Can Champagne fulfill this role? Can it reach the heights of great white Burgundy? While I’ve dabbled a bit in Champagne and thoroughly enjoyed what I’ve had, mostly NV or young vintages, I’ve never had a mature bottle of properly aged Champagne.
Given the failure that has become of aging white Burgundy, is this a viable alternative, even an equal as a measure of potential pleasure?
To me, the alternatives are:
Drink it young.
Explore Rully, Pouilly Fuisse, St. Veran, St. Aubin, etc.
Sure, equal pleasure, but not an alternative because it’s so different. Old Champagne doesn’t taste anything like old white Burgundy, even blanc de blancs Champagne.
Gruner veltliner is a good substitute, or some dry chenins.
IMHO, there is no replacement. Buy good producers with a good track record and cross your fingers. I have been fortunate in not having too many premoxed bottles.
Hey Rob, agree 100%. I’m think we shared a pretty damned good '12 St Aubin recently!
I’ve a few bottles of Baumard in the cellar. Aren’t there some problems with premox in other regions producing dry whites too, albeit less heavy on the pocketbook than Burgundy?
Yes, it looks like the pox has spread to Huet. I have not heard any reports on Foreau or Chidaine or others being affected. I haven’t heard of any poxed bottles from Austria or Germany, either.
Sherry.
Absolutely!
I’m also a fan of Loire Chenin, from sec to sweet, but I think of it as a separate category.
Dry German Riesling. Obviously not the same but zero premox and huge ageing potential.
Yes you have. You were on a thread where premoxed 2001 Nigl privat was reported.
Valdespino Fino Inocente is wonderful, and it’s much cheaper too.
And you can still imagine you’re drinking expensive premoxed Burgundy!
We had recently two bottles of premoxed Ridge Monte Bello Chardonnay 2010… ![[swearing.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/8a0d3f3461d40641d294442fc2be78039bf94d19.gif "[swearing.gif]"){kind=small}
Grüner Veltliner is my White Burg replacement.
As for premox, I would not consider any Austrian from '00 or '01 to be premoxed. The vintages were just strange in many cases.
I do like what few mature bottles that have crossed my palate. Looking at PC’s in stock inventory do folks have some suggestions on good bottles for laying down?
I find that topped-up Chardonnay from the Jura has been a pretty good replacement for white Burgundy as far as I am concerned. The wines are not interchangeable, of course. But they aren’t that far off, either.
Muscadet
I haven’t found a substitute. I love dry and sweet German Riesling, Austrian Riesling and GV, Muscadet, etc. but nothing really scratches the white burg itch. I just choose to drink them young, and I buy fewer grand white burgs as a result. Rhys Alpine Chard occasionally approximates a really nice white burg.