I was told that Burgundy has the best Pinot Noirs in the world. I was also told that they are amongst the most expensive in the world. I bought this one hoping that I would see a glimmer of what makes Pinot Noirs from this region so special. I know that this is still a relatively cheap Burgundy PN, but I still enjoyed it (very earthy, moderate to high acidity). Do you think this is this a good indicator of what one can expect for flavour profile for this region at the higher price points too, or do I need to increase my budget further to truly experience it?
by 24FindsMe
15 Comments
Red fruits, earthy and damp, bright acidity, lower abv, and balanced structural elements. That’s what I’m looking for. Drink a lot, figure out what you like and what you don’t like. Enjoy the journey!
Bourgogne is the “lowest” level of burgundian wine, so while a lot of it is really good still it’s not representative of what people are referencing when they talk about grand cru or premier cru Burgundy. That said, there isn’t necessarily one “Burgundy Pinot flavor profile” since the focus is on terroir. Different vineyard sites will taste different, and expressing those differences is the whole point. Buying one expensive Grand Cru bottle wouldn’t instruct you in the flavor profile of Burgundy but it would almost certainly give you an appreciation for what Burgundian winemakers and growers are doing. These types of wines typically require a lot of aging to get the best out of them as well.
This is entry level mass produced wine from a winery notorious for making a very broad range of extremely mediocre wines, and given their holdings they’re basically committing crimes against wine. That said, you could do worse!
Keep up the exploration, and start digging into smaller producers.
Louis Latour red burgs are some of the most mediocre Pinot noirs imported. So if you enjoyed it, you’ll certainly enjoy burgundy.
Pavelot is a solid Beaune producer that isn’t sky high.
Try 1er Cru – you can find one for $30 – this should give you the glimpse
This one isn’t bad for its price. I find burgundy’s need 30-60mins to breathe.
I’ll invite the downvotes and say that good Burgundy starts around $350/bottle. Everyone’s definition is different, of course. I’ve had DRC and Leroy, which are thousands per bottle. Burgundy is the most annoying wine region on the planet if you don’t have an obscene wine budget.
If we were sharing a glass and you asked, I’d encourage you to look for the Burgundian style rather than producers in Burgundy. Oregon is a great place to start. Many others here are better qualified to name producers and bottles if you’re open to new world winemakers.
I would suggest trying didier fornerol, it’s relatively cheap and the wines are excellent for someone trying to explore burgundy without getting into the hundreds to thousands range yet. But you’re basically not even at the starting line for good burg yet IMO. Burgundy you pay for producers, and majority of the best are $$$$$
I’m usually skeptical of a European wine that has the varietal on the front label. Can someone smarter than me confirm if this is valid skepticism?
If I were you, I’d try to find 2019 or 2020 wines as 2021 was not a good vintage in Burgundy.
In Burgundy there are four appelations – Borgogne, Villages, Premiére Cru, Grand Cru. I stick to Villages for decent wines at a lower price than Premiére Cru – I’ll drink a Premiére Cru on a special occasion. Grand Cru are out of my price range. You’ll find good ones that are on par with Premiére Cru. Villages will be labeled with the village they are from (e.g. Volnay). Villages in the northern Côte d’Or are usually the best, but there are also good Côte de Beune. Here are a few along with their appellation to get some consistently good wines for decent prices to get started.
Volnay (Côte d’Or/Côte de Beaune)
Chambolle-Musigny (Côte d’Or)
Morey-St-Denis (Côte d’Or)
Mercurey (Borgogne-Franche-Comté)
I also like Fixin, but they tend to need to age to soften and can be harder to find.
This is such an interesting and educational thread. Thanks OP. I’ve got a lot to learn too.
Burgundy is all over the place. Even when you spend hundreds of dollars, there are plenty of merely “pretty good” wines.
I suggest trying LePoidevin Cellars Pinot Noirs. The high 9 vineyard is lighter while the chapel vineyard is darker. Congrats on delving into the best grape on the planet! 😀