Fuddy duddy log: Burgundy drinking windows

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Sharon Bowman

Sharon Bowman
So, just asking for a friend. Hem.

How old vs. young are all y'all drinking your (red) Burgundy these days, and does it mean that one is crazed to think: Hey, wait, that's pretty too young?
 
There's no easy answer for me. As a general rule, I drink Bourgogne before village before 1er before GC, but as ever producer trumps all. I'm still sitting on Lafarge Bourgogne PTG at age 10, for instance. Even with the low-oak producers I favor, it takes a decade or more before most wines reach the enjoyable phase for me, but in lighter years I might relax that a bit. And then there are the shut down phases...

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
By which I mean to say also that I am super bothered by new oak in young, well-made Burgundy.

Proponents expound!
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Does not compute for me... if it's well-made, the oak shouldn't be bothersome.
 
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
By which I mean to say also that I am super bothered by new oak in young, well-made Burgundy.

Proponents expound!
Click to expand...
Does not compute for me... if it's well-made, the oak shouldn't be bothersome.
Click to expand...

There are some producers that show annoyingly oaky when young and beautiful once it integrates. Higher end Roty and Mongeard Mugneret come to mind.

Anyway, the answer is that it really depends on vintage and producer for me. For example I'd be likelier to open a 2007 than a 1999
 
I find that many of my burgundies need more cellaring than similarly priced Bordeauxs. 20 years for 1er crus in good vintages. Unfortunately.
 
originally posted by Odd Rydland:
I find that many of my burgundies need more cellaring than similarly priced Bordeauxs. 20 years for 1er crus in good vintages. Unfortunately.
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Many 1993s and 1996s are finally starting to come around. 1995s not so much. Anything earlier seems fine though most 1988s I've tried recently seem young.
 
I think you already know the answer: it depends.
Producer and vintage dependent, oak regimen, weight, acid structure...want me to keep going?
 
originally posted by Odd Rydland:
I find that many of my burgundies need more cellaring than similarly priced Bordeauxs. 20 years for 1er crus in good vintages. Unfortunately.
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This is very true. The youngest Burgundy vintage that consistently tastes both mature and good right now is 1991. Some '93s and '96s are there, but it's hit or miss. Bordeaux from the mid-'90s are much more developed (and pleasant) at the moment.
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
By which I mean to say also that I am super bothered by new oak in young, well-made Burgundy.

Proponents expound!
Click to expand...
Does not compute for me... if it's well-made, the oak shouldn't be bothersome.
Click to expand...

There are some producers that show annoyingly oaky when young and beautiful once it integrates. Higher end Roty and Mongeard Mugneret come to mind.
Click to expand...
I suppose there are a handful in that bucket, but those are the exception to the rule IMO. I didn't interpret Sharon's post as talking about those guys, but rather a more general statement about young Burgundy. For the most part, young Burgundy above the entry level stuff is going to show the barrels - that's just part of the recipe - it's pretty uncommon to come across one that doesn't show any wood at all, and if the producer's a good one it's pretty rare for it to be bothersome.
 
I rarely find intrusive oak in the young burgs I drink but then I don't drink Roty or MM. I do drink burg young sometimes and really enjoy them (2010s in particular lately altho I didn't care much for the 09s at a similarly young age). Can't compare them to comparably aged bordeaux as I rarely drink the latter these days, having totally lost my taste for it.

What was the question again?
 
Oh at what age do I drink my burgs? Depends on the vintage and the producer's style I guess. I try to avoid bottles that are about 6 to 8 years post vintage (well except for 07s, which seem to be showing well right now if the rouget and roumier from last week are any indication, although I guess that just proves my point).
 
originally posted by Christian Miller (CMM):
originally posted by Chris Coad:
People can still afford Burgundy?
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Exactly. The increasingly common answer is "whatever vintage some nice guest brings to my house."
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Honestly, for me it's easier to find non-spoofed Burgundy within my price range than it is New World Pinot Noir that fits my tastes. YMMV of course.

Mark Lipton
 
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