Your pick: red Burg's 10 best vineyards

[paulbortin]

RC
La Tache
RSV
Richebourg
Grands Echezeaux
Musigny
Chambertin & Beze
Chambolle Amouruses
Mazis Chambertin
Bonnes Mares

[Charlie_Carnes]

@Keith Levenberg

Not much room for argument on at least 7 of the candidates. So the only interesting question is what are the next 3. Most people probably wind up where Jeremy is, or one off at any rate. If I’m feeling daring, I might make the case for Clos Vougeot in one of those spots.

I think Clos Vougeot is a perfect vineyard to fill out the list.

[Gerhard_P]

@Howard Cooper

…
Clos de Beze has a better reputation than Chambertin …

This is not the case, at least not generally.
The only reason might be that there are some underachievers that label their wine Chambertin, although they have also a plot in Beze … Rebourseau is an example, and some negociants, too.

[PCLIN]

I would put Ruchottes Chambertin on the top 10 list because of my fondness of Rousseau Ruchottes Chambertin, Roumier and Mugneret Gibourg supposedly produce very good Ruchottes but I have never tasted them. Even Frederic Esmonin is producing decent Ruchottes recently, hardly any dud in the group. I always hold the view that Rousseau Ruchottes is underscored by most critics.

[PCLIN]

@Gerhard P.

@Howard Cooper

…
Clos de Beze has a better reputation than Chambertin …

This is not the case, at least not generally.
The only reason might be that there are some underachievers that label their wine Chambertin, although they have also a plot in Beze … Rebourseau is an example, and some negociants, too.

Most likely not the case, there must be a reason why the merchant happily allocated Rousseau CdB to me but not Chambertin.

[A_Songeur]

Have not tasted RC, la Romanee and Richebourg so cannot include.

Based on only one glass of La Tache 2008, I would include without a doubt.
Based on 1 Gd Echezeaux (DRC 91) et 3 Musigny de Vogue, would put Gd Echezeaux clearly ahead of Musigny but is it producer?
RSV right up there based on a vertical of HN well ahead of a vertical of Ponsot CDLR.
Also had great Echezeaux, Bonnes Mares, CSD and clos de Vougeot
Have had great Griotte Fourrier/Ponsot, Charmes…and some Chambertin and CDB
Did not fancy the 2 Clos de tart I had recently
Clos des Lambrays can be very good but does not belong to top grand cru (also had a vertical), just hope my 2005s will be great (vintage)
Oh well that’s 11…

[J_Wei]

@PCLIN

@Gerhard P.

@Howard Cooper

…
Clos de Beze has a better reputation than Chambertin …

This is not the case, at least not generally.
The only reason might be that there are some underachievers that label their wine Chambertin, although they have also a plot in Beze … Rebourseau is an example, and some negociants, too.

Most likely not the case, there must be a reason why the merchant happily allocated Rousseau CdB to me but not Chambertin.

For Rousseau, I’m getting allocated more Chambertin than Beze . . . either way, won’t complain!

[Gerhard_P]

@A Songeur

Have not tasted RC, la Romanee and Richebourg so cannot include.

But having tasted several RC, 45 vintages of La Romanee and a great many Richebourgs there´s no doubt for ME !

@A Songeur

Based on 1 Gd Echezeaux (DRC 91) et 3 Musigny de Vogue, would put Gd Echezeaux clearly ahead of Musigny but is it producer?

Certainly producer and/or vintage … a great Musigny is to die for …

@A Songeur

RSV right up there based on a vertical of HN well ahead of a vertical of Ponsot CDLR.

Agree - there a a great lot of really fine RSVs …
Ponsot CDLR can certainly be very fine, but can also be a major disapointment … the domaine is inconsistent unfortunately …

The rest is a matter of preference, luck or producer/vintage … some great Echezeaux - and some disapointing ones, the same for Clos Vougeot … and Charmes-Chambertin …

Clos de Lambrays is an elegant wine, but often lacking a bit of intensity …
Clos de Tart - well, often a bit tart (hard) … and rarely really mature …

[Dave_McCloskey]

For someone like me who is just beginning to see the Francophile light, this is an informative thread. Interesting indeed and I’m taking notes.

[Peter_Chiu]

I do not believe in assigning points to burgundy wines; but for AOC I do.

99 points:RC; 97:LT; 96: La Romanee and Musigny; 95: Rich.RStV.Chambertin;& CdBeze.

[Peter_Chiu]

The title asked : 10 best ( red ) vineyards. For me Chambertin and CdBeze, are both a vineyard in their own individual right…

According the recent average released price in Canada, my no. 9 vineyard should go to a 1er cru .

[Daniel_Kim]

@J Wei

@Daniel Kim

Romanee-Conti
La Tache
Musigny
Chambertin
Richebourg
Romanee St. Vivant
La Romanee
Clos St. Jacques
Les Amoureuses

I swapped Clos St. Jacques and Les Amoureuses in for Clos de la Roche and Clos St. Denis as the consistency I feel like is higher. Very very few people make mediocre versions of either and they should have been classified as Grand Cru anyways. Richebourg hits higher heights for me on average than Bonnes Mares.

While I do like Fourrier’s CSJ, Dujac’s CDLR and CSD are simply some of the most amazing wines out there. Ponsot also makes a great CDLR . . . I’ve never had his CSD though. Tough call.

No argument around the quality of Dujac’s CDLR and CSD. My counterpoint would be that Dujac’s and maybe Ponso’ts CDLR VV are the pinnacles of those sites. For every producer making superlative wines from those vineyards, there are 2-3 who fall pretty flat.

So I guess it comes down to the average quality vs top 2-3 quality to determine which vineyard is “best”.

[Peter_Chiu]

After talking to myself for a few times, here is my No. 10 ( based on the rise of the released price in the last 10 - 15 years ) : B-Mares.

[Stuart_BeauneHead_Niemtzow]

That must have been some argument, Peter.

Who won?

[Mark_Golodetz]

@Daniel Kim

So I guess it comes down to the average quality vs top 2-3 quality to determine which vineyard is “best”.

The top producers show the potential quality of the vineyard, and I think that was what the OP was looking for- the best vineyards not the best wines.

This makes sense if the vineyard is fairly homogenous. And then you have Clos Vougeot…


The more interesting question then becomes whether or not we can vinify the very best parcel and then worry about whether it is good enough to be among the top ten.

[john_stimson]

And nary a CdB vineyard in any list (well, maybe a corton or two). Certainly in a top 20 would be a Clos des ducs, and a taillepieds.?

[Marcus_Goodfellow]

• 1 on Jeremy Holmes list of vineyards. That’s a pretty perfect list

[Martin_Steinley]

@Dave McCloskey

For someone like me who is just beginning to see the Francophile light, this is an informative thread. Interesting indeed and I’m taking notes.

Dave, you are a starting pitcher for what major league baseball team? I’d like to see the Burgundy light drinking the wines from these vineyards.

[Gerhard_P]

@Marcus Goodfellow

• 1 on Jeremy Holmes list of vineyards. That’s a pretty perfect list

Sorry, definitely NOT - without RICHEBOURG !!!