Boy.  I really have a hard time keep Burgundy producers straight.  The negociant producers, who purchase grapes from growers and then produce wines come out with different wines each year depending on where they can get the best grapes from.  Therefore, to understand Burgundy, you need to know not just the good years, but also the best villages, the best vineyards, and the best wine makers.  Very, very confusing, considering the sheer numbers out there.  Therefore, I just focus on a couple of producers whom I trust, and get their stuff when I see it at a price I am comfortable with, so long as the year is decent.  Each year they may produce different wines from different vineyards.  Of course, some Burgundy producers actually own the vineyards, and can produce the same wines every year, but that's another story.

I always like Vincent Girardin.  I don't think he owns vineyards in any significant numbers.  He is just a producer (negociant), and purchases grapes from respected growers.  His wines are seen around quite a bit, and are uniformly hihg quality, and generally at a decent price.  He wines do not carry the super snob appeal of the really famous names, but he gets it done every year.  He is sort of the Tom Brady of the Burgundy world (for those who don't know Tom Brady, he has won 3 Super Bowls for the Patriots, rarely makes a mistake, yet everyone dismisses him as not as talented as some of the other quarter backs out there).  For Mr. Girardin and Mr. Brady, I think the results speak for themselves.

The 2002 Gevrey-Chambertin is from a high quality vineyard, but does not have Premier Cru or Grand Cru designation, and therefore sells at a relative discount to those wines with those designations.  But this wine can compete with any of the aforementioned and hold its own easily.  The wine has cherries, candy apples, and black currant on the nose.   There is a bit of spice here too.  The color is a lovely medium ruby, and the wine is as smooth and elegant as anything you will find.  This wine is perfect for immediate drinking.  I had it with my wife's famous stuffed salmon and it was perfect.  Buy two bottles of this for the same price as one bottle of someone else's Burgundy and have a good time.  Great wine, and good relative value for Burgundy.  Almost 4 stars.

 

What did you think of this article?

Liked
Disliked
No Opinion