White Burg Lovers, Which Category of Drinker Are You?

[Brady_Daniels]

What category of white burg drinker are you?

• The textural elements of body and the mouth-feel of ripe fruit are the keys (Category C)
• I want tension, minerality, salinity, precision, and an electric current running through my white burgundy (Category D)
• I like all white burgundy styles, and buy wines in both of these categories
• I’ll drink other people’s white burgundy, but I don’t buy it
• Flawed poll

In the new version of Jasper Morris’ Inside Burgundy, he provides a new take on a burgundy vintage chart. He splits white burg drinkers into two groups, described as Categories C and D in the poll.

Since 2000, if you are in Category C, Jasper suggests you’d really like 2005, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2019. All were rated 8/10 or above. He suggested you might like these vintages less: 2004, 2007, and 2013. All rated 5/10 or below.

If you are in Category D, he suggests you’d like 2012, 2014 and 2017, and you might avoid 2003, 2006, 2013, and 2016.

2014 and 2017 are the only vintages rated very positively for both categories, though 2019 came close. 2013 is the only vintage rated somewhat negatively for both categories, though 2016 was close.

The biggest disparity was 2003, rated a 6/10 for Category C and 3/10 for Category D.

I believe this table excludes the impact of premature oxidation, so choose your winemakers wisely. Jasper does however dedicate a few pages (91-92) of the book on this topic.

Anyway, this is just one tiny chart in a 798 page book. I strongly recommend it to anyone who loves burgundy.

[Brady_Daniels]

Thanks to Jasper Morris for his permission to post the chart.

[Peter_Chiu]

Thanks for poll.

[Chris_Crutchfield]

The poll breakdowns for this and the red are pretty interesting. Does it maybe indicate that the categories (or at least their descriptions) are a bit flawed given how highly they are skewed? Or does it just reflect a certain stigma associated with some category descriptions?

[David_Bu3ker]

The poll breakdowns for this and the red are pretty interesting. Does it maybe indicate that the categories (or at least their descriptions) are a bit flawed given how highly they are skewed? Or does it just reflect a certain stigma associated with some category descriptions?

I don’t know that I would go so far as “stigma” but there is certainly a lean towards higher acid wines on this forum. Nothing at all wrong with that. Groups eventually sort of self-select, and so a lot of the discussion of larger-scaled or richer wines slows down as the fans of those wines move away from a group that doesn’t reflect their preferences. Look at 2017 versus 2018 Chablis, where lots of folks have been dumping on the 2018s. If the richer style of 2018 was more in your wheelhouse would you be inclined to talk about it much? Probably not.

[Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r]

As pointed out by Jasper Morris on the thread for reds:

Just to point out that in the full piece in the book, I was making no attempt to categorise into opposing camps but was using this as a way of emphasising that any approach to assessing vintages depends on the nature of the individual’s palate and that there are many different ways to appreciate Burgundy in different styles. I am as against pigeon-holing as much as several contributors to this thread.

In the book, there is a lot more context. The table was built based on palate description of four of Jasper Morris’ friends. This was done more as an illustration of how much palates can differ and how one should be aware of his own preferences when looking at wines throughout vintages.

This is a small table on page 774 of a 798 pages book and I think we shouldn’t read too much into it.

[Mason_H]

I can’t begin to understand how 2013 isn’t talked about as a great white burgundy vintage (Chablis excluded). Jasper’s survey proves I must be wrong, but I would have it firmly in category D and certainly more so than 2012 or 2015. I’ve had many positively brilliant, zippy and electric 2013s including Bouchard Chevalier Montrachet, Marc Morey C-M Vergers, various wines from PYCM and Anne Boisson Meursault Sous La Velle to name a few. What an I missing? Is it simply the producers of the wines I’m drinking?

[Peter_Chiu]

I have been following J. Morris First Edition and Second Edition of his book - Inside Burgundy for many year. I often re-read them all the time.

Like Phil and Brady have clearly pointed out it is a chart on page 774 of a book of 798 pages - 2nd Edition. To understand more and to appreciate it easily, may I suggest to read also the followings : (a) Vigneron as hero and understanding Burgundy - page13 and 14 of First Edition; (b) In Search of Style - Page 88 of Second Edition; and (c) Appreciating Burgundy and Understanding Vintage - Page 772 and 773 which is before page 774 of the chart in the Second Edition.

Since vintage 2015 the weather is getting warmer. If you are interested, please also read Second Edition : (d) the threat from climate change -page 30; and (e) sunshine or sunburn - page 58 of the 2nd Edition.

[Peter_Chiu]

I would like to just add more comments to clarify what I had posted in post No. 8.

The white burgundy drinkers need to find out : (1) the style of his preferred producer first. For example let for me, it is Bouchard; (2) then I should look out from Bouchard’s portfolio for my prefer AC wine wine - for example let say : Meursault-Perrieres. (I would lover to prefer his Montrachet but it is cost me too much as it will be one bottle of Montrachet for 10 bottles Meursault-Perrieres ); and then now come to the last question : (3) which vintage year should I buy more bottles of the Bouchard Meursault-Perrieres ?

Since I voted for Category D, I should buy more bottles from vintage 2014 and 2017 and less in vintage year 2013 and 2016

[Joshua_Kates]

Interesting, and thanks very much, Brady,

For the poll and post. For me, this breakdown somehow seems less apt than the ones for red. I chose D; but one thing I am looking for, if I could find at my price point, is density, or what Meadows calls “material,” that unexpected compression that really good white burgundy sometimes has. Wines that have it, seem to me to hover between C and D, some old Ampeau for example, or older Leflaive.

[Alain_M]

Thanks for sharing. I find this approach of rankings pretty interesting, and I also agree with most scores both for red and white.

Alain

[Brady_Daniels]

I inadvertently created a meta-poll of a different sort: a comparison of who cares about red burg vs white burg. Admittedly, the red poll has been up a day longer, but it had well over a hundred votes its first day.

Currently, 65 people have voted in the white burg poll, versus 170 in the red. Curious.

[Larry_Stein]

I only buy Chablis. I’ll drink other white Burgs if someone else is pouring. The poll is slightly flawed because 2010 in Chablis should be in category D.

[S_teve_R_edenbaugh]

Second Edition arrived this week…I’d say 10-12 pounds…and the better part of a year to read. Impressive!

[Robert_Grenley]

Having wasted thousands of dollars over the years, I am firmly in the category of preferring non-premoxed White Burgundies.