Oh my ... Burgundy lives up to the hype

Hello all! I used to be around the old board now and then, but I've been busy with school and stuff so I haven't been around for awhile.

Anyway, I got a job, and it was time to celebrate. So I go down to the cellar (basement closet) and pull out the 2002 1st Cru Volnay that I've been saving for this very moment. Hands down, the absolute best bottle of wine I've ever tasted.

I'm sure there's nothing worse than popping open a bottle from the cellar and being disappointed, but it sure is rewarding when you taste a wine and know that it was worth the wait. Wow, that bottle was awesome.

Now I'm officially a believer.

Now I'm officially a believer.

Yup....Burgundy CAN be magically...bring $$$'s...lottsa them!!

Glad to have you back in this little corner of CyberSpace, Ben.

Tom

You were lucky this time. Maybe you'll be lucky next time. But sooner or later, you'll be unlucky. That's life with Burgundy.

You were lucky this time. Maybe you'll be lucky next time. But sooner or later, you'll be unlucky. That's life with Burgundy.

Yup...that, too. Seems in Burgundy you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince...a lot of expensive frogs at that.
Tom

Ben,
Do you have the name of the negociant or estate? A Volnay 1er Cru from whom?

It was Santenots, 1er Cru, Domaine Vincent Sauvestre. It's my 1st 1er Cru, so it may not be as good as I'm making it out to be, but it was definitely better than any other Pinot I've tasted.

Yep--I've had 4 frogs in a roll; I went with a zin tonight. But I'll be buying more burgs this weekend. It is one strange disease.

If I ever run into the guy who started Burgundy I'm going to beat him up.

PS: I have a half case of 2002 d' Angerville Volnay that I plan to let age for couple more years before tasting.

If it's like the bottle I had, a couple more years certainly wouldn't hurt. Mine was more fruity than earthy, but not jammy by any means. Very smooth, lots of flavor, great color and body. My very inexperienced opinion is we opened ours about the right time for us, but a more refined palate would probably prefer a few more years.

Good one, Ben and welcome to the BLPG*!


















*BLPG = Burgundy Lover's Pauper Guild

Uh, oh. Now you're hooked.

-Paul W.

I have good news. Peter Weygandt, a fine importer and actual nice guy, has brought in a bargain-basement Bourgogne that may be worth seeking out: Domaine Chevillon-Chezeaux Bourgogne 2004. No village, no special designation of any sort. Just plain-jane wine. But real burgundy, with the red and black cherry aromas and flavors we all love, and just a hint of Burgundian funk. But that's not the good news. The good news is it's on the shelf for $17. I've opened two bottles so far, and they've both been fine.

Obviously, this is not knock-your-socks off stuff. But as far as I can tell, it hasn't been adulterated in any way--no chaptalization, no dollop of syrah to darken it.

Besides, if I drink enough of this, I'll have saved enough to buy this Michel Gay Aloxe-Corton '04 I've got my eye on...

....But as far as I can tell, it hasn't been adulterated in any way--no chaptalization, no dollop of syrah to darken it....

I think it would be difficult to tell if chaptalization was used, and its not necessarily a bad thing. Adding sugar to raise the brix level in the juice from 20 to 23 would increase the potential alcohol from 11 to about 12.5, which for some wines would be an improvement.

Besides, if I drink enough of this, I'll have saved enough to buy this Michel Gay Aloxe-Corton '04 I've got my eye on...

Dave,

I came across a 2004 Domaine Didier Meuneveaux Aloxe-Corton at the local wine shop the other day. To my amazement they were asking $260 per bottle! You cannot buy a Burgundy, of any classification, for less than $30 locally. It seems to be getting way out of hand.

Besides, if I drink enough of this, I'll have saved enough to buy this Michel Gay Aloxe-Corton '04 I've got my eye on...

Dave,

I came across a 2004 Domaine Didier Meuneveaux Aloxe-Corton at the local wine shop the other day. To my amazement they were asking $260 per bottle! You cannot buy a Burgundy, of any classification, for less than $30 locally. It seems to be getting way out of hand.

This is why the Burgundy section of my cellar is shrinking while every other area is growing. I don't like the wines any less, just can't afford them any more. $50 doesn't get you as much as it used to. Last week I was thrilled to find a bottle of 2000 D'Angerville Clos de Ducs on the clearance shelf at Marty's in Newton for $50. Pushed my thumb on the cork and sank it about 1/3 of an inch in.

I almost exclusively buy Burgundy from the bargain bins and clearance e-mail sales theses days. Of course, in these cases you have contend with things like the above. Sad.

Last week I was thrilled to find a bottle of 2000 D'Angerville Clos de Ducs on the clearance shelf at Marty's in Newton for $50.

Joe,

The loose cork is a real shame. D'Angerville CdD is one of my favorite wines. I considered the half case of the '02 that I picked up last year at $80 per bottle to be a comparative steal. To date in '07 I've purchased one bottle of Burg, and that was a way expensive impulse buy just before the Super Bowl party. My Burgundy collection is half of what it was two years ago.

....But as far as I can tell, it hasn't been adulterated in any way--no chaptalization, no dollop of syrah to darken it....

I think it would be difficult to tell if chaptalization was used, and its not necessarily a bad thing. Adding sugar to raise the brix level in the juice from 20 to 23 would increase the potential alcohol from 11 to about 12.5, which for some wines would be an improvement.

The Chevillon-Chezeaux weighs in at a nice 12%, so who knows? Anyway, I'm just yanking the chain of all those guys in Beaune who say they never, never chaptalize, yet somehow all these 25 kg bags of sugar get sold at the E. LeClerc store anyway...must be for baking cookies...