Favorite Merchant/Negociant house in Beaune
0 voters
Which of the 5 Big Maisons in Beaune do you like the most and which one you dislike the most? Which of their wines do you like the most and why? Who do you think has the best pricing and who has the worst? Do you only like their domaine wines or do you think their negociant wines are just as good.
Very tough to choose between Drouhin and Bouchard.
Drouhin for me, mainly because I love their work in Chambolle. I had a delicious Drouhin Griotte recently as well.
Drouhin is probably my favorite all around producer. I still paused selecting them though because I am very unhappy about their extreme price increases starting with 2005.
Drouhin and Jadot. I’ve found more quality with one and more value with the other.
RT
I would say none because they are too expensive. I don’t know why but they manage to be more expensive than most small (family) producers.
I did say 'None" I don’t buy any wine from the houses listed.
If you buy at initial release or list, that’s true. A little patience can be rewarding. I don’t own a bottle of Jadot Ursules that cost more than $50 (Vertical from 2001 - 2005) and the 05 Couchereaux and Boucherottes for $35 were a decent deal IMHO. If you’re currently finding comparable quality family 1er Beaunes for < $35 in the US, than I’d have to agree and admit some envy.
RT
My experience with Both Drouhin and Chanson has been that they’re overpriced, but have found good deals with Jadot.
I didn’t want to vote none because it says “not the same quality as small producers”, which I can’t say to be honest. The few bottles I’ve had from the big houses like Bouchard have been really good.
Richard, I checked some prices on Wine Searcher, mostly the prices of recent (2007 or 2008) vintages–there was a significant price hike throughout Burgundy when the 2005s were released so it might not compare favorably with the same price from 2000-2005. A Beaune 1er cru (Ursules or Boucherottes) would set me back 25-30 euros. That’s not good value for me compared to what I can get for the same price, which is why I have little experience with these wines. It might be completely different in the US, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn these wines are priced much more aggressively abroad.
EDIT: without limiting myself to wine that mayb be hard to get, I could (easily) get 2007 De Montille Beaune 1er cru Les Siziés or Les Perrières in the 25-30 euros range.
“none have quality of a small domaine”
if it had said:
“none have quality of THE small domaines”
I’d say yeah BS. But my answer is 100% correct for me, I don’t buy wine from any of those houses. I get to try them all fairly regularly but when it’s time to spend, I pretty much stick to my favorite producers/houses.
None of the above part corrected.
Good deals with Jadot (2006 Clos Vougeot for $65 last month), the Santenay Clos de Malte and Marsannay village is a constant QPR winner, up and down the scale good value. Bouchard P&F used to be the same way, especially with the 2002 vintage, but lately has gone thru the roof price-wise.
Those De Montille wines are typically pricier here. Guillaume, there’s little doubt about your better access and pricing, living less than a days train ride away from Burgundy. Import economics certainly have a major impact on what one might consider to be a “bargain” in the US.
RT
I voted Jadot. I’ve bought many wines over the last 25 years, particularly from riper vintages as I think Jadot’s austere, ageworthy style goes well with vintages such as 1985, 1990, 1999, 2002, 2005. Almost all of my purchases have been domaine wines, plus a little RSV, Beaux Monts, and Suchots. I understand their sources for these Vosne wines are longstanding arrangements where Jadot has effective control, but I could be wrong on this. I realize the small family domaines have greater cachet in the market that is important to some, but IMO there are very few domaines that have better quality than Louis Jadot’s domaine wines.
Bouchard Pere & Fils is second for me, and I’ve bought these since the 1999 vintage. There are some wines with rather more oakiness than I prefer, but I expect this to resolve in the cellar for almost every wine. As with Jadot, I focus only on the Bouchard domaine wines.
I’ve bought a few wines from Joseph Drouhin, and maybe wish I had bought more. Again, my focus is on domaine wines.
Louis Latour is a poor source and a bad joke IMO. They have some impressive holdings, and the wines should be much better I think.
I don’t understand the complaints about pricing. I have generally paid less for Jadot, Bouchard, and Drouhin than I have for similar appellations from most small family domaines of equally high quality. If I didn’t think the wines are good, I wouldn’t want to buy them even at lower prices. I buy them because I like them and think they are worth the money. The fact that Jadot or Bouchard or Drouhin have sizable negociant operations of (mostly) lower-lvel wines does not mean that their upper-level domaine wines are mediocre quality and should be priced as such, IMO.
Well written Lewis, my only disagreement with you would be on Latour. I had some great white wines from them.
Oh, yeah, I had forgotten that they make white wine in Burgundy, completely off my radar in recent years.
Far too many of my Latour whites over the past few years have been afflicted. Maybe it’s PLCB, but the track record here is horrendous. Not long ago, an early 80’s Corton Grancey was outstanding.
RT
Few years ago when JN was around they Had 2000 and 2001 Batard for under $100 Chairman selection, I bought few and really enjoyed them.
Leo I also got in on that deal. One very good 2000 Batard and one premoxed. Found it in the 2000 Puligny Folatieres and 25%+ of several 2004 Meursault Blagnys. Enough is enough.
RT