Seeking affordable mature red burgundy

WINE TALK
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I love the occasions where I get the opportunity to drink reference point wines from classic producers and regions, but I also love having a cellar full of mature but affordable treasures I can pop at home on a whim. In Chinon I have lots of Olga Raffault and Bernard Baudry. In Bordeaux: Lanessan, Cantemerle, Sociando Mallet. In the Rhone: Faury, Texier, Charvin, Pegau, Balthazar, Villard, Barge.

Many of these wines are under $40 USD, occasionally ~$80 USD, but not often a whole lot more than that. The style has generally remained classical and current releases are readily available (I don’t think any of these are on allocations), and you can even find back vintages kicking around for not much more money than current release. These to me go beyond “good for the money” to “simply great wines that also happen to be affordable”.

Filling this category out in Burgundy today isn’t as obvious as prices have risen so much and more and more producers are allocated. And back vintages are often hard to find and often come at a premium price.

Despite that I have had some recent luck. There have been some growers from the backwater villages like Mercurey, Maranges, Givry, Santenay making good quality red burgundy. Reviewers like William Kelley, John Gilman, and to a lesser extent Burghound have shone a light on producers like Francois Lumpp, François Raquillet, Michel Mallard. I’ve bought current releases from these producers and really enjoyed them. What’s also cool has been finding some back vintages from each of these three, opening and really enjoying them. While the narrative of so many burgundy producers has been on quality improvement from these small family estates, I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable findings these from the 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002 vintages has been. Drinking great, and generally affordable, coming in around $60 - $80 USD. Recent positive experiences:

1999 François Raquillet Mercurey 1er Cru Les Naugues
2000 François Lumpp Givry 1er Cru Petit Marole
2002 Domaine Michel Mallard & Fils Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Les Valozières

I’m not saying the style is exactly the same, the wines today are more elegant/refined. But I don’t think these are producers that were bad 20 years ago and are good now. It’s so refreshing to pay $60 USD and get a lovely mature burgundy experience. I’m a buyer all day long.

Other estates that no longer exist today but that were making nice and affordable stuff back ~20+ years ago that occasionally come up for sale that I’ve enjoyed that would fit the bill here are Maurice Ecard, Chateau de Chorey. Also, I’d have producers I love like Chandon de Briailles and Simon Bize on the list but finding back vintages from them is not something I’ve seen much of at all, and prices are often well over $100 USD.

I’m open to Beaujolais here. I find I don’t really enjoy them young, something kind of tangy about the fruit profile that puts me off. And I’ve had the who’s who: Lapierre, Foillard, Riolette. I can’t recall having a Cru Beaujolais over 10 years of age and don’t really see much for sale. But if there is something out there I should explore I’m open to hearing more.

So I’m curious to hear from the board, what other producers I should be on the lookout for in mature red burg sub $80 USD?

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You might wanna look into some bottles from Charles Noellat. I am not affiliated with this store but here’s the link for you if interested - You are being redirected...

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I don’t Noellat about Charles. I’ll have to take a look.

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Well Carillon then…

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Rather than Dancer ound the topic any longer.

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I generally don’t buy more mature wines but rather tend to buy wines young and mature them myself. I am mostly concerned about storage before I get the wines.

I have found, like you, that it is hard to find older wines in the US. I have had more luck looking when I visit Burgundy. Burgundy is far away (depending on where you live) and takes time and expense to get there, but it is just wonderful to visit. The scenery, the food, etc., is just magnificant.

For example, a few years ago (around 2018-2000) I was able to find 2001 Latricieres Chambertin and 2001 Chambertin at Rossignol-Trapet that I paid $117 and $172 for respectively. That price includes shipping and delivery to the US via Cote D’Or Imports (which meant I did not have to pay VAT). I don’t know if they have any older wines these days but you might contact them. You might be able to even order from them by phone. I have never ordered from them by phone, so I am not sure.

I also don’t know if Cote D’Or Imports ships to Canada. They have an office near NSGs and will pick up wines from virtually every winery and wine store in the Cotes D’Or, at least, if you buy at least 6 bottles from a winery or store (in which case, we don’t have to pay the VAT). They then ship to their headquarters in Portland, Oregon, and then send it on to places in the US. I don’t know if they ship to Canada, or if there is another similar place that does.

Also, two producers that I like that are less expensive are Juillot and Domaine Du Moirots. They are imported by Peter Weygandt and sold at his store in DC. Wine By The Bottle — Weygandt Wines But, I don’t know how to find older examples of these wines.

Good luck in finding more mature bottles of Burgundy. You mention that you like Chandon de Briailles (as do I) and I will say that if you can ever find 2007s from them, grab them. Because these wines come out during the financial crisis and because the initial reports on the vintage were not favorable, the prices for these wines on release were outstanding. I have not started touching my Cortons yet, but the Volnay and the Ille des Vergelesses are fabulous.

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Thanks Howard. Appreciate the thoughtful reply.

Importing to Canada at any kind of reasonable price is impossible, but I travel frequently to the US and live close enough to the border that my best bet is to bring things back myself. The Ontario tax structure is more lenient when you are bringing alcohol back yourself directly and often customs officers allow you through duty free if you don’t push the quantity too high on each trip.

The logistics of buying from an estate in Burgundy, importing to the US, shipping to a US location I can get to easily and then bring the bottles back is pushing things to a higher level of complexity than I’d like, but good to hear how others have done it.

I was in Boston last summer and saw online some 2007s from Chandon de Briailles at Gordons. Sadly the location was a little too far from where I was staying and I didn’t have time to get there. Now I’m especially sad I didn’t make it! I’ve also generally loved the open knit personality of the 2007’s I’ve had from other producers.

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You might look for Albert Morot premier cru Beaunes from 1988, 1990 and 1993 as Envoyer (and maybe others) brought them here ex-cellar a few years ago so likely in good shape. And the estate made excellent burgundies back then which were never expensive.

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I have some of the Morot 1990’s (Theurons) via Envoyer can can vouch for the fact that they have been sound, although a bit long in the tooth.

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Some great producers’ Bourgogne rouge wines can be pretty great. I wouldn’t call them great values, but many do often fall in your price bracket. Denis Mortet’s Cuvee de Noble Souche is one I had not too long ago that I thought was particularly good.

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Consider Lafouge, Joseph Viollot, Pierre Guillemot, Huber-Verdereau, Stephane Magnien, Edmond Cornu. Check out Violot-Guillemard if back vintages are available, as I think the prices have crept up in the last few years (foregone conclusion for all of these domaines alas).

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Thanks for the list, Doug. I was able to pick up a 1983 from Joseph Voillot for ~$200 USD and have not opened yet. Fill is remarkably good with pristine label so I expect its ex-domaine. Possibly even topped up?

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Chris, nice find. I have a few 2011’s and tried a Volnay Champans a few years ago. It was quite enjoyable.