The Burgundies I Drink

R

Rahsaan

Rahsaan
2009 and 2010 Pavelot Savigny-les-Beaune La Dominode. People on cellartracker say the 2010 is closed these days, but my bottle (recently purchased from CSW) was very much the opposite. Perfectly harmonious and in that lovely aged zone where the succulent orchard Burg berry fruit is still discernible, but the mellow aged glory is fully resolved (for my tastes). Happy to open the next one soon. On the other hand, the 2009 was juicy tart and able to be appreciated with food, but overall more wound up in its structure. You never know!

2012 Louis Boillot Gevrey Chambertin was a mystery. I bought a lot of Boillot wines from the mid-late aughts vintages through the mid-late teens and am waiting to see how they age! Starts off tarts and acid and remains that way more or less for the first day. But this was one of the rare red Burgundies that tasted better to me on the second day. The fruit came out a bit more and it is still a fairly one-note village wine, but a nice Boillot crystal jeweled note, reminiscent of the wines when young, although a bit more mellowed. And enough of a good showing to keep my optimism alive about future development!

2005 Joseph Voillot Pommard Rugiens
Silky, juicy, mineral, resolved, delicious. Makes the Boillot Gevrey look even simpler, but I suppose that's why they classify the vineyards. Fuller fruit than a previous bottle from around 6 months ago, so a nice reminder that bottle variation is the enemy of predictions! All in all, very charming, very elegant. Lovely.
 
I really like the Voillot wines. Wish I had more in the cellar.

We could open some old Pavelot next time I see you. Just need a little lead time. But if I look back, I suspect this is not the first time I’ve said, “I should/could open _____ next time I see you”.
 
Yes, I'm a Voillot fan as well. These 05 Rugiens may have been the best of them that I owned, but I have a few more vintages/bottlings still around.

Sure, there probably is a long list of things worth opening together! And I know time flies and schedules are crunched...
 
originally posted by maureen:
Voillot is underrated and one of the few values left in Burgundy.
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What about Lyle's Volnay/Pommard producers? Very well priced but I haven't bit, even though Voillot prices have also escalated faster than I am willing to pay (I think current vintage Voillot Rugiens is $150+).
 
Lyle's best Burgundy producer is Brisset - all of you should get some. The Boussey and Buffet Volnays/Pommards have been good, esp. for the pricing, but nothing to make you forget about any old favorites or established names.
 
What about Rebourgeon? I think you may have posted a note or two Keith? I've been tempted by the LF prose on Rebourgeon, but when he notes that they are 'not traditional Burgundy' that has been enough to give me pause, fearing something very unrecognizable.
 
I liked the Rebourgeons I tried but haven't had the Rugiens yet. It wouldn't have occurred to me to call them non-traditional in any sense that isn't true across the board in Burgundy these days.
 
Thanks, that's helpful. He talks a lot about the fruit and says they are 'not shy' wines, which scared me, although it is a broader trend, as you note.

I suppose I could have just reached out to LF for more specificity, but more often I'm happy to cling to any easy excuse NOT to buy wine.

But, the prices are good, so will keep that in mind.
 
Finally getting to this thread. Thanks, Rahsaan, for the Pavelot note. I have '04, '05, '08, and '18 so let's hope I can triangulate correctly.
 
Thanks, Rahsaan. I'm (pleasantly) surprised by your experience with the 2010 Pavelot, which I'd expect to still be inky now. I have a couple of halves and maybe will open one soon to compare notes.

I have some 05 Voillot Champans, but I lack confidence about opening anything Burgundy from 2005. Are the 05s loosening up at all?
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Are the 05s loosening up at all?
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My experience has been that the 2005s are generally fine for current consumption, maybe near or at peak.

. . . . . . Pete
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I think so much depends on the particular wines, and then of course storage and personal tastes. I don't doubt that there are 05s that remain plenty stacked and waiting for the future. But my understanding is that Voillot is not a super long ager, and these bottles of Rugiens certainly supported that view.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Thanks, Rahsaan. I'm (pleasantly) surprised by your experience with the 2010 Pavelot, which I'd expect to still be inky now. I have a couple of halves and maybe will open one soon to compare notes.
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Yes, I was surprised at 2010 being more open and evolved than 2009. I have more bottles of each vintage and plan to open (at least) the 2010 again soon. But of course given the mysteries of bottle variation, I wouldn't be surprised if the next pair shows exactly the opposite and the 09 is the friendlier one.

Only one way to find out!
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Thanks, Rahsaan. I'm (pleasantly) surprised by your experience with the 2010 Pavelot, which I'd expect to still be inky now. I have a couple of halves and maybe will open one soon to compare notes.

I have some 05 Voillot Champans, but I lack confidence about opening anything Burgundy from 2005. Are the 05s loosening up at all?
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A Mugnier Bonnes Mares was open but unexciting a few days ago, Rousseau Ruchottes not very expressive. The Rebourgeon village Pommard is however quite lovely now.
 
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
Lyle's best Burgundy producer is Brisset - all of you should get some. The Boussey and Buffet Volnays/Pommards have been good, esp. for the pricing, but nothing to make you forget about any old favorites or established names.
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Quite startling prices for a producer of whom I hadn't heard, indeed beyond my purse, but that's burgundy now, sadly.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
my understanding is that Voillot is not a super long ager
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Quite the opposite! They are (or at least were, it's been a few years for me) old-style structured wines for long aging. Maureen and I had a beautiful '79 Fremiets a few months ago. The '05 Rugiens when it came out was one of the more muscular '05s at the time - yes, a tannic vintage pretty much across the board, but there are silky tannins and then there are, well, Voillot Pommard tannins.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
I lack confidence about opening anything Burgundy from 2005. Are the 05s loosening up at all?
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I have started opening them semi-regularly. They are in a nice spot, no longer closed, but still far from mature. You can do pretty well just following your gut. The wines you would expect to be ready sooner are all there, the wines you'd expect to take a long time to come around are best left alone.
 
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
originally posted by Rahsaan:
my understanding is that Voillot is not a super long ager
Click to expand...
Quite the opposite! They are (or at least were, it's been a few years for me) old-style structured wines for long aging. Maureen and I had a beautiful '79 Fremiets a few months ago. The '05 Rugiens when it came out was one of the more muscular '05s at the time...
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Interesting take. I'm sure you have more experience. I have heard other wine folks tell me to open them as opposed to keeping forever, which made sense to me, given the relative 'elegance' of the wines, which don't emphasize weight. But, I suppose the acid/tannin structure is there, which certainly helps with aging.

I didn't have 05 Rugiens on release, but I did have a bunch of the 05 Volnay VV on release. At first it was lovely and layered, then it was stacked and difficult, but then I think I missed the prime window (for my tastes). I guess that just means I need more bottles for more regular check-ins!
 
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