A recent Decanter article from Stephen Brook on how to create a Burgundy cellar reconfirms our view that Burgundy really can be for everybody. All the talk about terrible weather, reduced yields and rising prices of the top wines can be off-putting, but don’t be down-hearted. There are plenty of wines which are not terrifyingly expensive and, in our humble opinion, Burgundy really does provide the most wonderfully pleasurable wines when it comes to pulling the cork.
You don’t have to take out a second mortgage to get involved. We have always encouraged wine lovers to start as early possible by going for a manageable cellar plan of just £50-100 a month, and we find that for many it is the start of a lifelong enthusiasm and the value of the monthly standing order creeps up over the years.
Back to Burgundy… In the whites there is exceptional value in Chablis, St Aubin and also the entry-level Bourgogne Blancs from outstanding producers such as Patrick Javillier, Etienne Sauzet and Jean-Philippe Fichet.
In the reds seek out Mercurey, Marsannay, Santenay, Chorey and Savigny-les-Beaune, and the Bourgogne Rouges from the likes of Mortet, Serafin, Hudelot Noellat and Tollot-Beaut.
If you are ready to invest in something a bit smarter six-packs are a good option. Tollot-Beaut has always sold their wine in six-packs (and their whole range was exceptional this year) and Méo-Camuzet have also bottled in sixes this year.
Another hurdle for the novice collector is the delay required before wines are ready to drink. However, as many of the 2012s will be fairly early drinking you won’t have to wait too long.
So let the seasoned collector battle it out for a three-pack or in some cases even a single bottle of Richebourg, Romanée St Vivant or Le Montrachet at eye-watering prices. The rest of us should be diving into an ocean of great wine, not perhaps for everyday drinking, but not far off, for getting stuck into within a year or two.
Here are some suggestions:
Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons Domaine Billaud-Simon £145.00 per 12
Bourgogne Blanc Cuvée Oligocène Patrick Javillier £170.00 per 12
Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre Domaine Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin £188.00 per 12
St Aubin Blanc 1er Cru Charmois Domaine Paul Pillot £225.00 per 12
St Aubin 1er Cru Frionnes Domaine Hubert Lamy £250.00 per 12
Mercurey Vieilles Vignes Domaine Jean-Pierre Charton £150.00 per 12
Chorey lès Beaune La Pièce de Chapître Domaine Tollot-Beaut £105.00 per 6
Marsannay Les Favières Domaine Charles Audoin £225.00 per 12
Volnay Vieilles Vignes Maison Roche de Bellène £230.00 per 12
Savigny lès Beaune 1er Cru Les Lavières Domaine Chandon de Briailles £250.00 per 12
To see the available range click here – or call us on 020 7793 7900 to discuss Burgundy 2012 or cellar plans.