’t I get Yattarna Chards from Penfold in the US? We had a few that I got at auction years ago and they were great. It would make an excellent pairing, but whenever I look there is nothing.
