Hi All. Like many others who age, my tastes are migrating from Cabernet to Pinot. I have gathered a good collection of the Sonoma/Santa Barbara/Santa Rita Hills top providers (e.g., Aubert, Oxy, Martinelli, Lato, Sanford, etc.) and am loving them and now have access to ample supplies at somewhat reasonable prices (certainly compared to high end cabs).
I am interested in seeing if I should add red Burgundies to my cellars for future drinking, but find the prices, aging windows and general scores daunting for a trial. By that I mean it seems very difficult to conduct a reasonable trial of several red burgs to see if I should start adding material inventory to my cellar. Seems like most of the burgs available today are either theyāre too young, ridiculously expensive or have mediocre ratings (typically Cellartracker community).
So my ask is what would you in this community recommend for a couple bottles available today through reliable secondary markets that would give me a good sense of what I can expect from a mature high quality red burg. Iām thinking $100-250, nearing or at prime drinking windows.
Alternatively, if anyone wants to trade a burg or two in their cellar for an equivalent value California Pinot (or cab for that matter), ping me privately to discuss. Iām all ears.
Thereās still a fair amount if Chevillon from before 2010 in the market in the $200s, Cailles and Vaucrains, LSG if you luck out. 2009 I would buy for myself without hesitation, check with others back to 2002.
Iām obviously biased here, but you might consider a side trip to Oregon as well. Maybe I only think this because Iām here, but I think youāll wrap your head around the Willamette Valley quicker (and cheaper) than Burgundy.
Iāll leave it to others who are impartial to make specific recommendations, though.
Based on the domestic producers you enjoy, it seems like youāll be searching potentially for a riper style of pinot? I donāt mean that in a āgoodā or ābadā way - but it just seems that perhaps thatās where your āsweet spotā is for the variety?
Daveās points are valid - though again, based on the producers that you prefer, Iām not sure youāll dig a lot of the less ripe, more acid and earth driven pinots out of the Willamette Valley. Yes, I know that this is a bit of an āover generalizationā, but Iām just trying to narrow in what you may like.
If Iām off base, excuse me - but again, just seems you are looking at a particular āstyleā rather than a region.
If bigger, riper Pinot is your preference, youāre probably going to find Burgundy less appealing, IMO. Nothing wrong with that, too. If youāre truly curious, Iād grab a few bottles in the 7-10 year range off of WineBid from villages like Fixin, Marsannay, Pommard that offer better value so you can quickly determine if this is worth going deeper into for you. Producer matters a lot, but if youāre just exploring, itās not a bad idea to start with something like Drouhin or Jadot for availability. Bruno Clair might be a good bet too for value while exploring.
Thanks gentlemen and I think Larry has me nailed. Iāve had a few Oregon wines (Patricia Green, Purple Hands mostly following a visit there 5 years ago) and did find them somewhat too lean and/or acidic for me. Guess that means I do like the riper style.
Iām not necessarily asking for a California style burgundy. Iām not knowledgeable on red burgs at all and am wondering if I might like some of them. Give that Iām giving up on high end cabs (translation, often in the $100-300+ range) I can afford to occasionally have a nice burg. So trying to find out if there are any I may like. Donāt really know which villages or vineyards or producers may be lean or ripe.
So as stated earlier, given that I like ripe california pinot and donāt like lean Oregon, does that provide a better roadmap? (Not to say that the guidance so far isnāt helpful?)
I would start with wines from the Cotes Challonaise. Two producers I like are Moirots and Juillot. Wine By The Bottle ā Tagged "Country: France, Region: Burgundy" ā Weygandt Wines? Faiveley makes fabulous wines from Mercury. William Kelley is an expert on this region and listen to him for other (better?) recommendations. Go to more expensive wines from the more famous Cote DāOr if you like these. No reason to overspend until you know whether you like the style.
If you find Oregon PN too lean/acidic, I think youāll come to a similar conclusion with Burgundy. But if you want to splurge once to test that out, and youāre willing to put some cash on the line, grab a Domaine Dujac Morey St Denis (ā18 may fit your ripeness preference). If that doesnāt do it for you, then, hey, at least you know!
Itās apples and oranges. Thereās no comparison between Burgundy and California Pinot. Unless youāre willing to sit on your wine for 5 to 10 years, youāre not going to get what you paid for with burgundy.
iād try for regions with well reputed producers in ripe years. do you like aged wines? if so i would look toward riper older vintages. again i would go for the most reputable producers that fit your budget.
i would also read tasting profiles to see if you prefer more black fruited or red fruited pinots. some regions to try are Volnay 1er cru, Morey St Denis, and Gevery Chambertin. from reputatable producers you could also try the village wines in more recent vintages. many of the leading producers on the board that are mentioned in recent vintages are by nature riper style in 2018 to 2020.
are you asking about reds or whites? for whites you can select by village to find the village that suits you best.
Rather than splurging for a single bottle, find out if there are tastings in your area. Your local retailers may have some leads. A friend in DC was telling me about a great tasting of Burgundies with a large cross section of the region. Failing that, gather a few friends and share the cost of several bottles.