Oh Burgundy! One of the few places that brings wine lovers together, uniting their passion for a Pinot Noir from the Côte de Nuits or a Chardonnay from the famous Côte des Blancs? Lest you forget the beauty of Burgundy, let’s indulge in a little friendly competition. In this article, top Burgundy appellations go head-to-head in our regional sale. We’ve also picked many reasonably priced wines and take a look at iDealwine’s 2017 and 2018 vintage restock.
Round 1: Meursault vs Chablis
These two opponents have at least one thing in common. Both are Chardonnay varietal wines from Burgundy, which is the fifth most planted grape in the world. Let’s talk Meursault first. This unassuming village gives its name to some of the greatest white wines in the world, and is located on the Côte des Blancs, in the Côte de Beaune area (but more on that another time), which extends into Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet, two more famous wine making appellations. Unlike Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault does have any Grand Cru status wines although it is certainly not to be sniffed at. The poetic sounding Goutte d’Or (drop of gold) climat that is vinified by Louis Latour is one of our favourites at iDealwine, in the 2018 vintage. Les Perrières is a “lieu-dit” or hamlet whose vines are harvested by a select few – the famous Michel Bouzereau et Fils and Domaine Albert Grivault. For a sound future investment, it’s the 2018 Santenots from Marquis d’Angerville. In the village’s appellation, there is of course the greatest and finest classics – Coche-Dury and Henri Germain.
Chablis, known by some as the “Porte d’Or de la Bourgogne” or the“Golden Gate of Burgundy” but that’s rather a Parisian perspective as it’s the closest part of winegrowing Burgundy to the French capital. A little less coveted than its counterpart in Meursault, Chablis commands slightly lower prices while still producing world class wines. Among iDealwine’s picks are Les Clos 2018 from Dauvissat estate or the 2014 from Droin. There are also amazing Premier crus restocked: Fourchaume 2018 from Domaine des Malandes, Vaudésir, Grenouille or Montée de Tonnerre 2019 from Droin… So between Meursault and Chablis, is it a tie?
Round 2: Gevrey vs Volnay
After pitting white against white, it’s time to compare reds. Both Pinot Noir, of course: Gevrey-Chambertin in the Côte de Nuits versus Volnay in the Côte de Beaune. The first “commune” or municipality is located north of the Côte de Nuits, above Morey-Saint-Denis and Chambolle-Musigny (no doubt both will ring a bell). No fewer than nine Grands Crus grow here, supplemented by around thirty Premiers Crus. There is certainly something for everyone. The Grands Crus share the “Chambertin” name, eight of them with a prefix or name extension. Among iDealwine’s retock is a 2016 Mazis-Chambertin from Denis Mortet, a 2018 Charmes-Chambertin from Domaine Bernard Dugat-Py, and from local legend Domaine Jean et Jean-Louis Trapet there is the Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Capita 2018.
Facing the colossus of the Côte de Nuits and located between Pommard and Meursault, is Volnay, a village exclusively planted with Pinot Noir. Competition is stiff, there are 29 climats with Premier Cru status, producing wines that were once described as “feminine”. The village appellation is a treasure trove for wine lovers – take for example the 2018 from the Marquis d’Angerville, or these equally exceptional Premier Crus: Frémiet 2018, seductive in its youth before developing incredible aromas of undergrowth and truffle; Taillepieds 2018 which is one of the estate’s most popular vintages (in stock for you after no small effort on our part!).
Round 3: Fine classics vs great deals
Unfortunately, Burgundy is synonymous with inaccessibly expensive wines for many, but that isn’t all the region has to offer.
On the classical side, we have to mention renowned properties like Bouchard and Bichot. The former was founded in 1731 and is one of Burgundy’s biggest at 130 hectares. Which bottle, you ask? How about the 1998 grand cru Le Corton or the 2018 Savigny-lès-Beaune premier cru Les Lavières. From Bichot, another veritable institution, we have to recommend the 2016 Santenay premier cru Clos Rousseau and the 2018 Vosne-Romanée Clos Frantin.
As for finding Burgundy wines at more approachable prices, take a look at appellations like Irancy in the Auxerrois. Here, Stéphanie Colinot produces some real gems such as this 2018 Irancy Côte de Moutier. You can also turn to the domains that serve as Burgundy’s beating heart, such as Sylvain Pataille in Marsannay, particularly the 2018 Bourgogne. It’s also possible to taste the finest at a more pleasing price; Pierre Morey’s 2018 Bourgogne Aligoté is a varietal not to be ignored, and it’s also available in the 2019 Bouzeron Aligoté by Aubert de Villaine. And don’t hesitate to explore the appellations of the Côte Chalonnaise, too, a winemaking area to keep an eye on.
See iDealwine’s Burgundy restock here
