Cheap Burgundy is Coming.

Now that’s what I’m talking about!

tBoW taster Shag-man knows good Burgundy can be had for less.

WTF?? Pinot Noir is now the #1 Wine Crop!! And that means prices will fall. Nobody else we know would ever place the word “cheap” in front of Burgundy because wine snobs would presume the stuff in the bottle sucked. IGTY would point out he can’t even find decent cheap New World Pinot Noir. We recently read that Pinot Noir is the most widely grown viniferain California, surpassing Cabernet Sauvignon.

Germany approaching US Pinot Noir growth. Can GOP use this?

Germany almost has as much Pinot Noir planted as the USA. We just featured Blair Vineyards of Pennsylvania and he purportedly makes some good shit. So send us some!!

For tBoW the advance of Pinot Noir sounds like one door creaking closed as another cracks opens. It could mean as more Pinot Noir is being grown and bottled in the Newest of New World wines we can expect more homogenization of the varietal. In the Sideways sequel will Miles now proclaim “I am not drinking any fucking Pinot Noir!” Or perhaps he will declare “Only Burgs and ONLY under $40!!” We could be entering a good time to focus on French Pinot Noir at entry level pricing which, it turns out, can also taste good…given you have the right producers…and vendors. What is it Mae West used to say? A hard man is good to find? Something like that. Well, a cheap Burgundy is hard to find. Although we think that is changing.

We recently opened some selections from the Scott Paul Wines Burgundy club. He also makes his own very nice Pinot Noir from local sources in Ribbon Ridge. He imports the Burgundies from obscure and otherwise tough to find houses then offers these to club members. We like his own wines, his imports and his prices.

2009 Marsannay Les Champs Perdrix Domaine Roy $40: Chardonnay with a lemon nose and flavors, lean and Old World style. The wine has “schistic” character which is now the tBoW-acceptable term for the over-used “m” word [ed. minerality]. I am sure the price was considerably less for club members. 14%

think 09

2009 Anne Gros Haute Cotes de Nuits $30: Last tasted October 2011. Been tasting this since we purchased it a couple years ago. Has yet to disappoint. Anne Gros is a super premium winemaker whose wines are still relatively…comparatively…for Burgundy…cheap. This was tasted blind in a bag. Tasters said ripe, sweet, light cherry flavors. Wins again. 13%

2010 Domaine Huber Verdereau Bourgogne Hauts-Cotes-des-Beaune $24: Light red, drying out. Unmistakable old world style, dried cherries. You have to like the style. Not your California Pinot Noir. Entry level bottle, perfect for drawing the distinction. Another Scott Paul selection and at this price very much worthwhile for getting introduced to an unfamiliar producer. Maybe we should have held it? 13%

Investigating the opportunity in quality Burgundy while chanting the tBoW mantra – No Wine Over $20!! – is certainly a worthwhile activity. Now…permit Miles to speak for himself about Merlot!! Wine snobs can be so irrational. We LOVE Miles.