Are there ANY bargains left in Burgundy?
Dear Aunt Becky,
With the craze for 2005, are there ANY bargains left in Burgundy?
Regards,
Karen,VT
Dear Karen,
I can say with absolute certainty, YES! A step back to 2004’s is sure to please. A few short seasons ago, an English writer published an article that questioned the right to life of the 2004 vintage here in Burgundy. I don’t know exactly when he tasted a range of those wines, but suspect that it might have been in the series of tastings held by the UK wine merchants in January 2006, an apparently exhausting series of events paralleling the frenzy of the January sales.
I question the right to life of such gratuitous prose. I wonder in amazement how one can give in to the dubious luxury of bitchy commentary about a vintage that didn’t even have the time to take off its coat and hat and settle in.
It is undeniable a few wines (reds) of the vintage have a green character, a little whip of astringency that might hang around. However, the majority of the wines do not. The best white Burgundies are classy and racy and will probably far outlive cousins from sun-drenched years. The best red Burgundies are now so eager to please that the bouquets tumble out of their glasses. (Of course, I exaggerate a bit but so did the abovementioned writer).
Because of the high prices of certain vintages, some Burgundy amateurs are rediscovering the maligned ones. A very discerning fellow told us that he is purchasing at bargain prices all the good 1998 red Burgundies that he can find. In its infancy, the 1998s had a sturdy character. This too, a much condemned vintage in its entirety, has come in to its own in recent years.
With the 2005 vintage, both in Burgundy and Bordeaux, have made headlines, perhaps this is the moment to avoid the crowds and take advantage of those 2004s slumbering in your favourite retailer’s back room. You might experience a multi-layered satisfaction including the pleasures of taste and thrift.
Best,
Aunt Becky
With the craze for 2005, are there ANY bargains left in Burgundy?
Regards,
Karen,VT
Dear Karen,
I can say with absolute certainty, YES! A step back to 2004’s is sure to please. A few short seasons ago, an English writer published an article that questioned the right to life of the 2004 vintage here in Burgundy. I don’t know exactly when he tasted a range of those wines, but suspect that it might have been in the series of tastings held by the UK wine merchants in January 2006, an apparently exhausting series of events paralleling the frenzy of the January sales.
I question the right to life of such gratuitous prose. I wonder in amazement how one can give in to the dubious luxury of bitchy commentary about a vintage that didn’t even have the time to take off its coat and hat and settle in.
It is undeniable a few wines (reds) of the vintage have a green character, a little whip of astringency that might hang around. However, the majority of the wines do not. The best white Burgundies are classy and racy and will probably far outlive cousins from sun-drenched years. The best red Burgundies are now so eager to please that the bouquets tumble out of their glasses. (Of course, I exaggerate a bit but so did the abovementioned writer).
Because of the high prices of certain vintages, some Burgundy amateurs are rediscovering the maligned ones. A very discerning fellow told us that he is purchasing at bargain prices all the good 1998 red Burgundies that he can find. In its infancy, the 1998s had a sturdy character. This too, a much condemned vintage in its entirety, has come in to its own in recent years.
With the 2005 vintage, both in Burgundy and Bordeaux, have made headlines, perhaps this is the moment to avoid the crowds and take advantage of those 2004s slumbering in your favourite retailer’s back room. You might experience a multi-layered satisfaction including the pleasures of taste and thrift.
Best,
Aunt Becky
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