Your economy-class ticket to the Côte d’Or and beyond
You know, there are great options out there for scratching that Burgundy itch without breaking the bank. All the talk of spiralling prices at the top end seems to gloss over this.
And while we fancy we’d never get sick of sinking grand-cru gear – well OK, maybe we wouldn’t – the fact is that sometimes we’re just thirsty for a dash of old-world style and structure.
Here’s a bit of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and more that might do the trick for you.
Aligoté
2017 Taupenot-Merme Bourgogne Aligoté $43
Pretty perfume shows light floral notes, whiffs of pear and small red berries, touch of honey. Palate is soft and sumptuous but held fresh (when cold) with bright acidity under the oily flow of pear, ginger and cinnamon spice and sundry light honeyed notes. Opulent sort of wine but with vitality on its side.
91 points. Mike Bennie, The Wine Front April 2019
Chardonnay
2017 André Bonhomme Mâcon-Villages Vieilles Vignes $40
The fruit is from vines with an average age of 60 years on clays and limestone. The whole bunches are airbag-pressed before the musts undergo long fermentations with natural yeasts. This wine is made exclusively in stainless tanks for freshness.
2017 André Bonhomme Viré-Clessé Vieilles Vignes $54
Supple, succulent white of just ripe stone fruit characters, a flicker of pumice and quartzy mineral character, lemony acidity all drawn exceptionally long across the palate. Indeed, one of the loveliest features of the wine is this lightly palate-staining fresh fruit/sweetness/faint nuttiness that seems to go on and on. A delight! Such a ‘come hither’ style of wine – urging you back to your glass. And neat and tidy, nee, elegant. For bistros and backyards, perhaps.
92 points. Mike Bennie, The Wine Front January 2020
2017 Matrot Bourgogne Blanc $54
100% Chardonnay from vines with an average age of 30 years. Pressed as whole bunches in a pneumatic press. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in oak barrels (up to 20% new) for eight to 10 weeks at temperatures of 18-20°C. Undergoes complete MLF and is matured on lees for 11 months with some bâtonnage. Racked once before bottling.
2018 Louis Michel Chablis $64
Bright, fresh, peachy, flinty, and raring to go. Cool flavour, but good ripeness, brine and green olive, some savoury yoghourt sort of stuff in there too. Like this. Going glass to glass is effortless.
93 points. Gary Walsh, The Wine Front October 2019
Pinot / Gamay
2017 Taupenot-Merme Bourgogne Passetoutgrain $43
Pinot Noir and Gamay grapes for this traditional regional blend are sourced from vineyards around Morey. It’s a juicy wine displaying high-toned raspberry and cherry notes with a touch of peppery spice and fresh, natural acidity.
2018 Jean Tardy Bourgogne Passetoutgrain $55
50% Pinot Noir and 50% Gamay from Flagey-Echézeaux, the first vineyard Jean bought in 1982. Plush, silky, pleasurable purple fruit with genuine tannin structure.
Pinot Noir
2017 Matrot Bourgogne Rouge $58
A fruity and bright nose reflects notes of mostly red berries along with a whiff of earth. The light weight and delicious flavors are built on their fruit but even so, there is reasonably good depth and persistence on the rustic finale. This should drink well immediately.
86 points. Allen Meadows, Burghound June 2019
2017 Matrot Maranges Vieilles Vignes Rouge $66
A slightly more elegant and fresh nose combines notes of equally bright red cherry, currant and pungent earth nuances. There is both good energy and detail to the slightly denser flavours that culminate in a rustic bitter cherry pit-inflected finish. This should also drink well shortly after release.
87 points. Allen Meadows, Burghound June 2019
2017 Taupenot-Merme Bourgogne Rouge $70
A rustic nose features notes of dark currant, forest floor and a whiff of the sauvage. The supple and again nicely vibrant flavors possess caressing mouthfeel and while there is a bit more evident rusticity, there is notably better complexity and length on the gently firm finish.
86-88 points. Allen Meadows, Burghound January 2019
2016 Taupenot-Merme Saint-Romain RougeTaupenot Merme $80
Domaine Taupenot-Merme owns 1.3Ha of Pinot Noir vines in Saint-Romain. These grow in the Le Marsain, En Poillange and Le Marsain lieux-dits, and have an average age of 45 years.
2017 Jean Tardy Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits Cuvée Maëlie $91
These 43-year-old vines are located just above Vosne-Romanée, at the start of the Hautes Côtes de Nuits in Concoeur. Due to its position close to the Côte de Nuits, there’s not much of a lag in ripening so the vineyard can be picked just five to seven days after the crus. The wines from this parcel tend to show a nice aromatic complexity with supple tannins. They can be drunk quite young but also have potential to age.