Having reread this thread, there is a question that comes leaping to mind. As I think about more value white Burgundies I have purchased over the last few years, they have tended to come from Chablis and not from the Maconnais or the Chalonnaise.
Specifically, I have bought villages level and premier crus from producers like Samuel Billaud, Moreau-Naudet and Droin. Probably, my favorite recent villages Chablis was a 2022 from Samuel Billaud. I am not buying huge numbers yet (still have a lot of Cote de Beaune whites (esp. 2014s) that I am drinking), but as I start needing newer white Burgs my guess is that they will come more and more from Chablis.
Certainly, the wines from Chablis are very different stylistically from the wines in this thread, but I am interested in how you guys compare them on a QPR basis.
I’m happy to see Domaine Thibert mentioned - their wines are just fantastic and relatively good QPR compared to Guffens-Heynen or some other more in-vogue producers.
I’ve had their 2017 and 2018 Pouilly-Fuisse Vignes Blanches recently, and both were just deliciously classy examples of quality Maconnais. Concentration and complexity aplenty.
Thibert has holdings in several vineyards which are now designated as 1er cru, including Vignes Blanches. I believe they also age their wines for longer than most before releasing, so 2018 was current vintage like last year.
It’s difficult to find Thibert in the US though, as not much is imported.
Domaine Andre Bonhomme Vire Clesse 2022
I had this at a tasting a few weeks ago and i liked it. My first impression was that was a tasty versatile wine and could do well in casual clothes or all dressed up. I grabbed some.
This thread reminded me that my interest in wine started in the 1970s when a roommate showed me that Macon-Lugny and St Veran were a big step up from Liebfraumilch and Blue Nun, yet still affordable on a student’s budget.
We opened a bottle of this Vire-Clesse with our dinner last night. One of our go to meals of fish (Haddock this time), pan seared and oven finished, lemon butter sauce, halved and seasoned baby potatoes, and peas. ( or corn). I am a fan of the taste profile of Chardonnay as offered in a good basic Chablis. Mineral , a bit edgy , with citrus and maybe green apple subdued fruit. I don’t want to notice the oak. The Chablis pairs well with this meal. The Vire–Cless offered a very different Chardonnay profile. More fruit forward, mineral, but less edgy. No discernible oak. Wonderfully balanced and I almost want to use the word “smooth”, as a compliment. Two nice alternative choices.
I just picked up a 2023 Heritiers du Comte Lafon Macon-Chardonnay Clos de La Crochette for a test drive. Will probably open this week and post thoughts.
just had a 15 pouilly loché; still going strong with time in hand. even with the uptick in prices the wines are still undervalued while definitely over performing.
Agreed they’re a bit hard to find though. Whenever I get an email offer at a fair price they sell out in under a hour. You definitely have to jump on these wines.
Now you guys are giving me FOMO. Got an offer last week but was a bit confused with what to go for. WK gives the red very high marks, but on the other hand I have more sources telling me the whites are better.
I’ve decided to source an older vintage of each color and see how it ages. Any recommendation as to what is drinking the best now? I see that since 2015 he doesn’t use oak for the reds, but for white as well?
Candidly these are a newer discovery for me. 2020 was the first vintage I purchased, so I can’t speak to older vintages. Definitely floored by the quality though. WK scores the whites high as well. The single vineyard Pouilly-Fuisse wines seem to be the sweet spot. I would probably look for a 17 if you can find it. You definitely won’t be disappointed with 20 though if you like drinking a young white burg.
The Menetrieres is only bottled in magnum, with 180 btls / year (as far as I know) - so not that easy to come by. I have a 2017 waiting for me in the cellar, perhaps for my 40th birthday in 2031 =)
I enjoyed the 2020 Joseph Drouhin [Pouilly Vinzelles] over three nights, but did not love it as much as others seem to on CT. 13% abv, light bodied, and I thought it was fresh without being zippy. I have not tried/tasted this village before, but after looking up the size of the vineyard relative to Pouilly Fuisse - the latter is 15x larger - I can see why I might not have tripped over it before, especially since Burgundy isn’t a focus for me. I would assign this floral and citrus oriented wine a B+, noting that I liked it the best on the first night. The cork is conventional, by the way, and there was no signs of premature oxidation on this Dreyfuss Ashby & Co. import.
This is a fabulous thread and thanks to all who have shared their insights here!
Mouth filling, medium acidity, some bitterness on the finish. Overripe yellow fruit, almonds, lightly salted butter, feint lactic notes.
Overall a bit harmless and not engaging. Maybe it evolves into something more interesting in a few years.
Still holding on day 2 but we have yet to finish the bottle.
Added: have your Durand ready when opening the bottle
