Even a brief glance at on-line ads from wine retailers shows that Côte d’Or Burgundy has become prohibitively expensive for everyone except the so called “one-percenters” at the very peak of the wealth pyramid.  And I’ve seen even some of them balk at the prices.  What’s a Burgundy fan to do while waiting for one’s lottery number to be chosen?

One option is to look to other areas, such as Oregon or New Zealand, that can produce stunning wines from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  But that’s not an option for committed Burgundy lovers, because to them, it’s not about Chardonnay or Pinot Noir.  To quote, Jacques Lardière, the venerable longtime winemaker at Maison Louis Jadot, “If you taste Chardonnay in my wine, I’ve made a mistake.”  Burgundy is about the site—the Burgundians maintain that the grape is merely a vehicle for transporting the flavor of the place to the glass.  So, yes, there are wonderful Chardonnays from New Zealand—look no further than Kumeu River’s line-up—and elegant Pinot Noirs from Oregon—Martin Wood’s Jesse Jackson Vineyard Pinot Noir springs to mind.  But they’re not, nor do they pretend to nor aim to be, Burgundy.

Complicating the matter for U.S. consumers is the fragmented distribution of Burgundy.  Aside from the major négociants, most producers are small and lack national distribution, so wines that might appear on the shelves in New York, might not be in Kansas City or Los Angeles.  And even wines that wind up in major markets, such as New York, may only be available in one or two shops.  So, I will recommend a general approach to finding affordable Burgundy as well as recommending specific wines.

Speaking of major négociants, do not overlook their basic Bourgogne Blanc and Bourgogne Rouge.  I’ve enjoyed many vintages of both colors of Latour’s “Cuvée Latour” and Drouhin’s “Laforêt” bottling.  (Look for more producers to jettison the word Burgundy from the label, replacing it with Bourgogne, the traditional name for the region.  Indeed, burgundy in French means…Mon Dieu…Bordeaux.)

There’s plenty of excellent and exciting wine outside of the famed “Golden Slope.” And even within that hallowed ground, some villages, such as Marsannay, and Auxey-Duresses still offer value from producers like Domaine Bart (Marsannay) and Domaine Lafouge (Auxey-Duresses).  Also, within the Côte d’Or, there is a new regional appellation, Bourgogne Côte d’Or, which means all the grapes came from that strip of land and opposed to other parts of Burgundy.  So, keep your eye out for wines labeled as such from top producers, such as Pernot-Belicard, Benjamin Leroux, and Michel Bouzereau.

Look North and South

Between Paris and the Côte d’Or lies Chablis, where value abounds.  Though the prices of Chablis 1er and Grand Cru are rising, they remain well below their counterparts in the Côte d’Or.  My advice, though, is to look for village Chablis, especially from the 2020 and 2021 vintages, from top producers.  My list of is long, which is good because most of these wines will not be in all markets: Barat, Billaud-Simon, Romain Bouchard, Jean-Marc Brocard, Jean Collet, Courtault-Michelet, Dampt Frères, Drouhin, Droin, Bichot’s Domaine Long-Depaquit, Christian Moreau Père et Fils, Louis Moreau, Oudin, Pinson, Pommier, Servin, Simonnet-Febvre, Eleni et Edouard Vocoret.  These are not voluptuous Chardonnay-based wines, so if that’s your preference, look elsewhere.  The edgy minerality imparted by the Kimmerigdian limestone-based soil makes them a traditional choice with seafood, but the same zesty character means they can cut through and hold up to spiced dishes as well.

Around Chablis there are a bunch of relatively obscure village and regional appellations now making excellent wines thanks to a bevy of talented young producers and, yes, climate change.  Wines from these areas were lean and often astringent in the past because of poor ripening this far north.  Climate change has made an enormous—and positive—difference here.  Look to Irancy and Epineuil for reds, Bourgogne Tonerre for whites, and Bourgogne Chitry and Bourgogne Côtes d’Auxerre, for both colors.  The whites, especially Bourgogne Tonerre, resemble Chablis with a cutting edginess, whereas the white Chitry and white Bourgogne Côtes d’Auxerre convey noticeable spice.  The reds from these areas tend to be lighter but not vapid.  The best have an intriguing interplay of fruit and savory earthiness.  Guilhem & Jean-Hugues Goisot is a star with their Bourgogne Côtes d’Auxerre, as well as their Saint Bris, another obscure Burgundy appellation that mandates Sauvignon Blanc, not Chardonnay.  You can buy Goisot’s wines blind.  They offer tremendous value.  Many of the above-named Chablis producers bottle wines from these lesser-known areas.  Additional names to remember are Stephanie Colinot, Christopher Ferrari’s Domaine St. Germain, Clothilde Davenne, and Domaine Richoux.  Trust me, these appellations will not remain obscure for much longer.

South of the Côte d’Or is the red hot Mâconnais, which has attracted super-star producers like Dominque Lafon, whose stellar Côte d’Or Burgundies routinely sell out quickly despite triple digit price tags, and Domaine Leflaive, whose simple 2021 Bourgogne Blanc goes for $140 a bottle.  Growers are discovering and taking advantage of the different terroirs in the Mâconnais.  More and more are bottling under a specific village name, such as Azé, Mâcon-Vergisson, or Mâcon-Lugny, rather than a blend from several villages and labeled as Macon-Villages.  Look for wines from the Bret Brothers, such as their 2021 Mâcon-Chardonnay “Les Crays.” Located in the village of Vinzelles, as in Pouilly-Vinzelles, the Bret Brothers is the négociant arm of Domaine Soufrandière, their family estate.  Their estate wines have increased in price—and are still worth it—but the Bret Brothers label remains affordable and excellent value.  Yes, Virginia, there is a village named Chardonnay in the Mâconnais.  The grapes are from a single plot, “Les Crays” within the village.  This balanced and fresh Mâcon-Chardonnay displays subtle fruity elements balanced by bracing acidity in the finish that amplifies its considerable charms.  Not overdone, you’d never mistake it for a California Chardonnay.  (92 pts; $25).  The Bret Brothers are another producer whose wines you can buy with your eyes closed, so if you can’t find this Mâcon-Chardonnay, just remember their name.

To see the magic in the Mâconnais, find wines from different Mâcon villages made by the same producer to see for yourself how terroir exists here in the Mâconnais just as it does in the Côte d’Or—at a fraction of the price.  I suggest two from a top young producer, Domaine de la Garenne, but any producers’ pairs will make the point.  The difference between the chunky minerality of Domaine de la Garenne’s 2020 Mâcon Solutré Pouilly ($15, 90 pts) and the sleeker stoniness of its brother from Mâcon Azé ($16, 90 points) is illuminating.  Both these wines are fabulous values.

A Few to Try:

Goisot, Bourgogne Côtes d’Auxerre “Le Court Vit.” 2019:  Goisot considers the Le Court Vit their best white wine.  The 2019 is stunning, floral, and exuberant in a paradoxically restrained way.  Fresh and spiced, it would be perfect with grilled swordfish or seafood with more assertive flavors.  If you find a more enjoyable $22 wine, please let me know.  ($22, 93)

Dampt Frères, Bourgogne Tonnerre, “Chevalier d’Éon,” 2020:  Tight and youthful initially, this beauty opens in the glass within 30 minutes to reveal a winning combination of floral and mineral notes.  Edginess in the finish amplifies its charms.  If you tasted it blind, you’d be hard-pressed to distinguish it from a village Chablis.  ($20, 92)

Dampt Frères, Bourgogne Epineuil, “Elegance,” 2019:  Dampt Frères, best known for their cutting Chablis, does very well with the surrounding, lesser-known appellations, such as Epineuil.  Indeed, they make at least three cuvées from that village.  Elegance was my favorite of a trio of their 2019s, but I’d been happy with either of the other two, their straight village bottling, or “Les Beaumonts.”  The finesse-filled Elegance delivers more black, rather than red, fruit robed in suave tannins and finished with a subtle and attractive hint of bitterness.  It’s another fine choice for current consumption ($25, 92).

Christine, Elodie & Patrick Chalmeau, Bourgogne Chitry, 2019: This refined red shows the potential of Pinot Noir in Chitry.  Generous yet refined, this classy Chitry expresses the near magical interplay of minerals, fruitiness, and savory subtleties of Bourgogne Rouge at a price we normals can afford.  Enjoy now.  ($20, 91).

Château de Chamirey, Mercurey, 2020:  Between the Mâconnais and the Côte d’Or sits the Côtes Chalonnaise and the appellations of Givry (not to be confused with Gevrey, as in Chambertin), Mercurey, and Rully, all of which make both colors, and Montagny, which makes only whites.  Château de Chamirey, a top-notch producer, makes an array of marvelous Mercurey, starting with this village wine.  A blend of six plots from throughout the village, this stylish wine highlights subtle dark cherries in the foreground supported and balanced by a firm stone-y background.  Juicy and harmonious, it’s a delight to drink now.  ($40, 93).

E-mail me your thoughts about Bourgogne at Michael.Apstein1@gmail.com and follow me on Twitter and Instagram @MichaelApstein

February 1, 2023

The 2020 vintage in Burgundy, currently on the market, is the third hot—temperature wise—vintage in a row.  It’s also a “hot” vintage judging from some critics’ reviews and retailers’ enthusiasm.  Hot vintages are tricky, especially in Burgundy.  The good news about growing seasons with hot, sun-drenched days is that the wines have ripe flavors and lack green, unripe ones and the accompanying palate-searing acidity.   This is especially true for areas like Burgundy that traditionally—that is, before climate change—had a tough time ripening grapes.  The downside of all this heat is that grapes can get a bit too ripe, which translates into wines with inadequate freshness from low acidity and wind up tasting heavy or jammy.  Pinot Noir is especially sensitive to too much warmth because it loses its glorious perfume and subtlety in those conditions.  Classic Burgundy, in my mind, has what I call “flavor without weight.”  Too much heat during the growing season can obliterate their charms and make them weighty.  Yes, you want ripeness it Burgundy, but then again, not too much.  Excessive ripeness in Burgundy also blurs the differences among the appellations.  The wines lose their focus as ripe flavors overwhelm the subtle differences that distinguish the terroirs one from another.

Vintages in which quality is so high you can practically choose with your eyes closed are rare in Burgundy.  The 2010 and 2015 vintages for red Burgundies are excellent candidates for that kind of vintage.  In my opinion, the 2020 vintage is not—precisely because of the heat.

All of which brings me to the striking success of Maison Latour’s 2020 Burgundies—both red and white.  Latour’s style has always been to capture flavor and charm without going overboard.  Their viticultural and winemaking practices favor maintaining vibrant acidity, which means that the 2020 vintage was perfect for their style of wines.  Overall, Latour’s 2020s are fleshy and fresh with a clear definition of one appellation from another.  They are structured, but not hard or astringent.  Many are remarkably enjoyable now.  I suspect they will remain that way for a year or so, close down for five or so years, and then start to re-emerge.  Their balance suggests they have a long and complex life ahead of them.

Although Maison Latour is one of Burgundy’s venerable négociants—now under the leadership of the 12th generation of the Latour family—it is also an important grower, owning over 125 acres of vineyards, over half of which are Grand Cru.   Those wines carry a circular label on the neck proclaiming Domaine Louis Latour.  Christophe Diola is responsible for the Domaine wines, while Jean-Charles Thomas oversees the négociant wines.

Under the brilliant leadership of the late Louis-Fabrice Latour, who died in September at the age of 58, Latour shrewdly purchased Domaine Simonnet-Febvre in Chablis in 2003.  Paul Espitalié does a fine job overseeing those wines.

Here are just a few examples of their success with the 2020s.

The Reds:

Domaine Louis Latour, Beaune 1er Cru Les Perrières, 2020:  The 7.5-acre Les Perrières vineyard lies high up on the slope in a cooler locale, which may help explain this wine’s bright energy.  Though tightly wound, as expected from a young top premier cru, its stature shows with gorgeous mineral-scented aromatics and impressive length.  Engaging red fruit flavors intermingled with clear stony notes—the site was an ancient quarry—are clearly heard.  Pure and precise, it’s a winner.  (95 points; $125 for the 2019)

Domaine Louis Latour, Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Les Chaillots, 2020:  Wines from Aloxe-Corton, even its premier crus, are overshadowed by Grand Cru Corton and overlooked by consumers.  Do.  Not.  Overlook.  This.  Wine.  Its fleshy body atop a firm frame of iron-tinged flavors identify it clearly as Aloxe-Corton.  Impeccably balanced and fresh, it is well-proportioned, not over extracted or overdone.  It’s a mini-Corton that has the advantage that it will be approachable far sooner than its grand cru big brother.  (95, $116)

Maison Louis Latour, Pommard 1er Cru Les Epenots, 2020:  More structured, befitting its appellation, this iron tinged Pommard Epenots is sturdy and broad, redolent of dark fruits and minerals.  Though the tannins certainly speak, they are not aggressive.  (92,  $101)

Maison Louis Latour, Volnay 1er Cru En Chevret, 2020:  En Chevret, a highly regarded 1er Cru vineyard, sits adjacent to and just below Volnay Caillerets, a vineyard many consider to be Volnay’s best.  Latour’s suavely textured 2020 En Chevret exemplifies the charm and seductive nature of wines from Volnay.  Floral, fresh, long, it’s captivating.  In a word, wow.  (94, $135 for the 2019)

Domaine Louis Latour, Corton Grancey, 2020:  Corton Grancey, a Grand Cru and the flagship of Domaine Latour, is a blend of five of the Grand Cru lieux-dits of the hill of Corton: Bressandes, Perrières, Grèves, Clos de Roi, Chaumes.  The proportion of each varies year to year, depending on the vintage.  The name, Grancey, comes from the last owners of the château before the Latour family purchased it in 1891.  Château Grancey, a classic multi-storied Burgundian building complete with circular staircases situated in the middle of the Corton vineyards, is the working winery where Christophe Diola makes the domaine wines.  The explosive 2020 is simply sensational, one of best young Grancey releases I’ve tasted.  Both powerful and refined, the wine is succulent, long, and fresh.  The tannins characteristic of red Corton are there, but hardly noticeable because of its suave texture.  Impeccable balance suggests this Grancey will develop beautifully.   Either drink in now or in a decade or two.  (97, $188)

Whites:

Simonnet-Febvre, Chablis “D1840,” 2020:  Simonnet-Febvre is both a négociant and a grower, owning Chablis village plots, pieces Premier Cru, Mont de Milieu, and in Grand Cru, Preuses.  The D1840 bottles comes from their vineyards that have a village appellation.  Fresh and stone-y, it’s a fantastic village wine, providing more excitement than many growers’ 1er cru.  A citrus buzz in the finish just amplifies its appeal.  Don’t miss it.  (92, $30).

Simonnet-Febvre, Chablis 1er cru Mont de Milieu, 2020:  More elegant, befitting a 1er cru, the floral and mineral-y Mont de Milieu dances on the palate.  This lovely, lacey wine is a delight to drink now with simply grilled fish.  (93, $46 for the 2019)

Simonnet-Febvre, Chablis Grand Cru Preuses, 2020:  Unsurprisingly for a young Grand Cru, Simonnet-Febvre’s Preuses takes time to reveal itself in the glass.  But when it does, look out.  It explodes with a barrage of flint and stones all supported by riveting acidity.  A long and luxurious finish confirms this is a great youthful Grand Cru Chablis.  Give it a decade.  (95, $96)

Domaine Louis Latour, Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru En Caradeux, 2020:  The very top portion of the En Caradeux vineyard carries the village, not 1er Cru appellation.  But just below the demarcation, that is the upper part of the 1er Cru portion, marl-filled soil makes it a good site for Chardonnay.  The whole vineyard sits across the valley from the hill of Corton and some say that the white En Caradeux is like a mini-Corton Charlemagne.  Latour’s plush and ripe 2020 finishes with a welcome tinge of bitterness and good vibrancy.  (92, $58 for the 2019)

Maison Louis Latour, Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières, 2020:  Anyone who denigrates négociant bottlings needs to try this extraordinary wine.  A gorgeously transparent wine, its spiciness speaks of Genevrières, which vies with Perrières as the village’s top site, while its richness speaks of Meursault.  Its refinement, length, and energy speak of the Latour style.  (95, $96)

Domaine Louis Latour, Corton-Charlemagne, 2020:  Latour, the largest owner of Corton-Charlemagne, sets the benchmark for that Grand Cru year in and year out.  Explosive and forward, Latour’s ravishing 2020 is less tightly wound compared to many of their young Corton-Charlemagne, which means you can drink it now with enormous pleasure.  My preference would be to cellar it for a decade or two to appreciate the phenomenal complexity their Corton-Charlemagne develops.  With all its ripeness, it is not heavy or over-the-top.  Great spice and acidity in the finish give it energy and length.  A hint of balancing bitterness suggests that this will turn out very well.  (96, $244).

In short, with their 2020s, Latour achieved an impeccable balance of ripeness and liveliness.  I could buy Latour’s 2020 with closed eyes.  Some of these will certainly wind up in my cellar.

E-mail me your thoughts about Burgundy in general or Maison Louis Latour in particular at Michael.Apstein1@gmail.com and follow me on Twitter and Instagram @MichaelApstein
December 21, 2022